


Wait a dobosh! Lance is an omega?

by Ashratherose



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abortion, Agression, Allura is beautiful and pure, Alpha Keith, Alternate Universe, Awkwardness, Bonding, Bottom Keith, Bottom Lance, Canon Divergence, Coran is the weird uncle, Dark Shiro - Freeform, Dorks in Love, Earth, Flashbacks/Memories, Fluff, Fluffy Times, Healing, Heats, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Insecure Lance (Voltron), Insecurities, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Knotting, Lance (Voltron) Whump, Lance (Voltron)-centric, Lance is gripped with doubts and issues, Langst, M/M, Mating, Memory Altering, Miscarriage, Mpreg, Omega Lance, Omegaverse, PTSD, Personality sharing due to bonding, Pining Keith (Voltron), Poisons, Porn with a plot?, Possessed Shiro, Pranks, Rape, Secrets, Sex, Smut, Switching, Top Keith, Top Lance, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, a magical cat called six, a whole heap more... and angry alpha's and idk, alpha shiro, and he runs out of suppressants..., anxieties, atlantis arc, background punk, child birth, cross dressing, frienemies to lovers, he's like addicted to it, how to parent in space when everyone wants to kill you, it depends on the mood really, its basically a whoooooole lot of our boys getting hurt and taking care of each other, keith gets a little of Lance's personality and being Lance gets a little of Keith's, keith is ridiculously gentle with Lance, keith loves lance's pregnant belly, keith needs to sack up, klangst, krolia ships it, lance has a strained relationship with his family, lance is Keith's world, lance is the only omega in a castle full of alphas, lance kicks some serious arse, lol jk, lotors interested in Lance because Lance can have babies, non-con, or muffin, pidge/hunk - Freeform, quintessence poisoning, regrets... sooooo many regrets, ruts, save me from myself, self doubt, self hate, semi graphic child birth, seriously, shiro needs to learn his place, so basically they're their normal self, space daddy keith, space mummy lance, there's an actual story, under appreciated lance, worlds best alpha Keith, yes! A story I tell you!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-03-25 01:04:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 110
Words: 653,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13823223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashratherose/pseuds/Ashratherose
Summary: Running out of suppressants is never a good thing... especially in the middle of a mission. But it's ok, because alpha suppressants should totally work? A pills a pill right?Oh how he was so very wrong. After winding up the play thing of Shiro, Keith decides to swoop and save him. Gradually our broody alpha saves our traumatised omega, and the pair find themselves expecting... a whole heap of trouble.Lance is a ball of insecurities thanks to being the only omega on the ship.Shiro is kind of a dick...And Keith's smitten by LancePidge gets a catHunk gets PidgeKrolia gets a sonAllura gets a headacheAndCoran... gets a new braceletEverything up to the end of 91 was written prior to season 6, so you may see some season 6 themes creeping in, buuuut, the end game of this fic was decided long ago* This fic takes place over about 4 years





	1. Chapter 1

“Hunk! Huuuuuuunk, buddy ol’ pal!”

Placing down his latest culinary concoction, Lance wasn’t completely sure what it was supposed to be… they kind of looked like cookies… but they fluorescent pink. Wait… Why was he so surprised they were pink? Everything in the castle was weird, why should cookies be exempt?Shaking his head, Lance grabbed Hunk’s hands as he looked pleadingly into his best friend’s face

“Hunk! I need a favour!”

Taken back momentarily, Hunk nodded quickly

“Anything for my best bud. What’s wrong?”

“Do you have any suppressants left?”

“Suppressants?”

“Tiny white pills…”

“I know what suppressants are. I just don’t know why you’d need them”

“Because they’re the only thing that makes Keith tolerable! I might be the greatest sharpshooter in space, but he’s such a downer…”

Sighing softly, Hunk pulled his hands back

“You know everyone here’s an alpha… you don’t need to take suppressants anymore. It’s not like back on Earth. Besides, Keith’s just being Keith”

That was the problem. If Keith could kindly stop being Keith, that would be great

“Pleeeeease”

“Alright. I think there’s some in my quarters”

“You, my friend are awesome. I’ll just go help myself, and then it’s off to see what Allura’s doing”

Making a sweeping gesture, he really hoped Hunk would believe his performance. Watching Hunk turn all his attention back to his cookies, Lance took that as all the permission he needed.

Hunk might be his best friend, but even Lance had secrets he couldn’t tell him. Walking through the castle halls, he tried his hardest to act like absolutely nothing was wrong… like he hadn’t run out of his suppressants and was now spiralling fast into pre-heat. On Earth, it had been easy to hide the fact he was secretly an omega. All he had to do was bat his eyelashes as he flirted with every woman who caught his eye, and now he had Allura to provide the perfect cover… no one suspected a thing, not even her. It wasn’t that the princess wasn’t beautiful, but she definitely was more like an annoying older sister than a future mate. No. He absolutely couldn’t let anyone at all find out he was an omega, even if it did slightly twinge on his conscious for deceiving Hunk. He knew his best friend wouldn’t be mad, or rather, too mad at him for hiding it, but he absolutely didn’t want him worrying about him when they all had much bigger things to worry about.

“Lance? If you’re looking for Hunk, he’s not in his quarters”

With a racing heart, Lance turned to face Shiro. He hadn’t even realised the alpha was behind him, but now he had, he could definitely feel his body responding to having such a powerful alpha before him. Shiro was the ideal alpha. Smart, handsome, with just the right amounts of broody and mystery… and he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t mentally gone there more than once. Scratching the back of his head, Lance hoped he wasn’t coming across too weird as he forced a casual tone

“No, no he’s off baking cookies. I… I uh, actually just left something in his room”

Stepping closer towards him, Shiro frowned at him as Lance’s heart began to race. It took everything he had not to let out a whine as Shiro stopped just short of him

“Lance, can I ask you something?”

“Sure? I mean, why wouldn’t you?”

“Do you think it’s possible Hunk’s an omega? I can smell something sweet in this corridor”

“Hunk. An Omega? Dude, no. There’s no way. We’re all alphas. No, what you’re smelling is probably something he’s been cooking”

Shiro’s frown deepened, and Lance was sure he was a goner… but the look passed after a moment, and Shiro finally nodded

“I suppose you’re right. Alright. I’m off to see Allura, I’ll catch you later”

“Right! Later bud!”

Turning away from Shiro, Lance resisted the urge to bolt as he walked the last few steps to Hunk’s room. Letting himself in, he could feel Shiro’s eyes on him right up to the moment the door slid closed behind him. Quiznak. He needed suppressants and he needed them now.

Finding the bottle of small white pills buried in the bottom drawer of Hunk’s desk, Lance rushed to open them. Even though they were suppressants for alpha’s, he had no idea if they’d actually work for him. He was choosing to just pay attention to word “suppressant”, and ignore the glaringly obvious fact that they more than likely wouldn’t work… hoping for the best, he shook half a dozen out the bottle, before downing them and shoving the bottle as far into his jacket pocket as he could. Either way, he’d find out in a few hours.

 

*

Nope. Nope. Nope. Noooooo. This couldn’t be happening. Lance had barely made it back to his quarters before the castle alarms were blaring. Stuffing the pills in his draw, he’d been on his way up to the control room, when Coran’s voice came over the speakers. The damn Galra couldn’t even let him have a mini-breakdown in peace. Thanks that, he was now in Blue, and his lion was being less than cooperative

“Come on Blue. We just need to make it through this, then we both get to go home and take a long nap”

Squirming at the increasing wetness across his arse and thighs, the suppressants hadn’t worked in the slightest, no, if anything they’d sped the process up, making the battle damn near impossible to keep up with. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he groaned with exertion

“Lance, what are you doing?! Get out of there”

Blinking at Pidge’s unexpected voice, he looked up in time to see the black lion ramming into Blue

“Shiro!”

“Lance, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but we need to protect the castle”

“I know that I’m just having a little trouble with Blue. I think I made her mad”

“Well hurry up and apologise, we need to finish these guys before any more of their buddies show up”

Quiznak…

“Blue, I know I should have told you and I’m sorry, but can we please just kick some Galra arse?”

Blue was definitely in a huff, they needed to get the hell out of there

“Yeah guys, I don’t think my apology worked”

“Well you shouldn’t have made her mad in the first place”

“Paladins, get back to the castle, I’m opening a wormhole. You have 30 ticks”

30 ticks… Quiznak… he was going to be lucky to make it back in time. Ignoring his commands, Blue immediately turned towards the castle despite the fact they were still being fired at

“Blue. Please. A male omega isn’t exactly the norm back home. I don’t need someone else I care about turning their back on me too”

Feeling tears creeping into his eyes, he cursed his omega side. He loved his family, and his family had always loved and supported him, but they were all alphas… when he’d first presented, he couldn’t even bring himself to tell them the truth. He didn’t want to ruin the family by being born wrong.

Reaching the castle, he only just made it into the hanger before the castle entered the wormhole. Slumping over in his seat, Lance buried his face in his hands as he tried to bring his breathing back under control. He could hear Keith yelling at him, while Shiro tried to keep the peace, but with his body burning, he couldn’t really concentrate on what was being said. After 3 years on heavy suppressants, he’d nearly forgotten how unpleasant a heat could truly be

“Guys, I think I’m going to hang out with Blue”

“Lance, we need to be prepared for the next attack”

“How much more prepared can I be if I’m already in Blue?”

Feeling Blue moving beneath him, he cast a look out at the wormhole around them… no she couldn’t be… pulling back on the controls, his lion refused to listen to him

“Blue?”

“Lance, what is it?”

“Blue not listening to me”

“Hold tight, I’m on way”

No… he didn’t need Shiro… not when his willpower was eroding by the tick. With two long leaps, Blue launched herself off the castle

“Lance!”

It was the last thing he heard before they crashed through the side of the wormhole.

 

*

Waking up with a moan, it was ice as far as he could see. Rubbing his face, Lance shivered despite the fact he wasn’t actually cold

“Where are we Blue?”

Trying to move the controls, nothing happened

“Blue?”

Feeling nothing from his lion, he couldn’t swallow down his panic

“Blue!”

Quiznak, Quiznak, Quiznak

“Blue, come on”

When nothing happened again, Lance drew his knees to his chest. The sensation of the fabric rubbing against his already leaking erection had him mewing with need. He needed an alpha… and not to be trapped on some alien planet in the middle of nowhere.

Struggling from his seat, he made it just behind it before a crackling came through his radio

“Lance? Lance, can you hear me?”

Shiro… Shiro had followed him? That was fast, but then again, he had no way of knowing how long he’d been unconscious for

“I’m here”

“Lance! What happened?”

“I don’t know, it was Blue”

Each word fell between a pant as his hands fumbled his pants undone

“Lance are you alright? You sound like you’re in pain”

“I’m… I’m ok, but I’m not going anywhere”

“I’m on my way”

Tugging his helmet off, Lance let it fall to the floor with a heavy thud. All he could think about was getting his clothes off his sweltering body.

By the time Shiro finally found him, Lance was curled in a ball of pain. The waves of need were pretty much falling right on the heels of each other, leaving his stomach muscles incredibly tender and his thighs wet with slick and cum. Hearing the top entrance hatch slide open, it was accompanied by a small thud as Shiro landed in his lion

“Lance!”

“Alpha…”

Throwing off his own helmet, Shiro rushed to his side

“You’re an omega?”

“Surprise… ah!”

Crying out in pain, he couldn’t stop himself as he reached for Shiro, but the moment his fingers brushed the man’s skin, a sick feeling filled him

“It’s alright, I’ve got you”

Shaking his head, he was conflicted by everything he was feeling. He was filled with overwhelming need to be breed, but not by Shiro

“D-don’t touch me…”

“Lance”

The way Shiro growled out his name filled him with fear

“Get out of here!”

“Omega”

Struggling to push himself up, he tried to slide away from Shiro

“No…”

Snarling, something inside Shiro seemed to have snapped. Grabbing him by the legs, his friend pushed them apart

“Sh-Shiro… s-stop”

“You will submit to me omega”

Unprepared for what happened next, Lance screamed as something penetrated him with no warning

“That’s right. Scream for me omega”

Having passed out from the initial pain, Lance woke to snarls and growls. Fighting weakly, he found he had no strength to push Shiro away as he pounded into him mercilessly. With the initial need to be breed quenched temporarily, he found himself able to focus as he stared at Shiro’s face

“Shiro… Shiro let me go”

Baring his teeth as he snarled, Lance didn’t see any trace of his friend behind his eyes

“Shiro!”

Shiro’s bionic arm grabbed him by the throat, and the alpha began to squeeze firmly

“Sh-Shiro… stop!”

Feeling Shiro’s knot catch, his whole body arched in an attempt to get it out

“Shiro!”

Unable to dislodge the knot, Lance forced his shaking left leg to move, bringing his foot up the best he could as he tried to kick him off. Not caring his knot was still very much inside, Shiro hoisted his limp body up by his neck. With a small twist of his hand, there was a small pop, before of pain filled his entire body. Coughing weakly, he could taste blood as his vision darkened. He’d never known fear like this and never thought Shiro capable. There were moments when his friend would turn cold or grew angry for no apparent reason, but this… He trusted Shiro. He even loved Shiro in a way.

 

*

The next time Lance woke, he found himself propped up in Shiro’s lap. Unable to move his body at all, his head hung limply, forcing him to stare at the blood and cum between his legs. The moment his eyes saw the blood, the smell hit him. The whole of Blue was filled with it, and it’s copper tones overrode the sweet honey of his slick. Hearing something weakly, his eyes flicked towards where his and Shiro’s helmets laid discarded

“Omega… omega…”

Stilling his breathing, Lance gradually became away of the fact that Shiro was repeating that one word on repeat. He wanted to fight, he wanted to run, he wanted to scream but none of that happened. He simply couldn’t. As if sensing he was finally awake, he was lifted from Shiro’s lap and dropped to the floor. Laying there, he had no choice as Shiro buried himself between his legs again. This time he couldn’t pass out. All he could do was scrunch his eyes closed as Shiro pressed kisses to his lips and pounded into his abused opening. Was this his punishment for not speaking up? For not admitting the truth? Now that he thought about it, Allura or Coran probably could have found a way for him to pass through his heat in a pod or a way to suppress it… Pidge could have done it… after all, there was nothing she couldn’t do when she set her mind to it. Thinking of his friends made him want to laugh. If only the could see him now.

 

*

“Lance! Shiro! Can you guys hear me?!”

Growing at the interruption, Shiro clearly wasn’t one for sharing. The alpha had grown tired of screwing him inside Blue, and at some point, he’d moved them outside. Hidden in a small valley between two stone outcrops, the alpha had been considerate enough to build a fire, though the warmth barely made a dent in the chill that had seeped into his bones. He was dying. He was sure he was dying… but he didn’t want to die. It was a horrible sensation, and when he’d tried to move, nothing at all had happened. He wondered if Shiro had done something when he’d been unconscious because he couldn’t control any of his bodily functions. All he could do was lay there in Shiro’s arms, the alpha had one hand splayed protectively across his stomach as if he was already carrying his friend’s pups

“I’ve pinpointed your locating and I’m on my way”

Keith… Keith was coming… it was probably for the best. Keith had always hated him, though he never really knew why. He knew his omega side was attracted to the broody teen, and even knowing his part Galra hadn’t done anything to diminish that… so he’d tried his hardest to earn Keith’s respect. If Keith wanted to him hate, he’d rather be hated for something other than being an omega. Closing his eyes again, he felt Shiro beginning to rut against his hip. He’d never spent a heat with an alpha before, but he doubted this could be called a normal heat. Shiro had seemingly lost his mind because he seriously doubted a normal alpha could have this kind of sex drive.

**

“Lance!”

Whining weakly, Lance’s eyes fluttered open to a face full of Keith. The fellow teen was sprouting a black eye, accompanied by what seemed to be a suspiciously broke nose. Whimpering as he tried to move, he was confused he’d forgotten he couldn’t

“Lance, it’s ok. Hunk and Pidge are in the process of taking Shiro back to the castle”

His already racing heart seemed to grow louder

“They didn’t see you. They don’t know. I covered you with a blanket before they arrived. Can you move?”

Why was Keith being so nice? He wanted Keith to yell at him or scold him… he didn’t want his pity

“I’ll take that as no. Why didn’t you tell us you were an omega? All this time I thought you were an alpha”

Trying to find the words, Lance coughed as blood slid down the back of his throat

“Blue and Black aren’t responding, so we’ll use Red to get back to the castle. I’m going to lift you”

The moment Keith’s skin met his, Lance was filled with warmth. Where Shiro’s touch had been unwelcoming to a nauseating degree, he wanted to just melt into Keith. Feeling his eyelids start to close, Keith’s hand came to his face

“You need to stay awake”

He wanted to yelp when Keith slapped his face, instead, he glared the best he could

“Yeah yeah. I know you hate me, just put up with it until we get back to the castle”


	2. Chapter 2

Having dressed Lance the best he could with the resources he had, Keith had carried the unconscious omega straight through to the healing pods. Shiro was already in one by the time he'd arrived with Lance, and as if he already knew what had happened, Coran had sent the others away. Helping him position Lance, Coran's usually over chipper attitude had faded to confusion. Both Lance and Shiro were covered in blood... blood, he was sure belonged to Lance. Still, he couldn't comprehend Shiro attacking Lance like that, even if Lance had been in heat. Shiro had thrown himself out the castle the moment Lance had taken off in Blue, he'd sworn that he was going to get Lance back and Keith knew for a fact that Shiro cared about all of them way too much. So how did this happen and why was he so agitated over it? It went beyond just anger and was fast heading towards something like self-implosion. Lance had been so soft and warm in his hold. So weak and frail like a newborn bird. So unlike his normal over the top self. The moment he'd lifted Lance into his hold, it was like every single part of him was screaming not to let him go... which was totally weird because he'd brushed against, and touched Lance before without anything like this happening

"Keith you need to go clean up. The others will be worried if they see you like this"

Looking down, he realised there way too much red on his uniform. Lance's blood... shit. The room swayed as he dropped to his knees

"Keith?!"

"I'm fine Coran. Just don't let the others see Lance"

"But your face!"

"I've had worse. I'll get in a pod once we've checked the status of the lions"

 

Stumbling from the room, his feet carried him back to his room. Stripping down as fast as he could, he headed straight for the shower. He needed the smell of blood off of him, yet when he stepped into the water, he found himself growing anxious as Lance's scent was washed down the drain. Quiznak! Why had this happened?! And what would happen when both Shiro and Lance were healed? Would Shiro even remember? He'd been more beast than human, and if the alpha hadn't been in an already weakened state, there was no way he would have won in hand to hand combat. Scrubbing his skin red raw, Keith didn't climb out the shower until he was sure every last trace of what happened was off of him. All he had was thoughts, thoughts and more thoughts.

 

Hunk and Pidge were waiting with Allura and Coran when Keith finally reached the bridge. All eyes were on him when he entered the room 

"What happened? Did Lance say anything?"

"You saw what I did"

"No, you forced us to take Shiro back before we could look at Lance"

"It seems like something on the planet drove Shiro crazy. He got into a fight with Lance, and Lance got his arse handed to him. He was alive and breathing when we got him into the healing pod. That's all I know"

"If something down there sent Shiro crazy, then we need to get off this planet"

"We can't. Lance was having trouble with Blue before the crash, and Shiro isn't here to pilot the black lion"

"Allura can pilot Blue, and you can pilot Black, you've done that before"

"The Black Lion only allowed me to pilot it because I was protecting Shiro"

"So we're stuck here"

"Look, I'll take red down and check on the blue lion. If she needs repairs, I'll let you know"

"I'll come with you, I can fly her back"

"No, you stay here. The Galra could appear at any minute, and we're already two pilots down. We can't afford for anything to happen to you"

That and he had a horrible feeling about what he was going to find in Blue, though it really was a struggle to believe Blue wouldn't have done something to protect Lance.

 

"I've arrived at the Blue Lion, heading over to check it out. Any sign of the Galra?"

"Not yet. Pidge and Hunk just reached the Black Lion"

Despite the fact he'd wanted to head down alone, Pidge and Hunk wouldn't take no for an answer, so sending them off to the Black Lion was the best he could manage. Climbing from his Red Lion, Keith glared down at the snow around his boots, before aiming that Glare at Blue. Lance loved the Blue Lion, and he'd do anything for her, but to Keith, it felt like Blue didn't feel the same. After all, Blue hadn't come to Lance's rescue.

 

The smell... Blue was filled with so many smells it left him lightheaded, Keith was forced to close his eyes and wait a moment before looking around Blue. Under the eye burning scent of blood, Lance's sweet heat smell woke the base hunger of his alpha to mate, but the hues of fear and pain had him wanting to wrap his arms around Lance and hold him safe. In regards to Shiro's lingering scent, that was filled with anger. There might have been hints of desire, of want, but what he tasted on his tongue was rage

"Blue, just what the quiznak happened here?"

Looking behind the pilot’s seat, Keith couldn't stop himself from growling. Semen, slick and blood covered the small space. He could almost see what happened and wasn't able to stop himself as he kicked the seat as hard as he could 

"Why didn't you help him?! Lance could die! He could die and he trusts you! How could you do this to him?"

Feeling Blue finally react, the lion seemed to be asking him what he meant

"Lance is an omega. He's an omega and what Shiro did to him is a serious crime. He was barely breathing, and we don't know if the pod can save him!"

One dobosh he was standing there, and the next he'd been thrown out into the snow. Leaping away from him, Blue seemed to have realized her mistake

"Keith?"

"Blue's on her way back. I told her Lance was hurt so she kicked me out"

"We found nothing wrong with the Black Lion, which means we'll be stuck here until Shiro's back up and moving. What about Blue?"

There was a lot wrong with Blue, but nothing mechanically wrong

"I think she was just mad at Lance, but like with Shiro, we won't know anything until he wakes up"

 

 

*

Keith was in a bad place, he couldn't bring himself to fill Allura, Pitch and Hunk in on Lance, while Shiro was just about ready to come out of the pod already. Shiro had gotten off with "minor" wounds. His back had been torn to shreds by Lance's nails, his nose was broken, and he had hairline fractures across his ribs. Lance on the other hand... his jaw, neck, right wrist, and left knee were broken. He had a huge amount of trauma to his groin area and severe blood loss. Even after 3 quintants, Lance was still healing and they were no closer to knowing what happened. Shiro had come out after several vargas had passed, but Shiro couldn't remember anything that happened down on the planet... at all. He could remember jumping after Lance and the Blue Lion, but not about finding Lance or "fighting" with him.

 

With the Black Lion retrieved, Keith couldn't deny he was relieved that they were finally leaving that hellish planet behind. Since waking up, Shiro seemed to be in a walking daze, though Coran couldn't find anything wrong with him. It only left Keith feeling more and more agitated.

 

It was another quintant and a half before Lance finally woke. With everyone else sleeping, Keith felt obligated to watch over his fellow paladin so Lance wouldn't have to be alone when he woke. Watching the smooth glass of the pod slide away, Lance stumbled from the pod before promptly falling to his knees. Without the pod containing Lance's sweet smell, the whole place was engulfed with the smell of honey and heat. Both the instincts to protect and mount the Omega came rushing to the surface, but when Lance started crying, Keith felt like he'd been stabbed in the heart. Crossing over to Lance, the alpha squatted down in front of him

"Hey Lance"

"K-Keith...?"

"I'm here. Can you walk?"

He was flirting with fire. Placing a hand on Lance's shoulder, the omega jumped and flinched away

"Lance..."

"Don't... don't touch me"

"Look, no one else is here, and you'll need help getting cleaned up"

"I can do it myself"

Lance definitely couldn't do anything himself by the looks and smell of him. Biting the bullet, Keith hefted Lance into his arms

"Put me down!"

"Stop being so stubborn. I'm going to take you to your quarters so you can clean yourself up. I already know you're in heat"

"Wh... how..."

"You're smell"

"Then you know... everyone knows... Shiro, where's Shiro?"

Clamping a hand over his mouth, Lance went ghostly pale at Shiro's name 

"He's asleep. He can't remember anything that happened and no one else saw inside of Blue"

 

Making his way through the castle, the whole place was silent. In his arms, Lance still had one hand over his mouth, so the trip was silent. Ignoring the tenting in his pants, Keith was trying his hardest to keep a cool head, but that was becoming more and more difficult with each step that passed. Finally reaching Lance's quarters, he set Lance down on his feet

"Get cleaned up. The others are going to have questions"

Stumbling badly, Lance couldn't seem to catch his balance. Rushing to the aid of the omega, Keith bit down a sigh 

"I bet you're loving this"

"Loving what?"

"You've had it out for me since day one!"

Lance's anger at him cause him to growl unintentionally

"Why are you here Keith?! Why didn't you just run off and tell everyone?!"

"I know you hate me, but that's low, even for you"

"You're the one who hates me! You're probably happy I was raped!"

There it was. That ugly word out in the open. Lance couldn't take it back any more than Keith could pretend he didn't hear it 

"Lance. No"

"Just get out! Just..."

Lance's words were cut short as his knees gave out. Falling to his knees, Lance's hands grabbed at his crotch as he whined

"Lance..."

Looking up at him with red eyes, Lance's bottom lip was trembling 

"My heat... the next wave is coming..."

While he'd never been with an omega in heat, it was commonly accepted that their heat moved through them like waves, and the pain brought by each could only be satisfied by an alpha

"Lance..."

"Get out!"

"Will you be alright on your own?"

"I'm not letting you mount me! I'm not letting any quiznak alpha mount me!"

Swallowing dryly, Keith clenched his hands into tight fists before releasing the tension. His alpha was screaming at him to breed Lance. Even if he'd wanted to stay, he shouldn't 

"I'll bring you food and water later. I'll let the others know you're in heat"

"No! No... you can't..."

"Lance..."

Lance groaned as his hand slid into the thin pants Keith had put him in. The tiniest trace of light brown pubes exposed by the action. Quiznak. Backing away from Lance, Keith fled. Or rather he fled the best his tenting pants would allow. Once back in his quarters, the alpha rushed to free his aching erection from its hold. With one hand jerking himself, he used the other to strip his shirt off, before pressing the fabric to his face and inhaling as much of Lance's scent as he could. Cumming with a long and low moan, Keith finally felt some of his rationality returning. It seemed he and Lance were compatible, his alpha especially pleased at the possible prospect of courting the omega, despite Keith's feelings that if they ever got together, Lance would do his head in.


	3. Chapter 3

Crying on the floor of the shower, Lance was trying to scrub every trace of Shiro off him, while battling the cramps of need wracking his body. Every time he closed his eyes he could see Shiro. He could feel Shiro... but Keith said Shiro didn't remember what happened. Whimpering as he drove his fingers deeper, his body was betraying him as it urged him to find an alpha. Despite all he'd been through, it wanted to be knotted and filled. So caught up in his own misery, he failed to hear the door to his quarters open.

 

Having turned the shower off, Lance didn't have the strength to move from the floor. Curling against the smooth stone, he nuzzled the surface while whining softly

"Omega"

Lance's heart skipped a beat at the sound of Shiro's smooth voice. Timidly glancing in the direction it came from, he found the alpha glaring down at him

"Sh-Shiro"

"I didn't give you permission to be mounted by another alpha in my presence"

The coldest of the statement made him realise that this Shiro was the same Shiro who'd been down on the planet with him. Stupidly, Lance launched himself up as he tried to flee. With next to no effort, Shiro caught him and hurled up against the bathroom wall

"You can't! The others! The others will see"

Pinning him with his bionic arm, Shiro ran his tongue along Lance's spine before rutting up against him

"You're my omega... but you're right, it'll be problematic if they find that out too soon. That doesn't mean you don't have your uses"

 

Still pinned against the wall, Shiro's bionic hand held his Lance's hands in place, while his human hand was pinning Lance's bent left leg against the wall. Behind him, the alpha was slamming into him so fast his mind couldn't keep up. As tears rolled down his face, cum leaked him from his now limp penis. He had no idea how long Shiro had been fucking him like this, but he didn't dare fight back and draw attention. The team needed Shiro. Shiro was the only one who could pilot the Black Lion... while he just piloted Blue. Letting out a sad sob, Shiro growled behind him, the alpha finally pulling out, before flipping him over, and lifting him by the arse. Lance's abused opening offered no resistance as Shiro shoved his way back in. With Shiro now pressing kisses to his lips, Lance kept his own firmly shut, he had no idea what would come out if he opened them. He'd fought, he'd screamed, he'd cursed Shiro with every curse word he could think of, but the alpha still came after him. He needed a new tactic... forcing down a deep breath, Lance forced himself to return Shiro's kiss. The alpha initially surprised, but seemingly pleased as he released some of the pressure he'd been using to keep Lance pinned. Breaking the kiss, Lance kept his voice as even as he could

"Alpha... we still have hours, maybe we should move to the bed?"

Shiro instantly frowned at his words

"You might be big and strong, but if there's to much strain on my body, I won't conceive"

The words made him vomit in his mouth. Swallowing it down, he stared into Shiro's eyes until the alpha finally moved to carry him to bed. Arranging them so Lance was spooned up in his arms, Shiro had no intention of stopping anytime soon.

 

 

*

Keith hadn't gotten any sleep since leaving Lance the night before. His body was craving the warmth of Lance, while his mind wouldn't stop racing. He shouldn't have left Lance alone. Leaving his room intentionally early, he knew the others would hear straight to the pod room when they woke up. Lance might not want them to know he was an omega, but he had to tell them something, and with him keeping his secrets for as long as he had, he didn't have the right to spill Lance's.

 

Walking into the pod room, Coran and Shiro were already there. Coran was busy looking at something on one of the monitors while Shiro was watching him

"Good morning Keith. How's Lance?"

Shiro shifted ever so slightly at Lance's name, but Keith chalked that down to confusion over what happened down on the planet rather than anything else

"He woke up a few vargas ago but was still exhausted. He said he can't remember what happened either, so I expect he's still sleeping"

"Good! That's good to hear! I'm sure the others will be relieved"

"The others will be relieved to hear what?"

Yawning as she walked in, Pidge rubbed at her eyes. It seemed like by running early, he'd only just got there in time to prevent more trouble. Pidge was quickly followed by Hunk and Allura, who both immediately looked to the empty pod Lance had been in

"Lance woke up last night. He can't remember what happened"

"You saw him?"

"I ran into him last night. He's probably snoring his head off as we speak"

Looking to Hunk, Pidge nodded

"We should go check on him"

Before Keith could say anything, Shiro cleared his throat and took half a step forward 

"If he felt anything like how I did when I woke, he'll probably sleep the whole morning away. Let's leave him sleeping for now"

Hunk seemed to deflate in front of all of them. Ever tactful, Allura tried to salvage the situation

"I'm sure Lance will be just fine and back to himself in no time. Why don't you make him a special lunch?"

Hunk's stomach let out a huge rumble at the suggestion of food 

"I think we could all use some breakfast"

Food was the last thing Keith wanted, but eating with the others would be a good excuse to take food to Lance after, and something about Shiro seemed off... or maybe he was just being paranoid.

 

 

After breakfast, Shiro insisted on being the one to check in with Lance. Given they were barely friends, Keith couldn't tell him no without raising suspicion, but that didn't mean he was ready to let Shiro see Lance without supervision. Sneaking from shadow to shadow, Keith followed Shiro all the way to Lance's room, the fellow alpha didn't even pause to knock before letting himself in

"What are you doing?"

Jumping at Pidge's voice, Keith let out a low growl as he span towards the female alpha 

"Keith?"

"Sorry, Pidge... I guess you saw me following Shiro"

"Yep, so what's going on?"

"Pidge do you think Shiro's acting weird?"

"Acting weird?"

"Yeah. I don't know what it is, but he's been off since he woke up"

"Maybe he's trying to remember what happened down on the planet?"

"Maybe... It feels like he's not himself and I want to know why"

"Have you tried asking him?"

Keith resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Pidge's innocent question

"We all want to know what happened down on the planet, so maybe that's why he's talking to Lance now"

"Lance doesn't remember either"

"I'm sure that if something was really wrong Allura would have picked up on it. Why don't we give them some space?"

"No... I'll stay here. I want to see Shiro anyway"

Pidge nodded, before moving closer to him

"What are you doing?"

"If you're going to wait, I'll wait with you"

"Actually, I have a better idea. Pidge, can you pull up the camera footage from the castle and see if Shiro's done anything out of the ordinary?"

"You want me to spy on Shiro?"

"Pidge, I just want to know he's really alright"

"Fine... but I still think you should just talk to him"

Looking from Lance's door to Pidge, Keith nodded 

"I will"

 

 

*

Bent over the bathroom counter, Shiro thrust into him mercilessly. Despite the fact his heat was finally coming to an end, every thrust had more cum dribbling from his erection. Panting in his ear, Shiro had already worked his nipples into painful peaks, but the alpha didn't seem to be inclined to leave them alone anytime soon. When Shiro had left before, Lance had wanted to flee his room, but with his aching back and hips, that was near on impossible. Driving his forming knot in, Shiro snarled as he came. The alphas hot seed filling his already impossibly full opening

"I'm going to tell the others about us. That you're my mate"

With everything happening, Lance hadn't thought he could still be shocked. He wasn't Shiro's mate, and he definitely didn't want to be

"That way I can do this to you as much as like, whenever I like. You know, everyone was so worried about you. Hunk's even making you a special lunch... I wonder what he'd think if he could see how much you love my knot"

Lance wanted to scream no, but with Shiro's hand sliding up his chest and towards his neck, the words died in his throat.

After another round, Shiro had seemingly decided that was enough for now, leaving Lance to collapse in a bloodied heap. Walking from the room silently, the alpha didn't even spare him a second glance. It took the shaking omega a few long moments before he finally dragged himself into the shower. Even if he was the victim, Lance was so ashamed of what was happening. His family would probably be disgusted if they could see him now, and for the first time in his life, he truly wanted to die. When that thought came to mind, his thoughts became fixed. He'd always loved being alive. He loved the rain and the sun, and lazy mornings at home. He loved piloting Blue, and knowing the work they were doing helped so many others... he loved it all, but now he was so very dirty.

 

"Lance!"

Curled up on the shower floor, Lance whined at the calling of his name. His heart began to race as he forced his eyes open. Above him, the water finally came to an end, before strong hands lifted him with ease 

"Lance?"

"K-Keith?"

In Keith's arms, Lance felt safe. He didn't know why, but his omega side was telling him that Keith was good. That Keith would be an ideal mate, so he buried his face against the fellow teen’s neck 

"Lance, did something happen with Shiro?"

"No..."

His denial came loud and fast, completely unbelievable 

"Lance?"

Nuzzling Keith's neck, the alphas earthy scents rooted him to reality. Keith would never hurt him, not like Shiro

"My heat's passing"

"I know, I can smell it"

Carrying him out to his bed, Keith placed him down 

"Lance, tell me what happened. Shiro's been acting weird since we came back and I already know he was here"

"Then you know he wants to court me"

It felt like ice cold water had been poured over him. Shiro wanted to court Lance?! Why? Why was his friend after his omega? No. Wait. Lance wasn't his omega

"Lance, Shiro is dangerous. You have to stay away from him"

Lance shook his head

"I can't... I can't make him mad"

"Lance"

"You don't understand!"

"Of course I don't. You won't explain things properly"

Letting out a small sob, Lance covered his face

"I'm scared. I'm scared of him... he hurts me, and he wants to breed me... what if I'm already pregnant? What do I do?"

His fears were falling out his mouth like word vomit 

"You say your heats fading. Will it be gone by tomorrow?"

"It feels that way"

"Then sleep in my room. You can make a nest or whatever you need to, and you'll be safe for the rest of your heat"

"N-no..."

"Lance"

"I don't... I don't want you laughing at me"

Keith pulled away from him, disappearing temporarily, before reappearing with a towel 

"Look, you need the smell of an alpha to help soothe your heat and I definitely don't want to touch you"

"You think I'm dirty, don't you?"

"Lance..."

"Lance the dirty omega!"

"Stop being so stubborn, or do you want Shiro to come back?"

"N-no... anything but that"

"Then get dressed. Things should settle after your heat, and I'll be there to protect you until it's over"

 

Despite not wanting to rely on Keith, especially when his omega was so delighted to have the alphas full attention, Lance still found himself in Keith's bed. Buried under almost everything Keith could find, Lance's body was burning with the need for the alpha to mount him. Upset over his own feelings, Lance was so well hidden that only his mouth and nose were exposed

"Try and get some sleep. Your body needs it"

"I don't want to sleep"

"Too bad. You need your rest"

"You shouldn't have brought me here... Shiro's going to get so mad"

"Just let me deal with Shiro"

"You're not match for him"

Keith growled in warning, leaving Lance to flinch away from the alpha 

"Get some quiznak rest before I quiznak you where the sun don't shine"

With Keith's angry scent beginning to override the calming ones on his clothes, Lance closed his eyes and burrowed down against the mattress. He didn't know why Keith was doing this.

 

 

*

When Lance's loud snores finally filled the space, Keith let out a long sigh as he scrubbed at his face. His alpha wanted to climb into the bed so he could Lance close, while his rationality told him Lance would freak if he did. Keith was honestly exhausted by the whole situation and thanking his lucky stars that Lance's heat would soon be ending. Once Lance's heat was over, hopefully, Shiro would leave him alone, though if the alpha wanted to court Lance, he couldn't exactly stop it. It was Lance's body and lance's choice. Opening his desk drawer, Keith pulled out what was left of his suppressants. Shaking the white pills into his plan, he counted them quickly. 16. 16 white pills. Enough to make it through to tomorrow, provided Lance's heat ended then. Downing 4 of them dry, Keith returned the others to their bottle, and the bottle to the drawer, before rising from his chair and walking over to the bed. Giving into his own fatigue, the alpha laid along the edge of the improvised nest, before slinging an arm over the pile. It seemed he was more in love with Lance than he cared to admit.


	4. Chapter 4

Sleeping in Keith's bed was blissful. The alphas scent, the warmth of the piled blankets, knowing Keith was right beside him like a wall between him and reality... Lance was practically purring as he stretched his long limbs out. Here was safe

"Oi! Watch what you're doing"

Pushing the blankets away from his face, Lance peaked over at Keith

"You nearly pushed me off the bed"

"Oh... sorry"

There was no real anger in Keith's tone, but Lance's heart still began to race. Wriggling back, he tried to put as much distance between them as he could as tears welled in his eyes

"Quiznak. Don't look at me like that..."

"S-sorry"

"Is your heat over?"

Lance sniffled as he nodded

"I think so"

"Well, that's something. I've been thinking, we should tell the others you're an omega"

"What!? Why?!"

"So we can be prepared next time you go into heat. We're lucky the Galra haven't attacked us, but what happens if they do next time? Allura needs to be prepared to pilot Blue"

"I... I don't want them to know"

Pushing the covers back, Lance didn't care that he'd dislodged Keith from the bed in the process

"Lance, this isn't just about you. There's Shiro to think of too. You said he wants to court you. Don't you think the others are going to find that strange"

Climbing from the bed, Lance ignored how wet between his legs was as he stumbled towards the bathroom

"Lance!"

"Enough! I get it! I just... I just need time to think"

He needed space, and he needed not to be stuck in the castle. He wanted to run and scream. He wanted to curse Shiro with all he could, but now his heat was over... maybe that would mean Shiro would lose interest? Hopefully, Shiro would lose all interest...

 

 

*

With Keith by his side, Lance was on his way to see Hunk. He needed a friendly face... a friendly face that wasn't Keith. Being the centre of the alpha's attentions felt too nice, and only added to the all the thoughts that were swirling around his head. He honestly just wanted to pretend none of this happened, but with Shiro's scent everywhere he went, it was a struggle just to hold himself. Reaching the kitchen, he found Hunk hunched over some kind of yellow pancake looking stack

"Hey Hunk"

"Lance! You're up! I've missed you"

Leaving Keith's side, Lance all but threw himself into his friends hold

"I missed you too! What are you making?"

"I was trying to make you quesadillas, but the batter turned out wrong... so I call these Hunk's Super Pancakes!"

"They look good. I'm totally starving"

"There's plenty more where they came from. Keith, you should come have some too"

"No, I'll leave you too it"

Turning away, Keith began to retreat the way they came. Lance momentarily wanted to call out, to call the alpha back but swallowed the words down. He was with Hunk. Hunk wouldn't let anything happen.

 

Inhaling his pancakes, Lance nodded along as Hunk filled them him in on what he'd missed... which was nothing outside of kitchen concoctions. Finishing the meal, Hunk cleared his dishes for him before sitting down across from him

"Lance, can I ask you something?"

With Hunk acting uncharacteristically nervous, Lance had a horrible feeling what was coming next 

"Lance, are you an omega?"

The was a split moment he thought about denying it, but with the way his best friend was looking at him, he just couldn't. Instead, he hung his head

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That you're an omega. I thought we were best friends"

"We are... it's just... you know what it's like for male omegas. They never would have let me pilot anything more than a broom"

"But still..."

"I'm sorry... I've had all this from Keith, I don't need it from you. I just want to spend some time with my best friend"

"Keith knows?"

"He figured it out when I came out the pod..."

"Did he do anything?"

"Do anything?"

"You know, did he try anything?"

Lance shook his head as he finally raised his face to look back at Hunk 

"No. He just made sure I was alright"

"I still wish you'd told me"

"I'm sorry... and, can we not tell the others? Allura and Coran wouldn't understand, and Pidge... she's got enough on her plate... and so does Shiro"

"Lance, the others will understand"

"I don't want them to understand, I just want things to be the same..."

"In that case, we should go see Pidge and Allura, they've both been worried about you"

 

"Lance!"

Abandoning her laptop, Pidge came running over to him as Lance walked into the Green Lions hangar. Darting around him, Pidge seemed to be checking every inch of him over 

"Hey Pidge"

"Don't get Pidge me. Where have you been?"

Scratching the back of his head, Lance shrugged

"Oh, I went to ask Keith about what happened on the planet, but I ended up falling asleep"

"So you don't remember?"

He remembered everything with disgusting clarity, still, he couldn't stomach the idea of saying so

"Not really..."

"Shiro doesn't remember either. Keith said you two got into a fight, so I've been examining samples of the ice, but I've come up with nothing so far"

"The ice?"

"Shiro's not the type to become aggressive for no good reason, so I was trying to isolate the variables... never mind. I'm just so happy to see that you're alright... you are alright, aren't you?"

"Yeah, Pidge. Just doing the rounds"

"Then you should definitely go see Allura, she's been worried about piloting Blue in your absence"

Blue... he really should go see Blue. Lance couldn't help but wonder if Blue was as worried about him as he was about her, but before he had the chance, the castle alarms started blaring

"Pidge, what's going on?"

"It's the Galra! I don't know how they got so close! The castle sensors should have picked them up before now"

"Lance, we've got to get to our Lions. Will you be alright?"

"I'll be fine. I wanted to see Blue anyway"

 

Staring up at Blue, his lion seemed almost sad 

"Hey Blue, did you miss me, girl?"

Feeling his Lion reaching out to him, it was like she was trying to apologise 

"It's ok Blue. Let's just kick some Galra quiznak!"

 

The moment he climbed into Blue, Shiro's scent assaulted every single one of his senses. Gagging on the smell, silent tears streamed down his face

"I'm ok Blue... let's do this"

Blue knew he was clearly not alright, but his Lion still launched into action. He could do this. This was his normal after all. Launching from the hangar, his eyes immediately sought out the others. Shiro was well ahead of the rest of them, taking his place at the head of their team

"Lance, you and Hunk draw their attention"

"On it!"

Flying straight for the Galra ship, Lance fired his lasers towards the ship. Every bit of his anger and pain seemed to be channelling into Blue, his Lion quietly concerned for his welfare as he fired mercilessly on the Galra

"Lance, you're being reckless. Get your head in the game"

Keith could quiznak off. He needed some kind of release for his confused and battered emotions, and what made for a better target than the hulking Galra ship? Dodging another shot, Lance looped around behind Hunk 

"Lance, what are you doing?!"

Shiro... the last voice he wanted to hear. Quiznakked the hell off, Lance faced the ship as he prepared to fire Blue's mouth laser, before screaming as Blue fired. Even after the shot ended, Lance continued to scream until he finally broke down into sobs. Outside of Blue, the ship erupted in a chain reaction of explosions, which normally would have made him happy

"Lance?"

Sniffling, Lance turned Blue back to the castle. He needed to clean Blue. He needed Shiro's scent gone, and he needed to feel safe again.

 

 

*

"I'm going to check on Lance"

Jumping out his Lion, Keith took off towards the Blue Lion. He was probably the only one who knew what Lance was going through... especially seeing he hadn't cleaned the Blue Lion out before Lance climbed back into it. He'd honestly pushed the thought to the back of his mind in favour of looking after the forementioned omega. Jogging through the halls, he found he wasn't the only one heading to check on Lance. Increasing his pace, Keith grabbed Shiro by his arm, stopping the alpha mid-stride 

"Shiro, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to check on Lance"

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"He doesn't want to see you right now"

Pulling away, Shiro frowned down at him

"Why not? Is this something to do with happened down on that planet? Does he remember what happened?"

Keith was caught off guard. This was Shiro... the Shiro he knew and the one who wouldn't hurt Lance...

"No. No Lance doesn't remember anything, he's just having a bit of a hard time"

"And you're helping him?"

Shiro's voice held a hint of shock that wasn't welcome in the slightest

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"No. No. You've always excelled at leadership... I'm just surprised Lance would come to you"

"Well, he did. Now I'm going to go check on him"

Shiro's eyes narrowed for the briefest of seconds before nodding with a somewhat creepy smile on his face

"Just make sure he's alright"

 

Climbing into the Blue Lion, Keith was hit with the smell of upset omega, which wasn't surprising given the small sobs coming from behind the pilot seat. Moving around the seat, Keith found Lance scrubbing at the floor. The fellow hands were covered with filthy, but Lance didn't even seem to care

"Lance"

Lance didn't seem to notice 

"Lance!"

Jumping at his name being shouted, Lance looked up at him with red ringed eyes 

"Keith..."

Kneeling down, Keith opened his arms, catching an armful of sobbing omega

"Hey... it's alright"

"No, it's not!"

"It's over now"

"No! It's not over! It's not! I can feel him on me!"

"Shiro's not here. It's just me. Let me help you clean this up"

"But Shiro's your friend..."

"And you're in pain. I can't ignore you when you're like this"

Hushing Lance, Keith let his smell roll off him freely in an attempt to drown out the stink of Shiro's. The alpha could definitely see why Lance was so messed up, he'd been trapped in the space where he was raped, with Shiro's scent all around him

"I don't want to be in here anymore"

"Ok. It's ok. Let's get you out of here"

"But... there's still so much..."

"Leave it. Let me take you back to your room"

Lance shook his head 

"I don't want to go there... please"

"Then I'll take you to mine, just as long as it doesn't become a habit"

"Sorry. I'm just being a pain, aren't I?"

"A little, but you wouldn't be you if you weren't"

"That makes no sense"

"It makes sense to me"

 

With Lance's arms loosely hung over his shoulders and his legs wrapped around Keith's waist, Keith supported Lance by his arse. It was ridiculous how good Lance's arse felt in his hands. He'd always thought the teen to be on the long and lanky side, but his arse was definitely more curvaceous than he'd given Lance credit for. Nuzzling his neck, Lance let out a small sleepy whine 

"You falling asleep on me?"

"Mhmm. You feel nice and safe. I like you, Keith"

Lance probably didn't realise what he was saying, but Keith's heart began to race. Struck dumb, Keith's grip tightened on Lance's arse. The alpha keeping his mouth closed as he resumed carrying Lance down the hall. 

 

Lance was asleep in his arms by the time they arrived, leaving Keith to untangle the omega, before settling him down in his bed. Sitting beside him, Keith stared down at Lance's face. He'd always found Lance's face somewhat goofy, but sitting this close, he could see how long lance's eyelashes were, and just how plump and soft his lips looked. With Lance sleeping, Keith leant in, letting his lips barely brush against Lance's. Warmth blossomed in his chest, it shouldn't feel this right, not with what Lance was going through

"I think I might like you too"

"You like Lance?!"

 

Leaping to his feet, Keith threw his arms out as if to shield Lance from the intrusion, despite the fact that said intrusion was Allura. Standing in the doorway, Keith had been too wrapped up in Lance to notice her arrival

"What are you doing here?"

"I saw you carrying Lance, and was worried something was wrong. How long have you two been a thing? And why didn't the mice tell me?"

Forcing himself to sit down, Keith scrubbed his face as he sighed deeply 

"We aren't a thing"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you just say you liked him?"

"It's more complicated than that"

"Why don't you tell me about it? Maybe I can help?"

"Allura, have you heard the term omega before?"

"No, should I have?"

"A male omega is capable of conceiving and giving birth. Every three months they go into heat, releasing scents that are almost irresistible to alphas, but that's the point..."

"Keith, wait a moment. Are you saying that where you're from, males can fall pregnant"

"Not all males, and in most cases society treats them like trash. They're basically second place citizens. If anyone back on Earth knew Lance was an omega, he'd never be allowed to be a pilot"

"You can't be serious. One's skill shouldn't be evaluated over something such they can't help"

"You're right, people shouldn't be judged just because of how they were born"

Part of Keith was still slightly bitter that Allura had taken so long to accept the fact he wasn't to blame for being part Galra, but he knew he was being somewhat petty by bringing it back up

"So Lance is one of these omegas. And you're not like him?"

"No. I'm an alpha. Alpha's tend to be stronger and fast than omegas, also bigger stature-wise. You've heard us talk about alphas before. We thought Lance was alpha too..."

"So Lance has been hiding he's an omega? Why?"

"I don't know why he continued to hide it, but I do know that Lance went into heat shortly before crashing down on that ice planet with Shiro"

"If he went into heat... does that mean Shiro would have been attracted to him?"

"Yes, that's why they fought. Shiro wanted to... he wanted to breed Lance, and wouldn't take no for an answer"

Allura's face fell. Tears filled the princesses eyes

"You don't mean..."

"Yeah. Shiro doesn't seem to remember, and Lance doesn't want to talk about it. He's a bit messed up because of it and I was just the first alpha to find him"

"To go through that, yet to trust you. He's a strong person"

"I always thought he was kind of stupid, but now... I think I'm falling for him"

"Keith..."

"I know it's not the right time Allura. Can you not tell the others? If Lance knew I told you, I don't think he'd forgive me"

"No. I understand. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"About that... I know this is a lot, but can you clean the inside of Blue? Lance was verging on a panic attack thanks to Shiro's lingering smell and the mess in there"

"Of course. We've already exited the wormhole, so we should be safe for a while"

"Thanks, Allura. Also, can you not tell Shiro. If he knew, he'd hate himself so much"

"Shiro's the last of our worries right now. I'll take over piloting the Blue Lion for now, and we'll let Lance get some rest"

"No. If you do that, he'll know I've told you. All we can do is be there for Lance"

"I suppose your right. Hold on a doblosh, if Shiro and Lance mated, isn't there a possibility Lance might be pregnant"

Sometimes Allura was too smart for her own good. That was another conversation for another time

"Possibly. I don't know how we're going to find out for sure, and Lance isn't ready to have a baby"

"If you can get him into a pod, we should be able to use the sensor to confirm if he is"

Keith looked back over his shoulder to where Lance was drooling on his pillow 

"Let's just wait for now"

"You're the expert here, so I'll follow your lead. But Keith, if he is pregnant, you'll need to be there to support his decision, no matter what it is. That's what it means to love someone"

Allura was basically telling him he'd have to accept what happened to Lance and to accept the fact Lance could be pregnant with Shiro's pup. Keith couldn't deny both he and his alpha were jealous. If anyone was going to father Lance's pups, it should be him. 

 

Leaving them alone again, Keith stripped off his jacket and boots, before sliding under the covers with Lance. The moment he was settled, Lance rolled over and curled into his side, nuzzling his chest in his sleep. Sighing to himself, Keith wrapped his arm around the omega. He felt better for having told Allura what was happening, though he also felt like he'd just brutally betrayed the fragile trust Lance had placed in him.


	5. Chapter 5

Lance had thought everything would be fine now his heat had passed. He was trying his hardest not to burden his friends, even though he was barely able to pull off his usual over the top persona. 

 

It'd been four movements now, and as far as everyone else knew he was just fine, but that was because he was living a lie. After waking up in Keith's arms, Lance had crept back to his own room, ashamed of needing the alpha's touch. Arriving back at his quarters, he'd found it trashed with a very angry Shiro waiting for him. After backhanding him hard enough that he tasted blood in his mouth, Shiro had forced himself upon him, not stopping no matter how hard he fought. Now every time Shiro thought he was getting to close to anyone, the alpha would punish him by the same means. Honestly, Lance had lost count of the times Shiro punished him. The omega only knew that the bruises left never faded before new ones were added. Shiro was careful though, the alpha never hitting him where anyone else might see, and his punishments only came in the dead of night, when everyone else was asleep. Lance was falling apart, and after how Keith had been so sweet to him, so he couldn't bring himself to admit the abuse was still occurring.

 

Returning to his quarters, Lance didn't even need to look back to tell Shiro had followed him. The alpha uncharacteristically quiet as he pulled Lance up against him

"Sh-Shiro?"

"Why did you save Keith? Do you like him?"

"Wh... what do you mean?"

Sliding his hand down Lance's pants, Shiro grasped his limp dick firmly enough that Lance yelped

"Shiro"

"Do you like him? Do you want him instead of me?"

"No! No... Keith's our friend"

"You little slut. You want him to don't you. You want his seed and his pups"

Trying to free himself, Lance whimpered as Shiro's cold inorganic hand tightened further 

"You're wrong! I don't... please alpha..."

"Don't forget who you belong to"

"I won't! Please, Shiro... my alpha..."

Suppressing a shudder, Lance hated calling Shiro his. He hated Shiro and couldn't believe he'd ever fancied the alpha. Shiro was playing everyone around them, and no one seemed to know or perhaps they did and they just didn't care

"Good omega, now present yourself"

 

With his hands against the wall and his pants around his ankles, Lance found he couldn't cry anymore. Feeling the drag each time Shiro pulled back, the alpha would leave just the very tip of his erection inside of him before slamming in bruisingly hard. Reduced to snarls, Shiro mouthed at his neck, but never bit down. It was like he was telling Lance that he wasn't worth bonding with now that he knew he could knot him all he wanted without it. The feeling left him hollow... even more, hollow then the act of sex it's self. He was just a toy in the alpha's hands, not even a person.

 

 

*

Sitting with Allura, Keith was nursing his drink. With Lance's mental health not improving, they were planning on setting the castle down on the next suitable planet they found. After being stuck in the castle for so long, they were all going a little crazy

"Good news, I think I've found a planet suitable for our stop"

Interrupting their musings, Coran beamed happily at them

"You have?"

"It's a wormhole away, but it has a suitable atmosphere, and as you requested a pretty big lake"

Knowing how much Lance missed Earth, Keith had specifically asked for the planet to have somewhere they could go swimming

"We'll go right now. I think we could all use some downtime"

"I'll find my bathing suit. I just hope it still fits"

Coran plus bathing suit equalled speedos in Keith's mind. A sight he never needed to see. Still, Coran seemed especially excited about making landfall, something he hadn't really expected.

 

It was another 6 vargas before the castle finally came to a rest on the planet Coran had found. The moment Pidge had realised what was happening, the girl had come running to demand answers. Paging the rest of them, Allura kept the anxious Pidge waiting until she could announce to all of them they were taking a holiday. Lance didn't seem as enthused as Keith had hoped, the omega shying away from the group, exchanging a glance with Allura, both of them silently agreed that today would be Lance's day

"Hunk, we'll need food for a picnic, and there's a big lake for swimming. Keith, why don't you take Lance down and check out the water while we get everything organised up here"

Shiro frowned at the pair of them, but Hunk was already talking menu items

"Shiro, why don't you help Hunk with the food. Pidge, you're on entertainment"

"I can do that! I've been working on..."

Walking over to Lance, Keith placed his hand on his shoulder

"You ready?"

"Sure"

 

Landing Red near the shore of the lake, the pair of them walked over to the edge of the lake. Bright blue in colour, it looked harmless enough

"Keith, why are we here?"

"Because Allura wanted to take a break. We've been on the move nonstop, and being trapped on the castle nonstop is hard"

He had word vomit. He'd tried to make it sound casual, but his words ended up falling out all over each other

"You're a terrible liar"

"Fine. Allura's worried about all of us. You're barely talking to any of us. Shiro's all broody. Pidge hasn't been tinkering as much, and Hunk... no, Hunk's been fine in the kitchen"

Honestly he hadn't really been paying much attention to everyone else, whenever he was alone, Lance crept into his mind. Actually... no, Lance crept into his mind even he didn't want him to

"Well... do you think the water's safe?"

"I'll go in if you do"

"Are you calling me chicken?"

Letting out a huffy pout, Lance put his hands on his hips 

"No, but I don't see you moving"

"You're not moving either"

Acting on impulse, Keith grabbed Lance's hand

"If I'm going down, you're coming with me"

Never in his life had he imagined he'd be running into a strange alien lake while holding Lance's hand. Ignoring the initial shock of the cold water, Keith plunged forwards, dragging Lance with him below the surface. Reemerging Keith immediately looked to Lance, for the first time in movements the omega was laughing. A wave of affection rushed up, and before he knew it, Keith had pulled Lance close

"Um, Keith?"

"You look like a drowned rat"

"You're the drowned rat with that mullet of yours"

"Well it takes one to know one"

"Oh! It is so on"

Dunking him under the water, Keith grabbed Lance around the waist and pulled him down, both grinning at each other stupidly. Lance really was most beautiful when he smiled. Filled with the urge to kiss Lance, and when the pair finally emerged again, he did just that. The kiss was slow and sweet, and over before it really began. Breaking away, Lance's smile faded and Keith cursed himself ruining the moment 

"Lance..."

"I'm sorry"

Fleeing the lake, Lance left behind a trail of distress that had Keith cursing himself all over again. The trip down here was supposed to be helping Lance forget his troubles, not add to them. Giving Lance enough time to settle down on the bank of the lake, the alpha took his time as Coran emerged on the shore line

"Keith! Lance! How's the water?"

Gross. As he'd predicted Coran was dressed in his speedos, while the man's moustache almost seemed to gleam unnaturally

"It's nice!"

Wading out of the water, Keith wiped his face before looking down to find a very red-faced Lance 

"What? What is it?"

"Keith, your bobby dazzler's showing"

"My what?"

"If you two wanted to go swimming naked..."

Looking down, Keith realised he was now naked

"I wasn't naked when I went in!"

Looking away, Lance covered his face with his hands, while Keith tried to hide his crotch

"It's true. We both had our clothes on"

"Then why are you naked?"

"I don't know..."

This was mortifying, but at least Pidge and Allura hadn't been here to witness his moment of shame. Turning away, Coran gave him enough privacy so he could return to Red. He should have known better than to trust Coran or to trust that alien water was really water.

 

 

*

With swimming out of the question, Hunk and Allura went about setting up a huge picnic, while Pidge was beside herself examining the properties of the water. The only explanation they had was that Keith's clothes dissolved completely because he was in the water longer than Lance. Though Coran insisted he was still going swimming after they'd all eaten.

 

Despite having showered and changed, Keith still made it back to the others before Lance did. The sun setting as the omega finally came wandering into camp. Smiling, Lance plonked himself down next to Hunk

"Hunk, I'm starving"

"Good. I might have made too much"

"With your cooking, there's no such thing"

Looking over to Shiro, he found Shiro watching the pair. None of this escaped Allura though 

"So what do you usually do on Earth, when you go for picnics?"

"Allura, I think this more like dinner than a picnic. But we swim, or we play games"

"Or we drink. It's about having fun"

"Speaking of drinking, Lance, you have to try this"

"Hunk, did you make moonshine?"

Hunk squirmed for a second 

"I didn't mean to. I was trying to recreate a milkshake"

Keith had no idea how a milkshake became moonshine, but Lance wasn't questioning it. Taking he bottle Hunk produced, the omega popped the cap, before downing a long swig

"That's enough! This stuffs pretty strong"

Lowering the bottle, Lance let out a long "ahhh"

"Wow. That's good"

Taking back the bottle, Hunk took a much smaller swig before passing it on to Allura 

"Drink up, I've got another 4 bottles"

 

With the fire dying, and everyone full from Hunk's cooking, one by one everyone started heading to bed until it was just Keith, Lance, Hunk and Shiro left. Shiro had barely had anything to drink, where Lance and Hunk were both well and truly plastered 

"... and then Coran comes up, and you know what he says, he tells Keith his "bobby dazzler's showing"! Can you believe it! He called Keith's junk "bobby dazzler". Wheezing from laughing so hard, Lance fell back as Hunk pulled a face

"You saw Keith's junk?"

"Yep! You should have seen the look on his face!"

If looks could kill, Keith would be dead. Locking eyes with Shiro, the alpha looked murderous

"Lance, it wasn't that funny"

"But it was! I had no idea how much I needed this!"

At least Lance was feeling better, though it was definitely time for the omega to call it a night

"Hunk, why don't you help me get Lance to bed. I think he's had more than enough"

"Nooooo!"

"Yeah leave us alone. We can drink"

"No, Keith's right. It's time we called it a night. Come along Lance"

The moment Shiro said Lance's name, the omega stopped laughing. Pulling himself to his feet, Lance seemed to fold in on himself as he looked to Hunk

"He's right. I'm going to bed"

"Fiiiine. Keith will stay with me, right?"

"No, Keith's going to bed. So are you Hunk"

"Why you gotta be so mean Shiro?"

"It's fine Hunk. I'll see you in the morning"

With the way Lance was staggering, Hunk didn't blink twice as Shiro pulled the omega against him, but Keith wasn't having it. Rising to his feet, he jogged the few steps to catch up with the pair. Looping his arm around Lance's waist, he forced a small smile

"Let's get you to bed"

 

With Lance deposited in his bed, Keith went to tuck the omega in, only for Shiro to grab his wrist

"I'll do it"

"It's fine"

"Keith, I said I'll do it"

"And I told you it's fine"

Snarling, Shiro shoved him so hard that Keith ended up tripping over backwards 

"What the quiznak man?! I was just trying to help"

"Trying to help? You were making a pass at my bitch!"

"Lance isn't yours"

The look that crossed Shiro's face turned Keith's blood cold. Scrambling to his feet, he stood his ground

"Lance isn't your bitch! He's a human being"

"No. He's mine! I've already laid claim to him"

"I don't see your bonding mark on him"

"It's only a matter of time. He's pregnant with my pups after all"

Keith staggered slightly

"What?!"

"Can't you smell it on him? I bred him, and there's nothing you can do about it"

"You're lying"

"Admit it little alpha, there's no place for you here. He's going to birth my pups, and they'll tear him apart as he does"

Seeing red, Keith threw himself at Shiro

"You bastard!"

Having fallen into the trap of swearing with Altean words, it felt good to use actual swearing for a change. Laughing off Keith's first blow, Shiro sidestepped it with ease

"You've got to do better than that!"

He'd been an idiot. Hunk's moonshine had dulled his senses, grabbing his knife from his belt, he straightened himself up

"Should I tell you how it felt? How warm and wet he was? Or good he felt around my knot"

Roaring, Keith lashed out blindly. Parrying with ease, Shiro grabbed him by the wrist, snapping it with ease. Howling in pain, Keith drove his knife into Shiro's leg as he struggled free

"You're dead, you hear me! Dead!"

 

"Stop it!"

 

Screaming out, Lance moved to stagger between them

"Stop it!"

"Lance, get out of the way"

"Yeah Lance, move. This is a fight between alphas"

"No! That's enough"

Shiro didn't seem to agree with Lance. Grabbing him by his shirt, Shiro threw Lance across the room. The teen smacking solidly into the corner of his desk, before crumpling to floor

"Lance!"

"Leave him!"

Ignoring Shiro's command, Keith rushed to Lance, only to be grabbed by Shiro's bionic hand and hurled backwards. Panting hard, Keith tried to push himself up 

"Don't you dare lay a finger on Lance"

Laughing, Shiro crossed over to him, the alpha driving his boot into Keith's face

"Pesky little alpha's should be seen and not heard"

Driving his boot into Keith's face again, Keith's whole world turned black.

 

 

*

Waking up, Keith struggled against whatever was binding him. Wriggling desperately, all he could think of was Lance. Something was very wrong with Shiro, and he feared for Shiro's safety

"Look, he's awake"

Whatever had been covering his face was pulled away, and Keith recoiled from the sight in front him. He was sitting on Lance's desk chair, and directly across from Lance laid bloody in his bed

"Now tell him"

"Shiro"

"Tell him, Lance!"

Flinching at the alpha's tone, Lance nodded slowly 

"Keith. I love Shiro. I'm having his pups. I know you think I like you, but I don't"

"And"

"And when the pups are born, I'm leaving with Shiro"

What total bullshit. He would have told Lance so if his mouth hadn't been gagged

"If you so much as tell anyone about this, I will kill him. I'll kill him and leave his cooling body in your bed"

It was clear Shiro wasn't joking

"Keith, tell him. Tell him you won't tell! Please!"

Mocking Lance's words, Shiro parroted them back 

"Yeah Keith, tell him"

He didn't want to cave. His alpha was beyond furious and he wanted to tear Shiro's throat out with his bare teeth, but he couldn't do anything to help Lance unless he did. Nodding slowly, Shiro smiled down at him

"Good choice"

Walking over to him, Keith tensed like a snake ready to strike, only Shiro didn't move to untie him, instead, the alpha knocked him out with a solid right hook.


	6. Chapter 6

The next time Keith woke, he was well and truly confused. Falling less than gracefully from the healing pod he been placed in, he didn't even have the strength to stand 

"Keith!"

"Allura?"

"Thank goodness you're alright!"

Blinking in confusion, Keith had no idea what was happening 

"What am I doing here?"

"We don't know. You've been in there for the last 4 quintants"

Frowning as he tried to remember, Keith groaned as raised a hand to his face 

"Lance. Where's Lance?"

"In his quarters I expect"

"We need to find him, and we need to find Shiro"

"Shiro's down on the planet with Pidge and Hulk. They're practising their hand to hand combat. Is something wrong?"

"Shiro never stopped hurting Lance"

Taking him by the arm, Allura pulled him up

"Keith, what are you talking about?"

"I remember. It was Shiro who attacked me. He didn't like me getting too close to Lance"

"That means Lance is danger"

"So are Pidge and Hulk. We need to find Lance"

"Coran, do you think you can find a way to help subdue Shiro? We need to get him into a sleep pod"

"Allura?"

"Not now Coran. Please just trust me. Keith, we'll check on Lance"

 

By the time they reached the corridor to Lance's quarters, Keith had recovered enough that they were both running. Slamming his hand down on the pad, the doors to Lance's quarters slid open silently and Allura reeled back as they did

"Wait here"

"Keith..."

"Wait here"

Keith's voice was a growl, he could smell how pained Lance was, and didn't want the woman touching his omega. Covering his mouth and nose with one hand, Keith stepped into Lance's room. It was wrecked, and Keith's heart dropped. He didn't see Lance

"Lance!"

"Did you find him?"

"No. I'm checking the bathroom"

Striding across the room, Keith threw the bathroom door open. Bound to the shower, Lance laid unmoving under the stream of water. Rushing to his aid, Keith turned the taps off, relieved to find it cold instead of scolding hot. Barely conscious on the bathroom floor, Lance's body shook like he was having a fit

"Lance, hey. Hey, I've got you"

Making quick work of the cloth binding Lance's ankles, it took slightly longer to get the knots undone for the piece binding Lance's wrists to his neck. There was no fucking way Shiro was getting away with this. Not this time. Grabbing a towel off the floor, Keith ignored the stains as the wrapped it around Lance's waist, before lifting him into his arms 

"I've got you. I've got you"

With his eyes half open, Keith doubted Lance could understand anything happening to him, but he needed to reassure Lance, even if it was for his own sake. Carrying Lance out to where Allura was waiting, the princess swayed on her feet

"Lance..."

"We need to get him in a pod"

Nodding quickly, Allura called through to tell Coran they were on there way back.

 

By the time they reached the pods, Lance was barely breathing, and his spasms had gotten so bad that Keith could barely hold him. With the help of Allura, they wrapped the towel around Lance's waist, before the pod closed around Lance's withering form. Staring at the now statue still omega, Keith couldn't take his eyes off the bruising covering 90% of the teen's soft brown skin 

"Shiro did this"

"Keith..."

"No! Shiro did this and he's going to pay"

"We've been with Shiro for a long time now..."

"And he's been playing us! I told Lance to tell me if he hurt him again! He didn't... why didn't he tell me..."

Sliding to his knees in front of the pod, Keith hung his head in shame

"Coran, how is he?"

"He has multiple fractures and internal bleeding"

"Shiro said he's pregnant"

"Men can't get pregnant"

"On Earth, they can... Coran..."

"Already... oh... um... yes"

"Yes, what?"

"Keith, I don't think..."

"Yes, what?!"

"The sensors are showing three heartbeats"

Three. Lance's and his two pups... 

"I'm so sorry... I'm sorry"

Repeating those words over and over, he shrugged off Allura when she wrapped her arms around him

"Keith, we need to bring Shiro in. We need to know why"

"Because he's a monster! Lance was so enthralled with him the moment he realised who he was. We all were!"

"Coran, have you thought of a way to subdue Shiro?"

"I have, but it involves getting him back in the castle"

"That shouldn't be a problem"

Tapping her communicator, Allura kept her voice amazingly even

"Paladins, Coran's detected a Galra fleet. We need you back here immediately"

Pidge and Hunk quickly confirmed while Coran pulled up the castle footage 

"Once Shiro's closer, I'll use the castle defences to immobilise him"

"Good. We'll need to place him in a pod for now. What he'd done to Lance is unforgivable, but I can't believe it was all a lie"

Keith wanted to hate Allura for her words, but his mind was still stuck on the fact that Lance was carrying two pups. He hated them. They hadn't even been born and he hated them

"Shiro's headed for the Black Lion"

Surging to his feet, Keith took off running as Allura called his name. This time he might be a little fatigued, but he wasn't letting Shiro get away again. Pulling his knife out as he ran, he took the path that would lead him to the Black Lions hangar. Given they'd all entered at the other end of the castle, he made it to his destination before Shiro. 

 

With his heart pounding so loudly that he could hear his pulse in his ears, Keith watched as Shiro came jogging into view

"Shiro!"

Slowly to an almost casual walk, Shiro smiled openly

"Keith. How nice to see you awake"

"Cut the shit, Shiro! I know what you did to Lance"

Shiro's fake smile faded, and the alpha activated his bionic arm

"I really hoped it wouldn't come to this"

Running straight at him, Shiro attacked the moment he was close. Dodging the blow, he didn't dodge well enough, as searing pain shot through his hip

"No wonder the Blade of Marmora wanted to take that blade of yours. You're sloppy"

"Shut up!"

"Don't you see? Being in love with Lance is your weakness. You can't remember to keep a cool head when it comes to him"

"Shut up!"

Roaring the words, Keith lunged at Shiro. He'd never utter the words out loud, but while loving someone might make you weak, it also gave you strength. Feeling that strength well up inside of him, he threw everything he had into the brawl. He loved Lance, and Shiro had ruined that before they'd even had a chance

"I like that look in your eyes. You want me dead, don't you?"

"Yes"

"Good. Come at me like you mean it. I've been dying for a real fight"

It was clear Shiro had the advantage, but that didn't mean Keith didn't give as a good as he got. Fighting to kill, he stabbed his blade into every part of Shiro he could, which turn out to be mostly the alpha's stomach and thighs. Huffing and panting, the two alpha's were still going at it when Hunk yelled to get down. Not backing down, Keith lunged at Shiro, feeling his bionic hand sliding through his back as if it was paper 

"Keith!"

"Look at that. They're going to watch you die, and then, I'm going to I'll then too"

"Why are you doing this?"

"It's survival of the fitness, and you're just not fit to survive"

As Shiro plunged his hand into his back, Keith's mouth filled with blood, but the way Shiro was bent over him gave him the opportunity to drive the knife up and under Shiro's rib cage. Howling, the alpha staggered back, leaving Keith to slump to the floor. The only satisfaction he felt was when Shiro dropped to his own knees

"Coran! We need help!"

Pidge sounded nearly hysterical as she Hunk rushed to their side

"What's happening? What's going on? I thought we were all friends!"

"That's... that's not Shiro"

Coughing wetly, blood ran from his mouth freely

"What do you mean that's not Shiro?"

"He attacked Lance... Shiro..."

With black spots dancing in his vision, Keith felt strangely disconnected as Pidge pulled him into her arms. He could feel his heart beating, but nothing else, and all he could think was how badly he wanted to see Lance again. He wanted to see Lance smile, even if it was just one more time.

 

 

*

This time Keith woke to find Coran, Allura, Pidge and Hunk waiting outside the healing pod. To be honest, he was surprised to be waking at all

"Keith!"

Running over, Pidge threw her arms around him as she dissolved into tears 

"Hey Pidge"

"Don't you hey Pidge me! You scared me you, stupid dummy"

"Pidge, how about we let Keith get out of the pod"

Pulling back, Pidge punched him straight in the face

"Why didn't you tell us about Shiro!? I know you suspected him before, but you never told me why!"

"Because I didn't know he was still hurting Lance. Sorry Pidge, I need to sit"

"You lost a lot of blood, we weren't sure you'd make it"

"Allura showed us the footage... I can't believe you and Shiro! You looked like you were trying to kill each other. I've never seen such a savage fight between alphas"

Of course, they looked like they were trying to kill each other, they were

"How's Lance?"

"He's still in his pod. Shiro's been healed, but now he's asleep"

"You healed him! After what he did!?"

"Keith, there's more to it. Listen, why don't you sit"

"I don't want to sit"

"Don't yell at Allura! You have no idea how worried she's been. She collapsed trying to look after everything on her own"

"Pidge, I'm fine. Keith just woke, he doesn't understand yet"

"I don't understand what?"

 

Sitting across from Coran and his sensor screens, Keith was staring at the results of Shiro's scan. At the base of the alpha's brain, there was long pink shape

"What exactly am I looking at?"

"We don't know"

"How do you not know?"

"Pidge has a theory"

Looking to Pidge, Pidge nodded

"Do you remember that strange ice plant Shiro and Lance were on?"

"How could I forget?"

Shooting him a scowl, Allura then nodded to Pidge to continue 

"I suspect that when they were on the planet, Shiro inhaled this organism"

"But that means Lance would have too"

"I know, but it's not present in Lance's brain. I think it's drawn to the high levels of testosterone male alpha's produce, and that made Shiro the perfect host"

"Perfect host for what?"

"Think about it. Shiro is brimming with testosterone, and this creature has been feeding on it. The angrier Shiro got, the more that was produced"

And with Lance in heat, Shiro's body would have been going into overdrive

"Now, because the organism was so small, and because we weren't looking for it, it wasn't picked up the first time Shiro was scanned. It's only because it's become this prominent that it's showing on the sensor"

"So Shiro has some alien worm in his brain that's making him crazy?"

Pidge sighed

"Yes"

"How do we get rid of it?"

"We don't know. Not at any rate, and we can't even be sure that the organism hasn't taken over more of Shiro's brain than what we can see. For now, its safest to leave Shiro sleeping"

"But what if the Galra attack? We can't form Voltron"

"We'll figure something out... now for Lance"

"What about him? Didn't you say he was still healing?"

"He is, but we should talk about what we're going to say when he wakes up"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Lance is an omega isn't he?"

Keith blinked at Pidge, before nodding

"Yeah. He didn't want anyone to know"

"Because he's an omega, he has high levels of oestrogen in his system and wasn't affected by the same thing as Shiro"

"Pidge, just say what you want to say"

"Do we tell Lance we know?"

"No. Shiro attacked him because he's an omega. Lance fought him off with everything he had, but if he knows you all know, he's going to think you're only being nice to him out of pity"

"We would never..."

"Pidge, Lance had a horrible shock and he probably needs a little time to get his head around things. When the times right, he'll tell us all. Just like you did"

Pidge nodded with a small sigh

"I still wish he'd actually told us"

"What's done is done. I think we could all use something to eat, and Keith you need your rest"

 

 

*

This was getting ridiculous. Lance was still in his healing pod. Allura and Coran both had no idea why, but Coran had suggested it was perhaps because there were was technically three lives in the machine. Whatever it was, Keith was growing more and more impatient by the day. At first, he'd sit near the pod, just waiting for Lance to wake. Next came talking to Lance, calling him every name under the sun in while trying to trigger some kind of reaction. After that, he'd just given up and found himself spending hours talking to Lance even though he was sure Lance couldn't hear him. He was basically living beside Lance's pod whenever the had down times, and the looks of pity Lance had feared, were now directed at him. 

 

Hell, with all the time that had passed, Pidge had found a way to cure Shiro. She'd taken samples of both her and Allura's blood, before extracting the oestrogen, and synthesising it. Keeping Shiro sedated, they'd flushed his system with massive amounts of oestrogen until the gross worm thing had crawled out Shiro's nose, and into Coran's containment cell. After that, Shiro had been returned to healing pod for 2 quintants. Emerging with absolutely no memory of the last few phoebs. It was complete quiznak. Shiro said he couldn't remember anything, but the worm thing in his head had known all his thoughts and memories. There was no other way to explain how it knew all about alphas and omegas, or the experiences they'd all had since joining Voltron. Honestly, Keith was struggling to even look at Shiro, despite finally seeing the Shiro he used to know in the alpha's eyes. For their part, everyone had agreed the best lie was to use part of the truth. They'd told Shiro he'd gone to save Lance, only to be infected with an alien organism that had made him violent. 

 

"Keith, you really need to get some sleep"

Pulling his blanket up to his shoulders, Keith scowled at Hunk

"I'm fine"

"You're not fine. None of us are"

"Hunk?"

Moving to sit beside him, Hunk looked over his shoulder at Lance's pod that they were both leaning back against 

"I mean. Lance is the one who brought us all together. With him like this, it feels like this place isn't home"

"I always thought he was an air head. Always running around and doing whatever he wanted... but I miss him"

"That's obvious. I could smell you down the corridor. You smell so lost"

Keith forced a laugh as he shook his head

"You shouldn't go around sniffing other people"

"I'll sniff whoever I want, especially when they seem to be this invested in my best friend"

"It feels like someone should be here with him, even Coran only comes to check the sensors in the mornings now"

"Keith, we have to believe he'll be alright"

 

Still leaning again the pod, both teens were taken by surprise as the glass behind them slid away. Hit by Lance's sweet scent, Keith was the first to leap to his feet, not pausing as he pulled Lance against him

"K-Keith?"

"You quiznak! I've been... I've been so worried"

Pushing him aside, Hunk wrapped his arms around Lance as he started to cry

"Hunk, buddy, you're kind of squishing me here"

"Sorry! I'm just so happy!"

"Someone needs to start making some sense"

"Lance, don't freak out, but you've been in the healing pod for the last phoeb and a half... we didn't know if you'd wake up"

"I've what?"

"You've been in the healing pod for the last phoeb and a half"

"That's not possible"

Pulling Hunk off of Lance, Keith took the omegas hand 

"Lance, Hunk's right"

Lance swayed slightly, giving Keith the opportunity to lift him off his feet

"You need to get some rest. Hunk, why don't you let Allura and the other know Lance is awake? I'll carry him down to his quarters"

At the mention of his quarters, Lance stiffened in his arms. Leaning in, Keith whispered into Lance's ear

"It's ok. It's been cleaned and you're safe now. I'll fill you in on the way"

"Keith?"

"I was just telling him to stay still"

"Alright. Lance... you have no idea how happy I am"

"Give it a few quintants and I'm sure you'll be sick of him all over again"

"I could never be sick of him"

"That's right. Hunk's my best friend"

Raising his hand, Keith was initially confused until the omega fist bumped with Hunk 

"I'll see you soon bud!"

 

The moment they were out into the hallway, Lance began struggling, the omega clearly wanting down 

"Lance, calm down"

"Put me down!"

"Lance!"

"Put me down!"

Lowering Lance, the omega's chest heaved

"Lance, it's ok. You're ok now"

"No..."

"Lance"

Reaching out, Lance slapped his hand away

"Don't touch me! I... I have to go! He's going to be mad..."

"Lance, stop. Shiro isn't going to hurt you anymore"

"No! You don't know him!"

"I do. I do know, you're the one who doesn't. Shiro was infected. Pidge found a way to treat him. He's not going to hurt you, so please, can we please just get you back to your room"

"I..."

His words weren't working, and Lance was growing paler by the second. Ignoring what Lance wanted, Keith stepped forward to wrap his arms around the teen

"Just let me help you down there"

"I don't want to see Shiro..."

"You won't have to, and his scents gone from your room"

"How?"

"I cleaned your room out, and I might have slept there once or twice"

"You slept in my bed?"

"Don't go telling anyone, I'll deny it if you do"

Lance let out a shaky breath, the warmth of which tickled Keith's neck as Lance buried his face against it

"We'll talk about everything else later. But I'm here for you"

Sniffling, Lance nodded

"You're being unfair"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It doesn't matter. I want to clean up before we see the others"

Pressing a kiss to Lance's temple, Keith slid his hands down to Lance's arse, before tugging lightly to prompt Lance into wrapping his legs around him

"Sure"

 

 

*

Showered and dressed, Lance was sitting on his bed with back against the wall and his pillow in his lap. They really didn't have a lot of time before the others would arrive, so there was nowhere near enough time for Keith to tell him everything he wanted, instead, he opted for what Lance needed to know most. Sitting on the edge of the omegas bed, Keith looked to Lance 

"Shiro was infected by something down on that ice planet. After he left you tied up, we knocked him out before scanning his body. At the base of his skull was this worm feeding on the testosterone Shiro was releasing. Pidge and Allura treated him, but Lance, he doesn't remember anything he did"

"Are you serious?"

"It's the truth. I saw the worm come out of his Shiro's nose. So I know you're scared of him, but it's important you know that he wasn't in control of himself"

"So I'm just meant to forgive him?!"

"Lance, we don't have much time. I don't think Allura would bring Shiro down here, but Shiro's going to want to know how you are"

"Keith... why are you doing all this?"

"Because even though you're a pain, things are better when you're around. When you're being yourself"

"I don't know who I am anymore"

"Even after everything that happened, you're still you"

"Would you have been this nice to me if I was an alpha?"

"Yes... no. I don't know. You drove me crazy with how you were before. I couldn't understand why you always thought everything between us was a competition, but I get it now. We've all got our secrets"

"That doesn't answer the question. You told me you liked me but is that because I'm just an omega? Someone convenient?"

"You're not just an omega! You shouldn't think so little of yourself"

"I think I get now. I'm sorry for relying on you"

"Lance you haven't been relying on me! If you had, maybe we could have stopped Shiro sooner"

"Does that mean the others know?"

Keith looked down at his hands 

"Keith!?"

"Allura and Coran. Allura because she was worried about you, and Coran because he's the only one who can operate the healing pods"

"So you just ran around telling everyone?!"

"No!"

"Get out"

"Wait, Lance..."

"Get out! Get out! Get out! I don't want to see you!"

"Lance"

"No! Just go away, Keith! I can believe you. I can't believe I thought that maybe that kiss meant you liked me, but you're just like him!"

Growling in warning, Keith felt like he'd been stabbed in the heart over being compared to Shiro. He wasn't like Shiro. He wasn't like whatever had been in Shiro's head

"Lance. I do like you, and I know you're pregnant to Shiro, but please, just... shit. I'm no good at this. I'm sorry"


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my lifesaver Carpe!

Trying to act like normal, Lance wasn't fooling anyone, let alone himself. He was pregnant and terrified. It was bad enough when he thought it was Shiro's baby, but now he fretting over the fact that life inside of him might not be altogether human. Adding to his fears was the fact morning sickness had decided to kick in, and it was kicking his arse hard. Curled around the toilet, Lance gagged and hacked as his body tried to rid its self of its stomach contents, despite the fact his stomach was long since empty. He couldn't do this. He couldn't have this baby, not when they had a war to win. 

"Lance, can I talk to you?"  
Having finally migrated from his bathroom to his bed he'd hoped to get some sleep, as it was his head was throbbing like a drum, while his whole body felt sluggish  
"Lance?"  
"Sorry, come on in Allura"  
Crossing over to his bed, Allures smiled prettily as she sat on the edge  
"How are you feeling?"  
Hesitating a moment, Lance knew he probably looked as awful as he felt, and that there was no way he could how he really felt from the princess  
"Not great. Keith told me you know"  
"I'm sorry. He didn't want to tell us, but with everything happening, it was the only way we could stop Shiro"  
"It's ok Allura, I don't blame you"  
"No, you blame Keith. I've noticed you two are back barely talking"  
"I've just... I've got a lot on my mind"  
"Actually, that's why I'm here. I was wondering if you had given any thought to your pregnancy?"  
"Any thought?"  
"I mean, do you want to go through with it? I'm only asking because I'm worried about you. Birthing can be difficult at the best of times"  
"And what’s inside me might not even be human"  
Allura sighed softly at his words, the woman reaching out to take his hand in his  
"We don't know that they aren't"  
"They?"  
"Did Keith not tell you its twins?"  
Not one monstrosity but two? Moving his free hand to his stomach, Lance splayed his fingers over his soft skin  
"Lance, no matter what you decided, we're all here for you. If you wanted, I'm sure Coran could use the sensors to tell us if they're human"  
"And if they are, then what? I tell Shiro what happened? I tell him he... he did that? I can't. I can't even look at him"  
"He's been worried about you. He wants to apologise, but he doesn't even know what he did wrong"  
"That's just the thing, isn't it? He didn't technically do anything wrong because he didn't know any of it was happening"  
Lance couldn't keep the bitterness out his voice, even though he could see how badly his words were hurting Allura  
"I'm sure if we explained everything to him..."  
"No! Absolutely not. He can't know. He can't ever know"  
"In a few phoebs, he'll know, even if you want him to or not. You're going to start showing at some point"  
"Allura, you know what Shiro is like. You know how messed up he's going to be"  
Allura let out another small sigh   
"Then what about you and Keith? He loves you"  
"No, he doesn't. He hated me when he thought I was an alpha, now he's just letting his alpha side get the better of him"  
"I don't think that's the case. It's like when a little boy is mean to a girl he has a crush on. He likes you, and I think he liked you even before all this happened. He was just confused"  
"I'm not here to help him figure out his confusion! I'm not a toy"  
"No, you're a paladin of Voltron, but as things are, there is no way you could form Voltron. Voltron relies on your trust in each other, and you don't trust Keith and Shiro"  
He couldn't deny it. He didn't. It might have been two movements since he'd woken up, but each time he was the two alphas, he was filled with the need to flee. Something he bitterly hated. Being off suppressants meant being closer to is omega whether he liked it or not  
"I'll continue to pilot the Blue Lion, for now, so think about what it is that you truly want"  
What he truly wanted was to go back in time, but as far as he knew there was no way to do that  
"I will. I'm sorry Allura, I think I want to get some sleep"  
"I'll come by later to check on you"

Leaving him to his own devices, Lance climbed from his bed. Heading over to his desk, rummaged through his belongings until he finally found the bottle of suppressants he'd gotten from Hunk. Having fallen behind the bottom drawer, they'd been spared from Shiro's wrath. Retreating to his bed, Lance stared down at the bottle. He didn't want these babies. He didn't want to be a mum... even if they were part of him. He didn't want to remember Shiro each time he looked them, and he didn't want to hate his own children for something that wasn't their fault. It was his. He should have packed his suppressants. He should have been smarter like Hunk and Pidge. There were so many things he should have done, enough to leave him furious with himself. Hurling the bottle across the room, he let out a frustrated sob. Why couldn't he do anything right?

 

"  
"How'd it go?"  
Having let Allura go in alone, Keith had waited in the hall. With Lance intentionally ignoring him, he hadn't been able to talk to him for more than a few ticks at a time. It left his alpha disgruntled, and his nerves on edge. Every bit of him felt like Lance was the alpha destined for him, especially now he'd thrown out all of his own suppressants. He loved Lance. He loved how strong the omega was. He loved how vain Lance was about his appearance, and how it took if the omega nearly a whole varga in the morning to make himself. Pushing himself off the wall, Keith moved to block Allura's path  
"He doesn't know if he wants to keep them or not. You didn't tell me that he didn't know he was pregnant with twins"  
"I..."  
Quiznak. Had he really forgotten?  
"He's scared of Shiro, he's scared of you and he's scared of having the twins. I told him I'd continue to pilot Blue for now"  
Keith nodded   
"I should try and talk to him again"  
"No, not right now. His morning sickness has started. I could smell vomit on him when I entered"  
Morning sickness... snarling at him, his alpha clawed at his brain in discontent  
"Keith, you're letting out an angry scent. Why don't you use the training deck? Sometimes giving things a good smack makes you feel a lot better"  
"Yeah. I suppose you're right. My alpha is screaming at me to go to Lance, but it's only been a couple of movements for him, even if it's been phoebs for us"  
Allura gave a firm nod   
"And while you're doing that, I'll have Hunk prepare a special dinner for us all. I would like if Shiro and Lance could be in the same space for longer than a few doboshes at the time. I know Lance has the right to be scared, but he also needs to see that Shiro isn't going to lay a hand on him now"  
"I still can't trust him around Lance, even though I told Lance about what happened"  
"That's because you love him. You just want to protect him. We can all understand that. Without Lance laughing and fooling around, this castle seems all that much bigger"  
That was Allura's way of openly admitting she missed him just as much.

Parting with Allura, Keith forced himself to head to the training deck. Setting it higher than he usually started, the alpha spent the afternoon working out his issues. He wasn't going to play around anymore and he wasn't going to let Lance run. He fully intended to court the omega, and at dinner, he intended to ask Lance out. With that thought in mind, he was extra careful as he groomed himself for dinner. He wanted Lance to know serious he was, and before he left his room, he prepared a small nest for them. Lance needed to feel safe and loved, so Keith was going to show him he was... even if it meant shoving it down the omegas throat.

Walking into the dining room, Pidge fell silent as she looked him up and down. He'd intended to look a little nicer than normal, not for Pidge to look him up down like she was honestly confused. Shoving his hands in his pocket, Keith bit down his agitation he crossed to sit beside Lance  
"So what's for dinner?"  
"I don't know, Hunk's been pretty secretive about what he's been up to in the kitchen"  
"I'm sure whatever Hunk's made, it'll be good. I shudder to think what we'd have to eat if Hunk wasn't here"  
Nodding at Pidge's words, he'd hoped Lance would be the one to answer him, yet the omega hadn't even looked at him. Inching his chair over, Lance tensed as Keith placed his hand on the omegas thigh  
"Hey Lance"  
"K-Keith..."  
"I want to talk to you after dinner"  
"Why?"  
"I'll tell you later"  
Reaching under the table, Lance lifted his hand off his thigh, before turning to watch the end door slide open. Walking through the door, Shiro was oblivious to the way Lance grabbed Keith's hand  
"Sorry, I'm late. What's for dinner?"  
"We don't know, why don't you take a seat beside me"  
Fluttering her eyelashes, Allura gave Shiro a brilliant smile. Nodding, Shiro's face reddened slightly as he sat, clearly not unhappy with having the princess’s full attention. Making easy conversation, both Pidge and Coran soon joined in, effectively leaving the pair of them in a world of their own  
"Lance, it's alright. Shiro's talking to Allura"  
Lance jumped, the omega letting go of Keith's hand  
"Sorry. I didn't mean too..."  
"Lance"  
Shaking his head slightly, Lance moved his chair away from him.

"Sorry for the wait all! Dinner is served"

With Lance sandwiched between himself and Hunk, the omega seemed to loosen up slightly, though Keith didn't miss the jump in Lance's scent each time Shiro talked to him. This tension was tearing him apart. Before everything happened, Keith would have gone to the ends of the universe to save Shiro. Shiro had never given up on him, but he'd given up on his friend for an omega who might not even love him back  
"So Lance, when can we expect you back in the Blue Lion?"  
"Soon. I've had a bit of a bug, but I think I'm getting better"  
"Why don't you have Coran give you a scan? Out here, it's entirely possible we could pick up everything"  
"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine. Hunk, these burritos are amazing my good man"  
Shiro frowned at the way Lance brushed him off, but Hunk glowed under his friend's praise  
"We've missed you out there"  
"I've missed being out there... I might go see Blue after dinner"  
"I'll come with you, it's been a while since we've talked"  
Shooting Allura an alarmed look, Keith couldn't openly say no  
"I think that's a great idea. Blue's missed you too Lance"  
Wasn't Allura supposed to be on his side? What was she thinking? Angered by her quick agreement, Keith rose to his feet  
"Keith?"  
"I'm done"  
Stalking from the dining room, Keith headed back to his own quarters. Punching into the wall beside his bed, Keith let out a snarl. If everyone else could find a way to move on... Shit, this wasn't him. Hadn't he made up his mind?

 

*  
Being alone with Shiro, Lance tried to laugh and joke... while also trying not to throw up across his shoes. Here he was, standing in front of Blue and feeling like an outsider. It had been phoebs since he'd been inside Blue, and he wouldn't be surprised if his Lion refused to talk to him again. Walking over to Blue, Lance placed his hand on her leg  
"Did you miss me, girl?"  
Feeling Shiro come up behind him, he couldn't escape when the alpha placed his own hand just above Lance's  
"I'm sure she has. We all have. Lance, can I ask you something?"  
Here it was...  
"Do you remember when I attacked you?"  
"No. No, I don't"  
"Then why are you scared of me now? You know I never would have hurt you"  
"Shiro, I don't remember..."  
"I can smell your fear. You're an omega aren't you?"  
Spinning around, Lance stared into Shiro's eyes  
"I'm going back to my quarters now"  
"Lance, I know you remember. Tell me what happened"  
"I don't!"  
Shoving Shiro, the alpha grabbed his arm as Lance went to flee  
"You went into heat and I attacked you. That's what they said. Did I do anything..."  
"Shiro, let me go!"  
"Not until you tell me"  
"You're scaring me"  
"I'm not letting you run away Lance"  
No... Oh no... Not right now... opening his mouth, Lance tried to take a breath but instead vomited   
"Lance!"  
Falling to his knees, Shiro still had hold of his arm as he threw up again  
"Let him go!"

Tearing him from Shiro's hold, Lance found himself in Keith's strong arms. Whining softly, Lance was just so relieved to be away from Shiro that he didn't care when Keith lifted him into his arms  
"Keith?"  
"Leave him alone"  
"Keith, you've got it wrong. I was trying to ask Lance what happened, but he threw up"  
"Of course he threw up. You scared the quiznak out of him!"  
Looking down at scared omega, tears were starting to run from Lance's eyes  
"Shiro, Lance is my omega. I'm courting him"  
"You're courting him?"  
"Yes. So I would appreciate if you left Lance alone right now. He's still recovering and he doesn't need the extra stress"  
"It's not like that. I'm only asking out of concern"  
"I don't care what it's like. You've always been my idol, and I've always considered you a friend, but every single part of me knows Lance is my omega. Do you understand what I'm saying?"  
"I think so. Lance, I'm sorry I scared you, but this is hard for me. I can see how much my presence affects you, and I've seen the looks the others give me. I'm the only one who doesn't know what's happened! I just want some answers"  
"We all want answers, but I don't have any for Shiro"  
Lance's voice was low and weak, the omega cover his face with his hands  
"Keith..."  
"I'm sorry Shiro. Lance needs to rest"

Walking away from Shiro, Keith felt like a total quiznak. In his arms, Lance had started shaking  
"Lance?"  
"You... why did you do that?"  
"Do what?"  
"Tell Shiro I was your omega. I appreciate you saving me, but you didn't need to lie to him like that"  
"I wasn't lying"  
"Keith, I'm not your omega"  
"Lance, I want you. I've been thinking about it nonstop, and I'm sure this what I want"  
"What about what I want? I'm pregnant remember. I'm pregnant to another alpha"  
"You didn't ask to be. I'll support you, and the pups"  
"Keith, can you put me down?"  
"You're not well. Let me carry you to your room"  
"I know you're trying to help, but right now, I need to be alone"  
"I don't think you should be alone"  
"That's because you think too much"  
Flashing him a small smile, Lance climbed from his arms. Walking away from him, Keith hated seeing him go  
"Lance, just think about it"  
Turning to look back at him, Lance gave a single nod  
"I will"


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I was sooooo nervous about writing for this fandom, but you've all been so wonderful!!  
> Thanks!
> 
> To my tumblr readers, I know I posted this before... or at least in my head I did, this is the extended version. Two chapters in one!!

“Coran, can we talk?”

Trying to find a moment when Coran wasn’t with Allura had been bad enough, so in the end, he’d resorted to sneaking out while everyone else in the castle was sleeping. Everyone except Coran of course. He’d only seen the man asleep a handful of times, and even asleep Coran was ridiculously happy, his moustache curled up in a smile that echoed the ones on Coran’s lips. Initially, he’d been sure Coran didn’t sleep, given how often he stood in the bridge

“Ah Lance, how are you feeling young paladin?”

“You know I’m pregnant, I know you do”

Coran’s smile lessened at Lance’s blunt tone

“I do. Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know. I talked with Allura last movement about the babies, and she’s worried they might not be completely human”

“Because of the worm in Shiro?”

“Right. She said you might be able to tell if they’re human”

“Lance, have you talked to anyone else about this?”

“No… just Allura”

“Not even Keith?”

“Keith… it’s complicated. He said he wants to court me, even though I’m pregnant. Please, Coran, I can’t give him an answer until I know”

“All right. Leave it me”

Laying in the medical bay, Lance didn’t even know they had one. He’d just assumed that if anything happened, the Altean’s would use the pods. Shivering on the cold examination bed, Lance wished he had someone by his side

“You might feel a warmth in your belly, but there’s no need to worry”

“Just do it”

It was more than a warmth. It was painfully hot as Coran pulled the scan images up on the monitor 

“I can see the twins, both seem about the right size for 10 movements”

“I don’t need to know that. I need to know if they’re human”

Looking towards his feet, he could see the top half the screen Coran was staring at

“Coran”

“Zooming in for a closer look”

Letting his head drop back, he resisted the urge to place his hand on his stomach

“There doesn’t appear to be anything abnormal. As they grow, we’ll be able to tell more”

So in other words, Coran couldn’t give him a solid answer. He could be carrying monsters… violent monsters that could hurt the others…

“Thanks, Coran”

“Lance, does this mean you’ve decided to keep them?”

“I don’t know Coran. Thanks though”

“Lance, you know you’re not going through this alone. You don’t have to feel like you are”

Except he kind of was. He was the one who’d been raped by his worm controlled friend and had gotten pregnant from it. But that wasn’t what Coran wanted to hear 

“I know. I’m going to head back down to my quarters. Good night”

 

*

Hearing knocking on his door, Keith grumbled as he climbed out of bed

“All right already! I’m coming!”

He couldn’t remember what he’d been dreaming, but whatever it was, it’d left his heart aching. Hitting the door pad, the door slid open to reveal Coran standing there in his Pyjama’s complete with his “teddy bear” in his arms

“Coran. Couldn’t this have waited until morning”

“Sorry to disturb you, I was wondering if Lance was here?”

“Why would Lance be here?”

“Last night he came to see me, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since”

“And you didn’t think about, you know, maybe, going and seeing Lance instead of coming to wake me?”

“I knocked on his door but he didn’t answer”

“He’s not here Coran. Lance is probably snoring his head off”

“I’m just a bit worried I may have done something wrong”

So this was the real reason Coran as here 

“Coran, what happened?”

“Lance came to see me last night, he wanted to confirm his children are human”

“And are they?”

“I didn’t see anything wrong, but we didn’t see anything wrong with Shiro’s scans either”

Keith groaned

“You didn’t tell him that did you?”

“No… I said we’ll be able to see more in his later scans”

Great. So Lance would have been left worrying about something was actually wrong with his pups. Thinking about it, he hadn’t seen the omega all day

“Coran, Lance will be fine. I’ll go check on him while you go back to bed”

“Thanks, Keith! I know he wanted you there with him last night”

Winking at him, Coran finally left him in peace. What was that supposed to mean? How could he know Lance wanted him there? Lance hadn’t spoken to him in quintants.

Letting himself into Lance’s room, he found the omega kneeling on his floor. With one hand on his stomach, and the other on his mouth, Lance was crying too hard to hear Keith coming up behind him. Had Coran really not heard Lance crying? Or had the man heard him but decided to interfere in their relationship, or rather, lack of one. Kneeling beside Lance, Keith pulled him into his hold

“I don’t want to be pregnant”

“Lance”

“I don’t want them!”

Lance was nearly hysterical as he sobbed out the words

“Ok… ok… we’ll figure out something”

Keith had no idea what, he just wanted Lance to stop crying 

“I just want to be normal. Why wasn’t I born an alpha?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you”

This time Lance didn’t even try to protest as Keith lifted him. Wrapping his legs around Keith’s waist, Lance seemed like he really didn’t want to let him go. With all the pained pheromones in the room, this wasn’t a good place for Lance to be. Ignoring the way Lance was nuzzling his neck, Keith nodded to himself. Get Lance calmed and settled, then they’d figure out what came next.

 

*

Having cried himself out, Lance was now staring at Keith’s sleeping face. The alpha had brought him back to his quarters, before throwing together a rough nest for him. Lance was at a loss as to why. All he’d done was jerk Keith around, and all Keith had done was try his hardest to make sure he was safe. Deep down he wanted to be with the alpha and he loved the attention Keith gave him, the only problem was with the two abominations in his stomach. But hopefully, they wouldn’t be much of problem for too much longer. Keith would probably be mad, but just before the alpha had arrived, he’d been woken from a nightmare of what Shiro had done to him and acting out on impulse, he’d down every single suppressant pill that had been left in the bottle. Mumbling in his sleep, Keith rolled to face him as the alpha snaked an arm around his waist leaving a warm feeling blossoming in his chest. 

Having drifted off, Lance woke in a world of pain. Whining, his hand shot to his cramping stomach as he tried to climb over Keith. He needed to use the bathroom, but he couldn’t even climb over the alpha. Instead, he practically fell face on Keith mid-escape

“Lance?”

Grumbling, Keith pushed him up and over so Lance was finally able to climb off the alpha’s bed

“I’m just going to the toilet”

“M'kay, just come back soon”

Lance’s heart leapt at the alpha’s words, Keith was probably too asleep to know how much those few words meant to him. Waiting until the alpha had buried his face back into the blankets, Lance then crept across Keith’s quarters and into the alpha’s bathroom.

Cleaning himself up, Lance thought he’d slicked until he looked down at his thighs. Thick red blood covered the inside of them, and the omega let out a panicked cry

“K-Keith!”

Wiping at the blood, it didn’t seem to be stopping. Hunching over, Lance whimpered through a particularly painful cramp. He hadn’t expected the pills to kick in so soon. Not when he was like this and not when he with Keith. Holding his breath, he didn’t let it out until it became clear Keith hadn’t heard him. He didn’t want Keith worrying about him… he didn’t deserve the alpha’s concern, not when he’d done this to himself.

Taking a hot shower helped to ease the cramping pain. Standing with his forehead resting against the shower wall, one hand rubbed his stomach while the other was clamped over his mouth so he wouldn’t wake Keith with sobs. He’d never wanted these babies, so why did his heart hurt so much now?

 

*

Waking with Lance spooned up behind him, Keith was initially confused, but then stupidly happy. During the night they’d swapped positions, but despite that, the omega hadn’t left. He’d made the conscious choice to stay with him. Rolling over, Keith took a deep breath, before frowning. Lance smelt pained. Placing his palm against the omegas forehead, he cursed at how warm Lance felt

“Lance! Wake up!”

Shaking Lance’s shoulder, the omega moaned as his eyes fluttered open

“Keith? I don’t feel good”

“You’re burning up”

Throwing the blankets off of them, Keith’s eyes widened at sight of the blood coating Lance, and the blankets beneath him

“Lance…”

“Alpha… it hurts”

Pressing a hand to Lance’s stomach, Lance whimpered as he did

“Quiznak… Lance, I think something’s wrong with the pups. We need to get you checked over by Coran”

Lance shook his head

“Nooo… please”

“Lance…”

“I… I did this to myself”

Keith was momentarily shocked, unable to respond for a few long moments as he wrapped his head around those heavy words. Lance had done this to himself?

“I… think I’m going to be sick”

“Not in our nest”

Crawling off their bed, Keith lifted Lance and carried him into the bathroom. Not making it to the toilet, Lance threw up into his lap, before whining sadly

“I’m sorry”

“It’s…”

It’s not alright. Lance had done something so he’d lose the pups, but with how much blood the omega had lost, Keith feared he’d lose Lance too. He had no idea what to do to help the miscarrying omega. Shower. They needed to shower. Sitting Lance down on the toilet, Keith went about stripped off Lance’s soiled clothes. Each movement seemed to pain the omega further

“I’m going to help you shower, then we need to see Coran”

“N-no… I don’t want…”

“Lance I know you don’t want to, but I’m scared. I don’t know how to help you”

“Let me die…”

Lance’s reply was low and mumbled between soft pants. Staring at the omega, the bathroom lighting showed how bad Lance really looked. Dark bags hung under his eyes, his face both pale and flushed red at the same time, and his lips were painfully cracked. With all the blood he was loosing, Lance was probably severely dehydrated. Quickly stripping off his own clothes, Keith slung his arm around Lance’s waist 

“Let’s get you cleaned up”

Lance was silent the whole time Keith washed him down. It was such an intimate and private moment, yet he couldn’t enjoy himself… no matter how nice Lance felt beneath his hands. Working at cleaning around Lance’s groin, Keith didn’t want to cross that line, especially when brushing Lance’s thigh by accident had the omega shaking like a leaf. Wrapping his arms around him, Keith pressed a kiss to Lance’s temple

“Can you clean yourself down there?”

“Yeah… give me the cloth”

Lance must have felt a bit better, his tone much more normal than before. Letting Lance take care of himself, Keith washed quickly, before ensuring Lance had rinsed himself thoroughly.

With nothing much for Lance to wear, Keith bundled the omega up in his bathroom

“I’m going to change the blankets”

“It’s ok… I’ll go back to my quarters”

“Lance, you can barely stand”

“I don’t want to be a burden”

“You’re not being a burden. Now sit down while I do this”

Having limited options, Keith had to settle for leaving some of the less bloodied blankets in the nest. The one that had been beneath Lance was past saving, so he threw it as far away from the nest as he could 

“I still think I need to take you to Coran”

“I’ll be ok”

“You’d say that even if you were missing an arm. I’m serious about being your alpha”

“Even if…”

“Even if what?”

“Even if I did this to myself?”

“Yeah, Lance. I can’t say it was one of your smarter ideas, but I can understand the fact you’re scared and you felt you had no other options”

Rising shakily, Lance padded towards him, before clutching at the loose shirt Keith had thrown on

“Why do you make everything that much better? I wanted to hate you for knowing… but every time you look at me, I just can’t”

“It’s because you feel it too. You’re supposed to be with me”

“I can’t though… I can’t be with you”

Lance’s knees gave out, the omega pulling them both to floor

“Lance!”

“I’m just tired. Can I go back to sleep?”

“Lance, if you’re no better by lunch, I’m taking you to see Coran”

“This is normal. Didn’t you pay attention in health class?”

“Honestly. No. I didn’t think I’d ever find an omega I wanted to be with”

If this was normal, he wanted nothing to be normal ever again.

When lunch came, Lance ate what Keith brought down from the kitchens. The omegas colour was fractionally better, and Lance insisted he was alright. With Lance eating and drinking, he felt it would be too cruel to force a visit with Coran on him, so told himself he’d give Lance until after dinner to improve further.

 

*

Somehow Lance had him wrapped his little finger. This was the omegas tail end of the second day, and the bleeding hadn’t lessened. Waking up to find Lance sluggish and struggling for breath, Keith cursed himself for listening to Lance’s weak insistence that this was normal. He really wasn’t. Scrambling to get dressed, Keith then bundled Lance up in as many blankets as he could, before carrying Lance from his quarters and over to the healing pods. He was sure Lance was dying because of him, and silent tears rolled down the alpha’s cheeks.

Placing Lance inside a healing pod, Keith was kind of clueless what to do next. He wanted to make sure the pod was set to heal and not just sleep, which meant he needed to Coran. Opening his communicator, he placed a direct call through to Coran, asking him to come straight to the pods. It was only doboshes before Coran came running in with Allura behind him

“Keith! I heard something happened to Lance”

“He’s sick… he… I’m scared he’s dying”

Striding over to the instrument panel, Coran’s fingers danced across the screens as Allura came to wrap her arms around him

“What happened? Is that blood Lance’s”

Looking down, Lance’s blood had seeped through the blankets, leaving a rusty red strain across the bottom half his shirt

“Allura… I think he’s losing the pups”

Allura let out a small gasp, before looking to Coran 

“Coran, how is?”

“He’s swallowed a massive dose of something toxic to his system. There’s bleeding in his stomach, kidneys and…”

“And what?”

“He’s losing the twins like Keith suspected”

Allura’s face dropped as she looked back to him

“Keith?”

“He didn’t want them. He didn’t want Shiro. He didn’t want to be pregnant. I wanted to bring him straight here when he started bleeding, but he begged me not to”

“Coran, do everything you can to save Lance. His life takes priority”

It must have killed Allura to say that. The woman would save a flea off a dog 

“Understood princess, but I can’t guarantee the twins won’t be healed”

“Then we’ll figure out what to when he wakes up. There has to be a better way than this. Keith, you should get some rest”

“I’ve been resting. Right now…”

All three of them swayed as the castle pitched sideways and the alarms began to blare 

“Coran”

“We must have entered the asteroid field earlier than calculated. We need to get up to bridge”

“What about Lance?”

“He’s healing, but there’s not much point if the castle is destroyed”

Looking Lance up and down, Keith silently apologised

“You’re right. Let’s see what’s going on”

 

*

Waking up alone, Lance was confused. He didn’t remember getting into a healing pod, and he’d begged Keith not to place him in one. He wanted the pups to pass from his body without the risk of them healing in the healing pod. Leaving all but the thickest blanket in the pod room, Lance wandered through the castle and up to the bridge, though he wasn’t completely sure why. Finding Allura, Hunk, Pidge, Shiro and Keith yelling at each other, it was Coran who first noticed he was awake

“Lance! Good to see you up. Everything alright?”

Scratching the back of his head, Lance nodded

“It looks like ended up in a healing pod again”

“Keith said you collapsed with a fever”

“Yeah. What did I miss?”

Crossing the room, Lance took his usual seat 

“We’ve received a distress call from the asteroid belt we’re currently in, but Coran didn’t find any signs of life on the ship. We were just deciding which of us would go aboard”

“Allura, I already told you. I’m Voltron’s leader, I should be the one to go”

“And that’s exactly why you can’t”

“Then I’ll go”

“Pidge, you can’t go on your own”

“But that ship could have all kinds of amazing tech”

“Or it could be a Galra trap”

“Allura”

“Shiro. No. I’ve made up my mind. I’m going”

Rising from his seat, Keith looked to Lance before looking back to Allura 

“I’m part Galra. If there’s any Galra tech, I’ll be able to work it”

“Keith, it’s not safe for you to go alone”

“Then I’ll go with him”

“Pidge!”

“Keith and I will go”

Everyone fell silent as they looked at Lance 

“You can’t be serious, you just got out of healing”

“I’m fine. I’ll follow Keith in Blue, and if something goes wrong, I’ll be there to help you and to relay it back to the castle”

“Lance, you can’t”

“Yeah, let someone else go”

“Guys. Please. I’ve missed Blue. We need Pidge here to work on any problems that might come up tech wise, and if we leave Hunk and Shiro on standby, they’ll be able to come to our rescue”

“Then I’ll pilot the Blue Lion”

“Allura, it’s not safe. We need you here with the castle. You’re the only in who can open a wormhole”

“But Lance…”

“Look, let me feel useful again”

 

*

“I can’t believe you. You’re barely out the healing pods, and you’ve already wormed your way into a mission”

“I didn’t worm my way. The team just knows a good plan when they hear it”

“I doubt this would qualify as good plan”

“Says the man following said plan”

Ignoring him, Keith landed his Lion on the top of the ship

“I’m going in. Make sure you stay there”

“Who are you? My mum?!”

“No, I’m just the alpha that fell in love with you”

Cutting the line, Keith left Lance sitting there blushing like a moron. Keith loved him?! He actually loved him! Lance’s omega was screaming in victory, while his heart was racing like he’d just run a marathon. Leaning back in his seat, Lance sighed to Blue

“What do I do girl? I think… I think I love him too”

His whole Lion seemed to shrug around him

“That’s no help”

Watching the ship, Keith had opened up communications again once he’d landed inside. The alpha hadn’t come across anyone or anything yet, but for some reason, Lance was filled with a bad feeling. Rubbing his arms as a chill ran through him, he couldn’t help himself 

“Keith, come on. Get out of there”

“Lance I’m fine. No one seems to be here. You’re worrying about nothing”

“But isn’t it weird? A distress call was coming from this ship, but no ones on it”

“That’s why I’m investigating. If you’re that scared, you can go back to the castle”

“I’m not scared!”

“Chicken! Bruck, bruck, bruuuuck”

“Did you just cluck at me?”

“You’re chicken, so I was talking chicken to you”

“You’re so going to pay for… Keith! Keith get out of there!”

“Very funny Lance”

In front of him, the ship had begun to glow yellow from its thrusters starting up

“Keith the ship’s operational!”

Dislodging its self from the asteroid it was resting in, the ship appeared to be taking off

“Keith!”

“Whoa! Yeah. Time to…”

Keith’s transmission was cut off the ship opened a wormhole, and slowly started sinking into it

“Guys! We have a problem”

“I’m working on it!”

“Work faster Pidge”

Moving Blue closer, Lance fired his lasers at the rear of the ship, away from where Red was sitting

“Pidge!”

“I’m working! You’ll need to back Keith up!”

Chasing the ship, Lance urged Blue to move faster. Only the very back end remained outside the wormhole, and his attack hadn’t slowed them in the slightest. Putting everything he had into catching the ship, he was a hair’s breadth away when the wormhole shut

“Keith!”

“Lance, get back to the castle! I’ll track the Red Lion from here”

“On my way!”

He hated falling back. The moment Keith had disappeared through that wormhole, his heart stopped. He needed Keith. Keith was the only one who understood what was going on! He couldn’t be just gone!

Running through the castle and up to the bridge, the lack of movement over the last few movements was painfully clear. Panting as he arrived at the room, he rushed in 

“Where is he?”

“I’m still working on it”

“Work harder!”

“Lance…”

“No! We need to get Keith back”

“And we will. Pidge is working on it”

“Allura, anything could be happening to him right now!”

“I know you’re worried about him, we all are. The moment we find his location, we’ll be going after him”

Swaying on his feet, Lance wiped the sweat from his face. He suddenly felt ridiculously hot

“Lance!”

Feeling his knees give out, Lance was unconscious before hitting the ground.

“Lance!”

Groaning as he opened his eyes, Lance let out a yelp of surprise over the fact Allura was all he could see

“Coran, he’s awake”

Pushing himself up, Lance glanced around the medical bay

“You fainted. Shiro carried you up here”

“That’s right! Keith!”

“Pidge is still working on finding him. She’s narrowed down the region of space she thinks he’s in, but it’s going to take a while longer to get a fixed position

"Then we need to go. We need to start looking”

“Lance, you need to rest”

“I’ll rest when we find Keith”

“The stress isn’t good for you, nor is it good for your babies”

“My babies?”

“Yes. Coran already checked them, they both seem to be strong and healthy”

But… hadn’t he… didn’t he… what? Looking to Coran for confirmation, the man nodded and pulled up the sensor scans. There they were, small pulsing dots inside of him

“How…?”

“The healing pod must have healed whatever was wrong with the twins, and your womb. It stopped the miscarriage”

No! This was exactly why he hadn’t wanted to be healed! Fighting back his tears, he rubbed his face quickly as jumped to his feet, ignoring the way the world span temporarily

“Lance?”

“I’m fine. We need to find Keith”

“Lance, I know you…”

“Drop it Allura! 

His tiny sliver of hope had just been shattered. He couldn’t be with Keith… like this… He should have been more open. More honest with the alpha about his feelings… but now Keith was gone. Just like that

"I’m going back to the others”

“Lance, you need to rest. If Keith was here, he’d say the same thing”

“Keith isn’t here! I let him be taken! He could be anywhere! They could be hurting him! That quiznak!”

Dissolving into soft sobs, Allura rushed to wrap her arms around him

“We’ll find him. If anyone can do it, Pidge can”

“But what if we don’t? He’s been so good to me and I’ve been so terrible to him”

“You haven’t been terrible. You’ve just been going through a lot”

“You don’t understand…”

“Keith is a valuable team member and we’re going to get him back”

 

*

Walking into the bridge, Hunk immediately came over to him

“Lance”

“Hey, Hunk. Hey Pidge. Any news on Keith?”

“Not yet. I’ve narrowed down the area, but I’m having trouble getting a lock on Keith’s exact location”

Frowning with concern, Hunk looked him up and down

“You smell strange”

“No, I don’t”

“Yes you do”

“If I smell strange it’s because the medical bay is covered in dust. Honestly, haven’t they heard of a self-cleaning ship”

“Now that you mention it, I can smell it too. Like an omega… Wait a dobosh! Lance is an omega?”

Lance thought about denying it, but the lack of surprise in Pidge’s voice told him he shouldn’t bother

“Pidge! That’s supposed to be a secret!”

Placing his hands on his hips, Hunk tried to look outraged over Pidge’s words, but he looked more relieved that they were out there

“Is that why you need to find Keith? Are you in love with Keith? Do you want to kiss him?”

Making smooching noises, Pidge wrapped her arms around herself

“I don’t love Keith! Even if I’m an omega, it doesn’t mean I love Keith!”

Pidge howled with laughter at his pissy tone

“Lance, Keith said you were his omega. Now that the fact you’re an omega is in the open, you don’t have to hide your relationship”

“I don’t have a relationship with Keith!”

Whining softly, Lance wrapped his arms around his stomach 

“Does that mean we’re all free to court you?”

“I don’t want to be courted! I just want to get our friend back!”

“Lance, you don’t need to yell. Didn’t you hear Pidge, she’s working on it”

“Come on buddy, I’ll make you something good to eat. Whenever I’m sad, food is always there to comfort me”

“I’m sorry Hunk, I don’t think I can eat”

“That’s exactly when you should eat”

Propelled along by Hunk, Lance had no choice as his friend bullied him into the kitchen

“Keith will be fine. We’ll probably arrive to find the ship’s now under his command”

“I know he’s strong, but he’s on his own”

“Lance, trust in Keith like Keith trusts in you”


	9. Chapter 9

"Lance?"

Groaning weakly, Lance spat into the toilet bowl. Having been stuck in his bathroom all night, he was a dishevelled mess

"Sorry, Allura. Morning sickness is a quiznak"

Coming to kneel beside him, Allura placed her left palm on Lance's forehead. The princesses cool skin felt amazing against his burning forehead

"You're feverish"

Nuzzling up against Allura palm, Lance moaned at how nice it felt 

"I'm alright. Is there any news on Keith?"

It'd been 11 quintants since the alpha had disappeared, and though they'd wormholed through to the location Pidge had narrowed down, they'd found no signs of Keith or the alien ship. Since then his morning sickness had pretty much hit in full force, though it might have been the fact he was keenly aware of just how afraid he was that he'd never see the alpha again

"Pidge has reconfigured the ship's sensors and is using the green lion to extend the search range. I know you're worried Lance, but when's the last time you got some real sleep?"

Sitting back, Lance placed both hands on his stomach, feeling the tiny firm mass beneath his skin

"I can't. Every time I close my eyes... I keep seeing what happened with Shiro... but now it's Keith in his place"

Tearing up, Lance let out a small sob, aside from throwing his guts up, his body had also decided that he needed to be a hormonal mess. He hated how much he'd cried in the past few quintants, but once he started, he couldn't stop

"I don't want to be like this! But I don't know what to do anymore!"

"Oh Lance"

Wrapping her arms around him, Allura hushed him as he sobbed and nuzzled against her neck. She wasn't Keith, but she wasn't Shiro either, her smell was completely different to the two alpha's, and somehow being held like this felt more like being held by a sister. Gradually his tears came to an end and his stomach let out a loud growl. Snorting lightly, Lance pulled away from Allura, before flashing her a small smile

"I guess that means I'm hungry"

"I would say so. Why don't you take a shower and freshen up?"

"Yeah. I could probably use one. Thanks, Allura. I feel a little better now"

"Come up to the bridge when you're done. Hunk has been baking nonstop, so I'm sure we'll be able to find you something to eat"

That was so like Hunk. Whenever his best friend had issues he wanted to think through, he'd throw himself into cooking almost anything under the sun. Lance was almost envious that his friend had a way to work through his emotions, while he was just a wreck.

 

A vargas and a half layer, Lance was curled up in his normal seat in the bridge, nibbling on the green cookie in his hand. After being so violently ill, his tender stomach wasn't impressed with the intake of food, but he found nibbling didn't make him want to throw everything back up. To his right, Allura was keeping a watchful eye on him, while Shiro was watching her. It had only just dawned on him that perhaps Shiro was interested in the princess, and now he couldn't get the thought out his mind. It wasn't like Shiro was a bad person, now that he was worm free and back to normal, but he couldn't get the violent images from his mind and he was scared that if the pair got together, Allura would suffer what he did. 

 

"Lance, is everything alright?"

Forcing a smile, Lance nodded at Shiro 

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"You've been acting strange since Keith disappeared. You were so gung-ho about finding him, yet you've been disappearing for hours at a time"

"You're just imagining things..."

"I thought maybe you two got into a fight before he disappeared. When I went down to clean his room, I found a lot of blood"

"Maybe Keith had a blood nose? How am I supposed to know why there was blood on his blankets"

"Lance, I never said the blood was on Keith's blankets. You know something, don't you?"

"Something about what?"

"About why he chose to go on that ship alone..."

"I don't know what you mean"

"Lance..."

Tearing up at Shiro's firm tone, the cookie in his hand fell to his lap

"Shiro. That's enough. Whether Lance knows something or not, it has nothing to do with the fact Keith is now missing"

"Allura, if Lance knows anything at all, it could be some clue"

"How could I know anything! You all saw what happened! He was on that ship when it took off!"

Stumbling to his feet, Lance clamped a hand to his mouth as the cookies he'd just ingested threatened to come back up. Shiro had no idea how many times that scene had played on a loop in his mind, or about the tiny voice in his mind tormented him with all the what-ifs. Clenching his fists, he hung his head in shame

"Lance?"

"Shiro, I think you need to cool your head. Lance is torn up about what happened to Keith and doesn't need this right now"

"I didn't mean..."

"Allura, it's ok. I think it's better if I leave. Shiro's at least useful"

His hormones were getting the better of him, as were his own insecurities. He felt so useless that he wished he was the one missing 

"Lance, what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I'm useless and you all blame me! I know you all do! And I can't even do anything to bring him back... I can't do anything right, I'm just a stupid airhead omega"

"Lance..."

Ignoring the sad way Shiro called his name out, the omega fled from the bridge. Running through the hallways, he didn't stop until he reached Keith's room. Standing at the door, Lance shook as he pressed his hand down on the door pad. No matter how much he wanted, Keith wasn't just magically going to be in his room.

 

Entering Keith's room, the alpha's scent filled his nose and soothed his frayed nerves. Even though he wasn't here, it was like the alpha was still taking care of him. Acting on impulse, Lance toed his boots off before climbing into Keith's bed. Shiro's scent still clung to the blankets, but he still nuzzled the blankets in an attempt to breathe in every little trace of Keith. Feeling his eyes slide closed, for the first time since Keith disappeared Lance slept without the dreams that had plagued him.

 

 

*

"Lance"

Waking to the sound of Shiro's voice, Lance tensed as he rolled away from the alpha. Initially confused as to where he was, Lance's heart was still racing as the rest of him started to calm back down

"What are you doing here?"

"Allura was looking for you... and I wanted to apologise about earlier. I didn't mean to set you off"

"Did Allura say what it was about?"

"Pidge found the Red Lion"

Launching himself past Shiro, Lance rushed to pull his boots on

"Why didn't you say that sooner!"

"Lance, are you really dating Keith? Or are you doing this out of some kind of guilt?"

"Doing what? And Keith isn't my alpha"

"This, all of this. You've worried yourself sick over him but haven't helped in the slightest to find him. Do you really want to find him?"

"How can you ask me that? Of course, I want to find him!"

He had no idea what Shiro was driving at, only that he was getting a very bad feeling about being trapped in Keith's room with Shiro, the alpha seemed seriously annoyed with him, and desperate for answers he didn't want to give

"I watched him watching over you while you slept. He spent every moment he could with you... but you say you're not together. You sleep together, but you're not dating. You could have saved him, but you didn't. Keith is my friend and if you aren't fully invested, then perhaps you should find a new alpha"

"What... what's that supposed to mean?!"

With a growl, Shiro pushed him up against the wall, spreading Lance's legs with his knee as he did. Effectively pinned by the alpha's knees and his hands on his shoulder, Lance snapped. Angrily, he shoved Shiro as hard as he could, though that barely did anything

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"What does Keith mean to you?"

Shiro's eyes narrowed at his words, leaving Lance fearful that he was about to be punished by Shiro. He didn't want to be punished, not when he'd done nothing wrong

"Let me go!"

"You're hiding something from all of us, and from Keith. I can tell you are. I won't stand for you jerking him around like you have been"

"There are some things that talking about won't change. This is between Keith and me, so get the hell out"

"Lance..."

"No! Get out!"

Shoving Shiro again, the alpha finally let him go

"Make up your mind what you want, because your indecision is messing with the team"

"You have no idea what you're on about!"

"I know since your heat you've been jerking Keith around. You keep him just interested enough without actually committing! It's omegas like you..."

The moment Shiro dared to take a dig at Lance being an omega, the last tiny bit of restraint he had crumbled away. Throwing a right hook as hard as he could, Shiro parried easily, driving his own fist into Lance's stomach. With the breath driven out of him, Lance fell to his knees, his stomach rolling disgustingly as pain flared across the region

"Quiznak... Lance..."

"Get out of here Shiro!"

"Lance, I lost my head. I didn't..."

"Shut the fuck up!"

Roaring at Shiro, Lance glared up at the alpha. If Shiro was about to apologise, it sure seemed like the alpha really didn't mean it. Opening his mouth again, Shiro didn't even get the words out as he was interrupted by the communicator on his wrist coming to life

"Shiro, we're approaching the ship"

"Got it. I'll be there soon Allura. Lance, go back to your own quarters and wait. We'll handle this without you"

Leaving Keith's quarters, Lance remained glaring at the retreating alpha until he finally disappeared out of sight. There was no way he being sidelined, even if Shiro ordered it. He was going to get Keith back because Keith was the only one who could make any kind of sense of the hell he'd been trapped in.

 

Having dragged himself into Blue, Lance ignored the throbbing pain in his stomach. They were this close to Keith and he wasn't leaving his friend alone for a dobosh longer than necessary. Leaving the castle, he ignored the incoming call which no doubt came from Allura. Even from where he was, he could see the Red Lion, so tantalisingly close. Just a little bit further and he'd be there. He wouldn't let Keith down this time.

 

 

*

Chained to the wall like an animal, Keith was less than impressed. He'd stuffed up royally, and his pride had landed him in this position. When initially investigating the ship, he'd thought it completely empty... right up to the moment it wasn't. Fighting his way through the sentries that seemed to be streaming through every entrance way, he'd been so close to getting back to Red when he'd been hit behind. After that, he'd woken up like this. With his internal body clock thrown out of whack, he had no idea how long he'd been chained, only that it was long enough for the cuffs around his wrists to chafe into a bruised and bloody mess.

 

Verging on nodding off, Keith jumped at the sound of an explosion, while the room shook around him. Jerking his head back up, his heart began to race as the sounds outside the door came gradually closer 

"Hey! Hello! Let me out!"

Someone was out there. Given the sentries had seemingly forgotten his existence, his only hope laid with whoever was just beyond the door

"Let me out!"

Flinching as a laser shot tore through the door, he was millimetres away from being hit as it hit the wall behind him with a small sizzle 

"On second thoughts, I'm good here"

Moving as close to the corner of the room as he could, Keith held his breath as the door slid open

"Lance?!"

 

Grinning down at him, Lance seemed exceptionally pleased with himself

"Hey, Keith. Give me a moment"

Aiming his gun at him, the omega made short work of the chains with four deliberate and precise shots. Though his mind was reeling, a rush of relief filled him. He'd been so worried that Lance had followed him onto the ship, and that omega was being held in somewhere just as horrible as this place 

"Keith, we've gotta go!"

Jumping to his feet, the heavy cuffs threw off his balance

"Where's everyone else?"

"I don't know"

Spinning back again, Lance started firing again, no doubt the sentries were swarming the corridor in an attempt to block their escape

"Do you know how to get out of here?"

"Not really. I don't even know where I am"

"Lance!"

"Don't get mad at me! You're the one who got captured. I followed your scent to here"

Moving to the omegas side, Keith pulled his knife before looking at Lance and nodding

"We'll just have to follow your scent back"

 

Running through the halls, Lance was like a man possessed as he blasted his way through sentinel after sentinel, and Keith couldn't help but be incredibly proud of the omega. Accepting the incoming call on his communicator, Shiro's voice came through loud and clear

"Keith!"

"Shiro! Where are you?!"

"Hunk and I just boarded the ship near Red"

"Good. Lance and I are headed to Blue, but we have no idea where we are"

"You're with Lance?"

Keith frowned at Shiro's tone

"Is something wrong?"

"That idiot took off on his own to rescue you"

Keith groaned to himself, of course, Lance did. The omega had probably worried himself sick over what had happened

"Look, can Pidge guide you to us? There's too many of them for us to take out on our own"

"Hunk's already on it, we should be there soon"

Ending the call, Keith jogged up to where Lance was leaning against the wall

"... not... now"

Before Keith could ask Lance what was wrong, the omega threw up down the wall

"Lance!"

"Sorry. It's morning sickness. It'll pass in a dobosh"

"We don't have a dobosh"

Grabbing Lance by his collar, Keith pulled him through the closet door he could see. Temporarily shielded from the shots, the alpha looked around the room for something to block the door with until back up arrived 

"Lance, we've got to get away from the door"

With one hand on his mouth, Lance nodded as Keith looped his arm around him, and began dragging him down the corridor. Behind them, there was a loud explosion, followed by another two in rapid succession 

"I can't believe you rushed in with no back up"

"I'm sorry. I couldn't stop worrying about what was happening to you"

Looking over his shoulder, Keith was suddenly shoved aside as another loud explosion went off. Smacking his head against the wall, the alpha was temporarily disoriented, and the next thing he knew, Lance had thrown himself over him.

 

It all happened so fast. One moment Lance was over him as the world exploded in shades of yellow and orange, while the next moment, Lance was gone. Blinking as his eyes watered from the dust in the air, Keith coughed as crawled along the floor

"Lance!?"

Above his head, a bright pink laser burst past. Shit. They'd blown the door to get to them!

"Lance!"

As another explosion filled his senses, he was thrown against the wall again as the ship pitched sideways. Grabbing onto the wall the best he could, he saw a dark lump of something roll limply down the hall 

"Lance!"

Pushing himself up, Keith fought to keep his balance as more shots flew past him. 

 

Throwing himself down by Lance, Keith skidded to a stop as his hand found Lance's. Pulling the omega with all he had, he managed to get Lance into his arms

"Lance?"

"I think I hit my head"

Thank god he was alright!

"This is a lousy rescue"

"I'll take that into consideration for next time. Keith! Get down!"

Firing past him, Lance kicked off his leg as the omega tried to find some kind of purchase. No longer tipping to the right, the ship was now angled down 

"Grab on, I'll use my thrusters"

"There's too many of them. I need to clear a path"

"Lance, you're still pregnant. Aren't you?"

It wasn't the time to be asking, but he had to know. If Lance was pregnant, it changed everything

"Yes, but that's not important. We need to get out of here!"

"I'll go first, you cover me"

"Just stay there, it's easier for me to move knowing you're safe"

Hearing increased gunfire, Keith looked up the steep hall to find sentinel bodies sliding down towards them

"Keith! Lance?!"

"We're down here Shiro!"

"Hold on, we're on our way down now"

Looking to Lance, the omega was biting his lip as he continued to shoot. These shitty cuffs made fighting next to impossible, but he still had to do something to help thin the numbers. Stabbing his knife into the floor, he used it to regain his balance and stand 

"Keith! Behind you!"

Spinning around, Keith only saw a flash of white before a burning pain erupted in his hip. Pink lasers shot past him, and the sentinel that had his shot of them fell with a heavy thud. Looking down, Keith found his hands had already moved to the wound on his hip as blood poured over his fingers. Then all of a sudden time was rushing to meet him. Feeling a large hand on his shoulder he jerked back on impulse

"Lance!"

Looking past his bloodied hands, Lance was crumpled on the floor, in a pool of blood

"Lance!"

"Hunk, help Keith! I'll get Lance!"

"Don't touch him!"

He didn't mean to snap at Shiro, but his alpha was going crazy. Lance was bleeding out, after throwing himself in front of the blast meant to kill him 

"Keith, pull yourself together, we've got to go!"

Looping his arms around him, Hunk began pulling him along, while Shiro lifted Lance into his hold

"How bad is it?"

Shiro didn't answer immediately 

"How bad is it?!"

"It's bad alright! The idiot shouldn't have rushed in here without back up!"

Snarling at Shiro, he once again knew he was letting his alpha get the better of him

"'m k"

Lance's voice was low, but Keith was relieved to hear it 

"We've got the castle in position to destroy the ship the moment we get out"

"Good. I think this is a Galra supply vessel. I only saw sentinels"

"That makes things easier"

 

Splitting from Shiro and Lance, Keith desperately wanted to go with the omega, but he needed to fly Red back to the castle. He had no idea how Lance was going to get Blue back to base, but Shiro would probably tow the Lion back. How the quiznak had this all happened and since when was Lance reckless enough to come searching for him? Was it because he was still pregnant with pups he didn't want? Did he feel like his life didn't matter? Both the questions weighed heavily on his mind as he backed Hunk up the best he could. 

 

 

*

Lance was unconscious by the time Shiro got him up to the healing pods. The omega had been shot straight through the stomach, and it was a miracle Lance was still breathing. Loading him into the pod next to his, Shiro pulled back as the glass slid into place 

"You should be in a pod"

"We need to get these cuffs off first"

"What was Lance thinking?! He should have known better than to go in like that"

"Shiro..."

Keith's voice was a low warning growl

"No. I told him to remain behind, yet he ran off and got himself shot!"

"You told him what?"

"To stay here. He was so worried when you went missing, and then he deserted us while Pidge looked for you"

"Shiro, let's just focus on getting these cuffs off Keith"

Looking down at Coran working on the cuffs, the man had already gotten the two around his ankles off with what seemed to be the Altean version of a blow torch 

"Allura, Lance..."

"Leave Lance alone. He might have rushed in, but he was doing what any one of us would. He was trying his hardest to save a friend"

"And look where that got him! Shot!"

"He was protecting me!"

"You wouldn't have needed protection if he'd just waited!"

"Lance risked his life for me! He shielded me from an explosion and he took a shot for me! You have no idea how relieved I was when he showed up"

"Again. You wouldn't have needed protecting if he'd just waited!"

Snarling, Keith wanted nothing more than to hit Shiro right in the face

"Don't you dare try and act like you wouldn't have done the same thing! We all know you would have because you have before!"

"That's enough! We'll talk about this once everyone's healed"

 

Luckily for Keith, the wound wasn't as bad at it looked and it was only a couple of vargas before he exited the healing pod. Everyone except Coran had left them room, giving him the opportunity to ask the man about the one question weighing heaviest on his mind 

"Coran, is Lance still pregnant?"

Looking away from his sensor screens and to Lance's pod, Coran shook his head

"No. I'm only reading one heartbeat"

"But he was?"

"As far as I know he was. He was when he came out the healing pod. But he took severe trauma to his lower stomach before being shot"

"That's probably from him shielding me... Was he alright? While I was gone..."

"Allura said he had bad morning sickness, so he's been resting in his quarters, something Shiro wasn't too happy over. He's been hassling Lance over his feelings towards you"

Keith sighed deeply

"Lance isn't ready for a relationship"

"Shiro doesn't know that. He seemed to think Lance is playing with your feelings"

Just because things had been up and down, didn't mean Lance was intentionally toying with him

"How much longer will Lance be?"

"Because the pod is concentrating on healing him, he should only be a few more vargas"

"I'm going to take a shower, and I'll bring him back a change of clothes. Coran, could you hold off telling him about the pups? I want to be there when he finds out"

Coran nodded, and Keith felt there was nothing more to add.

 

Checking his desk calendar, Keith found it hard to believe it'd only been a movement and a half since he went missing. Trapped in that small cell, it had felt like a lifetime. He knew his friends would find him, yet at the same time, he wondered if they would even bother. His own insecurities over being a loner for so long had reared their ugly heads in the quiet hours of solitude. Stripping down, Lance left his dirty uniform in a pile before heading into the shower. After a week, the water felt absolutely heavenly. Taking his time to wash thoroughly, he wondered if Lance would be up to showering together now he was back. Shaking his head, he scolded himself. He hadn't even been back for quintant and he was already back to mentally playing house with Lance. He was such a joke. Lance had thrown himself head first into danger for him. He should have been the one to get hit. Not Lance... though a small part of him was relieved that Lance had lost the pups. Quiznak he was awful.

 

 

*

When Lance woke, Keith was there. The moment the glass slid down, the alpha rushed to take Lance into his hold

"Lance! I was so worried"

Nuzzling his neck, Lance let out a shaky breath 

"I'm so happy you're ok"

"We're both ok. I can't believe you rushed in to rescue me"

"What else was I supposed to do? You called me chicken"

Lance snorted at his own words before pulling back to stare into his eyes

"I'm so sorry we fought"

"It was barely a fight. Besides, you were pregnant at the time"

Lance paled at the word pregnant

"That's right... Keith... I..."

"I know you just woke up, but you need to listen to what Coran has to say before you say anything else"

Both teens looked to Coran, the man clearing his throat before pulling up the pod sensor readouts

"Lance, you took a lot of damage on the ship. I'm sorry, but both pups were dead before we could get you into the pod. Now, as they're still inside of you, you will miscarry them. I'm sorry for your loss"

Looking back to Lance, he'd expected to see relief on the omegas face, instead, Lance looked devastated. Not wanting to show his own confusion, Keith pulled Lance against him, rubbing his back in broad circles as Lance shook.

 

"Sorry to interrupt!"

Pushing him away, Lance turned to look at Pidge

"Hey, Pidge! What's up?"

"I came down to check on both of you! I can't believe you got shot"

"Well it's not like I meant to"

Scratching the back of his head, Lance laughed awkwardly. Behind Pidge, Hunk and Allura appeared

"Keith! It's so good to have you back, safe and sound"

"It's good to be back. What have I missed?"

"Lance pining for you"

"I was not pining for him!"

"Really? Then why were you all broody and sleeping in his room?"

"Whaaat! How did you know about that?"

"I saw you on the ship monitors"

Lance's face had turned bright red, while Keith's heart began to race. Did this mean Lance wanted him?

"It was only once, and stupid Shiro woke me up..."

"Anyway, it doesn't matter now that you're back, and we're back on course! You have no idea how hard it was to track you down"

"Part of me wondered if you would. I'm not the greatest team mate"

"Of course we would! You're our friend, and friends don't leave friends behind!"

Pidge's sincere words brought the slightest of smiles to the corner of his lips

"Anyway... Lance, Shiro wanted to talk to you"

Lance pulled a face as he sighed

"He's probably going to chew me out for running in without back up"

"Well it was pretty stupid"

"And yet, here we are, all fine"

"Only because of the healing pods! You would have died if not for them"

"Lance, Pidge is right, you need to be more careful. But you have my gratitude for bringing Keith back to us"

"It's not like we could leave him out there. If we had, they probably would have paid us to take him back"

"We'd have to pay to get rid of you!"

Laughing at their exchange, Allura looked genuinely pleased that they were bantering like before. Letting out a yawn, Lance rubbed his face

"I don't know about you, but kicking Galra arse makes me sleepy"

"Yes, perhaps we could all use a nap after today's excitement. I'll let Shiro know you're already asleep"

"Thanks, Allura, you're awesome!"

 

Walking through the corridors, Lance had fallen silent again, the omega not saying a single thing until they came to branching point for their two rooms

"I guess this is me..."

"Lance, you can sleep with me, if you'd like"

Squirming uncomfortably, Lance hugged himself 

"What is it?"

"Keith... the whole time you were gone, all I could think about was how much I missed you... even though I couldn't be with you. I know you said you'd be there for me and the pups, but I made up my mind that I wouldn't do that to you. I tried so hard to get rid of them... and now... now they're gone and I feel hollow. I really like you, and maybe some day... but for now, I can't. I can't accept your proposal of courtship. I'm not ready"

Taking Lance's hand loosely in his, Keith swallowed down the pain from being rejected 

"Lance, I'm serious. I love you. You're beautiful and so strong, but I understand. Even if you aren't ready for that side of things, I would still like to be with you"

"I can't... I never meant to hurt you or you with your feelings. I'm just... I need to figure out who I am now. I was on suppressants for so long, and then suddenly I was pregnant, and now I'm not... I don't know what to do, but I do know I wouldn't have made it this far without you"

Lance's bottom lip quivered as silent tears rolled down his cheeks. Unable to stop himself, Keith moved to wrap his arms around Lance 

"When you came for me, I was so happy to see you. I'd been so worried about you. This might be selfish, but for tonight, can you please sleep beside me. I've been going crazy with the need to know you were ok, and my alpha is still freaking out. I promise I won't lay a finger on you, so please don't make me let you go again so soon"

Lance's hands slid up his shirt, before the omega clutched it desperately, while letting out a wailing sob

"I've been so scared!"

"Shhh, I'm here now"

 

Guiding Lance back to his room, Keith helped the omega strip down to his boxer shorts, before doing the same. Someone had cleaned his room while he'd been gone, and all his things were in the wrong place. With Lance watching him almost fearfully, Keith was forced to abandon his search for a shirt and went about getting Lance into bed with him. Positioning them so Lance's head was on his chest, Keith ran his fingers through the teens soft brown locks 

"Is this alright?"

"Y-yeah..."

"So wanna tell me how it's really been?"

Lance sniffled and shook his head

"It's been quiznak. I keep having nightmares and the pups... the morning sickness... I came here to sleep because you're the only one who knows how to make sense of this"

"Did you get some sleep?"

"I did until Shiro turned up and started having a go at me"

"He had a go at you?"

"For jerking you around... I thought he was going to punish me again"

A low rumbling growl escaped Keith's throat before he could stop himself

"He said my indecision was affecting the team. I didn't mean to. I know I've been all over the place"

"Lance, I understand"

"But you shouldn't have to. I've come to rely on you so much..."

"I know you can take care of yourself, but you don't have to try so hard to fight on your own"

"What was I supposed to do? I don't want them to hate Shiro! I don't want things to be bad or awkward! I just want things to go back to normal"

"I'm back now, things will return to being pukingly dull before long"

"How long though?"

"I don't know. Anyway, you need to rest up"

Lance nodded against him, the omegas fingertips digging into his side a tiny bit more as if trying to hold him tighter. Ever since all this had happened, they'd all be caught up in a web of lies as they tried to protect each other from the truth. It was honestly exhausting, and he couldn't imagine how bad it must be for Lance. Perhaps he'd been pushing harder than he realised... he'd just wanted Lance to be loved, but what Lance was asking for was a friend right now. Something he really should have worked out phoebs ago. Still, he wanted to kiss the omega. If they were lovers, he could wrap his arms around Lance and kiss away all his sorrows. Letting out a shaky breath, he didn't even realise he'd done it until Lance pulled him up on it.

 

"What's wrong?"

"What?"

"Something's wrong... isn't it?"

"No"

"You just let out a sigh"

"I did?"

"Yeah. So what are you thinking about?"

"Honestly, how much I want to kiss you"

"Keith"

"I know. It's dumb"

Wriggling against him, Keith was taken back as Lance's lips brushed his

"Lance?"

Unsure what to do, the omega pressed his lips against his again, and slowly Keith found himself kissing Lance back. As one kiss turned into a hungrier second one, Lance slid to straddle his lap

"Lance..."

His complaint was silenced by Lance's lips, the omega grinding down against him as he did. Confused as to what was happening, Lance seemed to have finally snapped. Pushing the omega back, he stared up at Lance 

"I thought..."

"I don't know. I just... right now I need to know you're really here with me"

"I'm here"

Taking Keith's face in his hands, Lance whined softly against his growing erection

"Keith... will you erase all these bad memories for me?"

 

This had to be a dream. Lance himself had said he didn't want to be courted, that he wasn't ready for this, yet here he was with gorgeous omega slowly sinking down onto his erection. Keith had never felt anything like it. Lance was so warm and tight, and so very wet around him. Moaning openly, the omega threw his head back once Keith was finally buried inside of him

"Lance..."

"Keith, my heart... my heart feels like it's going to burst"

Rocking and rising, Lance began to ride him clumsily. Letting his alpha side flare Keith grabbed hold of Lance's hips to hold the omega down as he began to thrust up. Soon the room was filled with their lewd moans, and the sound of wet skin hitting wet skin. They shouldn't be doing this, but they both felt the need to reconfirm that they were both alive, and they were both safe. Taking his hand, Lance intertwined their fingers before pinning Keith's hand on the pillow beside his head

"Keith... I'm going to..."

"It's ok. Let it go"

Feeling warm semen splatter between them, Lance screamed his names as rippled and clamped down around him, drawing him deeper as his knot suddenly flared and his orgasm was torn from his body. Rolling his hips Keith wanted to give Lance all the pleasure he could, while it felt like Lance was trying to drain him completely dry. Falling forward, Lance let out a sob as his free hand grabbed at Keith's chest

"Shhhh, I've got you"

 

With his knot buried in Lance, Keith could only hold and rock Lance as the omega finally broke down completely over everything. Letting Lance cry, he pressed kisses to the side of the omegas face as he crooned softly. Even with his ups and downs, as far as Keith knew, Lance hadn't given in completely to all the pain and confusion he felt, and each howl broke his heart that little bit more. Lance hadn't done anything wrong, and he didn't deserve to feel like this.

 

When Keith's knot began to deflate, he gathered the limp Lance up with him, carrying him into the bathroom before moving to slide out. Gripping him tighter with his thighs, Lance pretty much held him inside of him as Keith started the shower

"Lance, I need to clean you up"

Shaking his head Lance's began to rock against him... which lead to another round right there in the shower. Keith had no idea where this left them, and could only pray Lance wouldn't hate him in the morning.

 

 

***

Waking up, Lance found himself face to face with Keith. The alpha was already awake and offered him a small smile as Lance blinked away the remnants of sleep. As the previous night came rushing back to him, tears filled Lance's eyes. He'd been so desperate to feel Keith. To know he was real and alive, that they'd done that...

"Lance"

"I'm sorry..."

Keith's smile fell, but the alpha still cupped his cheek

"Lance, it's ok"

"It's not ok!"

"Lance..."

"No! I... I shouldn't have... I was so... I'm sorry"

"We both felt it last night. I know I did. That need to be connected with you. To know you're really alright. You felt it too..."

Lance sniffled but nodded

"I did... I do... I..."

Scrambling over Keith, Lance rushed to the bathroom, before throwing up weakly. Squatting down beside him, Keith let out a soft sigh

"Lance, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have"

"No! No... I wanted it"

"I should have held back. I knew you weren't ready for sex..."

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry"

Kissing and touching Keith had felt so nice, and so right. But he wasn't ready for any of this

"Lance, this doesn't have to change anything between us and I honestly didn't invite you back to my quarters for that"

"I know you didn't. I know. You've always been so good to me, even when I don't deserve it"

"Lance, what you don't deserve is what was done to you. You deserve to be happy, and loved and to feel safe"

"I feel safe when I'm with you"

Lance's reply was low but filled Keith with warmth

"How about this. We write what happened last night off to temporary insanity due to this crazy thing between us and you take all the time you need to work out what you need to work out"

"I... I can't ask you to wait"

"You're not. I'm making the choice for myself"

Lance still didn't seem convinced, and Keith was at a loss for what else to say. Groaning weakly, the omega sank completely to the floor with his hands on his stomach

"Lance!"

"Shhh... I'm ok. With... with last night... I forgot. I promise I'll go back to my own quarters, but for now, I don't want you to see this"

Given he'd just woken up, it took Keith way longer than he'd care to admit to realise why Lance was so pained. Then all at once, it hit him. Lance still had to pass the pups. It felt like another cruel blow

"It's ok. Let me help you"

"I'm sorry... I think I need to be alone"

Rubbing his stomach, Lance whimpered through a savage cramp. If only the pod could have removed the pups while he healed... but then again, this was his punishment for being born the wrong dynamic, and after what had happened with Keith, this was surely no less than what he deserved.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heart... who needs a heart??
> 
> Also, this is a very heavy chapter. It includes the passing of the pups...

Having built his own nest, Lance was doped up on amazing Altean medicine. It hadn't removed the pain completely, but he no longer felt like he was constantly being stabbed in the stomach with a dozen blunt kitchen knives, instead, it was more like he could feel the cramps happening and the discomfort from them, but no real pain. Thanks to Allura telling everyone he was suffering from side effects due to Altean technology not being built with omega males, and having taken such a severe blow to his lower abdomen, everyone had come to visit him, including Shiro. At the moment he had Keith sitting near him, while Coran was acting out the greater moments of his youth. Honestly, Lance had long ago lost track of Coran was going on about, pretty much because he was too busy staring at Keith. Since they'd done... that... he'd thought the alpha wouldn't be able to keep his word about giving him space, but thankfully he had. Kind of. The first few days had been particularly rough, and he'd even ended up in the medical bay because of it, but when it came to leaving, Allura hadn't wanted him wandering the halls while doped up. So Keith had walked him back to his room, and made sure he had everything he needed before giving him space. That was 6 quintants ago, and since then, Keith would check in with him, but never stayed more than a vargas at a time. Each time he came, the alpha would sit beside him, like he was right now, without forcing him to talk or think. He was just there, and it felt nice.

 

The honour of the worst visitor definitely went to Shiro. Shiro had come to see him twice. The first time the alpha had yelled at him for running off to save Keith on his own, and the second time he'd come to visit, he'd apologised for losing his temper. If Allura hadn't been the one to check on him after both visits, he probably would have been a sobbing mess curled up under his desk. He hated being scared of Shiro, but each time he raised his voice, he swore he saw infected Shiro in the man's eyes. Allura had assured him that couldn't possibly be the case, and Lance knew he was being stupid, but after that, the alpha hadn't come back, and Keith had started sitting a little bit closer to him than before.

 

"Lance?"

Blinking sleepily, Lance rubbed his face, before jerking back 

"Coran?"

With the man's face inches from his own, Lance was completely confused as to why Coran was staring at him 

"Coran asked you how you're feeling?"

Grateful for Keith clueing him, Lance nodded quickly 

"Great! You Altean's have awesome painkillers!"

"Good. That's good. It shouldn't be much longer before you're up and moving again!"

"Good, because I honestly don't think I can take much more singing"

Laughing, Keith placed his hand on Lance's

"Lance, no ones been singing"

"Oh. In my head they have!"

"Yes, well. Side effects will vary. I need to get back up to the bridge!"

"Thanks, Coran. I appreciate the visit"

"Anytime Lance!"

Leaning forward, Lance tried to watch Coran walk from his quarters, but instead nearly ended up falling from the bed

"Lance!"

"Keith, have you ever noticed how orange Coran's moustache is!?"

Sighing at him, Keith pushed him back into his nest

"You ask me every time you see him?"

"I do?"

"You do"

"Did you agree?"

"I gave up agreeing. I thought you'd be less out of it today. Allura said she readjusted your medication"

"I didn't know that. But I do feel good. I can't think. I don't think I can think. Keith. Can I think"

"You didn't think before, so why start now?"

Pouting at the alpha, Lance pulled his pillow into his lap

"Why do you alpha's have to be so mean?"

"Us alpha's?"

"You... Shiro. Shiro hates me. He yelled at me"

"That's because you did something silly"

"How was saving you silly?"

"It wasn't that you saved me, but how. Now, I think it's time you got some more sleep"

"I don't want to sleep"

"Yes you do"

"Maybe I do. You're right. I do"

"You're so smart and pretty!"

Struggling up, Lance planted a very wet and sloppy kiss on Keith's cheek, before flopping back down on his bed. It was comical how fast the omega passed out once his head hit his pillow.

 

 

*

Watching Lance sleep, the omega seemed so vulnerable, and Keith wasn't able to leave. There was something off in Lance's smell, that screamed at him maybe he shouldn't go, something that had been growing the last few visits, but tonight it smelt so strong it left his heart aching. Despite Lance's actions and words, he knew Lance was putting on a brave face, that's why he'd just sit there and hold the omegas hand without forcing him to explain anything he was feeling. He couldn't even imagine how Lance was going to feel when he came off the medication. Everything would be so raw, and all the pain that blissfully held back would break those mental floodgates. He truly feared what would happen to Lance when that happened.

 

Lance had only been asleep for a few vargas when the omega let out the sadness whimper Keith had ever heard. Sitting beside the omegas bed, he hadn't even realised Lance was awake

"Lance?"

"K-Keith..."

Crawling into Lance's nest, the omega grabbed for him before he'd even settled beside him, catching his hand, Lance held it like it was his only lifeline as he panted in pain 

"Alpha... oh god..."

Whimpering again, Lance's grip on his hand tightened to the point it was actually painful

"Lance?"

"Alpha... it hurts..."

Crooning softly, Keith's free hand brushed Lance's sweaty fringe back. Beneath his knees had grown wetter

"I've got you. You're ok..."

"Alpha... I can feel it..."

Lance sounded so broken, so pained, that Keith felt tears welling in his own eyes

"Ok...I'm here... Ok, let me help you"

 

Wrestling his hand from Lance's grip, Keith manhandled Lance between his legs. Holding both of the omegas hands, he could only watch as Lance writhed in pain. Damn Allura. Of all the times for Lance to be coming down from his medicated high, now was not the time. Wrinkling his nose, there was a strong smell of blood in the room as Lance threw his head back with a sob. The omega was finally passing his pups. The two tiny lives he'd never wanted to carry

"Alpha... alphaaaa"

Collapsing back against him, Lance sobbed. 

 

It took the greater part of the night for both pups to pass, and when Keith thought his heart couldn't break anymore, Lance shattered it completely. Laying in his arms, the omega was shaking so badly it felt like he'd vibrate apart. At first, Lance had been adamant he didn't want to see them, but now in a low and broken voice, Lance asked to see them. Barely formed, the pups still had a shockingly human shape. Placing the tiny pups against Lance's chest, Lance rubbed their tiny backs, while repeating how sorry he was, over and over, until he finally passed out. Lowering the two pups, Keith wasn't sure what to do. It felt wrong to just cover them, but thankfully he didn't have to. 

 

Hearing a small knock on the door, Keith rearranged the blankets to give Lance some privacy. Blood was still in the air, so depending on who it was, he'd have come up with something. Wiping his tears on the back of his hand, he sniffled back his own grief 

"Lance? It's Allura"

It was probably bad how relieved he felt to hear it was Allura. Allura would know what to do, even if it meant letting her in. Calling out to her, his voice cracked 

"C-come in!"

Entering quietly, Allura looked to them, the princess opening and closing her mouth like she didn't know what to say

"He just passed the pups"

"Oh, Keith..."

"Allura, what do I do? He... he's so broken over it... and I don't know what to do with them... I don't know if he'll want to see them again..."

Realising his breathing was becoming erratic, he was verging on panic

"Keith. Keith, I'll take care of them..."

His eyes flickered to where the two tiny pups laid, almost lost in the sea of blankets. Crossing to them, Allura let out a small sob of her own, before gently gathering the pair into a smaller blanket

"I'll clean them up. That way Lance will be able to say goodbye when the time comes"

"Th-thank you, Allura"

"Will you be able to clean him up alone? Or should I ask Coran..."

"No. No. I'll help him. I'm sorry. I don't think I can handle having another male near him at the moment"

Allura nodded, before looking back down to the tiny bundle in her arms

"I should go before everyone else awakens"

"Thank you"

 

After cleaning Lance up, he remade the nest, and for the first time since Lance had isolated himself in his sea of blankets, Keith was grateful there so many. Removing the ruined ones, he piled them up to be disposed of, before using the ones that had been buried down the side of Lance's mattress as the base of the new nest. Lance would probably rearrange it all when he woke up, but for now, it would probably help to soothe the omega when he finally woke. Laying Lance in the middle of the nest, Keith wiped away the tears he'd shed before pressing a small kiss to Lance's lips as a silent promise to always be there whenever Lance needed him.

 

 

*

Waking in the middle of the night, it took a moment for Keith to realise what had woken him. There was something in his bed... something big, and something right beside his left foot. Lashing out, his foot hit the solid mass, and pained yelp announced Lance's presence 

"What the hell man?!"

"'eith... ow..."

Quiznak. Climbing out of his bed, Keith flicked the light switch. Hunched over the end edge of Keith's bed, Lance was sporting an impressively bloody nose

"Quiznak Lance!"

"'orry"

"Here, let me take a look. What are you doing here? I thought you were sleeping in your quarters"

"'ot 'old"

"You got cold"

Nodding his head, Lance tensed as Keith pulled his hand away from his nose

"It's not broken. You should have just climbed into bed normally"

"'orry..."

Grabbing a spare shirt, Keith bundled it up and pressed it to Lance's nose. Smooth. Kicking an omega with clear PTS right in the face... even worse, kicking the omega that he wasn't completely sure if he was courting or not right the face... really quiznakking smooth. Not sure how to proceed without making things worse, Keith sank down into his desk chair and watched as Lance dealt with his bloody nose.

 

It seemed to take forever before Lance pulled his shirt away from his nose 

"I think it's stopped..."

"I'm sorry I kicked you. Though I don't know why you were crawling around In my bed"

"I got cold..."

Lance sounded like there was something more to this than him just "getting cold", especially given that they hadn't really talked since that night. Not properly at any rate

"Lance, is there something you want to talk about?"

Biting his lip, Lance looked down at the shirt in his hand

"Allura told me to see Coran about getting scanned once the bleeding passed..."

Cutting himself short, Lance shook his head as he rose to his feet. A heavy aura of depression rolled off Lance so thickly that he could taste it. Not that Keith was surprised. Lance had pretty much kicked him out the nest after finally waking and had wanted to be left alone by everyone for the last 8 quintants. The only person he'd talked to was Allura, and that was to ask to be left alone

"Sorry. I'll go back to my quarters"

"Lance, I'm going to kick you again if you keep saying sorry. If you want me to come with you, that's all you have to say"

"I don't know what I want. I woke up feeling so lonely and cold that I was scared. I know I'm being stupid. I know"

Rising from his chair, Keith moved to tug his shirt from Lance's hold before dabbing at the small amount of blood dribbling from the omegas nose 

"You're not being stupid. The Blade of Marmora contacted me and invited me on one of their missions so I can take you in the morning before I leave"

"No. If you have a mission, that needs to come first"

Did Lance have any idea how cute and weak he looked right now? Throwing his shirt in the corner, Keith then wrapped his arms around Lance. Indulging himself, Keith closed his eyes and breathed in Lance's sweet scent

"What are you doing?"

"You said you were cold"

Lance snorted

"I thought you were sniffing me"

"Maybe. I have to be up early, but do you want to stay until I go?"

"If you don't mind"

"I wouldn't offer if I did"

 

It was far too soon that Keith's alarm was going off. In his arms, Lance seemed to be attempting to nuzzle through his chest in an attempt to escape the incessant beeping 

"Lance, I have to get up"

"Noooo"

"Come on, I need to get up"

"I don't want you to go"

Letting out a sigh, Keith ran his fingers through Lance's soft hair while trying to detangle himself from the adorable teen

"It's only for a couple of quintants"

"I have a bad feeling..."

"If you're that worried, why don't you sleep here while I'm gone?"

"How's me sleeping here going to make you any safer?"

Damn. He couldn't fault Lance's logic on that

"Because it means I know you're safe and that I can concentrate fully on the mission"

Those seemed to be the magic words as Lance finally let him go. Pressing a kiss to the omegas temple, Keith carefully climbed over him

"Keith... when you come back, can we talk?"

"Yeah. I think we probably should"

 

When Keith returned from showering Lance had already left. Kind of disappointed, he had to remind himself that the fact remained Lance had come to him and climbed into his bed. Even if he had kicked him in the face, the omega had then willingly climbed into his arms, and hopefully when he returned they'd make this thing of theirs official. 

 

 

*

Having left Keith showering, Lance had gone to find Coran. He couldn't believe he'd actually crawled into bed with Keith... feeling his face redden, he slapped his cheeks in an attempt to clear his mind, but having slapped himself too hard, he let out a yelp. What the hell was wrong with him? He'd tried so hard to cope alone... to keep Keith from seeing what he was going through... yet he'd run straight to the alpha in the end. Keith couldn't keep holding his hand forever. He could do this much on his own...

 

"Lance. Allura said you were up and about"

"Yeah. Is she around?"

"I think she was talking with the mice, shall I call her?"

Shaking his head, Lance cast a glance at Pidge and Shiro. He'd thought the bridge would be empty given how early in the morning it was, but now he was trapped with no way of asking Coran about the scan without seeming weird. Wandering over to the pair, he peered down at the display Pidge was tapping away on 

"Hey Lance, how are you feeling?"

"I'm good Pidge. What's that you're working on?"

"We've picked up a bug, so I'm just running a diagnostic on the castle system. Shiro said his room was super cold last night"

"Hey, my room was pretty cold last night too!"

"Are you sure it wasn't because you're missing a certain alpha"

Grinning at him, he knew exactly what Pidge was getting at

"Noooo"

"Really? Then why weren't you in your own room last night?"

"Whaaaat! How'd you know about that?!"

"I didn't, not until just now! Why don't you two get together already?"

"Pidge!"

"I'm joking. I'm joking. Where is Keith? I wanted to ask him if his air conditioning was on the fritz too"

"It was fine when I left"

Pidge lost at her own game, the female alpha blushing as her own imagination got the best of her. Waving his hands, Lance tried to cut her line of thought off before this conversation got any worse

"It wasn't like that. I just had something to talk to him about before he left the castle"

"I wish he wouldn't just blindly rush off each time the Blade of Marmora wanted him. We already have enough trouble without adding more"

Lance got the feeling Shiro was taking another dig at him, and he wasn't impressed

"Excuse me for being sick! I'm going to find Allura"

Walking away from the pair, Pidge called out his name, she obviously knew he'd just had his feelings hurt.

 

Wandering around the castle, Lance found Allura in the lounge. The mice squeaking away happily as they acted out something 

"Lance! We're just playing a game of charades! Care to join?"

"No thanks, Allura. But I'll watch if you don't mind"

Patting the space next to her, Lance moved to drop down with a weary sigh

"Everything alright?"

"No. Shiro is being all... Shiro. He's worse than Keith!"

Allura laughed 

"I think I know what you mean. He's been all dark and moody"

"Exactly! That's Keith's role!"

"I'm sure now you're up and around, things will find a way to settle down. Have you seen Coran yet?"

"Yes, but Pidge and Shiro were there. Keith said he'd come with me, but he has his mission..."

"Have you two?"

"Allura!"

"No! Not that... I was just wondering if you'd had some time to talk things through?"

"No... we're going to talk when he comes back"

Allura's eyes sparkled as she let out a small squeal

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy for you both"

"I wish I could feel the same"

Allura's face fell, the princess taking his hands into her own. With everything that had happened, his moods and hormones were still way out of whack. Sitting here with Allura, he'd been so relieved to find a few moments of peace, but now he was tearing up like a fool

"Lance, you are allowed to be happy"

"I just don't want to make Keith unhappy. I still have nightmares, and I... I let my own pups die..."

A small sob escaped his lips, followed by another as he couldn't stop himself 

"Oh Lance"

"I'm sorry Allura. I wanted them gone... I thought once they were... I could be with Keith... but Shiro keeps bullying me over what's been going on and every time I see him I have to remember! I don't want to remember. I don't want him to know what I did. I want to be with Keith, but Keith deserves better than me"

"Keith knows what you're going through. He's chosen you, Lance. He wants to be with you. I don't think there's any greater force than love"

"But this is affecting everyone! Keith and Shiro were so tight, now Keith gets all alpha-ry when Shiro's in the same room as me. Pidge and Hunk both know I've been hiding something. You're already under so much stress, but you're still looking after me! I can't tell them though because I don't want to see the looks of pity they'll give me! It's bad enough everyone knows I'm an omega"

"No one thinks any less of you for being an omega. Maybe we should tell them. We don't have to tell them everything, but something"

"Like what? Shiro got me pregnant, and he has no idea, but it's ok. I threw myself in front of Keith to save him and killed the pups! Oh! Oh, let's not forget the part where I tried to give myself an abortion but failed that miserably! Or how Keith was there when I..."

"Lance, do you want to see your pups?"

Lance's breath caught in his throat, looking to Allura in confusion, he sniffled as he tried to tell himself to breathe

"I placed the pups into a prisoner pod. I thought that you'd perhaps like the chance to say goodbye"

"Y-you did?"

He'd been sure they would have been incinerated like all the ruined blankets from his nest had been 

"I've been waiting for you to ask me, or to ask Keith, but when you feel it's time, we can go see them"

"Can we go now?"

"Are you sure?"

"P-please"

"Alright, we'll go now"

 

Allura kept a firm hold on his hand as they walked through the corridors silently. Lance's heart was racing, he wanted nothing more than to turn and run, but each time Keith's gentle smile would come to mind and he'd remind himself that this wasn't just about him. Still, when the door finally slip open, and they stepped into the pod room, he found he couldn't take another step. There, just to the left of him, were the two tiny pups

"I hope you don't mind. I used one of my old dresses"

The two tiny pups were smaller than he could believe, yet there they were, wrapped together in white, blue and gold cloth, their ill-formed hands holding each other as they slept the sleep of the dead 

"Lance..."

"They're... they're so small"

Moving a hand to his stomach, his other one shook as he placed it on the pod's glass

"I scanned them... they contained the same alien DNA as the worm that infected Shiro"

The lives inside of him hadn't been human... not completely. Letting them die had been the right thing to do... so why did it have to hurt so badly?

"I thought that maybe you'd like to bury them?"

"What about the worm? We can't risk spreading something like that through the universe... no... we'll cremate them"

"Lance, you don't have to decide anything right now"

"I do. It's my fault this infection got on the ship. It's my fault that Shiro went after me... and they were infected..."

Staggering sideways, he would have fallen if not for Allura

"Lance!"

"I'm... I'm ok. Allura, for the good of everyone here, we need to burn the bodies"

His voice shook with emotion, yet he was also relieved that they weren't going to infect anyone else. If he had his way, he'd blow up that whole ice planet, but given he couldn't do that, he could at least do this.

 

Hearing the door slide open behind them, both Lance and Allura span around in alarm

"Lance, Allura, what are you two doing here?"

Frowning at them, Shiro seemed just as shocked as they were

"Never mind us. What are you doing here?"

"Pidge traced the bug in the system back to here..."

Lance's heart dropped like a stone 

"... she asked me to take a look. Though that doesn't tell me why you're here"

"Nothing. Lance and I just got a little lost as we were taking a walk"

"Really?"

"Yes, now I think we should all leave"

Letting Allura move first, the woman took Shiro by the arm, as she made to pull him from the room

"What's that behind Lance?"

"Nothing. There's nothing behind Lance. I think you're seeing things Shiro"

Shaking Allura off, Shiro pushed Lance aside

"What... what is this?" 

Leaping back, Shiro activated his bionic hand 

"Just what is this!"

"Shiro, please it isn't what you think"

"Are those human?"

When Allura looked to Lance, Shiro yelled the question at the pair of them

"Are those human?!"

"Shiro, calm down"

"Allura..."

"No, they aren't. That worm thing that was in you created them. We were just discussing how to dispose of them"

Looking from Allura to him, Shiro then looked back to Allura 

"Is that true?"

"Yes. We can't risk the infection getting lose on the ship, and if they're interfering with the ship sensors, that means we need to deal with them now, rather than later"

"Why would you keep them?"

"We hoped to find a cure"

Lance prayed that Shiro would believe them, though Allura's story had started pretty shakily. Taking a step towards him, Lance backed away as Shiro walked right back over to the pod. Tapping his fingers on the control panel, there was a flash of light from the pod

"There. I can't believe you kept this from me. I'm supposed to be the leader of Voltron..."

"You're right. I'm sorry Shiro. I just thought that after being infected, you'd probably want nothing to do with anything related to the worm"

Opening his communicator, Shiro ignored them both as he called through to Pidge 

"I found the bug, it's been taken care of. I'm headed back"

Wasting no time, Shiro gave them both an incredibly dirty look before leaving them. 

 

Staring at the empty pod Lance was in shock. He didn't know what to do or say. One minute he'd been staring at them... and now they were gone... just like that. He might have said they needed to be cremated but watching it happen before his eyes... Falling to his hands and knees, Lance stared down at the pool of tears forming directly beneath him. To his right, Allura had knelt down, the princess wrapping an arm around him as her other hand rubbed his right forearm

"Lance..."

"They're gone"

"I'm so sorry"

"Allura... is there"

"Shiro released the ashes into space"

It felt like he'd been kicked in the gut

"Lance..."

"Thank you Allura... thank you for letting me see them one last time"

"I know this isn't the time, but if the infection was still inside of the pups, there's a chance you might be a host..."

The idea of carrying that worm made his skin crawl so badly he wanted to tear it off, and then another thought hit him

"Oh god... Keith..."

Scrambling shakily to his feet, he made to rush from the room. 

 

Racing after him, Allura grabbed him the shoulders, her face fierce as she shook him firmly

"Keith? What about Keith?"

"Allura... Keith was there. Keith handled them... Keith could be infected"

What had he done? Not Keith. Anyone but Keith. The alpha was on a mission. The alpha was risking his life. Keith could... Keith could...

"You're right. I'll contact the Blade or Marmora. Keith's going to be ok..."

Not only had he contracted an alien STI, he might have infected his not-boyfriend boyfriend... but if Keith was infected, Keith wouldn't have been so nice to him. The alpha wouldn't have given him the space he'd asked for... but he did kick him in the face. No. That had been an accident. His fault for climbing in near Keith's feet. In the background, he could hear Allura on her communicator, but his heart was beating so loudly that it drowned out everything else. Already a nervous wreck, and both physically and mentally exhausted, Lance's eyes rolled back. The omega unconscious before he hit the floor.


	11. Chapter 11

The tension in the room was suffocation, and though it was probably only been ticks since all eyes fell on him, it might as well have been vargas for his poor racing heart   
"Lance. Who's children were they!?"  
After leaving them down in the pod room, it seemed Shiro had asked Pidge about to the two pups. Naturally, Pidge had known nothing about it, so here there were. Shiro publicly calling him out over it, because he knew damn well Lance would have no choice but to reply now that Pidge and Hunk knew. Gripping the edge of the examination bed he was sitting on, Lance stared at his lap  
"Answer me!"  
Flinching at the way Shiro roared at him, he desperately wished he was still unconscious   
"Shiro, leave him alone"  
"Be quiet Allura!"  
Shiro had never snapped at Allura like he just had, and it left him flinching all over again, in the background, Pidge quietly tried to calm Shiro, softly calling the alpha's name   
"Shiro..."  
It didn't seem to phase Shiro in the slightest   
"Lance, answer the question? Who's children did I just kill?! What the hell is going on in this castle!? How can we even trust you and Allura?"  
"Leave Allura out of it"  
His voice was low and his words were mumbled, his answer clearly didn't fly well with Shiro, the alpha's scent growing impossibly angrier   
"What did you just say?"  
Feeling his emotions rising, the hot ugly mass settled in his stomach, leaving him heaving for breath  
"I said, leave Allura out of this!"  
"Why should I? Were they her children? Or maybe Altean children?! For someone so honest, she's done nothing but lie about them"  
"Allura lied because she was protecting me! Stop yelling at her when she's done nothing wrong!"  
"Then tell me the truth!"  
"Ok!"  
Screaming the word, Lance jumped off the table, his hands clenched into fists as tears streamed down his face  
"They were mine! I was pregnant! I lost the pups and Allura has been trying to cover for me! There, are you fucking happy now? Go ahead and laugh at the stupid omega who lost his own pups!"  
Shiro's blurry figure retreated half a step back  
"Lance..."  
"No go on and laugh! I didn't want anyone to know! Allura, Coran and Keith have all been trying to cover for me, because I'm nothing more than a disgusting omega! I didn't know they were infected and I swear we were talking about cremating them, but I guess... I guess that doesn't matter now!"  
Dissolving into howling sobs, he didn't fight Allura gathering him into his arms. His dirty little secret was now public knowledge. Hushing him gently, Allura rubbed his hair as she rocked him gently  
"I didn't want anyone to know! I didn't want to be different from everyone! I just wanted to forget! I just wanted to be back on the team!"  
"Lance..."  
"Fuck off Shiro! Fuck off! You couldn't leave it alone! You had to ruin everything! I didn't want anyone to know and now they all do!"  
Sobbing and shaking, he felt Allura moving him back so he could sit on the examination table. With his face buried against her neck, he didn't dare look at Pidge and Hunk. They were both probably mad at him for being so stupid and useless. Feeling the bed beside him dip, he all but tried to crawl into Allura's lap, but Hunk soon prevented that by wrapping his arms around him. The simple action meant more to him than Hunk could know  
"I'm sorry!"  
"Shhhh, it's ok. Just let it out"  
"I... I want my pups!"  
He hadn't realised how very true it was until the words slipped from his mouth. He'd been stupid to try and rationalise losing part of him. He'd hated them so much, but now all he wanted to do was see them again  
"I know you do"  
Behind him, Pidge wrapped her arms around him. Though tiny in stature, he could definitely smell her and feel her there  
"I'm so sorry. I let you guys down..."  
"You didn't let us down"  
"Yeah! Hunk's right. You didn't let us down Lance"

Wiping his face, Lance took a few deep breaths as he tried to rein in his scent. With two unbonded alpha's leaking concerned pheromones, his breakdown was brought under control, but without Keith's scent there, their touches began to make him feel sick   
"You guys can let go now"  
Pulling back, Hunk and Pidge moved to stare at him as he tried to wipe his face clean  
"I really didn't mean to hurt you guys"  
"Lance, we understand"  
"You shouldn't have to..."  
"Lance..."  
"I'm sorry... I don't want to talk about it"  
"I was going to say you're getting snot all over Allura"  
"Quiznak... sorry Allura"  
Wiping his face as his sleeve, he wrinkled his nose, he shook his head at the sight  
"I hate mucus"  
Letting out a snort, Hunk followed with a yelp  
"What'd you elbow me for?"  
"If you have to ask then there's no point me explaining it"  
Sniffling, Lance nodded slowly   
"I think I want to be alone for a bit. Allura, did you manage to contact Keith?"  
"They're already on their mission, he's going to come straight back as soon as he can"  
"And everyone else?"  
"Scanned negative, but we all had shots just in case, including you"  
"That's probably why you're feeling so hormonal at the moment, your body just got a huge dose of oestrogen"  
"Hunk, I think there's more than that going on at the moment"  
"Oh. Right"  
"It's fine. Thanks Allura. And thanks guys... I was so scared about you finding out"  
"Lance, you should never be scared to tell us anything. We're family right? One big weird space family"  
Family. A family who actually loved him for who he was, including his omega side. Only these guys could pass it off as something so easily accepted  
"Yeah... And I couldn't ask for a better one. Maybe a more normal one..."  
Snorting at his own bad joke, Lance slid off the examination bed, before forcing a smile as he faced his fri-family  
"That's enough touchy-feely stuff for now. I'll be down in my quarters"  
"Lance..."  
Shaking his head, he really didn't want company   
"I'll be alright Hunk. I just need to clear my head"

 

*  
Despite the desire to head to Keith's quarters instead of his own, Lance forced himself back this own room. Keith might have given him permission, but he really didn't want to be wandering the ship... not when Shiro was out there somewhere. Having admitted they were his pups, it felt like any moment he'd have Shiro demanding to know who the father was. It was almost laughable that all his trips to the healing pod had meant that his "weeks" weren't exactly right, and there was no real way to pinpoint an exact date of conception, so even if Shiro thought he was the father, Lance could easily deny it. Anyway. Shiro wasn't the father, the worm thing inside him was, so it wasn't like he was really lying. With all the crying he'd done, followed by all the thinking he'd done, his head was throbbing by the time he finally reached his own quarters. He'd well and truly thought so much lately that he felt there should be some kind of life limit, like when you hit it, your brain didn't make you replay all this stuff on replay. Toeing off his boots, he looked to his bed before deciding he should probably take a shower instead. 

Showering didn't help, but it did wash away all the traces of snot he'd smeared across his face. Disgusted at himself, he pretty much smothered his face in night cream so he didn't have to look at himself. When was the last time he'd bothered to take care of his skin? When was the last time he did anything really "normal?". He'd been so wrapped up in himself...

 

*  
"Whoa! Allura! What's going on?"  
After 12 quintants out with the Blade of Marmora, Keith just wanted a hot shower and some sleep. They'd lost a member during the firefight on the way out, and though he knew all wars had casualties, each time a member died it felt like a blade was driven into his own heart. No one deserved to die... not because of someone like Zarkon. Exiting his pod, he hadn't expected Shiro and Allura to be waiting for him, let alone armed  
"Sorry Keith, I'll explain when you wake up"  
Feeling someone sharp stabbed into his neck, he reeled back as his hands moved to clutch at the syringe hanging from his neck  
"What the quiz..."

Waking up in the medical bay, Keith leapt to his feet. Like a cornered and wild animal, he growled as his eyes darted around the room  
"Keith!"  
"What's going on here!?"  
Wincing slightly as he yelled, Allura raised her hands as if to stop him from yelling again   
"I'm sorry Keith, there was a chance you were infected, so we had to act as if you were"  
Frowning, Keith had no idea what Allura was on about, or why Shiro looked so annoyed each time he looked to Allura  
"Allura, what's this about?"  
"We found the remains infected children in of the ship's prisoner pods. They were carrying the same alien DNA as the worm that infected me"  
Keith's heart stopped. Of course he'd wanted to see Lance the whole time he was away, and after getting some rest, the first thing he'd intended to do was track down the omega... but now...  
"Allura..."  
"I'm so sorry Keith. Shiro destroyed the pups. He didn't know at the time they were Lance's"  
So... wait... what...  
"Where's Lance?"  
Stepping forward, Shiro clearly had something to say, but right now, Keith didn't want to hear it. He was supposed to have been there for Lance. He was supposed to be there when the omega said goodbye to his pups... instead he'd been off infiltrating shipping routes...  
"Keith..."  
"Where's Lance!?"  
"Lance is resting in his quarters. The scans show you weren't infected, but we administered a shot of oestrogen as a precaution"  
Despite understanding why the pair has acted as they had, his alpha was still pissed over his rough treatment  
"Keith, everyone knows about Lance's pregnancy and miscarriage now. He's been trying really hard to act like everything's alright, but it's been rough without you here"  
"Of course he has. This is Lance. He hates when people worry about him, and how the quiznak did everyone find out? I thought you would be there for him!"  
"It's not Allura's fault. Pidge found a bug in the castles system, and we tracked down the source to the ship's prison pods. When I arrived to check it out, both Lance and Allura were standing there. They told me the pups were caused by the worm, and that they'd been intending to dispose of them. When I returned to Pidge, both she and Hunk had no idea what I was talking about..."  
"You didn't... you arsehole!"  
Lunging at Shiro, Keith grabbed him be the collar of his shirt. The alpha had no right calling Lance out on this and he'd probably picked a time where the omega couldn't escape!   
"You have no idea what he went through!"  
"Don't you think I'm sorry! Don't you think I regret the way I handled things!"  
"I swear to god Shiro, if he's hurt himself again, I will never forgive you"  
Shoving Shiro back, the alpha stumbled without putting up a fight as he hung his head  
"Now I'm going to see Lance. I will brief you on my mission when I return"

Running through the halls, all Keith could think about was getting to Lance, even if it was just one tick sooner. How long after he'd left had all of this happened? And how could Allura let it happen... no... he shouldn't blame Allura. She'd been a godsend. The way she was with Lance, she'd been able to be everything he hadn't been. Still. He had to know the fully story, and just looking at Shiro's face pissed him off too much to focus. Maybe if they hadn't just drugged him, he might have been in a better mood... no... they were doing what they thought they needed to do. After all, Shiro's violence when he'd been infected had been beyond extreme. If that had gotten through the ship, the whole universe could have been in trouble.

Slamming his hand on the door pad, the door took its sweet time to open  
"Lance!"  
"Keith?"  
Flying off his bed, Lance launched himself at Keith the moment he was through the doorway. Catching Lance easily, he buried his face against the smooth skin of neck and inhaled as much of the omegas scent as he could. The feeling he felt as he held Lance tight was one that he could only describe as "coming home". Lance felt like home. He was safe and he was warm. Nuzzling his neck, Lance let out a small sob  
"I'm so happy you're safe!"  
"Of course I am. I'm not infected either"  
Lance tensed in his arms, the omega then struggling back in his hold, so he could look him in the face  
"I'm so sorry..."  
"No. No it's ok. I'm just so happy to see you"  
"Me too... I... I was so scared. Your mission?"  
"It wasn't the best, but we got solid intel"  
"Good... that's good"  
Burying his face against Lance's neck again, it felt like for the moment, everything could wait. They'd both had a pretty quiznakking time, and both needed the comfort they found in each other's presence.

"Ugh! Seriously?"  
Pulling back with a small laugh, Lance wiped his face before looking to Hunk. Their small moment had just been ruined, but the omega didn't seem to mind all that much as his fingers brushed against Keith's, before taking his hand   
"Sorry Hunk, but at least we weren't kissing"  
Pulling a face, Hunk seemed to forget about it all in the next moment  
"I brought milkshakes"  
Looking at the tray, Hunk had obviously expected him to be in Lance's quarters as there three milkshakes on the tray   
"You're the best! You have try the new flavours Hunk's been working on"  
"What's wrong with plain chocolate?"  
"Because we're in space. I can't even remember what real chocolate tastes like. If we ever get back to Earth, everything is going to taste so weird"  
Though Lance was smiling a joking, Keith felt like he'd just caught a glimpse of what Allura was talking about. Instead of being relieved, Keith felt slightly sick  
"Man, don't say that. You have no idea how much I've been longing for a nice big juicy burger"  
"For me it has to be mum's cooking. She's got a fiery temper, but man, she can cook"  
When the pair looked to Keith, Keith didn't know what to say. He'd hands down take Hunk's cooking over Coran's any quintant of the movement, but living on his own, food was just food  
"I think we broke him"  
"Maybe he's caught up in some waking food dream"  
"You're both wrong. I'm going to head back to my quarters now, but I'll come by later Lance"  
"You don't have to go. We can just hang out... the three of us"  
Hunk sounded like he felt himself to the third wheel, and though Keith wanted to stay with Lance, he didn't want to get between the omega and his best friend  
"No, I really need a shower"  
Leaning in, Keith pressed a kiss to Lance's cheek, causing the omega to blush bright red. 

 

*  
After spending a few vargas dying repeatedly while playing the one video game they owned, Lance had to admit his mind was definitely more on Keith than the game. He was so relieved that Keith had made it back one piece that now he was stuck wondering if the moment to fill him in on what had happened had passed. Watching his character turn into a tombstone, he yawned as he placed down his controller  
"I'm out"  
"Does this have something to do with a certain alpha returning"  
Fluttering his eyelashes, Hunk made kissing motions with his lips. If anyone else had mocked him like Hunk did, he probably would have hit them   
"Maybe..."  
"I don't see why you two aren't together"  
"Because it's been complicated. We didn't really get a chance to talk earlier"  
"No, you were too busy nuzzling into each other"  
"That's... that was..."  
He had no idea where he wanted to go with that sentence, only that he'd started to deny what happened on instinct... despite the fact Hunk had clearly witnessed the exchange. Falling silent, he bit his lip  
"Lance, why don't you just go see Keith?"  
"Because he just got back from a mission"  
"And?"  
"And he's probably exhausted. Besides, he said he'd come see me later"  
"Or you could just go to him... it must be tiring for him to be always chasing after you"  
Hunk was right. He was the one constantly pushing the alpha away, only to go running to him... still it hurt to hear it so bluntly  
"For the good of our video gaming, you need to do this"  
Snorting at Hunk's words, Lance climbed off his bed  
"Alright. Thanks Hunk"

Walking with him part way. Hunk split off to go make dinner, while Lance continued on to Keith's room. Despite seeing the alpha a few vargas earlier, he was still nervous about seeing Keith, especially given the fact they'd been apart for so long... before earlier... reaching Keith's room, Lance had been just about to knock when the door slid open, to reveal an angry Shiro in the midst of storming out  
"He's already been pregnant once, the last thing this team needs is..."  
Staring up at Shiro, the alpha's seemed shocked to find him standing on Keith's doorstep, or maybe Shiro was just shocked that he'd been sprung mid sentence   
"Lance..."  
"Go on"  
"What?"  
"I've already been pregnant once, and what else were going to say?"  
"Nothing. This is between Keith and I"  
"Don't give me that! If you have something say, say it to my face, and not to Keith!"  
"Fine. You've already been pregnant once and the last thing we need is for you to get knocked up again"  
Lance saw red. It was bad enough Shiro was having a go at him after bad mouthing him to Keith, but to make it sound like it was all his fault... throwing a solid left hook, Shiro caught his fist  
"This is for the good of Voltron"  
Letting go of Lance's fist, the omega's hand fell to his side as Shiro sidestepped him and left. Forgetting where he was, Lance stood stock still as he tried to calm back down.

"Lance?"  
Jumping in confusion, Lance looked up to see Keith staring at him. The alpha's eyes looked pained, and Lance kicked himself for thinking this was a good idea  
"He's right"  
Spinning away from Keith, Lance took off running. He knew he wasn't really ready for a relationship, but he also knew he couldn't say no to Keith any longer. He liked how he felt when he was the alpha... his alpha. After struggling so heavily with the shame of his second dynamic for so long, Keith had been the first one to truly accept that side of him. Hunk might be his best friend, but he'd never been comfortable enough to show him that side of himself. 

Feeling strong arms wrap around his waist, his fleeing was cut short by Keith  
"Lance, wait..."  
"Let me go Keith. Shiro's right"  
"No he's not. Look, you came to talk to me right? Come back to my room with me"  
"But..."  
All the courage he'd summoned to tell Keith how felt had been shattered by Shiro  
"Please"  
He couldn't say no. Not when Keith was saying please. Nodding mutely, he pulled himself out Keith's hold. The alpha opened and closed his mouth, but fell silent behind him as he retraced his steps.

Keith's room smelt of the alpha's anger, leaving Lance's stomach doing backflips. Dropping down on the alpha's bed, Keith climbed up next to him, before taking his hand  
"Don't let what Shiro said get to you"  
"How can I not?"  
"Because when it comes to Voltron, Shiro tends to lose his head"  
"He's right though. Because of me, everyone could have been in serious danger"  
"That's wasn't because of you. It was because Blue was trying to protect you"  
"Because I went into heat. Nothing ever good came out of being an omega!"  
"Not even me?"  
Taken back, he didn't expect Keith to be so direct about it  
"No... I mean. Yes, but I've realise how much of I've been relying on you. You're always here for me, but when have I ever been there for you?"  
"Lance, you literally used yourself to shield me from an explosion and then took a shot that was supposed to hit me"  
"That doesn't count"  
"Who says?"  
"I do. I just... I'd rather die than be a burden to anyone and that's all I've been"  
"You are not a burden"  
"Shiro thinks I am"  
Letting out a small growl, Keith squeezed his hand firmly   
"You need to stop thinking he's right all the time. He doesn't know what you've been through"  
"Haven't you heard? Everyone does now..."  
"I heard a little, but will you tell me properly?"

 

*  
Letting out a long sigh, Lance's scent soured with pain. Pulling the omega into his lap, he nuzzled Lance's neck gently   
"When did it happen?"  
"That morning, after you left"  
Quiznak. Allura had left a message with the Blades of Marmora the day he'd left, but he hadn't got it until he'd come back  
"I went up to the bridge to see Coran, about that scan... but Pidge and Shiro were there, Pidge had found some kind of bug in the ship system, and Shiro was being... eesh, so I went to go find Allura"  
Wriggling in his lap, Lance buried his face against Keith's chest  
"I was talking to Allura about... about the pups and about you, and she told me how she'd placed them in a prisoner pod so I could say goodbye... but..."  
Letting out a small whine, Lance   
"It's ok, you're doing really well"  
"A-Allura said they were infected. They had the same DNA as what the worm from Shiro's head had... but she wanted to give me a chance to see them and say goodbye. While we were talking about them, Shiro came in. Apparently even though they were dead, the organism or whatever it was, was leaking into the ships system. I wanted to cremate them, but Shiro. We told Shiro we were about to deal with them, so he did it. He incinerated them, and let the ashes into space. Keith, they were so tiny!"  
Rocking Lance, Keith was murderous. The pups might not have been his, but he'd been there when they'd been "born"  
"How did Shiro find out they were yours?"  
"I p-passed out, and when I woke up everyone was in the medical bay. I was panicking because I thought you'd been infected. Shiro must have asked Pidge and Hunk, 'cause Allura tried to cover for me again. He wanted to know what was going on and made it sound like Allura had killed them... and he just kept pushing... but I didn't tell the him they were his. So he thinks they're yours... at least that's what I think and I think he hates me for doing that to you"  
Lances words fell atop each other, the omega pausing to take a few breaths as he tried to get everything out at once. Shitty Shiro. Yes he could understand the fear of infection breaking out, but they were barely formed pups, and he of all people should know Allura would never harm a child  
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you"  
Lance sniffled and shook his head  
"You had your own things to do... how was your mission?"  
"My mission... we got the intel but we lost another Blade member"  
"I'm sorry"  
"What do you have to be sorry for?"  
"Because you had to go through that. I know you're all emo and broody, but I know how deeply you feel these things"  
"I am not broody"  
"Yes you are. You're all like "Hi, my names Keith, watch me brood", but Shiro's out brooded you lately"  
"Let me talk to Shiro"  
"I can picture it now, both of you scowling at each other"  
"Well it's either I talk to him or I hit him"  
"I'd rather talking. Sorry for crying all over you"  
"I think you're entitled to it. Now what was it you came to talk to me about?"

Releasing Keith's hand, Lance moved so he was straddling his lap and staring straight into his eyes. Wiping his tears away, Lance let out a long breath   
"I wanted to talk about us"  
"About us?"  
"Yeah. I've been thinking so much since you left... and I can't. I mean. I can't stop thinking about you. I hate being an omega. I hate not being like everyone else, but you... you accepted it like it was nothing. I don't think I'm ready for much more than... this right now, but I think maybe I want to be with you"  
"You want to be with me?"  
Lance nodded quickly, before wiping away his still spilling tears   
"Yeah..."  
Leaning in to kiss Lance, the omega was tense to begin with, before slowly returning and deepening the kiss. Sharing slow kisses, Keith let Lance end the kiss. He didn't want to risk hurting Lance by making him do anything he wasn't 100% ok with. Offering him a small smile, Keith reached up to cup Lance's face   
"My omega"  
Nuzzling his hand, Lance let out a soft rumbling noise that sounded suspiciously like a purr, and let his alpha roaring with happiness. They'd been through so much over the past phoebs, that having just this tiny moment of happiness seemed like a dream   
"I'm not ready for more than this right now... is that really alright?"  
"Yeah, of course it is. We can go as slow as you want"  
"And I want to tell Hunk and Allura before everyone else"  
"Yeah. I'm so relieved you have them"  
"It's not just me. They're your friends too... actually Pidge called us family"  
"That's pretty messed up family"  
"That's what I thought, but I wouldn't trade any of them... not even Shiro... I really didn't mean to get between the pair of you"  
"You didn't. He did that all on his own. I never thought his ego would get the better of him like this"  
"I wonder if he figured it out"  
"If he figured what out?"  
"That the pups were his... I know with my trips to the healing pod and all that, that my weeks got all muddled up, but Shiro's smart"  
"I said I'd talk to him, and I will. For now, I just want to enjoy spending time with my boyfriend"  
Lance sighed softly   
"What is it?"  
"I can't believe I have a boyfriend. There goes my ladies man image"  
"Have you ever even been with a lady?"  
"What... why does that matter?"  
"Because liking girls better be out of you system"  
"I don't know if I ever really did. I think maybe I just wanted to be pretty like them"  
"You're pretty in your own way"  
"I'm tall and lanky. Omegas are supposed to be small and cute"  
"And not run around saving the universe as the teams best sharp shooter"  
Lance's eyes widened  
"I knew it! You see how good I am!"  
"I did. You're not that great at hand to hand, but you make up for it with your marksmanship"  
"You're supposed to be on my side"  
"I am on your side"  
"Then tell me I'm good at things"  
"You're good at being an idiot and worrying and..."  
Lance gave him a filthy look, as he pouted  
"I'm well aware of my flaws, I don't need you of all people to point them out"  
"If I'm not going to, who will?"  
"You're so lucky I'm dating you. I might have had to kick your arse"  
"That's it. You're in for it now!"  
Grabbing Lance by the arse, Keith half rose and flipped them over so the omega was pinned beneath him. Tickling the omega, Lance began to howl with laughter as he begged for mercy. It was so hard to believe that a few moments earlier Lance had been crying his eyes out. Crying Lance was beautiful, but laughing Lance... he truly wished the omega would always be this happy.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final draft... gotta double check it, it I feel bad for making you all wait

After depositing Lance into Hunk's care, Keith headed off to find Shiro. After all they'd been through, his boyfriend deserved a break... something he hadn't got last night thanks to back to back nightmares. Both times Lance had kicked him awake in his sleep, so now he was sleep deprived and sporting a badly bruised shin. Still, he was proud of how much of a fighter his boyfriend was. Yes Lance had cried way too much for his liking, but his boyfriend was still trying to move forward... something that would be greatly aided with Shiro backing off.

Heading up to the bridge, he found Allura and Coran, but no signs of Pidge or Shiro. Seeing they'd already told Hunk, Keith was sure Lance wouldn't mind if he told Allura they were now officially dating. Each time he found himself thinking of his omega being his boyfriend a small silly smile would tug on his lips. Catching sight of him standing near the doorway, Allura smiled brightly as she walked over to him  
"Hey Keith, everything alright?"  
"You could say that. Lance and I are officially courting"  
Letting out a happy cry, Allura grasped his hands  
"I'm so happy for you. For you... both"  
Looking past him, it was clear Allura was looking for Lance  
"Thanks. Lance is down with Hunk, we just told him"  
"Of course, he's Lance's best friend... oh this is great news"  
"Yeah. We talked about it a little last night, but the problem is Shiro. He didn't want us dating so I was hoping to talk to him"  
Allura sighed  
"Yes, he's well and truly made that clear. I think he's down in the training room at the moment"  
"Training room. Got it. Thanks, Allura, oh would you mind not telling Pidge just yet, Lance will probably want to do that together"  
Nodding happily, Allura's eyes sparkled  
"You have my complete support. You both deserve to be happy"  
Letting him go, Keith turned and left. It felt weird to thank Allura yet again, though it was nice to hear she supported them being together, and by the look of Coran crying behind her, the man did too. 

*  
Entering the training room, Keith hung back as Shiro threw a training sentry towards the wall. The alpha had clearly been at it for some time as his clothes were wet with sweat, and traces of his angry scent had faded to just normal alpha stink  
"Are you just going to stand there?"  
"I was thinking about it. I need to talk to you about Lance"  
"Keith, I'm not changing my decision. I don't think being in a romantic relationship right now is the best choice for Voltron"  
"We have everyone else's blessings, and it's not something we decided on a whim"  
Powering down the training level, Shiro turned to look at him, before rushing towards him. If Shiro wanted to fight this thing out, that worked.

Exchanging blows, the alpha's were both holding themselves back as they fell into old habits. More than once Keith had practised his hand to hand combat with Shiro, and they found themselves falling into the old routines they used to do. Upon realising this, Keith found himself annoyed that Shiro could manipulate him so easily  
"I won't give up Lance"  
Shiro went to parry the jab that was meant to follow, but Keith roundhoused the alpha squarely in the stomach  
"It's not about giving up Lance. It's about saving the universe"  
"You keep saying that, or you keep saying how this affects Voltron. It doesn't affect Voltron. Lance doesn't have a problem, it's you with the problem and it's you who's affecting Voltron, not him"  
"It affects all of us. He's been off for months now, and then I find he was pregnant. He lost your pups protecting you! Aren't you mad?"  
"How could I be mad at him for something like that!"  
"Because they were your children too! Every time I think of what you must have been going through, I get so angry at him"  
"I'm fine. It's Lance who's been through hell"  
"How can you be fine!? He slept with you and then hid his pregnancy from everyone! He only told us once he got found out. It's like he was trying to hide the fact he'd lost your pups, and never once did you think of confiding in me, about what you've been going through. They were your pups, no alpha could be ok with this!"  
"They weren't my pups!"  
Grunting as Shiro grabbed his arm and threw him to the floor, the words fell out his mouth before he could stop himself. Staring down at him, Shiro's face was scrunched in confusion  
"What do you mean they weren't yours?"  
"Nothing... wait... are you mad I didn't tell you what Lance was going through? You do know you were out of your mind when the pups were conceived right? Is that why you've been such an arsehole to him?"  
"Keith, what do you mean they weren't your pups?"  
Damn Shiro and his stupidly good memory. Couldn't he just drop it?  
"Nothing!"  
Twisting his arm, Shiro knelt down so he was pinned by the bigger alpha  
"Keith"  
"Get off me, Shiro. I'm sorry you're so pissed, but it was up to Lance who he wanted to know. It's his body and his choices and I support him"  
Letting him go, Shiro staggered back, the alpha covering the left side of his face with his hand  
"Shiro?"  
"They were mine... I..."  
"Shiro"  
"No. It all makes sense now. I attacked Lance while he was in heat. I'm the one who got him pregnant. They were my pups. He let my pups die to protect you"

Ooooooh quiznak! If looks could kill, he'd be dead. Snarling, Shiro bared his teeth, reactivating his hand as he did  
"He let my pups die to protect you"  
Quiznak. Launching himself sideways, Keith activated his knife as he stared down Shiro. Baring his own teeth, he wasn't about to take the blame for Lance's actions. Even if he did support them...  
"They weren't even human!"  
"They were still my pups!"  
"You fucking raped him!"  
Blinded by his anger, Shiro attacked. Blow after blow pushed him back, forcing him to rely heavily on his shield, and limiting the number of blows he could land. If he had to describe it, he'd say Shiro was almost rabid. His eyes narrowed dangerously, and each blow carried the alpha's full weight behind it. Even fatigued the alpha barely seemed to notice, and he probably wouldn't until Keith either unconscious or dead...  
"Shiro, you need to stop! You weren't you!"  
"Then why does it hurt? And why do I want him!"  
Shiro wanted Lance...? What... what?!  
"What do you mean you want him! He's not a thing or a toy"  
"He's an omega! The omega I bred with!"  
Did some part of Shiro remember mounting Lance? He shouldn't remember anything... blocking a downwards blow, Keith, aimed for Shiro's stomach again. He knew his earlier blow had found its spot, and with Shiro aiming to kill... he wasn't afraid to fight dirty. Booting Shiro back, Keith raised himself to his full height  
"Lance is Lance. He's not his second dynamic"  
"Liar. You wouldn't have got with him if he hadn't presented as an omega! You couldn't stand him"  
"That's because I already liked him. I just didn't understand why"  
"Now who's lying! I know you, Keith. Or at least I did"  
"I'm still me. We agreed that it was best that we didn't talk about what happened when you were infected for your sake, and for Lance's. What you did to him, he still has nightmares!"  
Growling, Shiro kicked out his knee, before using his human hand to slam him down by the neck. Shiro's bionic hand plunged downwards sliding through Keith's shirt, just above the alpha's heart  
"Shiro. Please"  
Bleeding from his chest and struggling for breath, Keith stared into Shiro's eyes for a long hard moment. Deactivating his hand, Shiro jumped back  
"Get out of here"  
"Shiro..."  
"Get out of here!"  
Climbing to his feet, Keith glared at Shiro  
"I won't give up on Lance. Despite everything, I still love him"  
"I can't condone such a dangerous relationship. I value you as a team member of Voltron, but I refuse to give you my blessings. Now leave"

*  
Hanging with Hunk in the kitchen, Lance was hindering more than helping as he picked at all the different ingredients Hunk had laid out  
"Lance, did you eat my cookie dough?"  
"You mean the purple goop in the yellow bowl?"  
"No, I mean the blue goop in the red bowl"  
"Oh... that was the first to go"  
"Lance!"  
"Come on man, I'm huuuuungry!"  
"Nope. Out of the kitchen. You're eating us out of house and home"  
It wasn't his fault. Since waking up in Keith's arms, he'd been ravenous. Probably the hungriest he'd been in phoebs. Fluttering his eyelashes, he pled with his best friend  
"Buuuuuut Hunk! You're just soooo good at cooking"  
"Nope. No. Noooo. It's not good looking at me like that, why don't you go work up a real appetite"  
"I already have a real appetite!"  
"Lance!"  
"I'm going! Sheesh!"

With Hunk out of the picture, he only had Pidge or Allura he could hang out with. Allura no doubt would be worrying over him... or want all the gossip on what was going on between him and Lance, but... knowing Pidge like he did, Pidge was probably doing some kind of experiment that went waaaaay over his head. Kicking the wall in annoyance, Lance let out a deep breath. Now that life was "back to normal", he couldn't remember what he'd done before everything went to quiznak. He could go check in with Keith, but Keith was going to talk to Shiro... Lance's steps stumbled to a stop. Keith wouldn't say anything unnecessary... right? But then again, he'd just become the alpha's boyfriend, while Shiro and Keith had had a tight bromance since day one. No. He had to believe that Keith knew what he was doing. He couldn't be with the alpha if he didn't trust him.

Finding himself walking back to his quarters, Lance supposed he may as well clean his room up. With Keith home, he no longer needed the nest he'd built himself... not when he'd probably be sleeping by his boyfriend's side. It was stupid how happy he felt each time he mentally referred to Keith as his boyfriend, though the alpha would probably dump him if he knew just how embarrassingly happy his omega was, his second dynamic more than happy to imagine their future together, right down to the number of pups they'd have. Personally, he wanted 4. Two boys, two girls, but he'd be happy with however many his alpha decided... stumbling again, he realised he'd moved one hand to his stomach without thinking at all. Did Keith even want pups? He knew the aloha was suffering from not knowing the truth of his own heritage, but Keith was Keith... and he'd been there when he'd passed the pups... Quiznak. His anxieties were getting the better of him. Now Keith was back he really had to pull himself together. Keith wouldn't stay with him if he was sad all the time. 

Having finally made it back to his room, Lance dissembled his nest. Part of him ached to remake it, but he wasn't in heat, nor was he pregnant or preparing for birth, so he had no need for it. Even if it did make him feel safe. Pulling everything to be washed, he realised he didn't actually have any sheets left to replace the ones he'd taken off. Oh well. He was a teenage boy, teenage boys were supposed to have messy rooms and dirty sheets... remaking his bed, he dumped his pile of washing outside the doorway, before heading into his bathroom.

"Lance!"  
Poking his head out of his bathroom, Lance frowned at Hunk's intrusion  
"I thought you were making dinner"  
"I was, but then I got worried about what you were up to"  
"I'm cleaning"  
"I can see that. I didn't think I'd live to see the day"  
Ducking back into the bathroom, Lance grabbed the first thing he found, before ditching it at Hunk. Bouncing off Hunk's forehead, the small container of hair detangler fell to the floor with a small clatter  
"What was that for?"  
"For teasing me. Now throw it back, I need to put it back on the shelf"  
Picking the container up, Hunk frowned at it  
"Do you even need hair detangler?"  
"Of course I do. Haven't you noticed how nice and smooth my hair is"  
"Right... I think Keith has more of a use for it than you"  
"Are you kidding? Keith's hair so soft and smooth"  
Throwing it back Hunk shrugged  
"I'll have to take your word for it"  
"Seriously, you should..."  
"Lance, he's your boyfriend. I'll just take your word for it"  
Blushing slightly at the word "boyfriend", Lance rushed to place the container back on the sink, and exit his bathroom  
"I need to take my washing down, but then it's dinner time right?"  
"How can you still be hungry?"  
"Because I am. Please tell me you made more of those cookies"  
"Yes. But you can't have any until you eat your real dinner"  
"You aren't my mum"  
"No, but I can always let Coran take care of making your dinner"  
"You wouldn't!"  
Raising an eyebrow, Hunk crossed his arms  
"Fine! You win! But you have to eat every last spoonful"  
"Yes! So can we goooooo?"

*  
Walking into the dining room for dinner, Keith was well aware of how dishevelled he looked. He'd showered and changed since leaving the training hall, before spending the next few hours hiding out in his quarters. Lance had wanted him to talk to Shiro, but instead, they'd beaten the quiznak out of each other and Shiro still disapproved of their relationship. Though none too impressed over that, what he really couldn't get over was fact that Shiro wanted Lance. Even if it was just lingering feelings and urges left from being infected, he felt like more trouble was on the horizon. Realising everyone was staring at him, Keith scratched the back of his  
"What's for dinner?"  
Rushing from his chair, Lance moved to stand in front of him  
"I thought you were just going to talk to him! What happened?"  
"Shiro and I talked. This is nothing"  
"Don't "this is nothing" me. You're bleeding!"  
"Lance, it's ok. Shiro and I talked"  
Piping up from her seat, Pidge cleared her throat  
"What did you two talk about?"  
"Shiro isn't happy because I'm dating Lance now"  
"You're dating Lance?"  
"It only happened last night... he thinks it's bad for Voltron and that Lance isn't serious about this"  
"I know Lance likes to joke around, but I don't think he'd just get into a relationship... though he does tend to lose his mind when there's a pretty girl around. You might have to keep an eye on"  
Pidge's tone was light and joking, but it reminded Keith he had to tell Lance about the fact Shiro knew he was the pups father. Taking Lance's hand, he pulled back a few steps so they could have some "privacy"  
"I can't believe you. Getting beaten up isn't talking"  
"I'm ok. Honestly. Shiro and I had some things to work through"  
"It's not ok to show up bleeding and bruised"  
"Look. I know I messed up, but before Shiro comes in, I need to tell you that he knows"  
"He knows what?"  
"About the pups. He was running you down and I ended up snapping. He made it sound like you're only used me, and he was angry because he thought I was the father"  
"You told him?"  
Lance's tone was seething, though Keith supposed he deserved it  
"I did. He knows that he attacked you, and he knows he got you pregn..."  
Before he could continue his sentence, Lance slapped him across the face  
"I can't believe you!"  
Storming from the room, Lance trailed behind a sad and anger scent. Rubbing his smarting cheek, Keith found 4 pairs of curious eyes staring at him  
"Don't worry. I deserved it"  
"What did you say to him?"  
"He just isn't happy about how Shiro and I talked. I should probably let him cool down before trying to apologise"  
Shaking his head, Hunk wasn't happy  
"Not cool bro"  
"You should know better than to upset an omega, let alone Lance"  
"It wasn't like I went looking for a fight with Shiro"  
Ok... it kind of was... but still...  
"I think I'll go and check on Lance after dinner"  
Hunk nodded at Allura's words, while Pidge continued to stare at him  
"What is it Pidge?"  
"I was just thinking about how different you and Lance are"  
"Does that mean you don't approve?"  
"No! No. Nothing like that. It's nice you two have each other. Anyway, let's eat!"


	13. Chapter 13

Lance was shaking as he stalked down to his quarters. Stupid Keith. Shiro wasn't supposed to know. Even if the alpha figured it out, he'd intended to lie about it. But noooooo. Keith had to open his big mouth and now he had no idea how he was supposed to look at Shiro. And! Thanks to Keith he hadn't got his cookies. Having an alpha sucked! Continuing to curse Keith, Lance was completely oblivious to his surroundings, and as a result he ended up walking straight into Shiro coming out his room  
"Shiro?!"  
Squeaking the alpha's name, Lance bounced back and would have landed on his arse if Shiro hadn't grabbed his arm. Flinching instinctively, Lance tore his arm from Shiro's hold  
"Sorry. Sorry, Lance. I didn't mean..."  
"No. Um... why are you here?"  
"I was hoping we could talk"  
"I..."  
"Keith told me the pups were mine. Is it true?"  
Biting his lip, Lance looked down  
"Lance, I am so sorry. Why didn't you tell me?"  
"Because you weren't you... and it was my fault. I went into heat in the middle of battle and because of it, you ended up with a worm in your head"  
"Still, you should have told me. They were my pups"  
"Allura said they were infected... I couldn't have carried them to term anyway"  
Shiro's eyes widened  
"Oh... right. The infection..."  
"Shiro. Don't blame Keith, or Allura and Coran. None of us wanted to hurt you, so we thought it was better if you didn't know"  
"It wasn't your call to make"  
Lance's head shot up  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means I should have been told the moment you found out you were pregnant"  
"You were infected"  
Shiro's tone turned cool, and it felt to Lance like the alpha's second dynamic had taken over   
"Is that all you have to say? We could have found a way to save them"  
"And then what? I have two pups because you raped me?! No! I couldn't have them and when I tried to get rid of them, the healing pod saved them!"  
"What do you mean get rid of?"  
"No. This is none of your business"  
"Omega! Answer me!"  
Flinching at the way Shiro roared "omega" at him, his knees threatened to give out. Letting out a low whine, he hated the aura pouring from Shiro. It was screaming at him to submit to the alpha  
"Omega. Tell me"  
Shit. His mouth was moving and he couldn't stop himself   
"I... I tried to give myself a miscarriage by taking a bottle of alpha suppressants..."  
Grabbing him by the arm, Shiro threw Lance into his quarters. Landing solidly on the floor, he skidded to a stop rather painfully  
"Those were my pups. You had no right"  
"I had every right! It's my body! Mine! You had no clue, and Keith had no right telling you!"  
"You know I dream of mounting and breeding you. I guess I know why. I've done it once, it shouldn't be too hard..."  
"Shiro. This isn't funny"  
"Who said I'm joking. You intentionally lost our pups. My pups..."  
Scrambling to his feet, Lance launched himself into his bathroom, though there really wasn't any place to hide. If this was Shiro's way of getting even, it was beyond cruel. Backed against the wall, he slowly sank down as the alpha's aura continued to mess with his head  
"I know you're angry, but think about this"  
"I have! I thought I understood, but when I look at you, I just feel so fucking angry. Why do you get to be happy, when I'm left to feel like this?"  
"Who said I'm happy!? I gave birth to those pups while Keith held me! I didn't even want to see them, but when I did, I wanted them back so badly. I thought I'd be happy the moment they left my body, but I just feel empty! Then you just got rid of them like it was nothing! They were a part of me! I hate myself for feeling like this! And I hate myself for putting Keith through all of this, but he's been there since day one. He put me in the healing pod after you broke my neck so I couldn't fight you off! He was there after you continued to rape me! Keith was there for me!"  
"Stop saying his name! You keep toying with him like a cat with a mouse and now you want him? What happens when you get pregnant again? Are you just going to kill off his pups? Would you even tell him if you did?"  
"Yes! Because Keith would never do to me what you did! I love him and I need him!"  
"He could have been infected because of you!"  
"I know that! Don't you dare act like you don't know I do! You're the one who told me to make up and my mind and I choose him, and as long as I'm with him, I will never let another alpha touch me!"  
Pushing himself up, Lance glared at Shiro  
"Get out!"  
Growling at him, Shiro took a step closer, but Lance stood his ground  
"Get out! I don't want you coming down here ever again! I'm sorry you found out about the pups, but I will never be sorry for not telling you!"  
"Lance, I..."  
"I don't care! Leave!"  
Dressed his casual clothes, he didn't have any kind of weaponry to threaten Shiro with, but slowly the alpha regained his composure. Running his hand through his hair, Shiro shook his head before turning and leaving. Watching the alpha vanish from view, Lance's knees gave out the moment Shiro was gone and he sucked down a huge breath, before screaming at the top of his lungs. Why did alpha's have to be such arseholes!?

 

*  
Shaking and hiding in his bathroom, Lance screamed until he couldn't scream anymore. Shiro would probably ban him from piloting the Blue Lion. If he tried to tell Keith the alpha would probably take another swing at Shiro. The only good thing to come out the yelling match was that Shiro hadn't punished him... but the alpha said he dreamed of him. Feeling his stomach roll, he pitched forward onto his hands and knees, throwing up violently across the floor in front of him. His already tender throat burned, leaving him tearing up from the pain... or maybe he'd already been crying but hadn't realised. Stupid Shiro. Stupid Keith. No. He was the stupid one. Of course they couldn't keep it secret. He'd been silly to think they could and even sillier to think that he could pull off being ok. Suddenly the walls felt claustrophobically close. Half jumping over his own mess, he took off running. He needed off the castle. He needed space from all the alpha's in his life and he wanted Blue.

Finding his Lion where Allura had left her, Lance ran straight over to her  
"Blue. I know I haven't been the best Paladin, but please. I need you"  
Lowering her jaw, Blue allowed him entry. God. He'd missed her so much. Rushing to get seated in the pilot seat, Blue came to life around him  
"I know girl. I know. I'm sorry. What do you say we go for a spin around the castle?"  
Letting out a roar, Lance took that to mean Blue completely agree. To his right, his communicator screen flickered as Allura's face appeared   
"Lance! What's going on? Is everything alright?"  
"I'm just taking Blue for a ride"  
"You can't just take Blue, we could be attacked by Galra at any moment"  
"If Shiro's going to take Blue away from me, I'd rather stay out here with her"  
He sounded like a spoilt two-year-old, but being with Blue was soo much better than the alternative  
"I'm sending..."  
"Don't send anyone. I'll come back when I'm ready"  
In the background, Lance could hear Shiro giving Allura instructions   
"Don't bother. If he's going to act like a two-year-old, let him"  
"Shiro..."  
"It's fine Allura"  
Ending the transmission, Lance let himself enjoy reconnecting with Blue, and for her part, Blue seemed to be enjoying it just as much as he was. 

Waiting until they were a fair distance from the ship, but still, in visual range, Lance then eased off the controls and allowed Blue to drift as he pulled his knees up to his chest. Anyone who didn't know about the connection a pilot feels with its Lion probably would have thought him stupid as he sat there and poured his heart out to Blue. There a few things she didn't seem to like hearing, but unlike Shiro, she never yelled at him and he was able to get things off his chest, things he hadn't even been able to tell Keith he was feeling. 

Unsure of how long he'd been gone, Lance was nearly asleep as he finally directed Blue back to the castle. Finding Keith waiting for him, he really didn't want to get out of his lion. He didn't want to have another fight today. He just wanted to sleep after venting so thoroughly. Landing lightly, Blue lowered her jaw without him even telling her too. Closing his eyes, he was nearly asleep when he felt Keith placing his hands on his, lifting them off Blue's controls  
"Lance?"  
"I don't want to fight"  
"I know. Are you alright? I can smell your fear and distress"  
"I just needed some time with Blue"  
Placing his hands in his lap, Keith lifted him gently  
"I'm sorry about before. I went too far"  
Lance hummed softly, he really couldn't be bothered replying   
"Do you want to come back to my quarters or go to yours?"  
"Mine. I want to be alone"  
"Alright"

 

*  
Carrying Lance through the castle, Keith found himself sighing every few steps. None of them had expected him to run off in Blue again, and especially not for several vargas. Laying limply in his arms, it was clear Lance had been crying, and that he'd also been sick, though he'd seen no evidence in Blue. When Lance had first taken off in Blue, Keith was sure his heart was going to stop, but it was Allura that had reassured him Lance would be alright. That and the princess wasn't impressed with Shiro. Shiro had stormed up to the bridge after dinner and promptly snapped at Allura when all she'd done is ask him if he was alright. Given Shiro was so angry, the last thing either of them wanted was him near Lance.

Sighing again, Keith readjusted his hold on his sleeping boyfriend. Lance might have wanted to be alone, but Keith didn't want to let him out his sight. Provided... he didn't even get the thought out his head before the castle alarms were blaring. Balancing Lance on his knee and against his chest, Keith opened up his communicator  
"What's going on Allura?"  
"There's a squad of Galra fighter jets headed this way. How's Lance?"  
"He's asleep in my arms"  
"Wake him up, we might need to form Voltron!"  
"Don't you have your own lion to get in?"  
"Keith, is Lance in any condition to be fighting?"  
"He'll be alright. He's strong"  
Lowering Lance down, the omega grabbed for him as Keith stood him up  
"Keith?"  
"We're under attack from Galra. Napping will have to wait for now"  
"On it!"  
Giving him a nod, Lance jogged away from him, leaving Keith shaking his head. His boyfriend really was something else.

 

*  
After expanding the search radius and tracking down the rest of the Galra fighter squad, they had in fact had to form Voltron. Playing his part, Lance was oddly quiet during the whole battle, even when it came to Pidge and Hunk. When Keith stopped to think about it, Lance had only replied when Hunk had needed help shaking 3 fighters off his tail, and when Shiro had given the command to form Voltron. Putting it down to his omega being tired, Keith tried to settle his agitated alpha. Lance knew what he could and couldn't handle, and wouldn't have headed out in Blue if he felt he couldn't handle it. Still... Keith had to wonder why Lance suddenly ran off in Blue and if that was the real reason Lance had been silent. All of this could have been settled by asking Lance but like last time, when he went to fetch his boyfriend, he found Lance sleeping in his pilot seat.

Once again, Keith carried Lance towards his quarters, but unlike last time, he made it there without the interruption of the castles blaring alarms. As the door slid silently open, Keith was hit with the smells of Shiro, Lance and vomit. His heart skipped a beat and he had to force himself from shaking Lance awake to demand answers. Sniffing the air again, he found no trace of the usual smells expected of sex, but he couldn't really settled until he stripped Lance down to his boxers. Other than a nasty bruise on Lance's right hip, the omegas skin was smooth and unblemished. Thank god. Laying Lance out on his bed, Keith covered him with the two blankets that laid turned back. It seemed that Lance was over his nesting phase, which was something... he didn't know what it meant, but hoped it was a step in the right direction. Placing a kiss to Lance's forehead, Keith moved away and over to the omegas bathroom. With the light still on, the pool of vomit across the floor was hard to miss, and under the putrid smell was the smell of an angry omega. Once again he found himself proud of Lance. If Shiro had turned up because he now knew the truth, Lance had definitely yelled at him over it. Not wanting the omega to be embarrassed or to have to deal with the mess the moment he woke up, Keith stripped off down, before setting about cleaning away all traces. He finished up by then showering, and redressing in his boxers. Lance might not appreciate waking up in his arms, but he wanted his boyfriend to know that even if he had stuffed up by telling Shiro the truth, he still loved him.

 

*  
Waking up in Keith's arms, Lance was initially confused, but soon enough the morning's fight with the Galra came rushing back. He didn't remember returning to his room, which led him to believe Keith must have carried him. Closing his eyes again, he nuzzled into Keith's side with a small sigh. This was nice.

After dozing off and on, Lance was woken by Keith letting out a long yawn. The alpha followed the action by immediately pulling him up onto his chest and placing a hard kiss against his cheek  
"Hey you"  
Blinking a few time, Lance let out a small yawn of his own  
"Hey... thanks for carrying me back here"  
"It's ok. How did you sleep?"  
"No nightmares... so that's a bonus"  
Cupping his right cheek, Keith gently rubbed the area just below his eye with his thumb   
"How'd I get so lucky?"  
"I have no idea"  
Trying to keep his features serious, Lance soon failed as he let out a low laugh  
"What's so funny?"  
"You. Laying here and staring up at me like I'm some kind of treasure"  
"You are"  
Just as Keith made to kiss him, Lance's stomach let out a long growl, causing them to both laugh lightly  
"It looks like kicking Galra arse and sleeping like the dead made me hungry"  
"Well, there was a lot of fighter jets. I didn't get to tell you before, but I'm really proud of you. I know how tired you were"  
"I was only tired because I was talking to Blue"  
"You don't have to tell me"  
"No. It's ok. Shiro came to ask me about the pups, and he was really upset. At the time I thought he was just mad, but talking to Blue about it helped me sort my thoughts out"  
"That's something. Do you want to take a shower before we go?"  
Shower... bathroom... eeesh... he'd made a total mess of it before taking off in Blue  
"I kind of threw up in the bathroom"  
"I kind of know. I brought you back here, and cleaned up while you were sleeping"  
Hanging his head, Lance couldn't deny he was embarrassed that his boyfriend had yet again cleaned up after him  
"It's fine. I needed a shower anyway"  
Wriggling in Keith's hold, Lance let out a sigh. Despite the fact they were both there, in each other's arms and both hard, neither of them seemed to have the urge to act on it. Just holding each other felt so nice, it didn't matter that his stomach felt like it was trying to eat its self. He honestly wished the could just stay like this for a few more doboshes. Still, each time he wriggled, he couldn't help but rub against Keith's erection, and that was currently causing him to slick. If they were just normal beta lovers, he wouldn't have to worry about his body betraying him like this, and for some unknown reason, tears prickled in the corner of his eyes   
"Lance?"  
"I'm sorry"  
Hugging him tighter, Keith didn't realise he was making the problem worse. Pushing his boyfriend away, the alpha looked momentarily hurt  
"I'm sorry... I'm starting to slick... but I... I'm not ready"  
"Hey, it's ok. You can't control it. Go take a shower while I get dressed"  
"You're not mad?"  
"I was hurt, but now I understand"  
"It's so embarrassing"  
"You don't need to be embarrassed. After all, it just means you find me irresistible"  
Groaning at Keith, Lance shook his head   
"Leave the joking to the professionals. I'll be back soon"  
Not wanting to kiss his boyfriend on the lips when it felt like something has died in his mouth, Lance pressed a small kiss to Keith's smooth chest before climbing out of bed.

By the time Lance was showered and put on his face, the omegas stomach was pretty much rumbling non-stop. Stepping out the bathroom, he didn't even get to greet Keith now that he was actually awake, instead his stomach let out an extra loud grumble, leaving him with burning cheeks   
"Is that so?"  
"Yeah. You know Hunk actually kicked me out the kitchen yesterday?"  
"I had no clue"  
"He got mad because I was eating everything. You think he'd be happy about that"  
"I'm pretty sure I could out eat you this morning. You took forever in there"  
"That's because it takes work to look this good"  
"Are you going to hit me if I say I can't tell the difference to how you normally look"  
Pouting at his boyfriend, Lance huffed as he crossed his arms. Walking over to him, Lance thought he was about to get an apologetic hug, but instead, Keith slipped past him and into the bathroom   
"I'll meet you outside"  
Was the only explanation he was given as his alpha disappeared behind the bathroom door. The least Keith could have said was that he looked nice.

Walking up to the kitchen, Keith's hand had somehow made it into his, while it felt nice, Lance was also starting to feel the same kind of claustrophobia as he'd done the previous night. Scolding himself, he didn't really know why holding Keith's hand had set him on edge. When the door to the kitchen opened Keith stepped forward without him, causing his hand to slip from the alpha's  
"Lance?"  
Staring at Keith, it hit him. He'd had sex with Keith. He knew how good Keith felt, and how passionate the alpha was in bed. Feeling the colour draining from his face, Lance's stomach rolled. He'd had sex with Keith. He thought he was ok with this. He thought he wanted this. No. He did want this. But standing there, Shiro's words echoed in his head. What would he do if he did fall pregnant to Keith? At some point, their relationship would turn sexual again... and sex leads to pregnancy. What if he lost the pups? Would Keith snap like Shiro? What if he fell pregnant and Keith decided he wasn't ready to be a father or even worse, what if something happened to the alpha? If he'd been a normal omega or even a beta, would his boyfriend have wanted to have sex this morning? He couldn't... he couldn't do that...  
"Lance?"  
Shaking his head, Lance backed away from Keith with fearful eyes  
"I'm sorry. I can't!"  
Taking off running, he could hear Keith yelling his name. His boyfriend obviously confused and concerned, but he didn't dare look back. He couldn't. Just the thought of sex left him feeling dirty and ashamed. Quiznak. Hadn't he gone off in Blue to sort all this out? Hadn't he spent hours alone with her in space because he wanted to feel better? To get into a better head space, so he could be the kind of omega he wanted to be for Keith? So why did he feel so messed up and so wrong?

 

*  
After five quintants, Keith didn't care what anyone said, Lance was definitely avoiding him. If Lance wasn't pretty much glued to Allura's side, the omega was gone for hours at a time. At first, he'd thought Lance was hiding out in Blue, but when he'd gone to check he'd found that not to be the case and the omega was sleeping somewhere that wasn't his own quarters, neither was it in Pidge or Hunks. Shiro was naturally off the list as each time the alpha saw Lance, he looked away. He could probably use the ships scanners to find Lance, but the omega was clearly working through something. In Keith's mind, it all came back to the Lance involuntarily slicking. He thought he'd said the right things, and honestly, he knew Lance wasn't ready for sex, but he hadn't been prepared for the way Lance looked at him like he was scared. He'd just wanted Lance to feel comfortable in his own skin. The omega couldn't help if he slicked. Just like he couldn't control the bleeding or passing of the pups when he'd lost them. Compared to that, a little slick and morning wood was barely a blip on the radar. Having tried to talk to Allura, all she'd done was assure him he hadn't done anything wrong, but it just wasn't the same as hearing it from Lance. The final cherry on the top was the fact he was supposed to be leaving on another mission with the Blade of Marmora sometime within the next few quintants, if not vargas. Basically, he was running out of time and though he didn't want to force Lance's hand, he had to know that his boyfriend was going to be ok. That they were going to be ok.

After pleading his case to Hunk, Hunk agreed to help the best he could. So consumed with the fact that Lance was avoiding him, he'd been blind to the fact that Lance had also been ignoring Pidge and Hunk, he'd also missed how hurt they both were too. So Hunks form of helping ended up being the recruitment of Pidge. And thus, their plan was formed. Pidge would distract Shiro and Coran, Hunk would distract Allura, leaving Keith to swoop in on Lance. 

When lunchtime rolled around, it was almost laughable how smoothly everything went. The moment Allura was called away, Lance made to leave the bridge, only Keith was waiting. Stalking the omega as silently as could, he found himself following Lance down to where Kaltenecker was stabled. He'd never thought his omega would be down here of all places and was surprised Hunk hadn't found him. Following Lance in, he cleared his throat lightly as the omega placed his hand on Kaltenecker's head  
"Keith!?"  
"Hey, Lance. I didn't think you'd be down here"  
"Oh... I'm just..."  
Walking over to Kaltenecker, Keith placed his hand on the cows back  
"If I'm honest, I followed you down here. I'm worried about you, but you've been shutting me out"  
Lance let out a sigh  
"I'm sorry. I just needed some space from being me"  
"You know you can tell me anything, right?"  
"I know. It's just. This is something I needed to work on by myself"  
"And how's that working out for you?"  
"It's not. But you haven't done anything wrong"  
"I haven't?"  
"No. This one's all me"  
Rubbing Kaltenecker coat, Lance sighed again  
"I'm having trouble with alpha smells at the moment, and being touched"  
"Is this because you slicked?"  
Lance winced at the word slick  
"I told you before, we don't have to have sex"  
"I know you did... but one day, things are going to turn sexual... and sex leads to babies"  
Oh... right. Yeah. He hadn't had to worry about that because technically Lance was still carrying the pups when they'd had sex...  
"The idea of sex makes me feel so sick. Not with you, but like in general, and now I just..."  
Crossing around the front of Kaltenecker, Keith stood as close to Lance as he could without touching him  
"Keith?"  
"It's ok. You don't have to force yourself"  
"I don't want to be scared of you. You're the only good thing I have"  
"You have Hunk and Pidge"  
"But I'm not dating them. I thought things would be better, but somehow I sent myself back to step one"  
"So what? We can start from step one as many times as you need"  
"That's not fair to you"  
"Lance I know you feel the same way I do. If it was me suffering instead, would you wait for me?"  
"Yes!"  
Turning to look at him, Lance seemed a little shocked at his own loud and fast reply  
"See. Now, I'm going on a mission sometime soon, and I was really hoping I could spend a little time with you before I left. We don't have to touch, we can just stand here and pat Kaltenecker if you want"  
"You're going on a mission?"  
"Yeah. The Blade of Marmora asked for my help again"  
"Will it be dangerous?"  
"I don't know. Probably no more than usual"  
Lance sighed softly   
"I want to cuddle... I want to try cuddle with you"  
"Then we can cuddle. We have plenty of green pastures around us"  
"That's true. I'm sorry for freaking out and pushing you away. I told Allura you hadn't done anything wrong. She told you that, right?"  
"Yeah. Though it is much nicer hearing it from you"

Laying in the artificial field, Keith let Lance control the situation. After a few shaky breaths, the omega ended up laying with his head over Keith's heart, with an arm wrapped around his waist. For his part, Keith had his hand on Lance's hip and was resisting the urge to sneeze each time Lance's hair tickled his nose  
"This is nice"  
"Yeah. I've missed you. I'm just sorry that I've got to leave soon"  
"It's ok. It can't be helped. You're working towards your own goals, and that's really cool"  
"I feel bad leaving the team all the time, but there's still a chance I can find my mother"  
Sighing softly, Lance pulled away  
"What is it?"  
"Keith, do you want pups?"  
"Do I want pups?"  
"I don't mean right now..."  
Chewing his lip, Lance looked genuinely worried over the matter   
"One day sure. Maybe when things aren't so chaotic, but if it happens it happens"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Don't tell me you've been worrying about this"  
"How can I not? I don't want to... I don't want to lose my pups again"  
"Come here"  
Wrapping his arms around Lance, Keith pressed kisses to his boyfriend's temple. He thought he understood Lance's fears, but apparently not all them. His boyfriend was scared about the future, not just over the past. At some point, their relationship would turn sexual, and that terrified his omega  
"Mmmm, so tell me about your family?"  
"It's kind of chaos. We live with my grandparents, my aunt and uncle live next door, they've got 5 kids, there's four of us, on the other side is dads mum and dad, and his brothers family... pretty much kids everywhere"  
"That sounds like chaos"  
"It was... and it was fun, but sometimes with all those kids, it was easy to forget whose was whose"  
"I don't think anyone could forget you. I know I wouldn't forget you"  
"I'm nothing special"  
"Yes you are... oh hang on"  
Tapping his beeping wrist communicator  
"It's Kolivan, I have to go. Wanna walk me up to my pod?"  
"Not really"  
Keith snorted lightly as he pushed Lance up  
"Is that because you don't want me to leave?"  
"I just don't like wondering you're safe and alright"  
"I'll be ok. I promise"  
"Pinky promise?"  
Seriously? What were they? 3?   
"Will it make you feel better?"  
"Much"  
"Fine. But you have to do something for me"  
"What?"  
"Talk to Pidge and Hunk. They miss you"  
"I'll try"  
"Good. Now get moving. Kolivan gets all cranky if you're not on time"  
"Yeah. He seems the type"  
"You have no idea"


	14. Chapter 14

"Pidge, are you sure we're on the right ship?"  
"According to the ship's computer, the prisoners should be to the left"  
Eyeing the two giant doors in front of them, Lance rolled his eyes   
"Which left do you think she means?"  
"The left one?"  
"But they're both to the left?"  
"I'll take the one on the left, you take the one on the right"  
Lance was honestly confused. There were two doors on the left, two doors right in front of them, and two doors to the right  
"Why can't they just have signs! Like, Paladins, we know you've come to save the prisoners, they're this way"  
"Uh, because they're bad guys, and that would be a trap"  
"Guys!"  
"Fine! We're going Pidge!"  
Nodding to Hunk, Lance readied his gun.

Quiznak. The moment the door had slid into place behind him, a bad feeling had set into the base of Lance's stomach. The feeling had only intensified until he wound up jogging through the empty halls. Trying his communicator, he found himself unable to contact Pidge or Hunk. Quiznak. He'd spooked himself, and now he was completely alone... turning his back towards the wall, Lance's heart was racing  
"There are no ghosts. This isn't the castle. This is a prisoner ship... with all kinds of possible prisoners... big human eating prisoners..."  
Great. Now even his own pep talks were out to get him. Bumping into something solid, the omega let out a scream, before spinning on the spot  
"Hunk!"  
"Lance! Buddy!"  
Throwing their arms around each other, Lance let out a sob of relief  
"How did you?"  
"I don't know. I lost touch with Pidge..."  
"So did I. Is it just me or is this place creepy as hell"  
"Oh no! I'm definitely picking up the creepy vibe"  
"I thought we would have found them by now, but this ship just keeps going"  
"Lance, which way did you come from?"  
Looking around, Lance couldn't remember. All the corridors running away from them looked the same  
"I don't know... maybe we should just go back the way you came"  
"I can't remember which way that was..."  
Great. They were both lost. At least they were lost together   
"Alright. We've got to find those prisoners. You take lead and I'll back you up"

After a dozen more corridors, they were still completely lost. Sighing in annoyance, Hunk looked back to him   
"Sorry. I'm just so over being lost in this place"  
"Are you sure that's all?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Well, you haven't seen a certain alpha in the past few movements..."  
"Keith's busy. You know that"  
"Too busy to call?"  
Frowning at Hunk, Lance crossed his arms  
"You know he can't call"  
"I'm just saying..."  
"Well, you can stop. Keith and I are fine"  
"You'd still rather be lost in here than with me"  
"What... well..."  
Hearing a noise behind them, both teens jumped. Turning back to face the way they came, they saw something flash through the corridor intersection they'd just past  
"Hunk did you..."  
"Uh huh. You don't think it was a ghost do you?"  
"No... but maybe we should keep going? You know... just in case"  
When Hunk took off running, Lance was hot on his heels. If only the others could see them now, no doubt Shiro wouldn't be impressed and Pidge would get all scientific over how ghosts couldn't really exist. Throwing themselves into the first room they found, Lance was panting hard as he swung round to talk to Hunk, only when he did, he didn't see Hunk. He found himself completely alone in the room  
"Very funny Hunk!"  
Waiting a few moments, Lance got no reply  
"Hunk?"  
Walking into the plain room, Lance found there was no way his friend could have left, and there wasn't actually anything he could hide behind either. Turning back to the doorway, Lance began to panic. The door was gone and he was all alone.

 

*  
Having rigged the explosives, Keith called through to Kolivan. Their mission had been to extract one of the prisoners currently being transferred from an outer colony by the Galra, of course, they'd performed this mission, but Keith hadn't been able to leave the others behind. After sending him ahead with the other prisoners, Keith had volunteered to rig the ship to blow. The slave trade had taken a small hit today, with approximately 30 prisoners now aboard Kolivan's ship, but losing the ship would seriously put a dent in the routes of this area... or so Kolivan said. It wasn't like he didn't like the Galra, but Kolivan was no Shiro or Allura... and most definitely not Lance. Each time he allowed his thoughts to drift to his omega, he was reminded that Lance would be going into heat in a little over a phoeb. He wanted to see his omega before then. He wanted to hold Lance and make him laugh. He wanted to talk about all sorts of random things the omega liked and reassure him he'd be there for him during his heat... if Lance wanted him to be. He wouldn't blame his boyfriend if he didn't... though it would suck. Ruts weren't enjoyable in the slightest and he knew they were too deeply connected to avoid going into one. Hearing approaching footsteps, Keith stilled his movements, the alpha hidden in the shadows of the corridor. Kolivan hadn't reported signs of life on the ship, but walking his way were two Galra  
"... Zarkon is sure to give us promotions. We have both the yellow and blue paladins now..."  
"Letting those prisoners escape almost makes it worth it"  
Quiznak. The Galra already knew they were gone, and if Hunk and Lance were aboard... Quiznak. Looking back the way he came, the explosives were all set to go off once he activated them remotely, so that was no trouble, but if the Galra noticed the devices, things would go from bad to worse for his friends... for his boyfriend. Waiting until the two Galra were out of earshot, Keith then called through to Kolivan  
"Kolivan, we have an issue"  
"What is it?"  
"Lance and Hunk are on here"  
"Your friends"  
"The Galra let us take the prisoners, I guess they thought we'd just leave"  
"That means they know we're here. We need to go"  
"We can't leave them behind"  
"If your friends sent them in, they're sure to come for them"  
"Anything could happen to them!"  
"Keith, I've told you this before. You need to kill those emotions"  
"Lance is my omega"  
"Just because he's your boyfriend doesn't mean you abandon your mission"  
"Bullshit it doesn't. I can't leave him here"  
"And I can't stay. They'll be after us sooner rather than later"  
"Then take the prisoners"  
"Keith"  
"Take the prisoners and I'll find another way off"  
"This isn't how the Blade operates"  
"Maybe it should be. How many more member would have survived if you'd just given them a chance"  
"We all accept that our deaths serve a greater purpose"  
Growling to himself, Keith wished bitterly that he could just punch the man once in the face  
"Go"  
There was a small pause before Kolivan replied  
"So be it"

Ending the transmission with Kolivan, Keith tried to contact Allura. The first attempt failed to connect, but the second one did  
"Keith?"  
"Allura, where is everyone?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"I'm on a prison ship, and the Galra are talking about having Hunk and Lance"  
Allura sighed softly  
"We didn't want to worry you. Hunk and Lance failed to check in last night. They were boarding a prison ship but we lost communications with them. Pidge has been working on trying to get a signal, but there seems to be some kind of interference"  
"Where's Shiro?"  
"Shiro's in the process of boarding the ship..."  
"Allura, I think I'm on the same ship as them. We were rescuing a particular scientist..."  
"Keith, we need to get them out of there"  
"Right. Have Pidge trace my location, and then send Shiro to my coordinates. I'm going to find them"  
"Alright. Good luck Keith"  
Ending the conversation, Keith crept forward. He knew for a fact that the space behind him was empty or anything or anyone other than the pair of Galra that had walked by... which meant he just had the whole rest of the ship to search.

 

*  
"Keith!"  
"Shiro"  
Jogging over to Shiro, Keith wasn't ready to trust the alpha, but he was the only backup he had  
"Is it just you?"  
"Kolivan already took the prisoners. Pidge said she needs us to get up to the bridge so she can hack in and disable the jammer"  
"I know. I heard her. Why weren't we notified about this mission?"  
"Because it was put together in a rush. We'd been lifting intel off another ship, and they mentioned a particular scientist being transferred"  
"Still, the Blade of Marmora should have contacted us. You should have contacted us"  
"Guys, did you rendezvous?"  
"Yeah, Pidge. We're on our way up to the bridge"  
"Good. I'll give you more instructions when you get there. I've just sent you a map, so you shouldn't get lost"  
"Thanks, Pidge"

Finding the bridge was easy and he would have found his way back without her help, but he didn't dare not follow the map. Not when Shiro looked seriously pissed. Heading in ahead of the alpha, Keith rushed straight up to the terminal  
"Pidge, I'm in"  
"Good. Place your hand on the terminal so I can establish a connection"  
Doing as she said, it took forever for the red text to turn Blue  
"Have you found them?"  
"It seems like they're being held together near the middle of the ship... but Keith, this isn't good"  
"What isn't?"  
"They've already logged that Lance's body is unique..."  
"Pidge, what else does it say?"  
"Just that he requires further analysis... the rest is encrypted"  
"Can you lead me there? We need to get them and get out as soon as possible"  
"I'm already working on it... right, the security door should be unlocked when you get there"  
"Thanks, Pidge"  
"Keith, please bring them back. All of them"  
"You know it"

Running through the halls, more Galra had appeared. Taking them out, Shiro didn't even flinch when they fell to the floor. The alpha seemed almost too happy about thinning the enemy numbers, leaving a cold feeling in Keith's stomach. It felt like this wasn't the Shiro he'd known before everything went to quiznak.

Nearing the middle of the ship, Keith came to a stop  
"Keith?"  
"I'll go first, you cover me"  
"I'm the leader, I'll go first"  
"No. That won't work. If something's been done to Lance..."  
"This is no time to be bringing personal feelings into it"  
"Excuse me?!"  
"Tell me you didn't drop your current message purely because of him"  
"He's my boyfriend and Hunk is my friend"  
"So you'd do all this for Hunk?"  
"Of course I would. God. Why are you acting like a quiznakking Galra?"  
Scowling at him, Shiro moved in front of him  
"I'll take lead"  
Seriously. Shiro needed to pull his head in. Yes, Lance was his boyfriend, but it wasn't like he wouldn't do anything to protect the others or save them if the moment arose. Rounding the corner, the followed the hallway to the end, then down another set of stairs, before Pidge's voice came through  
"Guys, you're right above them"  
Kneeling down, Shiro activated his hand and cut through the floor. The moment the section fell through, the ship's alarm began to blare  
"Shiro, we've got to move"

Landing with a light thud, Keith's eyes widened at the sight in front of them. Hunk and Lance were both strapped to the wall, with at least half a dozen electrodes running from their heads  
"We need to get them down"  
Rushing over to the pair, both of them placed their hands on Lance. The feeling that ran through Keith was like an electric shock, and his mind flashed with images. Him. Shiro. The pups. It seemed to be the darkest and worst of Lance's memories rolled into one. Unable to pull away, he would have been trapped like his boyfriend if not for Shiro yanking him back  
"What the fuck was that?"  
Shaking his head, Keith looked up at Lance   
"I think... I think those were his memories"  
Grabbing Hunks arm, Keith wanted to know if everything he'd just experienced were really Lance's memories or just a bad dream his omega was stuck in. Almost immediate, the same sensation struck him and Hunks memories came pouring through... though they were almost all food related. Pulling him back, Shiro glared at him  
"What do you think you're doing? We need to get them down"  
"I know that"  
Using his knife, Keith sliced through the electrode wires. As soon as he cut the last one for Hunk, his friend woke with an almost comical start  
"Pancakes with maple syrup and butter, sir!"  
"Hunk"  
Blinking at him, Hunk then drew his brow in confusion   
"Keith? Shiro? What are you guys doing here?"  
"Our missions overlapped. Hold still"  
Cutting the straps holding Hunk, Hunk fell to the floor with a groan  
"Man. I was having the best dream"  
"About pancakes?"  
"How'd you know?"  
"We don't have time for this..."

"On the contrary, we have all the time"  
Instantly on guard, Keith dropped into his fighting stance as the pair of Galra from before walked in  
"What's this? The Black and Red Paladins? Lord Zarkon will be most pleased   
"Shiro, you and Hunk get Lance down. Leave this guy to me"  
Snarling, Keith launched himself forward. How dare this bastard hurt his omega? Backing him up from behind, Hunk's lasers threatened to make things even harder. Out of everyone, the probably had the worst cohesion  
"Hunk, I'm fine. How's Lance?"  
"Shiro's just taking off the last electrode now"  
"Here that shitface. We win?"  
"I wouldn't be so sure about that?"  
Dodging and parrying blows from both Galra, Keith fought to keep their attention on him rather than what was happening behind. The Galra were both fair fighters, not great, but fair  
"Hunk?!"  
"He's down, but he's not awake"  
"Shiro, swap with me"  
Falling back, he let Shiro take his place as he raced back to Lance. Laying with his head cradled in Hunk's lap his omega was ghostly pale  
"Lance?!"  
Shaking his boyfriend he didn't get any reply  
"Something wrong. What's different about him than you?"  
"Other than the fact he's an omega"  
Patting down Lance, Keith frowned at the had mass over his boyfriend's heart. Sliding his shirt up, he found a blue pulsing stone embedded in Lance's flesh  
"Hunk?"  
"I don't have one those"  
"Guys, we've got to go. Backups arriving"  
With Hunk's help, the pair of them loaded Lance onto Keith's back so he could piggyback him. While dealing with his omega, Shiro had killed one of the Galra, while the other was clutching at the stump of where his hand used to be.

Running through the ship, the plan was to get to Shiro's Lion and then use that to reach the Blue and Yellow lions. Or that was what Keith assumed. Guided by Pidge, they found Shiro's Lion without taking any damage, but the moment they were outside the ship, Hunk clutched his chest and collapsed. Confused over what happened, he couldn't rouse the alpha   
"I'll tow the Yellow Lion back. You see if you can get the red one moving"  
"Lance was flying the red one?"  
"Why should that surprise you? You've barely been around and we needed the Red Lion"  
Biting down his anger, Keith nodded. It wasn't the first time his boyfriend had piloted the Red Lion, but now he felt even more like an outsider. He knew he couldn't balance both missions with the Blade of Marmora, and being a Paladin, not when they were calling on him so often... but he couldn't believe they'd returned the Red Lion to Lance... couldn't he have taken Blue? Did this mean that Lance didn't think he was going to come back to him? Sure he hadn't been able to talk to his boyfriend, but he knew Lance had his own mission, and his omega had been supportive of his choices. 

With his mind swirling around in circles, he found himself climbing into Red   
"Hey Red. I'm sorry I've been so busy lately, but I know Lance would have been taking real good care of you. The Galra have done something to him, and we need to get back to the castle"  
Talking to his Lion, Keith was channelling Lance. If Lance had been piloting Red again, it would probably take a while to reforge the bond... if the Lion let him at all. Placing his hand on the controls, Keith called out to his Lion. Red snubbed him long enough that he was sure he was going to fail, but when Shiro's Black Lion passed over him, Red finally moved for him  
"I know. You deserve better"

Docking in the castle, Keith raced to get Lance up to the medical bay. Having detonated the explosives once he was a safe distance, there was no chance the Galra could have followed. Still, he didn't feel the slightest bit of relief. Not when Hunk and Lance were both unconscious. Arriving at the medical bay, he found Shiro had already laid Hunk out  
"He hasn't woken?"  
"No. I take it Lance hasn't either?"  
Laying Lance down carefully, Keith shook his head   
"No. He's breathing, but that's about it. We need to figure out what this thing in his chest is"  
"What thing?"  
Striding over to Lance, Shiro went to place his hand on he unconscious omega. Growling, Keith's alpha wasn't standing for Shiro touching Lance at all  
"Don't even think about it"  
"We need to see what's on his chest"  
"Then I'll take care of stripping his shirt off. You have no right to touch him"  
Frowning at him, Shiro pulled his hand back and Keith moved to undo Lance's jacket, before sliding his shirt up. The previous blue stone was now pulsing purple   
"What's that?"  
"How should I know. You need to check Hunk"  
Looking up as the medical bar doors opened, Pidge rushed straight to Lance  
"Is this the stone?"  
"Yeah. I've never seen anything like this before"  
"And Hunk?"  
"I don't see one on him"  
Moving out of Pidge's way, Keith crossed around the bed, so he could take Lance's left hand  
"He's cold"  
Poking at the stone, Pidge frowned  
"I think this isn't a stone, but some kind of implant"  
"When we found them, they were both connected to electrodes"  
"When we touched Lance, we both saw something"  
"You saw something?"  
Pidge was practically drooling over the prospect of this being tech   
"We saw Lance's memories. I touched Hunk to confirm it"  
"Those can't be Lance's memories"  
"Shiro..."  
"No. Those weren't Lance's memories"  
"Yes, they were. I remember some them"  
"So what you're getting at, is that the Galra have been working on memory retrieval technology"  
"Kolivan hasn't mentioned anything about it, but I wouldn't be surprised"  
He could understand Shiro not wanting what they'd seen to be Lance's memories. Images of the alpha hurting Lance had flashed before his eyes, as well as the feelings of pain and fear... but that didn't make them any less true, no matter how many times Shiro denied it.

After scanning Hunk, Coran hadn't been able to find anything physically wrong with the Yellow Paladin, given that, Shiro and Coran had taken Hunk up to the healing pods, while Pidge had gone about connecting her laptop to the stone in Lance's chest. Standing just behind him, Allura had her hand on his right shoulder as they both stared down at Lance   
"Pidge, are you getting anything?"  
"Well, it's definitely Galra tech, but I'm having problems interfacing with it"  
"I've never seen anything like it"  
"You said Hunk collapsed the moment you were out the ship. I think whatever they were connected to required them to stay within a certain range"  
"We can't go back and check the ship. I blew it up once we were clear. That's why I was there"  
"It's a good thing you were. We can't risk anything happening to Lance or Hunk"  
"Now. Coran said that the device was only connected skin deep. I think if we can remove it, we'll be able to then put Lance in a healing pod"  
"You can't be serious. What if he dies?"  
"I'm just thinking out loud. There has to be some way to remove it..."  
"Cutting it out isn't an option. It could explode for all we know"  
"I know. Look. This is going to take some time. Why don't you call Kolivan? Maybe he knows what this thing is, and how we can remove it"  
Looking to Allura, Allura nodded  
"It's worth a shot..."

 

*  
Curled up in the dark, Lance was all alone. Hunk had been with him, they'd both been eating burgers at the space mall when everything had turned black. He didn't know what was happening, only that he was scared of being alone. Wiping his face, the omega sniffled  
"Lance... Laaaance"  
"Hunk?!"  
"I'm here Lance"  
Rising to his feet, Lance turned around in a slow circle   
"Hunk? Buddy? I can't see you?"  
"I'm over here!"  
Squinting in the darkness, Lance tried to find any kind of light   
"Hunk, I can't find you!"  
"I'm right behind you"  
Spinning around, Lance promptly launched himself on his best friend  
"Hunk! Where were you?"  
"I don't know man. But are you ready?"  
"Ready?"  
"Yeah. We were going shopping remember? You wanted something other than food goo"  
Slowly around them, the world came into focus. They were still sitting in the food court of the space mall, his burger half eaten in front of him  
"Lance, are you ok?"  
"Of course I am bud"  
He was. The blackness of the room was rushing from his mind like a dream, and within seconds it was gone  
"Anyway, what were we talking about?"  
"About you and Keith"  
"Oh. Right. Sorry. My head just feels empty"  
"Doesn't it always"  
Snorting at Hunk's joking tone, Lance shook his head  
"I wish. But at least I'm not all broody like Shiro"  
"Ugh. He's been getting on everyone's nerves lately"  
"You have no idea. He doesn't want me dating Keith, but he told me to make up my mind"  
"Maybe he's jealous?"  
"What's he got to be jealous of?"  
"Because you're with Keith"  
"No. Besides, I know Shiro and Keith had this bromance going on, and I admit I totally thought Keith was hot for Shiro..."  
"I meant maybe Shiro wants you?"  
Wrinkling his nose, Lance shook his head  
"No. No way"  
"I'm just saying, man. You're one omega on a ship of alphas"  
"That would mean you want me too"  
"Eww. Dude. Not cool"  
"I'll have you know, I'm quite the catch"  
"I'll leave that to Keith to decide. If you're not going to finish your burger..."  
"Eyes off. Coran already gave us money so you could go a little crazy with the food shopping"  
"That's because you've been eating so much, and I'll need to make up some food for when you go into heat"  
Lance's stomach rolled uncomfortably  
"Can we not talk about my heat? I just really want to enjoy hanging with my best mate"  
"We can hit up the Earth store, then you can pick up what you wanted for Keith and we'll leave the food for last"  
"Hunk, you're forgetting the video game arcade"  
Hunk groaned as he nodded  
"How could I forget?"  
"I have no idea"

After inhaling the rest of his burger, the pair set off shopping... via the arcade. Space arcades were crazy. Finding something that resembled air hockey, they fast abandoned it when slimy grey tentacles turned out to be the table goalies. After Coran's slippery incident, the mucus the tentacles left across the table had them both shuddering. They were nearing the end of the arcade when they finally hit gold. Earth games. Genuine Earth games... or at least the layer l dust covering them lead Lance to believe they were   
"Hunk. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"  
"I do believe I am"  
While Lance rushed towards Dance-Dance-Revolution, Hunk rushed towards Duke Nukem. Looking at each other, they both laughed openly  
"Duke Nukem and then DDR?"  
"You're so on"

Hunk was on fire. Having died relatively early, Lance had gotten sidetracked watching his friend fly through Duke Nukem. At first, he was impressed, but soon he was annoyed that Hunk was making it look so easy. Starting a new game, Lance kept stealing glances at Hunk's screen until he died again  
"That's it! I'm done"  
"You can't quit now"  
"No, for the sake of the mission, you must carry on Hunk"  
Leaving Hunk to Duke Nukem, Lance started the DDR machine. Interlacing his fingers, the omega stretched his arms out until they cracked   
"Time for the old Razzle Dazzle"

After a shaky start, Lance had managed to gain a small crowd around him. Hitting arrow after arrow, the omega was well and truly in his element, to the point where he wondering if they could steal the machine and take it back to the castle  
"Huuuuunk! Are you seeing this?!"  
"I see you, buddy!"  
"The big finish is coming up. I need you"  
"I'm coming"  
Pushing through the crowd, Hunk stood on the edge of the machine, catching Lance easily when he jumped. Held high Lance felt like he was flying   
"That's so lame"  
"What a stupid game"  
"Who'd want to play an old game like this?"  
"Earths so stupid"  
Ignoring all the comments, Hunk lowered Lance down  
"A new high score for me. How about you?"  
"Blitzed them"  
High-fiving each other, but teens looked around  
"I wish we could bring this all back to the castle"  
"If Coran ever got on DDR he'd never get off"  
"Can you imagine him? He'd dance 'til he dropped"  
"I think Allura would give him a run for his money"  
"The mice as well. They could take an arrow each"  
"I do believe that's called cheating"  
"Maybe, maybe. I bet you can't win at the claw"  
Looking at the Claw Crane, Lance then looked back to Hunk   
"You're so on"

After 6 attempts, Lance finally won himself a stuffed cat... thing. It had four ears and was rocking an impressive mane. It was also cooler than the fish Hunk had won on his first try, because, well, the fish had two tiny human legs near its rear fin, and two arms near its gills. Somehow Lance didn't doubt that if it wasn't a toy, Hunk would consider eating it.

Moving on from the arcade, they found the shop Lance had been looking for. It was stupid, but with all the talk of Earth lately, and all the thoughts of his childhood, he'd found himself missing the cross pendant his grandmother always wore around her neck. Even with all the advances in science, his grandmother had lost none of her faith. Standing in the jewellery store, there were a lot of cross-like items, but nothing that screamed out to him that it was the one. In the end, he let Hunk choose a plain gold cross. It was probably the nicest of the selection, but it was also the cheapest, and store woman was exceptionally relieved to make the sale. Without the same religions they had on Earth, the store probably sold very few crosses.

Despite being careful not to upset mall security, their shopping trip ended with them both making a run for it. Hunk had paid full price for the groceries, which shouldn't have been an issue... only the store owner had seen the extra cash his friend was carrying and started yelling about how he'd been ripped off. Laughing and running, Lance couldn't remember the last time he felt as happy as he did at that very moment. Being out the castle, and not having the pressure of a being a Paladin, they'd both been able to cut loose and have some real fun for themselves. 

Lance's good mood was infectious, and Hunk seemed just as relaxed. The whole ride back to the ship, they impersonated their old lecturers from the Galaxy Garrison and relieved their glory moments since joining Voltron. Landing the pod, both of them gathered up the shopping before disembarking   
"Hunk, I declare this to be the best day in phoebs"  
"I know right. I feel like we were doing something important, but now, I don't even care what that was"  
"I totally know what you mean. Anyway, we should totally take this stuff up to the kitchen"  
"I can't wait to try these new beans I got"  
"Hunk. Nooooo. No more beans"  
"Beans are good for you"  
"But they're weird"  
"Lance, this is space! Everything's weird"  
Following his friend through the castle, Lance found himself growing fatigued as his chest throbbed. Staggering to a stop, the omega sucked in a breath   
"Hunk. I think I'm tired"  
Turning back to look at him, Hunk nodded. The alpha looked just as exhausted as he did  
"Me too. Hey Lance, why's your shirt glowing?"  
Looking down, Lance placed the shopping down, before pulling his shirt up   
"Dude, what's with your chest?"  
"I don't know"  
Touching the area that was glowing light blue, he felt like he'd been zapped  
"How long's this been here?"  
"I don't know. I can't remember"  
"Does it hurt?"  
"No... when I touched it, it did"  
"Then leave it alone. We'll get Pidge to take a look"  
"Oh. Yeah"  
Lowering his shirt back down, the omega soon pushed the glowing out of his mind, or rather, like the blackness, it slipped away.


	15. Chapter 15

Pacing back and forth, Keith couldn't contain his worry for his omega... and Hunk. It was probably horrible of him, and it wasn't like he didn't want Hunk to also wake, but with everything Lance had been through, the omega was his top priority. After watching over his omega for the past few quintants, Allura had evicted him from the medical bay on the grounds he needed rest. Knowing she was right, he'd returned to his quarters, only to find himself jogging straight back to the medical bay. He just couldn't. He couldn't not be with Lance. Pidge was the same, though she'd managed to get some rest by sleeping on the floor next to her laptop.

 

"Keith, I thought Allura ordered you to get some rest"  
Rolling his eyes, Keith looked to Shiro with clear annoyance on his face. He didn't know why the alpha insisted on randomly visiting the medical bay when Lance and Hunk's conditions were unchanged, but he couldn't exactly kick him out  
"How am I supposed to rest, when Lance isn't awake"  
"We're already down two paladins, we don't need to lose a third"  
"Oh, so I'm still a paladin?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means you sent Lance out in the Red Lion, why wasn't he in Blue?"  
"Because Allura can only pilot Blue and we needed her ready in case something went wrong"  
"Something did go wrong! What would you have done if I hadn't been there?"  
"Gotten them both out on my own. It's not like you're the most reliable person of late!"  
"Guys... something's happening..."  
Interrupted by Pidge, Keith looked at Lance's chest. The Galra tech was causing blue tendrils to pulse beneath Lance's smooth skin  
"Pidge, what the hell is happening?"  
"How should she know? She just woke up"  
"I was talking to Pidge, not to you"  
"Guys!"  
Pidge's yell came too late. The room was filled with a bright white light, the three alpha's blinded for a moment before the room slowly came back into focus  
"Pidge! Keith! Are you both ok?"  
"Yeah, Shiro. Keith?"  
"Where's Lance?"  
Looking down at the examination bed, Keith found his boyfriend gone. Spinning around, the alpha couldn't see any trace of his omega at all. Not even an indent from Lance's sleeping form. Scrambling up, Pidge stared down at the empty bed  
"He was right here"  
"That device. It did something..."  
"It doesn't matter what it did. We need to find Lance"  
"We should find Allura and Coran, they might know something?"  
"If they didn't know what it was before, how are they going to know about it now?"  
Looking to Pidge for support, Keith's hands were clenched by his side. Lance had just disappeared before their very eyes, yet Shiro was being a total arse. Nodding as she caught his eye, Pidge echoed his words  
"For now we should find Lance..."  
"Fine. Do whatever you want. I'll find Allura and Coran"  
Leaving the medical bay, Shiro seemed thoroughly pissed, or at least that's what the scent trail he left behind suggested. Taking a deep breath to calm both himself and his alpha, Keith looked back to Pidge. For Pidge's part, the female alpha seemed just as annoyed as he was, though her scent was surprisingly unaffected  
"What's with him?"  
"I don't know... but thank you"  
"Lance is important to all of us, and I feel like he's the key to figuring all this out"

The castle was completely silent as the Pidge and Keith made their way through it. Crossing Lance's own quarters off his mental list, Keith was leading the way to his own  
"Why are we heading to your quarters first?"  
"Because Lance is my boyfriend, whenever he gets really upset he comes to my quarters"  
Or he used to... ok, so maybe it was like a dozen times, but it had happened, and he was sure that when push came to shove, Lance would return to his quarters because he knew he'd always be welcomed and wanted there. It might of have started off his room, but now Keith found himself thinking of it as their room  
"That makes sense... sooo things are going well then?"  
"Why wouldn't they be?"  
"I don't know. I was just making conversation... it's so quiet here"  
"Was the castle always this quiet?"  
"I don't know. I have such a weird feeling..."  
Cutting Pidge off, Keith raised a finger to his lips. He could hear something, and a strange feeling of fear had settled into the bottom of his stomach  
"Do you hear that?"  
Nodding her head, Pidge pulled out her bayard  
"That sounds like Lance"  
"But who's he yelling at?"  
"I don't know. Lance wouldn't be yelling like that if he didn't have a good reason"  
That's what was so concerning. Lance yelled when he was happy, or if he was pushed too far, or at least that was how Keith saw it. He knew his boyfriend could be completely over the top, but the feeling he was getting led him to believe that Lance wasn't yelling out of happiness.

Opening the door to his quarters, Keith and Pidge both stumbled back. The smell of Lance's fear stabbed at his heart, just as much as the argument in front of them  
"I know since your heat you've been jerking Keith around. You keep him just interested enough without actually committing! It's omegas like you..."  
Watching as Lance threw a punch at Shiro, both teens groaned as they sank to their knees as Shiro drove his fist solidly into Lance's lower abdomen. For Keith at least, it felt like he'd been stabbed in the stomach and was barely able to keep from throwing up across the floor  
"Quiznak... Lance..."

"Get out of here Shiro!"

"Lance, I lost my head. I didn't..."

"Shut the fuck up!"

Looking up to Lance, the omega was staring up at Shiro in pure rage. There it was. Lance's courage on display and he fell just that little bit more for his boyfriend

"...I'll be there soon Allura. Lance, go back to your own quarters and wait. We'll handle this without you"

Leaving Keith's quarters, the moment the door slid closed behind him, Shiro's figure disappeared into thin air. Confused over what they'd witnessed, Pidge hung back as Keith forced himself up, his stomach throbbing so badly his knees felt weak. Slamming his hand down on the door pad, the door to his quarters opened back up. 

 

Cowering in the corner of his room Lance was whining softly as if calling for him, while the omega gripped his stomach

"Lance!"

Rushing over to his boyfriend, Keith pulled him up against him. Lance was awake. His boyfriend was solid and warm... and also so very terrified and pained. He couldn't blame him though, not with the way Shiro had dropped Lance to his knees. When he found Shiro again, the alpha was in for it. He had no right assaulting Lance like that, and violating their space like it was his right 

"Lance, I'm here"

"No... no, please... no more"

"Lance?"

"You're not really here. You can't be here"

Looking to Pidge for an explanation, Keith stroked Lance's hair gently, trying to calm his boyfriend enough so that he could through to him   
"Pidge, what's going on here?"  
"P-Pidge?"  
Pushing Keith away, Lance rushed to Pidge, throwing his arms around her. Nice. He'd been dumped for Pidge... That didn't go over well with his alpha at all. Lance was in pain, which meant he should be the one the omega turned too...  
"Pidge!"  
Catching Lance, Pidge shot Keith a confused look as if to ask him why she had an armful of upset omega and he didn't. Forcing himself to nod, it hurt to watch as Pidge gently forced Lance to look at her  
"Hey, Lance... what just happened?"  
"Shiro... he didn't want to save Keith... he hit me in the stomach... Pidge, I don't know what's happening. Hunk and I were shopping and then we were here and I can't find him"  
The omegas sentence jumped from string to string as Lance rushed to get the words out in panic  
"Lance, you've been unconscious for quintants now"  
"No. That can't be. I went shopping with Hunk. Where is he? Have you seen him?"  
"Lance, you and Hunk were on a prison ship. They put something in your chest. Keith and Shiro saved you and Hunk"  
Lance shook his head, and their whole world seemed to momentarily jump. Blinking in confusion, they both found Lance to be gone again. This made no sense. Lance couldn't just keep vanishing like this. He was human and humans didn't just vanish.

"Pidge... he was just here... right?"  
Pidge nodded, the female alpha drawing her brow as she thought out loud  
"Keith, you said you saw Lance's memories when you touched him back in the ship right?"  
"Yeah. It's was of when Shiro attacked him"  
"How can you be so sure it was a memory?"  
"Because it was the same as what Lance told me had happened..."  
"And when you saw his memories, did you feel or sense anything?"  
"Just pain. Pidge, what are you saying?"  
"I think we're somehow in Lance's memories. I think Lance is still in the lab with our real bodies, and somehow we're in his head"  
"If we're in his head, what was that?"  
"What did it feel like to you?"  
"It felt like someone had just turned my insides into a cramping mess"  
"Me too... and did you feel angry when Lance was yelling at Shiro?"  
"Yeah..."  
"And that's why Shiro disappeared. Once he left, Lance couldn't see him any longer!"  
Quiznak. If they were in Lance's head, things that really should remain a secret. Pidge sounded way too excited at her own hypothesis, while Keith couldn't even find the tiniest sliver of anything but unhappiness over it   
"Pidge. Lance trusts us and he's been through a lot. We need to find Hunk and then find Lance. Maybe with the four of us, we can figure this out"  
"It's the five of us. Shiro is here too"  
"Lance is still scared of Shiro..."  
"Keith. There's something I want to ask you, Shiro was the father of Lance's pups wasn't he? Hunk and I..."  
Pidge let her sentence run off, leaving Keith shaking slightly. He knew what he had to do, but still said a mental apology to Lance   
"Pidge, you can't let Lance know you've worked it out. Shiro knows, and he's been a complete arse to Lance over it. Please, he's been through so much"  
He could have denied it, but if they somehow walked in on that memory or a memory of Lance being attacked, Pidge needed to be prepared. There might have been a time when Keith would have killed to know what was going on in Lance's mind, but this was the worst invasion of privacy imaginable  
"I won't say anything... but he's happy now, with you?"  
"Happier, but he still has a lot to work through. I don't ever want to hurt him like Shiro did, even if Shiro wasn't in control initially, he's been in control of himself ever since. All I want is for Lance to be comfortable and safe, and for him to find some kind of peace with the person he is now"  
"That's good. I know Lance isn't as goofy as he seems, but until he told us he was an omega, I thought he had a screw loose"  
"Pidge, that's my boyfriend you're talking about"  
Shrugging her shoulders, Pidge seemed exceptionally calm despite the circumstances and revelation. Changing the subject, she looked around his quarters  
"I know. Now, if you were Hunk, where would you be"  
"That's easy. In the kitchen"  
"But Lance said he couldn't find him"  
"Lance is trapped in his own memories, I'm hoping that because we weren't on the ship with them, we won't be affected the same way. After all, Shiro disappeared into thin air, but we were both able to feel and touch Lance"  
Keith wasn't completely sure that Pidge's logic was sound, but without anything else to go on, all he could do was follow her lead.

 

*  
"Pidge, Keith! What are you two doing here?"  
Where Lance had been scared, Hunk was happily stirring away at some kind of green goop. Looking to Pidge, the girl nodded before crossing over to Hunk and placing her hand on his forearm  
"Um, Pidge?"  
"He's Hunk... or the real Hunk of this reality... memory... thing"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Hunk, we need you to think very carefully. What's the last thing you remember?"  
"I've been baking all morning. Lance and I got a heap of great ingredients so I wanted to try a few new recipes"  
"You've seen Lance?"  
Hunk frowned at Keith's question  
"Of course I've seen Lance. He was here with me..."  
A blank look came over the alpha's face before he shook his head quickly   
"Hunk?"  
"I can't remember? Why can't I remember? We were at the Space Mall, but when we came back, we both started feeling sick..."  
Given Pidge would probably be able to explain it better, Keith crossed his arms as he looked around the room. He didn't see anything different, nor did he see any signs that Hunk had been shopping like he thought   
"Hunk, we need your help. We're all stuck in Lance's memories right now. In reality, you and Lance had been unconscious for the last few days"  
"Pidge, I think I'd know if I was in Lance's memories"  
"You and Lance broke into a ship that was supposed to be carrying passengers. I was guiding you when we lost contact..."  
Placing his hand on his head, Hunk held out his other one like he was telling Pidge to stop  
"Nope. Can't remember"  
Letting out a sigh, Pidge stared pointedly at Keith  
"Hunk, Lance is in trouble and we need your help"  
"Why didn't you just say that to begin with?"  
Moving to undo his apron, Hunk them looked between both of them  
"I'm not sure if I believe we're in Lance's mind, but if he needs our help, we need to help him"  
It warmed Keith's heart to know that even if he didn't believe them, the alpha still valued Lance enough to drop everything and help. Though it also made him feel like a bit of a dick for placing Lance's care over Hunk's. If they ever got out of here, he owed the alpha an actual trip to the Space Mall.

Making their way through the ship, the first checked Blue for any signs of Lance. Finding her with her shields up, the Lion didn't give any kind of signal that Lance was there. Leaving Blue, their pace was considerably slower given that they were both keeping an on Hunk. The last thing the needed was to lose him and be forced to find him all over again  
"Why aren't we checking Lance's quarters?"  
"Because Lance is scared. He was having a fight with Shiro when we found him in mine, and then he disappeared into thin air"  
"You do realise that means he could be anywhere on the ship"  
"No. We have to think like Lance does"  
Pidge's words were met with silence before both she and Hunk sighed deeply   
"What? What is it?"  
"I never thought I'd have to think like Lance"  
"Lance doesn't really think. He's more of an act first, think later kind of a person"  
"I think you'd be surprised how much he does think"  
"That's only since the incident with Shiro. We've known him since the Galaxy Garrison"  
"Back when you fooled everyone into thinking you were a boy"  
"Hey, I had my reasons. Just think of it this way, if I'd never pretended to be a boy, I wouldn't have got to meet you or be the paladin of the Green Lion"  
"And you'd be back on Earth..."  
"Will you two stop it. This isn't getting us any closer to finding Lance"  
Both of them looked like they wanted to poke their tongues out at him for being such a spoilsport, but Keith couldn't help it. His alpha was growing more and more agitated at the fact his omega was missing, and now Pidge and Hunk were joking about it  
"If he's not with the Blue Lion, and he's not in Keith's quarters, where else would he be?"  
"He could be down with Kaltenecker..."  
Speaking slowly, Keith thought things through as logically as he could. Lance had run to his quarters because he was scared, but before he'd left for his mission, they'd spent a few vargas down with the cow  
"What would he be doing down there?"  
"He was struggling with the future and what being in a relationship meant... so he was hiding down with Kaltenecker because he felt safe. Besides, it has the projector on and it's kind of nice down there"  
"Sure, if you ignore the smell"  
"We don't have anything to lose"  
"I can't believe he chose a cow over us"  
"I think it's more the memories associated with that day. I think that's why he and Hunk ended up at the Space Mall too"  
Pidge sounded like she more than thought that  
"Hunk, what did you and Lance do at the Space Mall?"  
"We ate burgers, and then we hit up the arcade... in the end, security chased us out"  
"He was so happy that day, no wonder he wanted to recreate it with Hunk"  
"But that's not the memory Lance had... the day didn't play out exactly like that"  
"Maybe it was a dream of his to just hang out with Hunk there"  
Keith resisted the urge to growl. Lance was his boyfriend and his boyfriend should be only going on dates with him... even if it was just a dream  
"Keith, you ok there bud?"  
"I'm fine. Let's just go find this wayward boyfriend of mine"

 

*  
Laying the grass, Lance was curled into himself. He didn't understand what was happening. He didn't understand why he couldn't escape Shiro, no matter where he went. This place seemed to be the only safe place left, but it filled him with longing. It seemed so long since he'd laid in Keith's arms, and he felt so stupid for being so scared. He wanted his alpha to find him already. He wanted to forget everything else, and just stay hidden away with Keith. 

"Lance!"  
Flinching at the sound of Shiro telling his name, Lance was too tired to respond. Shiro would only hurt him again. That's all the alpha ever did, and even when Keith tried to protect him, Shiro still came out of it unscathed. It wasn't fair. He didn't deserve this. He'd tried to be a good person, but if he was only going to get hurt, then what was the point? Even his parents had forgotten him when he was a kid, it was only a matter of time before his alpha did too. Remaining curled up in the grass, at least with his eyes closed he could imagine Keith was by his side. If he could only see Keith again, he'd be the best omega he could be for his alpha.

 

*  
Arriving at Kaltenecker's pen, Shiro had somehow beat them there. Yelling out Lance's name, the alpha radiated enough rage that even Pidge and Hunk shifted uncomfortably  
"Shiro... is that you?"  
Looking back to Shiro, the alpha glared at the three of them openly  
"What are you doing here?"  
"Looking for Lance. Keith said Lance came down here from time to time"  
"Lance is in here, but I can't get close to him"  
"It's probably because you stink"  
Taking the full impact of Shiro's glare, Keith held his ground  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means you stink like an angry alpha. You're probably scaring the hell out of him right now"  
"Are you serious?"  
"Shiro, did you ever get into a fight with Lance in my quarters?"  
"What?"  
"Did you and Lance ever fight in my quarters?"  
"What does that have to do with anything?"  
"Just answer the question?"  
"Sure. He wanted to go running off to save you, without thinking about the consequences. What of it?"  
"You fucking bastard"  
Snarling, Keith would have taken Shiro on right there if not for Hunk wrapping his arms around Keith and lifting him off the ground  
"I don't know what you're on about, but we all need to work together right now"  
"He hurt Lance"  
"He was being hysterical"  
"He's an omega. They do that"  
"That's no excuse. He wanted to go in after you with no kind of plan, besides, he was the one who swung first"  
The pieces of the puzzle fell into place and Keith was sickened with what he figured out. Lowering him down, Hunk backed away as distressed scent rolled off Keith  
"Keith?"  
"You're the one"  
"What?"  
"I've figured it out. Shiro caused Lance's miscarriage. Pidge, you felt it too. The pain right after Shiro punched Lance while he was pregnant"  
"Not this again..."  
"Lance couldn't bring himself to care about the pups and he probably never put two and two together..."  
Taking a deep breath, Pidge tried to rein them both in   
"Keith, we can't know that for sure"  
"You felt it Pidge. You felt that pain, it dropped us both to the ground. That's not normal pregnancy pain"  
"But Shiro..."  
"It doesn't matter if Shiro didn't mean it. It still happened. I feel so sick that I can't even look at you. Stay here with Hunk and Pidge, I'll go to Lance"

Jogging through the soft green field, Keith found Lance laying in pretty much the same spot they'd been in before he left. Crying softly his omega had his hands over his ears, and his eyes scrunched closed tightly. It was as if the omega was trying to block out the whole world around him. Kneeling down beside Lance, Keith placed his hand on his boyfriend's shoulder, shaking him gently  
"Go away!"  
"Lance, baby. It's me"  
"Don't lie! Keith wouldn't call me baby! Go away!"  
"Lance, it's me. I promise I'm real. How else would I know you're here?"  
"I don't know! Just leave me alone"  
Pulling Lance's hand away from his ear, his boyfriend tried to bury his face in the grass as he did  
"Remember, I was here with you before I left for my mission. We talked about having pups and how you were scared. We cuddled on the grass until I got the message that it was time to go"  
Cautiously peaking from one eye, Lance still didn't seem convinced   
"I followed you down here because you'd been hiding from everyone. And I made you promise to talk to Hunk and Pidge"  
"Keith?"  
"Yeah. It's me"  
Unfurling himself slowly, Lance was still wary of him  
"How do I know you're real?"  
"Because you can feel me. You can feel me right?"  
Extending a shaky hand, Lance's fingers brushed against Keith's cheek  
"Keith?!"  
"I'm here"  
Throwing his arms around him, Lance nuzzled into his neck like crazy  
"What's going on? I don't understand what keeps happening"  
"That's where it gets tricky. I've got Hunk and Pidge with me, and we have a small problem"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Lance, you were taken prisoner by the Galra and before I could save you, they put something in your chest. Because of that, we're all stuck in your head"  
"What...?"  
"I know it's hard to believe, but I promise I'm not lying"  
"I know you wouldn't... you're not like him..."  
Him had to mean Shiro   
"No, I'm not. Lance, can I look at your chest?"  
"If it's for you... I'll do anything for you"  
Pushing Lance back carefully, Keith's fingers moved to the hem of the omega's shirt  
"Would you rather?"  
"No. I trust you"  
Sliding Lance's shirt up, the omegas smooth brown skin was a mess of bruises and cuts. His disgust must have shown, as Lance felt the need to explain  
"Shiro. He keeps... I can't escape him"  
"It's ok. We've got the real Shiro and I won't let him hurt you, but I need to touch your chest"  
Scrunching his eyes closed again, Lance nodded   
"Just do it"  
He wanted to tell Lance he was being so brave but didn't want to seem like he talking down to his boyfriend. Instead, Keith bit his bottom lip and slid Lance's shirt the rest of the way up, exposing the pulsing blue Galra tech  
"Keith?"  
"It's ok. We need Pidge to take a look at your chest. You've got the same piece of Galra tech in here as you do out there"  
"Out there?"  
"All this is in your head, remember?"  
"Sorry. I can't... everything's messed up"  
"It's ok. I understand. Do you think you can walk?"  
Shaking his head, Lance looked down at his hands  
"I don't think I can move. I'm just so tired"  
"Then I'll carry you. We're just going a little bit past Kaltenecker"  
Lance sniffled  
"Before you came, I was hoping you would. I know I'm not a good omega... but I still want to be with you..."  
"I want to be with you too. I know it's been a little rough because of all the missions we've had, but that doesn't mean I don't miss you like crazy"  
"You miss me?"  
"Yeah. When I'm laying in bed, I'm always wondering where you are, and if you're ok. If you eating enough, or if you're scared"  
"I'm just an omega... you shouldn't be wasting your time worrying"  
"It's because you're an omega that I worry... because you're my omega. Now, let's figure out how to get out of here. Together"  
Lance sniffled and nodded  
"All of us"  
Leaning in, Keith pressed a kiss to Lance's lips, to seal the promise   
"Yeah. All of us!"


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How much wood could a woodchuck chuck   
> If a woodchuck could chuck wood?   
> As much wood as a woodchuck could chuck,   
> If a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Carrying Lance through the castle, his omega seemed happy enough to just hold onto him, without contributing to the conversation. Hunk has declared he was hungry, so the group was now headed up to the kitchen. It was funny though, they'd been walking around the castle for hours now, yet he wasn't hungry in the slightest.

Entering the kitchen, the group was stopped short by another one of Lance's memories. Lance and Shiro were screaming at each other, or rather Shiro was in the middle of forcing Lance into subjection while Lance was beginning to him to stop. As Shiro's hand wrapped around Lance's throat and ground up against Lance's arse, Pidge let out a gasp, spurring him into action. Moving further in, the memory faded, leaving Lance clinging to him for dear life. Gripped by Lance's fear, Keith was struggling to calm back down. They needed to get the hell out of here  
"Seriously? You violated the sanctity of my kitchen? Please tell me you never really attacked Lance here… when were you two ever alone here?"  
With his hands on his hips, Hunk let his alpha flare. Taken back but the anger in Hunk’s scent, Shiro shook his head  
"It wasn't me!"  
"We just saw you!"  
"I'm saying I don't remember this happening! It must have been Lance's imagination"  
With the scents of the two alpha's flaring, Lance nuzzled his neck in fear. Watching them, Pidge blushed lightly. Being sweet and innocent, she'd probably never imagined the sight they walked in on  
"Or it was when you were infected. Either way, we really do need to find a way out of here. Lance's memories are only getting worse"  
"I'm sorry. God, why am I so useless?"  
Lance's words were so low that Keith knew he was the only on hearing them. Pressing a kiss to the side of Lance's hair, he needed to take the attention back off his boyfriend, though Shiro got in first  
"Hunk, why don't you start making us something to eat, and we'll take a look at the device on Lance's chest"

With Lance sitting on the end of the kitchen cabinet, the omega was shaking as he held his shirt up. The Galra tech was warm to the touch, and the blue had turned purple on its own accord  
"What do think Pidge?"  
"I think this doesn't seem as deeply imbedded into Lance as it did before"  
"Before?"  
"Outside your head"  
Grasping the edge of the tech, Pidge pulled lightly, Lance's skin pulled taint as the device rose until the omega finally let out a whimper  
"That's enough Pidge"  
Releasing her hold, the Galra tech pulsed red, and thick blue tendrils glowed brightly as they seemed to spread further across Lance's chest. Clutching at the spot, Lance rocked back forth while whining softly  
"Alpha..."  
"I know. I'm here"  
"The reactions interesting. It seems to have burrowed back down and spread further"  
"Because you went poking at it!"  
"Keith... don't yell at a Pidge"  
Sliding off the counter, Lance wrapped his arms around him. The Galra tech was uncomfortably warm between them. Honestly, Keith hadn't even realised he'd yelled at the fellow alpha. Scratching the the back of his head, he looked over Lance's shoulder  
"Sorry Pidge"  
"It's ok. We're all frustrated. If we could just figure out why it wasn't so deep, and what caused it to burrow back in"

Having stayed quiet during the examination, Shiro let out a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose  
"I think I've worked this all out"  
"I doubt you it. Pidge hasn't even worked it all out yet"  
Shiro shook his head, disregarding Keith's snappy tone  
"Think about it. Pidge, you were trying to help Lance, and the device burrowed its self in deeper... I think this device is designed so the prisoner drives themselves insane. Once the damage is done, the device probably just falls off the wearer. There would have to be some kind of fail-safe in case the Galra find themselves caught like we are"  
Shiro sounded like this was all a simple matter, and as if he'd already decided upon what needed to be done. Keith wasn't having any of it, and he wasn't having Lance get any ideas either  
"So what? You want us to hurt Lance! No. I... he's been through enough!"  
"Keith..."  
"I know what you're going to say, but it's completely unacceptable. We'll find another way. Or Allura will figure something out"  
"Keith... I'm tired. I don't care what happens anymore..."

Hearing Lance so lost and empty, hurt. His omega sounded well and truly done  
"Lance, we can find another way"  
"But what Shiro says make sense. You know it does"  
"That doesn't mean he's right"  
"And it doesn't mean he's wrong! Please... You're all stuck here because of me!"  
"You can't expect me to agree with you being hurt"  
"Then let me talk to Shiro"  
"Like I'm letting you talk to Shiro. I know you, Lance"  
"So you'd rather be stuck in my head like this?! You'd rather see everything I want to keep hidden and private?!"  
"No... I just..."  
"Lance, you do know what you're asking us to do?"  
Pidge's voice shook with the emotions they were all feeling... except maybe Shiro. Who knew what Shiro was thinking these days  
"There isn't a single one of us who wouldn't sacrifice something if it meant saving everyone else"  
"But you're asking us to hurt you"  
"You don't have to hurt me, you just... I don't know, have to not help me?"  
"It's the same thing!"  
Shoving Keith away, Lance glared at him  
"If this was you, you'd do the exact same thing! I'm sick of it! You're fine with going off and nearly getting yourself killed, and I don't say anything because I trust you! But you can't even trust me back! I wish..."  
"You wish what?"  
"I wish we weren't dating! If we weren't, you would know I'm right!"  
Staggering backwards, Keith was physically pained by his boyfriend's words  
"Lance, that's enough"  
"Hunk, you know I'm right! You know it!"  
"I don't know about that..."  
"Hunk... please. I know I've let you down more time than I remember, but buddy... please believe in me"  
"I believe in you, but I can't watch you be hurt"  
"Pidge..."  
Shaking her head, Pidge wanted none of this  
"I can't believe you guys! Shiro, do it..."  
"Maybe we should talk about this"  
Having found his voice again, he was still shaking over Lance's words. His alpha was full of pain and angry that Lance could even suggest that  
"There's nothing to talk about!"  
Around them, everything shook. Grabbing his chest, Lance let out a scream. Lunging towards him, white light pulsed from Lance's chest. Instead of hitting Lance's solid form, Keith's fingers went straight through his omega, before everything went black.

 

*  
"Lance?!"  
Blinking in confusion, Lance instinctively pulled away from the face hovering millimetres above his  
"Coran! They're all awake!"  
Great. They were awake. Why was Allura yelling right at him? And why did he feel like he'd been through a blender? Curling in on himself, he yelped when Allura wrapped her arms around him  
"Lance?"  
"What happened?"  
Hearing the question he was thinking said out loud, he wondered for a moment if he'd been the one who voiced it  
"Allura found you all unconscious in the medical bay"  
"All of us?"  
Hearing Shiro's voice, every part of Lance tensed in fear. It had been a while since he was this terrified of Shiro, and his mind was racing as it tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Slowly and sickened, the memories of what had happened rushed to fill him as ripped the Galra tech from his chest. Confused by his sudden fit of rage, Allura backed off  
"Lance?"  
"Don't touch it!"  
Whining at the pain he'd caused himself, Lance forced himself to sit up   
"Can someone please explain what just happened? Why were all in Lance's head and how did we get out? Also, does this mean I need to make pizza pinwheels from scratch again?"  
Placing his hand on his shoulder, Keith moved to cup Lance's face with the other   
"Lance?"  
"I'm going to be sick..."  
No sooner were the words out his mouth, was his vomit across Keith's boots. He'd actually told his boyfriend he wanted them to break up... or words to that effect, but here was Keith, being so nice to him. Shaking his head, Lance closed his eyes so he didn't have to look at his alpha  
"Hunk, what do you mean you were in Lance's head? When we came to check on you, all of you were unconscious on the floor"  
"Pidge was the one who said we were in Lance's head..."  
"Hunk, I have no idea what you're talking about"  
"You, Keith and Shiro were there... Lance, a little help?"  
"I don't think he's in any condition to be of much help Hunk"  
Wrapping his arms around his waist, Lance drew his knees up so his heels were digging into the edge of the examination bed  
"It was the Galra tech. We were all trapped in head"  
He probably sounded like a fool, but if Keith, Pidge and Shiro wanted to believe him crazy... well, he'd take that over them remembering what happened. Flinching as Shiro began to talk, his fingertips dug further into his aching stomach  
"I think we all need to be scanned. If we were affected by Galra tech, anything could have happened"  
"Coran scanned you while you were asleep. The only one who registered any anomalies was Lance"  
"Lance? He was fine before"  
Pidge sounded upset and confused, something he hated hearing in his friends tone. He was fine. They got out. He'd picked a fight with everyone because it was the only thing he could, and now he needed to forget it all ever happened. Like a bad dream... Stroking his face with his thumb, Keith crooned softly   
"Keith, we should take a look at Lance..."  
"Can't you see he's upset"  
"I'd be upset too if I had to go through what he did"  
"What's that supposed to mean, Hunk?"  
"It's mean..."  
"Don't! Don't say it! Please... I'm... ok"  
"Lance?"  
"I'm ok. We're out of there. Please don't make me remember"  
Letting out a long breath, Keith moved to sit beside him, before pulling him up against him  
"Ok... it's ok. I've got you"  
"Keith, we need to examine Lance"  
Allura's voice was soft as brought their bickering to an end  
"How about Coran and I examine Lance? Would everyone else please wait outside?"  
"You can't be serious"  
"Shiro, trust me on this one, you might want to stay clear of Lance for a while"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"I'll explain it to you outside"  
Hadn't he just told Hunk not to tell everyone? Oh well. What did it matter anymore? If he and Hunk remembered, then it was only a matter of time before everyone else did.

Laying with his head in Keith's lap, his alpha stroked his hair as Allura pushed his shirt up. Gasping at the sight, he supposed it must have been pretty bad. He hurt like a quiznak all over and in places he'd rather not remember he had  
"Lance?"  
"It's fine Allura"  
"It's not fine. It looks like you've been bashed. This would explain why the sensors kept pin pointing different areas of effect. What on Altea happened?"  
"It was the Galra tech... Shiro figured it out. It traps you in your own mind and makes you relive your memories. Only, you don't just see them, every aspect of them is real..."  
Above him, Keith let out a low growl  
"It's dangerous. We need to make sure no one touches that tech"  
"We'll seal away. Lance, on a scale of one to ten, how bad does it hurt?"  
"I don't know. I'm just too tired"  
"That's not an answer. Should be placed in a healing pod?"  
"I think we might have too... he looks like he has internal bleeding"  
Feeling something wet drop onto his face, Lance opened his eyes to find Keith crying silently   
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you"  
"No... it's not your fault"  
"If I'd only got there sooner..."  
"Keith, you cannot blame yourself. Your missions with the Blade of Marmora are vital"  
"But still... he's my boyfriend"  
"It's ok Keith. We broke up. Or we did while we were inside my mind. You don't have to worry so much"  
"Lance?!"  
"Lance, how was it that you were able to get out?"  
Leaving Keith hanging, Lance sat back up   
"Shiro figured out that the device's influence spread when Pidge tried to help me. So, I asked him to hurt me"  
Letting out another growl, Lance winced as Keith's angry scent filled the space   
"You did what?"  
"It was the only way to get out. But you lost your head because we're dating, and we all ended up getting into an argument. I guess at the end of the day, it doesn't matter"  
"Like hell, it doesn't! How can I even apologise for a fight I don't remember?"  
"I don't want you to remember! I don't want anyone to remember, but Hunk's probably out there giving Pidge and Shiro the highlights!"  
Burying his face in his hands, he was filled with hatred for himself. Honestly, he'd wanted Shiro to hurt him, even if he feared it, he felt like he deserved it for sucking all his friends into his head. He'd exposed them all to dangerous tech, and none of them knew what the long-term repercussions could be  
"Oh Lance. It's ok. It's all over now"  
"It's not all over! It never was! I... I'm not good to anyone and I don't even know what my place on this team is anymore! The omega that nearly affects you all with a violent or worm? Or the omega that gets everyone sucked into his broken mind? When will I stop messing up"  
"Lance, you haven't messed anything up"  
"I should have turned back when I lost contact with Pidge on the prison ship! I shouldn't have gotten lost and should have found a way to get Hunk out of there!"  
He was verging on hysterical and each time his voice shot up, pain flared through his head like someone was driving needles into his brain  
"Lance, you need to calm down. Let's get you healed up, and then we'll talk"  
"I don't want to talk! Don't you get it? I'm done. I can't do this anymore"  
"Do what?"  
"Any of this"  
Keith paused for a moment  
"Including us?"  
Fear filled his omega at the alpha's words. His heart was racing so hard it felt like it was about to break   
"I don't know. I don't know about anything anymore"  
Sliding off the bed behind, Lance peeked as he felt Keith move away  
"Keith, please..."  
"Just... take care of him Allura"  
Collapsing sideways as Keith left the room, Allura caught him easily  
"Lance..."  
"I'm right back where I started"

 

*  
Stooping to collect the Galra tech on his way out, Keith was pissed. How could Lance ever think it was ok for him to be hurt? The circumstances didn't matter, but the way his omega made it sound, it was like they hadn't even tried anything else. Lance got it in his head that it was fine and that rubbed Keith the wrong way  
"Keith?"  
Looking up at Hunk, Keith shook his head. He didn't want to talk to Hunk. He remembered what he couldn't. It wasn't fair. He'd been the one at Lance's side and he'd been the one to glue Lance back together   
"He needs to go to the healing pod. Allura suspects internal bleeding"  
"I wouldn't be surprised. Those memories weren't the nicest"  
"He said we broke up"  
"You didn't really break up. But you did fight"  
Looking down at the Galra tech in his hands, Keith shook it. If only the stupid thing would spill its secrets  
"Keith, let's not go activating that again"  
"Why not? It saw Lance's memories"  
"And so did I. By the seems of it, it was mostly Lance fighting with Shiro, when Shiro had that worm thing in his head, though we did go to the Space Mall and that was fun. We totally need to go back there soon, the arcade was amazing"  
With a dreamy look in his eyes, Hunk was obviously envisioning the arcade  
"Hunk, you know all that happened in Lance's head. It might not even be like that in real life"  
"Spoil sport. But seriously, leave it alone Keith. You don't want to go there"  
Turning away from the group, he couldn't head back to Lance because his... boyfriend? didn't want him there, but he didn't want to be with his friends either. Taking the tech with him, the alpha returned to his quarters.

Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Keith stared down at the piece of Galra tech, trying to figure out just how to activate the device. If they were really in Lance's mind due to the tech, he reasoned Lance's memories would be stored inside. In any case, it gave him something to do. After first examining the bottom of the tech, Keith tipped it back over. There wasn't an on button, but there was a stone of sorts. Pressing down hard on it, he nearly dropped it when a small display came up. Finally. Finally he was getting somewhere. Catching his door opening from the corner of his eye, Keith growled as Shiro entered his quarters  
"Keith, you need to turn that off"  
"I need to know what happened to Lance"  
"You don't know what that thing is"  
"Sure I do. It's the one thing that can give me answers seeing Lance and Hunk won't"  
With three long strides, Shiro snatched the device from his hands  
"What the hell!?"  
"I told you to turn it off!"  
"I need to know!"  
"Hunk said you didn't, besides, if Lance wanted you to know, he'd tell you"  
Oh no. Shiro did not just go there. Jumping to his feet, Keith snarled   
"Give me it back!"  
"Keith, if you want answers go talk to Lance"  
"How can I?! He doesn't want to see anyone! He's messed up from whatever happened in there!"  
"And let say you do watch this? What does it change?"  
"I'll find out why he's upset"  
Sighing deeply, Shiro shook his head  
"I'm sorry, but it's too dangerous. Take some time to calm down and the figure out what you want to do"  
"Shiro..."  
Ignoring him, Shiro stalked back out of his quarters, leaving Keith silently seething. 

 

*  
After being forced into the healing pod by Allura, Lance was now back in his room. Having scrubbed himself until his skin bled, he couldn't stop shaking. All the omega's instincts told him to run to Keith, but he didn't even know if they were still dating after he'd stupidly and intentionally brought up the fight they'd had inside his head. He'd hurt the alpha because he didn't want to drag Keith down to his level, and now he was forced to deal with the fact that he may very well be single again. 

Burrowed beneath the half arse nest he'd built, Lance had left just enough space for him to see through. Even with the comforting weight on top of him, his body spasmed sporadically, his mood was only worsening. Groaning in pain, he clamped a hand over his mouth when his door began to open   
"Lance?"  
Quiznak. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready to talk to Keith, yet Keith ignored his lack of reply. The alpha coming to sit on the edge of his bed, before gently pulling the blankets back  
"I thought maybe we could talk?"  
"I don't know what to say"  
"Well, I don't want to break up"  
Lance raised his head slightly   
"You don't?"  
"It took phoebs for you to say you wanted to be with me"  
"And now that I am. Can you really say you're happy?"  
"You do make me happy. You also piss me off to no end. Lance, I need to know what happened in there. Were those memories from when Shiro was possessed?"  
"So-some of them"  
"Did Shiro see them?"  
"Everyone did"  
Lance couldn't keep the embarrassment from his shaking voice. They'd all seen Shiro rutting up against him...  
"I want to help, but I can't when your pushing me away"  
"I don't know what else to do. It was like it was happening all over again... no, it was happening all over again. I can still feel him inside of me. I can still feel his breath on my neck as he called me a slut and told me how he was going to breed me. I can still feel his knot... Keith, I can feel all of it. I practically cheated on you"  
"You didn't cheat on me"  
"I did! I don't know how you can be so nice to me! I'm so dirty"  
"No. No you're not"  
"Then why..."  
Lance rubbed his tears of shame  
"Why what?"  
"Why did I cum?"  
Dissolving into sobs, he'd intentionally hurt his alpha again and he knew it. He could smell how mad Keith was... even if the alpha denied it  
"Lance, you couldn't help it"  
"I should have been able to! I should have"  
Shivering, Lance pulled the closet blanket to his face  
"Right now, what do you want to do?"  
"I want to forget"  
"Then let me help you forget"  
"Wh... what's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means your scent is screaming at me to cover you in mine, and my alpha's going crazy"  
"Keith. I'm not sure I understand what you're saying"  
"I'm saying I want to touch you. I want to touch you in all those places Shiro did. I want to erase his touch from your mind until all you can think about is me. When you said we broke up, my heart stopped. I couldn't think. I couldn't comprehend not having you and it hurt so fucking badly that I wanted to hate you"  
Ouch  
"Keith, I'm dirty"  
"You're not dirty. Please, just... just trust me"

Lance didn't know what to do. He couldn't bring himself to look his very naked boyfriend in the eye. Instead, his eyes had drifted to Keith's half hard erection and that was as far as he got. The alpha wanted him... and though he wasn't a blushing virgin, he didn't know how to do anything. Crawling onto his bed, Keith pushed his nest aside. Swallowing hard, Lance started to panic when Keith placed his hands on his knees and tugged lightly   
"Keith..."  
"It's ok. I'm just going to touch you"  
Scrunching his eyes closed, Lance nodded. Beneath him, he was already slicking like crazy as his body betrayed him  
"Lay back"  
"I..."  
"It's ok..."  
"I can't. I need to see you"  
"Right. Of course"  
Letting Keith part his legs, Lance was hit with the smell of his own slick and musk. Letting out a low growl, Keith ran his hands down his inner thighs  
"Open your eyes Lance"  
"I can't. I'm too scared"  
"Lance, it's just you and me. Open your eyes"  
Slowly doing as Keith asked, he found himself staring into Keith's eyes. Giving him a soft smile, Keith leant in and kiss him softly. With his lips still against his, the alpha began to massage his inner thighs with the pads of his thumbs   
"You're beautiful"  
Shaking his head, Keith maintained eye contact as he shifted back before finally lowering his face. Taking Lance's half hard penis in his mouth, the alpha gave a few experimental bobs while Lance's eyes practically rolled back  
"Keith..."  
Pulling back with a lewd and wet pop, the alpha smirked up at him  
"Yes, Lance?"  
"You don't have to do that"  
"I know, now just let yourself feel"  
Sliding his lips back around Lance's erection, the alpha had him whimpering almost nasally as he tried to control everything he was feeling. He didn't want this... or rather, he was terrified and Keith had to know, yet the alpha was still giving him head. He had no idea how it was supposed to feel, and he had no idea how Keith's technique measured up to others, but even with the few times he slid from the alpha's mouth, it felt really good.

Pushing Keith off, Lance's legs were shaking like mad  
"Lance?"  
"I..."  
Nodding at him, Keith moved to jerk his own erection   
"I want you, Lance, do you want me?"  
"I..."  
He what? His body wanted it... but he was scared. Crawling up, Keith let his erection rub against his as the alpha nuzzled his chest  
"I hate that Shiro touched you. I get so jealous that I can't stand it"  
"You do"  
"I do. I want to mark you as mine, but for now, I'll settle for making you see you're my omega"  
For a moment Keith's words blended with Shiro's and Lance let out a scared squeak  
"Lance..."  
"He told me he was his"  
"You're not. You're mine. You're beautiful and you're mine"  
Keith kept telling him he was beautiful, but the alpha hadn't said he loved him. He might feel something like it coming from Keith, but instead of bringing this up, he just nodded. Taking that as permission, Keith knelt between is legs, the alpha taking his erection in his hand, before rubbing the tip against Lance's twitching opening. Using the tip to tease him, Lance whined when the alpha didn't push in. His omega side was definitely now in control, and his omega wanted this.

Toying and teasing his opening, Keith had him mewing before he could stop himself. Thanks to what had been done to him in his memories, he was already loose, despite going through a round in a healing pod   
"Keith... alpha..."  
"I don't want to hurt you"  
"You won't. Please. Please erase him for me"  
Nodding, Keith placed on hand on Lance's stomach as slowly pushed in. Letting out a long moan, the alpha scent spiked with lust. Unable to stop himself, Lance ground down against Keith, effectively burying him completely inside. He felt so full, so perfectly full  
"Lance..."  
Letting out a long breath, Lance stared up at Keith. This was Keith. Not Shiro. He didn't need to fear being with Keith, yet he still let out small whine of feed as he'd was pulled into Keith's lap. Breathing through the initial shock of the alpha's thick erection seemingly being driven impossibly deeper by the position change, Keith nuzzled and nipped lightly at his neck until Lance finally nodded. After a few shallow and almost awkward thrusts, Keith hit upon his special spot and Lance's eyes widened as he moaned lewdly from the melting feeling the sensation brought  
"If you keep moaning like that, I won't be able to last"  
"I need it... I need your knot"  
"Ok..."  
Taking him by the hips, Keith controlled the pace, the alpha lifting and slamming him back down as he thrust up. Feeling his own orgasm building again, he wanted to tell Keith to hurry up, but the moans and mews falling from his lips wouldn't stop. All of it was too much. Keith's growls, the feel of the alpha moving beneath him, the wet sounds of slick covered skin hitting slick covered skin...  
"So beautiful. My beautiful omega... you feel so good. I'm going to cum soon"  
"Alpha..."  
Feeling Keith's knot forming, the burn he felt from stretching further to accommodate the swell pushed him over the edge. Cumming hard between them, Lance slumped backwards in Keith's hold. Coming undone, he could do nothing as Keith's pace increased, the alpha desperate for his own release  
"Lance... I'm going..."  
Keith's erection seemed to widen as the alpha's knot caught and firmly joined them together. Lance's omega purred with pride and satisfaction as his alpha's seed filled him. Laying him back down, Keith's lips found his, the alpha kissing him desperately as he continued to rock against him  
"Oh god, Lance... It feels like you're trying to drain me... my omega. My precious omega"

With Lance's legs still wrapped around the alpha, his orgasmic high had passed. Inside of him, it felt like Keith was still cumming, and for his part, Keith was practically molesting his neck, the possessive hickeys he'd been leaving were now starting to turn painful. Letting out a small whine, the alpha immediately stopped  
"Lance?"  
"I'm ok..."  
Looking at him, Keith's face softened  
"Hey... it's ok"  
Cupping his face, the alpha smiled down at him  
"I'm not going anywhere and I'm not leaving you"  
With no control left in his body, Lance's eyes filled with tears  
"I'm scared"  
"I know. But I'll do this over and over until you understand just how precious you are"

When Keith's knot finally started to deflate, the alpha didn't slide out. Instead, Keith went about peppering small kisses just about everywhere the alpha could reach. Did this mean that Keith loved him? Like really loved him? His omega seemed to think so, and relished the attention his alpha was giving his exhausted body. Feeling Keith slide partially out, Lance let out a sharp gasp as Keith began trusting in to him again. Leaning up, the omega wrapped his arms around Keith's shoulders as he buried his face against Keith's shoulder. 

 

*  
Laying with Lance spooned against him, Keith couldn't quite believe they'd had sex again... or again... or another two times during the night. Alternating between napping in his arms, and basically crawling into his lap, Lance seemed to desperately need him... yet something felt off. His omega had been scared, then aroused, and then scared again, before ridiculously happy, leaving him to fear Lance would crash once he woke. He hadn't come to Lance's quarters looking for sex, but the idea of Shiro's hands on Lance drove him crazy and before he knew he was naked and between Lance's legs. How was supposed to explain this to his omega? What would he say? I was so jealous and insecure that I needed to stick my dick in you so you knew you were mine? Yeah... that wouldn't go over well. It wasn't that he didn't love Lance, he just... everything was still all fresh and new, and they were trying to figure out their places in the teams shifting dynamics. At the end of the day, he just wanted Lance to know he was wanted by him, but this had probably been a bad idea. How was he supposed to say all this to Lance now? Maybe if he just held his tongue, Lance would be the one to push him away? It was terribly selfish, but they'd had sex for the wrong reasons.

Feeling Lance wriggle in his hold, Keith held his breath until finally, Lance slid from his arms. Falling to the floor, the omega let out a whimper   
"Lance?"  
"I'm ok... just need to use the bathroom"  
"Alright"  
Having disturbed the blankets, Lance had stirred up the smell of sex and slick that had been trapped beneath them. Sucking in a deep lungful of the sweet and salty scent, his penis twitched in interest, but Keith frowned at the roar his alpha had mentally let out. Instead of laying quietly pacified in the corner of his mind, his alpha was tearing at the bit to go to Lance and mount him. 

Confused and concerned by the sudden feeling, Keith climbed from Lance's bed and padded over to the bathroom. Knocking lightly, the alpha then opened the door. Leaning against the bathroom cabinet, slick shone as it ran down Lance's inner thighs  
"Lance?"  
"I'm sorry..."  
Looking down at the sink, Lance shuddered with a long mew, and more of that same honied liquid spilt forth. Moving to stand behind the omega, Lance groaned as Keith's fingers ghosted across his stomach  
"Alpha... need you..."  
That was all the invitation he needed. Eager to claim its prize, his alpha took control. Sliding his erection between the omegas legs, Lance threw his head back with a whine, the omega cumming across the bathroom counter as he did  
"Alpha... it's too hot..."  
Sliding one hand down to jerk himself, Lance's other hand slid up to work his left breast, but as hot as the sight way, Keith needed to be inside him. Roughly taking Lance by the hips, Keith buried himself back inside Lance's wet heat. Unlike the previous two times, Keith fucked his omega as hard as he could, the need to breed the teen playing on repeat in his head until he finally knotted Lance, and Lance came again. Burying his face against Lance's sweaty nape, Keith lapped at the spot he so he hungrily wanted to bite  
"K-Keith...?"  
Looking up and into the mirror, he found Lance staring back at him with a terrified look on his face, so instead of biting on Lance's nape, he dragged his teeth along the smooth skin of the omegas shoulder, before finally sinking his teeth in, about two inches away from Lance's nape. Tensing around him, Lance let out a whimpered sob  
"A-alpha... please... pull out"  
Pulling his teeth back, Keith ran his tongue over the broken skin. It was a long moment before he registered what Lance had said  
"Lance, I can't. I'm knotted inside of you"  
Half twisting, Lance tried to push him off. Angered by its omegas reaction, his alpha flared  
"Lance. Stop!"  
"Get off me! Get out of here! I don't want you here?"  
Hadn't Lance wanted him just as much as he had? Catching Lance's hands, he forced them down  
"Lance..."  
"I'm in heat! I don't want to be pregnant! Get out!"  
Lance thought he was in heat? The Omega should still have a few movements before his heat began... letting out a strangled scream, Lance finally succeeded in pushing Keith off him, though he'd clearly torn himself severely as he had. Dropping to the floor, Lance cupped his crotch  
"Shit Lance..."  
"Get out!"  
"Let me help you..."  
"I don't want your help. I want you gone..."  
"Lance..."  
"Go!"  
"Baby, you need help. You're bleeding"  
Even if he couldn't see the blood, he could smell it. Shaking his head, Lance dissolved into sobs and the omegas sweet scent began to spike again. Maybe Lance was right? Maybe he was in heat? Quiznak. The last thing he wanted to do was breed an unwilling omega, especially when that unwilling omega was his  
"I'll send Allura down to check on you. She should be safe... Lance, if you change your mind. Tell her to wake me"  
He had to go. He had to go now. Even though it hurt to leave Lance on the floor, Keith rushed back into Lance's room and threw his clothes on. He couldn't be anywhere near Lance, so it was safest if he went into a sleep pod until the omegas heat was over.


	17. Chapter 17

By the time Keith stumbled into the bridge, the alpha was sweating hard.

He was definitely going into a rut, and the heat between his thighs was only getting more painful. He needed Lance, like Lance needed him. Stumbling hard, Keith fell against the door way

“Keith!”

Rushing to him, Allura grabbed him by the shoulders 

“Keith, what is it?”

“I… I need you… to go check on Lance”

Wiping his face, Keith then tried to blink the sweat from his eyes 

“Keith. Keith’s what’s wrong with Lance?”

“Something’s wrong with Lance!?”

Hunk and Pidge were practically synchronised as they both left their seats, but unlike Allura, the pair of alpha’s stopped short of him 

“Lance is in heat…”

“And Keith’s going into a rut”

“A rut and a heat?”

Keith knew Allura should know damn well what a rut was, and what a heat was, but he couldn’t really fault the woman for not understanding properly

“Lance forced my knot out… he completely melted down and he’s hurt. Please Allura, I can’t go to him. I’ll only scare him”

Stepping forward, Hunk ignored the involuntary growl Keith let out at having another alpha in his space, when Lance’s lusty scent was still had a tight grip on him 

“Pidge, help me get Keith back to his quarters, and we need to track down Shiro”

It’s not like Keith hadn’t thought of Shiro, but the need to breed was pushing everything else aside. Growling he shoved Allura back, the princess falling back with a small surprised cry

“Sorry Allura, he can’t think straight at the moment. But he’s right, can you please go check on Lance. We might have to find a way to physically restrain Keith or Lance, otherwise they won’t be able to help themselves”

“I’ll leave Keith to you”

Waiting until Allura had left with Coran, Pidge and Hunk then moved to help him up. Groaning at the way his erection caught against the seam of his underwear, Keith had to resist the urge to rut. It felt like he was presenting all over again 

“Not my quarters…”

“What?”

“Don’t take me to my quarters. A sleeping pod would be better”

“But you’ll still be in a rut when you wake up”

“Pidge, it’s like you said, we can’t control ourselves right now. Lance won’t be able to say no, and I don’t want to hurt him”

“I guess that makes sense. I’m surprised you’re able to be so articulate, given the way you’re covered in Lance’s pheromones”

“Trust me, I’m struggling. But he doesn’t want this, so I need to go away for a little bit… though it’s odd. Neither of us were expecting his heat for another 4 movements”

“Stress has been known to trigger heats early, and by my math, it was more like two”

“What do you mean two?”

“You guys weren’t factoring for the fact that quintants and movements are longer than Earth days and weeks”

Oh… Pidge had a point. It wouldn’t have been the first time Keith fell back into to the habit of thinking of things as weeks and days.

Arriving at the pod chamber, Pidge went straight to work as she tapped away on the settings

“I’ve actually been working on a system for Lance, so that he could enter a pod during his heat and have his heat pass while he’s in stasis, but I guess that’ll have to wait until his next one. You should be right to enter now”

Releasing his hold on him, Hunk moved to stand beside Pidge as Keith dragged himself into the pod

“Can you guys just… keep an eye on things? I really don’t want Lance having breakdown while I can’t help him”

“Lance is our friend, of course we will… we’ll stay away, but we’ll make sure Allura checks in on him, and that Shiro isn’t left to wander around the castle alone”

“Thanks”

The pair might be alpha’s, but they both seemed completely uninterested in Lance. As the glass slid into place, Keith’s last thought was a prayer. Please let Lance make it through his heat.

 

*

The pain wouldn’t stop, and every fibre of Lance burnt. He didn’t know how many waves he’d endured since his heat had started, but now that his scent had overridden Keith’s, he felt so incredibly lonely and empty. He needed the alpha. He needed him so badly that he could barely function. Everything he tried to eat or drink he threw back up. His nest was a mess, and each time something fell off the bed, or there was some kind of creaking from the ship, he was terrified it meant Shiro was coming to get him. Delirious, from hunger and dehydration, he barely knew up from down as he crawled from his nest. His legs wouldn’t even support his weight, and he had no idea where he was going. He just… he needed…

 

*

Stepping from the pod, Keith was confused. In front of him was Lance, the omega wearing only a long t-shirt, that barely hid anything. It certainly didn’t hide the mess on Lance’s thighs

“A-alpha…”

Tripping over his own feet, Lance fell hand to the floor with a small whimper 

“Alpha… help… me”

Quiznak. Quiznak. Quiznak. Lance didn’t look good at all. His scent filled with tones of sickness and pain, rather than arousal. His boyfriend was still in heat, and the heat was going badly.

Using all the willpower he had Keith moved to Lance’s side, shaking and panting the omega was failing badly at pushing himself back up

“Lance, it’s ok. I’m here”

Squatting down next to Lance, Keith placed his hand on the omegas shoulder. From his angle he could see straight down Lance’s shirt, and he could practically count his boyfriends ribs. Having got him down to his level, his boyfriend moved faster than the expected. Pushing him down before straddling his lap and beginning to grind against Keith’s tenting erection. Mewing openly, his boyfriend gripped his erection and worked himself hard and clumsily, to the point it looked painful

“Alpha!”

Cumming across him, Lance didn’t slow at all through his orgasm. Keith couldn’t help it. Not when Lance so clearly needed him. 

With his pants awkwardly around his knees, Keith thrust into Lance hard and fast. Growling as Lance’s already bloodied fingernails scraped his back, he pulled back before slamming in hard, causing Lance to arch beneath him.. his alpha had robbed him of his senses and now they were both operating on the base instinct to breed. Snarling, he came somewhat embarrassingly fast, but his orgasm hit him so hard that his world turned black for a moment. Flopping down between Lance’s legs, his boyfriend pulsed and spasmed around his erection, drawing his seed deeper and deeper as he did. Lance would some day carry his pups, and that thought filled his alpha with pride. Staying deeply buried, he closed his eyes and listened to Lance’s racing heart as he continued to cum.

When Keith’s knot finally deflated, the alpha pushed himself up. Lance had been silent since he’d came, and now Keith could see why. His boyfriend wasn’t well at all. Lance’s lips were cracked, his eyes glassy and his skin an unhealthy yellow. Moving his hand to Lance’s mouth, he found very little breath coming from the fellow teen. Shit. Shit! Ignoring the fact he was still painfully hard, Keith slid from Lance, before taking Lance’s face in his hands

“Lance? Baby, can you hear me?”

He got a blink. A single, solitary blink. No. This wasn’t happening. He wasn’t letting Lance’s heat ruin his boyfriend any further. Pulling his pants back up, Keith then slid Lance’s shirt back into place, before lifting his boyfriend and carrying him the few feet back over to the sleep pod he’d been using. It was going to be a tight squeeze, and he had no idea of it would work, but he hoped like hell that pod would heal Lance. Taking Lance’s arm, he wrapped it around his waist before taking the omega’s hand in his and intertwining their fingers. Lance’s looked so painful. The omega had clearly chewed his own nails right back

“I’ve got you. You’re ok now…”

Pressed against the back of the pod, it took a small eternity for the glass to slide into place.

 

*

Rousing, Lance was confused. He was half naked and plastered up against his boyfriend. He couldn’t remember leaving his room, but with Keith in his arms, he didn’t care. He needed the alpha. He needed the alpha to take the pain away. Leaning in to kiss Keith, Lance moaned openly into his alpha’s mouth. Each touch felt like a spark of warmth, like some kind of fired was being stroked alive inside of him. Raising his leg, he half tried to mount the alpha right there, despite the lack of space. Taking the hint, Keith moved forward, releasing his hand in favour of lifting Lance by his arse. The moment they were free from the pod, the alpha lowered him to the floor before fumbling his pants down

“Keith… I need you”

“I know baby, I know”

The moment Keith was freed from the confines of his pants, the alpha flipped him over and pushed in. Scrambling to grab at the floor, Lance felt like he was melting. It just felt so good, and so right.

Not caring about where they were, they went it at like rabbits, and would have continued to do so if not for Allura and Coran. Someone must have explained to them that they couldn’t stop themselves, and though he remembered a smoky haze filling the room, the next thing he knew he was waking up in his quarters, feeling like he recovering from the worst cold of his life. Beneath the pile of blankets, his body couldn’t stop shivering, and he someone had placed a wet towel across his forehead

“Lance?”

God. Was Allura always this loud?“

"Shhhh…”

“Lance, how are you feeling?”

“Fucking gross…”

“Pidge says your heat’s finally past. Can you remember what happened?”

“Keith…”

“We had to separate you both”

Lance’s face burnt. He’d no doubt had Keith inside of him when that happened and someone had to have pulled his boyfriend out of him to separate them

“I’m sorry”

“It’s ok. You… you had me scared. Heats are horrible things”

Allura sounded like she was crying, but Lance didn’t have the strength to look. He just wanted to cuddle into Keith 

“Hunk prepared some food for you, and I’ve got fresh sheets for your bed”

“Thanks, Allura, but I don’t think I can move”

“Do you want me to help?”

No. He didn’t want to be touched by anyone other than Keith. When he realise that, he also realised someone had touched him while he was naked and unconscious. The thought turned his stomach so badly he gagged

“Lance!”

“Allura, can you leave?”

“Lance…”

“Please… its… I can’t have you near me. I… I need Keith”

“I’ll get Keith. If your heat's passed it’ll be safe now”

With Allura gone, Lance pulled himself out of bed. One hand moving to his stomach. Rubbing the soft skin, his omega was praying he was pregnant, while he was praying he wasn’t. Being with Keith had felt so good, but they both felt the need to breed, and didn’t want to fall pregnant because of those base instincts. He wanted to fall pregnant to the alpha he loved because he loved him back. Conflicted and confused, Lance made his way to his bathroom on unsteady legs, opting to just half collapse onto the shower floor, before fumbling for the taps above his head. He wanted Keith. He wanted him to tell him it was all going to be ok.

 

*

Laying on the bathroom floor, Lance was just about asleep again when the doors to the bathroom slid open. Sighing softly the omega pushed himself and offered Keith a small smile 

“Hey”

“Hey yourself”

Crossing to the shower, his boyfriend turned the taps off before moving to help Lance off the floor

“You have no idea how relieved I am that you’re awake”

“Barely. I’m barely awake”

“Still, you’ve been out cold for the last 2 days”

“Allura said they had to separate us…”

Nodding his head, Keith helped him sink down onto the toilet, before fetching his towel for him. Passing him the towel, Keith backed off as Lance clumsily wrapped it around himself. Something seemed off with his alpha

“Keith, are you ok?”

“Me? Why wouldn’t I be?”

Keith’s answer came too fast. Lance’s heart began to race as the omega chewed his bottom lip. Staring into his lap, he felt himself tearing up 

“Lance?”

“You want to break up… don’t you?”

The words were out his lips before he could stop himself

“Wh-…”

“You’re mad at me because I couldn’t stop myself from needing you… you hate me now, don’t you?”

Left emotionally drained from his heat, his insecurities were getting the better of him

“Lance… it’s not that”

“Then what!?”

“It’s just… you nearly died. You were barely breathing, and I still…”

Wiping his face, Lance shook his head

“No. I knew my heat would be rough…”

“Lance, you wouldn’t eat or drink anything Allura gave you, and the bit you fed yourself, you threw back up. She said by the first night you’d come down with a fever and kept begging her to keep Shiro away. You knew well enough to send me away, but we still had sex during your heat. Do you understand what that means?”

“Of course I do! Ok. I get it! You don’t want to stick around in case you knocked me up”

Growling at him, Keith stepped forward so he could grasp him by the chin

“Stop making assumptions”

“You’re the one making assumptions!”

“Lance you just told me that I want to walk out on you, even though we have no way of knowing if you’re pregnant or not. I told you I’d support you, not matter what you chose, but now I’m worried because I feel like I forced myself on you. All I could think about was breeding you. That’s it. My alpha was in complete control…”

“And you don’t think I didn’t feel like that too! You’re not the one who physically hurts because your boyfriends dick inside of you! But even out of it, I still chose you because I trust you!”

“You trusted me not to do anything”

Were they really arguing about what was hands down the best sex they’d ever had? From somewhere deep, laughter bubbled up and spilled over

“Lance?”

“We’re fighting over sex”

“What?”

“We’re fighting over the fact we both wanted sex…”

“We’re fighting because you weren’t ready to spend a heat with me and pushed me away… but I still knotted you”

“You know what? Fine! Just go the fuck away. I asked Allura to get you because I really just wanted to be held, but now I’m so mad at you!”

“You wanted to be held by me?”

“Yes! But you don’t want to be here, so go away!”

“So you’re not mad at me?”

Lance let out a groan. Wasn’t he trying to say that?

“No… I just want to curl up in bed with you”

“We have a few vargas before we’re supposed to meet with the Olkari…”

“So you don’t want to cuddle your emotional boyfriend?”

“I didn’t say that”

“Then get over here and help me up”

Keith was still hesitant as he moved to do as Lance said. He could see it in his alpha’s steps, but he just do desperately needed the contact that he didn’t mention it. He didn’t want to fight. He wanted his bed and his alpha… and to sleep for like a month.

 

*

With Lance snoring loudly in his arms, Keith was still struggling with the fact his boyfriend seemed so alright. The alpha had woken the previous day, they were already on Olkarion, and Pidge had already taken off due to a lead on her brother. Part of him wished she wouldn’t bring another alpha on board, not when he didn’t know how his boyfriend would react to what happened between them, but the larger part of his wished her luck. He couldn’t deny that if he had a lead on his mother, he’d leave everything behind to follow it… 

Sighing in his sleep, Lance rolled away, before rolling back and smacking him squarely in the nose with his forehead. Waking himself up, Lance blinked at him in confusion, before closing his eyes again. Despite his smarting nose, Keith found it completely adorable. Lance was completely vulnerable, yet trusted him to be there. He had no idea of how much that inflated his ego.

Having been unable to close his eyes, Keith was still watching Lance sleep when the door to the omegas room slid open. Smiling softly, Allura crossed to sit on the edge of Lance’s bed

“How’s he doing?”

“Better. He’s been asleep for most of the afternoon now”

“Do you think he’d be up to getting up and moving around? I’ve talked to the Olkari, and we think we’ve found something that should be of great help to him”

“Shhhh… sleeping”

Laughing softly at his boyfriend shushing them, Keith looked down to find Lance staring up at him

“Hey, Allura wants to talk to us. Are you awake enough?”

“I’m hungry”

“Allura, we’ll get prepared and meet you in the kitchen, if that’s alright”

“I’ll ask Hunk to prepare something for you both”

“Mmmm… thanks, Allura”

Left alone again, Lance wriggled against him

“When did you get here?”

“Earlier. Don’t you remember?”

“Not really, but I’m so tired and everything feels so messed up… I’m relieved you’re here though”

Oh… so Lance hadn’t processed he was really there at all. He could feel his happiness crumbling into uneasy thorns around his heart. Just because Lance was relieved right now, didn’t mean he would be once his emotions and thoughts settled down. Climbing out his grasp, his boyfriend pushed himself from his bed without looking back

“Lance?”

“I just need to go to the bathroom… and why am I naked?”

“You fell asleep on the shower floor”

“Oh”

Was that seriously all he was getting? An “Oh?”. What was that supposed to mean?

“Do you want me to get your clothes ready?”

“If you don’t mind. I’m still sooooo sleepy”

Disappearing into the bathroom, Keith waited a moment before climbing out the omega’s bed. What happened now? Finding up his boyfriends clothes, he felt himself growing restless. He couldn’t help casting glances at the bathroom door, even after he’d laid Lance’s clothes out for him. Just what was going through Lance’s head?


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still plodding along... 
> 
> And ao3 decided to stuff up my spacing grrrr

Hiding in his bathroom, Lance was hunched over the bathroom counter as he tried to remember how to breathe. Keith didn’t seem to suspect anything, and that was good. It wasn’t like he wasn’t relieved that his alpha was there, but his mind was racing. Having taken a good hard look at himself in the mirror, he found himself littered with bruises from… from doing that with Keith. He couldn’t deny it hadn’t felt good at the time, but now it seemed like reality was setting in. He hadn’t wanted to be bred. He’d wanted to have sex because they loved each other, and each time the word “bred” entered his mind, he felt just that little bit sicker. Turning on the cold tap, Lance splashed his face. He needed to get it together. He needed to be the cocky blue paladin again, especially if they were back on Olkarion… so whatever he was feeling and whatever he couldn’t remember needed to wait until the meeting was over, but in the back of his mind he felt like he was forgetting something. He probably was. He didn’t remember Keith showing up, and he doubted his boyfriend would have just climbed into bed with him… or maybe he did? Did Keith think that because they’d had sex, he’d want it more now? He’d want to be touched and held like that? Feeling his stomach roll, he hacked into the sink. His tender abdomen clenching as he tried to vomit, though there seemed to be nothing to throw up  
“Lance? Um, we need to go…”  
The soft words accompanied a soft knock like the alpha didn’t really want to disturb him. Rushing to rinse his mouth, Lance then turned the water off with a heavy sigh. He could barely function and now he had to people… he didn’t want to people. He wanted to sleep and to be alone.  
Feeling his face redden as Keith stared at his naked form, he coughed lightly. Taking the hint, Keith turned around, leaving the teen to awkwardly dress  
“Lance, are you ok?”  
No. No, he really wasn’t  
“Yeah. Just hungry”  
He might have been before, but now his stomach was rolling uncomfortably. Straightening up his pants, he then bit back a groan as he forced his boots on. Clothes were way too much effort at the best of times  
“All done. Shall we go?”  
Turning back to him, Keith looked like he’d been hurt. Lance had no idea why and didn’t like seeing his alpha look so down. Forcing his fear down, the omega crossed to the alpha and took his hand  
“This is ok? Right?”  
Nodding silently, Keith let himself be pulled along as Lance started towards the kitchen.

 

*  
Arriving in the kitchen, Hunk grinned broadly at them both  
“Nice of you to make an appearance”  
“If it’s so nice, maybe I should charge”  
Grinning at his best friend, Lance was honestly relieved not to be alone with Keith any longer  
“Allura said you were up, though you look ready to fall back to sleep”  
“I am. Heats are horrible… and, I should probably apologise in case I did anything embarrassing. I don’t remember all that much”  
“Given you nearly died, I think I can forgive you. Grab a plate, Allura is already in the dining room with Ryner, we have a surprise for you”  
“Is it a good surprise?”  
“Maybe… you’ll just have to wait and see. Though I should probably mention it was Pidge who approached her about it…”  
“Where is Pidge?”  
“She got a lead on her brother”  
Lance’s eyes widened with excitement  
“Really?”  
“Yeah. She’s off following it right now”  
“That’s awesome! I hope she finds him”  
“So do I. It’ll be like meeting another living legend”  
“I completely understand what you mean”  
Picking up the closest plate, Lance frowned when Keith didn’t follow his lead  
“Keith?”  
“Right. I was just thinking”  
“Well don’t think too hard, I don’t want my boyfriend exploding in Hunk’s kitchen”  
“Ha ha”  
“I know. I’m hilarious”  
Quiznak. He was trying too hard. He could hear it in his own voice. Falling silent, he waited until Hunk had gathered three plates onto his hold, before following his friend. It was simple. One foot after another.  
Entering the dining room, Allura rose to greet them  
“Ryner, you remember Lance and Keith, don’t you?”  
“The Red and Blue Paladins. It’s an honour to see you again”  
An honour… he wouldn’t go that far, though his omega definitely perked up at the word  
“You too. Hunk mentioned something about a surprise”  
Ryner let out a small laugh, it was barely a laugh but it was still there  
“Yes, but first eat. You look much improved as to when I saw you yesterday”  
“You saw me?”  
“Ryner was able to provide some herbs to help promote healing”  
“Oh…”  
Because he and Keith had gone at it like rabbits… if the floor would like to swallow him, that would be muchly appreciated  
“Thank you”  
Taking a seat across from Allura and Ryner, Hunk took the seat to his left, and Keith to his right. He didn’t miss the way Keith edged his chair ever so slightly towards him and had to resist the urge to move his own away. He hated this. He hated this so badly. Ryner might have insisted they eat first, but he needed something to distract himself from his own thoughts  
“So this surprise…”  
Ryner let out a small snort  
“The young are always so eager and full of life. Very well”  
Sliding her hand into her garb, Ryner pulled out what seemed to be a small wooden box  
“Your Green Paladin Pidge told me about your unique biology. She asked me if there was any way to synthesise a compound found on your planet that prevents one from falling pregnant, and eases your "heat”…“  
Of all the things to come from the old woman’s mouth, he didn’t expect that and felt completely blind sighted. His heats were his problems, just like his fertility was his problem. Pidge’s heart might have been in the right place, but as he was still recovering from his heat, it felt like a slap in the face  
"I see I’ve upset you”  
Quiznak…  
“Not upset so much… omegas tend to be very emotionally unstable after heats”  
He hated referring to himself as unstable, especially because he knew he was  
“This is designed to be worn on your finger as a ring. It releases a small measured dose of a compound our race has used for many hundreds of years. It will not harm any life already growing inside of you, though it will prevent a new life from being created”  
Beside him, Keith tensed. The alpha’s scent taking on a dangerous edge  
“Perhaps it is something to discuss with your partner, after all, these choices are not just yours alone”  
“It’s his body, let him do what he wants”  
“Keith!”  
Being scolded by Allura must have been a bitter blow to the alpha’s ego. Burying his head in his hands, Keith seemed like he was both self-imploding and getting ready to explode  
“Hunk, why don’t you escort Ryner back to the bridge? I’ll be up there as soon as I’ve talked to Keith and Lance”  
“Uh-ok. I kind of didn’t want to hear about this anyway. Ryner, if you please”  
Waiting until the door had closed, Allura then rose to her feet. The woman’s hands coming down onto the table with enough force to create a small thud that made Lance jump  
“I thought you two would be happy about this. You’re at an age where you both have needs and wants, but those needs and wants are potentially dangerous. Lance, you nearly died during your heat because you pushed your alpha away. Keith, you tried to shut yourself away, but Lance still sought you out and now there is a very real chance that Lance could be carrying your…”  
Allura seemed to have forgotten the term “pup”. Mumbling “pup”, Keith seemed just as awkward about having the sex talk from Allura as he did  
“Pup. Yes. Thank you, Keith. Keith, Lance could be carrying your pup. He’s barely recovered from losing the first two, and I know you don’t want to hurt him. Lance, I’m not telling you not to sleep with Keith, but I’ve watched you for phoebes now, and I honestly feel you are not ready for this. So please”  
“I understand, Allura. The time isn’t right anyway. Zarkon is still out there, and we have no idea what Lotor is up to either. A pup is the last thing we need around here”  
Allura’s face softened immediately  
“Lance, I truly hope that someday there will be peace, and I’m sure you’ll make a wonderful mother, but for now, I feel this is the best option”  
Reaching out, Lance slid the box over. Opening it, he stared down at the ring. The ring inside was small, black and smooth… so basically nothing like what he expected. Sliding it onto the ring finger of his right hand, the band automatically tightened so it fit snuggly, but not uncomfortably so. Giving a small blue pulse, it then turned to green, before returning to black  
“Well I don’t feel any different”  
“Excellent. I’ll pass your thanks onto Ryner. Keith, please make sure Lance eats and then gets some more rest”  
“I will”  
His alpha sounded pained, which caused his own chest to tighten in response. He hadn’t talked to Keith, instead, he’d just jumped right in. Leaving them alone, a heavy silence hung between the two teens  
“Keith. Would you rather I not wear it?”  
“What are you asking me for?”  
“Because you’re my boyfriend…”  
“It’s your body. How many times do u have to tell you I’ll support the decisions that you make before you get it”  
Flinching at Keith’s cold tone, it didn’t sound like his alpha was supporting him at all  
“You heard what she said…”  
“Lance. Enough. I get it. Just hurry up and finish your food”  
Not wanting to push Keith any further, Lance forced himself to eat even though he knew it wouldn’t be staying down.

 

*  
Keith knew he was being an arse, but he couldn’t help it. Lance had slid that ring on without even asking about any possible side effects or permanent damage. Was it really safe? He’d known they’d prepared something to help his boyfriend with his second dynamic, but not this. Ryner had said it wouldn’t harm the pup if Lance has conceived, but was that really the case? Or was he going to have to hold Lance as he lost another pup? They were human, not Olkari, so would the medication even work? And what if they’d offered Lance an abortion pill? Would the omega have swallowed it down just as fast as he rushed to place that ring on his finger? All the questions he could have talked out with Lance, but just looking at his boyfriend stirred the cinders of his alpha’s smouldering rage. No one had ever warned him that falling in love would fill him with so much anxiety. It sucked and it hurt, but above all, it wasn’t fair. He didn’t want to doubt his omega’s love… yet here he was, alone in his own quarters. Lance has said he’d wanted to go back to sleep, but when they’d reached his quarters, the omega had waved him goodbye with a tight smile. Hadn’t Lance wanted him this morning? How could the omega forget asking for him? Did he regret it?  
Feeling the silent tears drip onto his hands, Keith wiped his face. He could still smell Lance on his shirt, so he’d stripped it up and buried his face in the soft fabric. He loved Lance. He wanted Lance to be happy, but he was also an alpha and alpha’s were supposed to be strong. How did normal alpha’s deal with this? He couldn’t exactly turn to Pidge or Hunk… and Shiro was just a big fat no. For the first time in a long time, he felt very much alone.

 

*  
Waking himself with his own screams, Lance flopped back on his bed with a long whine. The fresh memories of spending part of his heat with Keith had melded into the ones of Shiro. In his dreams, it was his boyfriend attacking him. Slamming into him over with such brutality that though he was awake, he could still taste blood. Drawing himself into a ball, Lance sobbed in earnest. He’d been scared of this happening. That was why he’d sent Keith away, and now he was paying for being so weak-willed. If only he had told his boyfriend what he felt openly and honestly… no. He couldn’t do that. Not to Keith. Feeling the ring on his finger pulse, Lance forced his shaking hand up so he could see it. Ryner and Allura thought it would help him, but all it had so far done was upset Keith.  
With his overactive imagination working on overdrive, it was vargas before Lance finally fell back into a fitful sleep. His dreams once again about Shiro’s abuse. When the morning came, Lance knew he was in a bad state. He’d screamed until his voice was hoarse, and his room was completely trashed, though somewhat more pathetically, he’d wet the bed due to the violent nightmares. Curled up in this bathroom, he’d wedged himself between his bathroom cabinet and his toilet as it was the smallest space within his quarters.  
Hearing a noise coming from the other side of the bathroom door, Lance clamped a hand over his mouth as he tried to silence his breathing. Hopefully whoever it was would think him gone… only like everything, life wasn’t that fair. Peaking under the cabinet, he watched the bathroom door slide open, and a pair of black and white boots came into view. Shiro. What was Shiro doing here? Why now? Swallowing down the vomit burning his throat, his eyes filled with fresh tears  
“Lance?”  
No. No. No. No…  
Stepping into the room, Shiro stopped right in front of him  
“Lance…”  
Shiro’s voice was unbearably soft, almost tender. He would have preferred if Shiro had yelled. He deserved it. He was bad  
“Lance, should I get Keith?”  
Why would Shiro get Keith? Was this a game? Would he hurt Keith again?  
Wordlessly, he shook his head  
“Lance, let me help you”  
The moment Shiro’s hand touched his skin, Lance’s stomach revolted and he threw up across his hand and lap  
“Quiznak Lance. Let’s get you cleaned up”  
“Don’t touch me”  
“What was that?”  
“Don’t touch me!”  
Screaming the words, Lance launched himself up, shoving Shiro out the way as he did. Taking off running, he didn’t care where he ended up.

 

*  
“Allura, what’s going on?”  
Having been called to the bridge by Allura, Keith was surprised to find both Shiro and Hunk there. The woman hadn’t gone into specifics, but the feeling in the room told him it wasn’t good news  
“What is it? Is it Pidge?”  
“Oh no, no, Pidge is pursuing a new lead. Shiro has something he needs to tell you”  
Looking to Shiro, the man was staring at his own feet  
“I… I looked at Lance’s memories”  
At first, it didn’t register what Shiro had said  
“You did what?”  
“I figured out how to work the Galra tech. I watched all of Lance’s memories”  
Still pissed from the previous day, Keith’s temper got the better of him. Launching himself at the alpha, his fist collided with Shiro’s nose, causing a very satisfying crunch  
“You did what!”  
“I had to know…”  
“You had to know what?!”  
“What I did!”  
“You had no right! No right at all! He’s been working hard to forget! How could you!?”  
“How could I? How do you think I feel?”  
“This isn’t about you! It’s about him! You told me not to, but it was perfectly ok for you! Are you fucking insane!? Do you have any idea what he went through trying to keep it from you!”  
He couldn’t believe it. No. He couldn’t believe that he couldn’t believe it. Of course, Shiro would have been tempted  
“What did you do with the device?”  
Shiro shook his head, which was a bad move. Grabbing Shiro by the collar Keith screamed into his face  
“Shiro! What did you do with it?!”  
“Keith, I think you should let him go. We have more pressing issues”  
Shoving Shiro back, the alpha bared his teeth as he looked to Hunk. Hunk apparently remembered what happened, so what right did he have to interfere  
“What?”  
“Lance took off”  
Blinking in confusion, Keith straightened himself up. His already racing heart threatened to burst  
“He… what… when?”  
“Shiro went to apologise for what happened, but Lance flipped out and took off. He’s not on the ship…”  
“Are you serious! How could you go near him! I have no idea what goes on in your brain anymore! It’s like you’re not even you! He just went through his heat, and you think… what? Let’s go mess with his head even more!”  
“I wanted to apologise! I wanted to tell him I understood why he did what he did! Doing those things to him… no one deserves that!”  
He hadn’t expected that. Not for Shiro to finally see things from Lance’s point of view, still, he didn’t feel like letting him off the hook  
“When was this?”  
“This morning”  
“This morning? How early?! How long has he been missing?”  
“I went to check on him and his room was trashed. He was curled up in his bathroom and I could smell the distress pouring off of him, so I went to help him…”  
“When!”  
“About 3 vargas ago. We scanned the ship first… but because he’s not wearing his uniform or communicator, we can’t pinpoint his location”  
Turning back towards the door, Keith stalked across the room  
“Keith”  
“I’ll find him! You all just stay here and do nothing, like you’re good at!”  
So maybe Hunk and Allura didn’t deserve the underhanded jab, but how could they let Lance be missing for so long without contacting him? And why hadn’t Lance ran to him? Or even to Blue?

 

*  
This had been a horrible idea. He was all for the outdoors, but now he was barefooted and lost in the woods. Feeling like a fool, he’d tried to retrace his steps, but that had only ended with his feet full of splinters and even less of an idea where he was. Still, limping through the forest, the took it as a win that nothing other than his own stupidity had tried to kill him. That made a nice change. Trying to insert some false cheer into the situation, he forced a smile to his lips  
“It’s ok. You’re ok. You’re Lance, the handsome Blue Paladin that ladies can’t resist”  
The ring on his finger pulsed as if disagreeing with him. Angered by it, he tried to tear it off his finger, only to find it firmly stuck. Ryner hadn’t told him it would get stuck… no… he hadn’t asked. Struggling harder, the omega failed to see the branch in his way, and promptly face-planted over it. That was the final straw. He quit. Whatever big scary beasts lived in the forest were welcome to come and eat him.  
“Lance! Lance can you hear me?!”  
Looking up from the dirt, Lance was sure he’d just heard Keith calling for him  
“Keith?!”  
Thanks to his earlier meltdown, his yell came out as a pained whimper. Idiot  
“Lance! Lance can you hear me?!”  
That was definitely Keith. His alpha had actually come looking for him… but why? Wasn’t he still mad?  
“Laaaaaance!”  
“Keith!”  
He didn’t know why he bothered trying. There was no way Keith was going to hear him. Crawling back over the branch, Lance looked around. Maybe it was his imagination, but the shadows around him seemed to be spreading, and the forest felt that much closer for it. Burying his face against his knees, he bit his lip as he told himself not to cry. He wasn’t a pampered city omega… though right now he wished he was. He’d never be out here if he was… or if he’d just gotten over himself  
“Laaaance! Baby! Can you hear me?!”  
Baby… he’d hated pet names like that before he started dating Keith, but that had mostly been due to jealousy and though baby didn’t really suit Keith’s image, it was the pet name his alpha had settled on for him all by himself  
“Seriously! Lance, you better now be ignoring me!”  
Keith was mad… though it sounded like the alpha was coming closer, which meant he was still looking for him. His omega side took pride in that fact. That his alpha was good and kind enough to come into a place like this.

 

“Lance! There you are!”  
Looking up Keith, the alpha was a mess. Twigs and leaves were caught in the teen’s black hair, while mud had splattered across his white pants and boots. Crossing over to him, Keith hauled him up by his arm  
“What were you thinking running off like that? Do you have any idea how worried we all were? We need to get you back to the castle”  
Pulling his hand, Keith forced him to walk on his already badly hurt feet. Biting harder on his lip, he felt like he had no right to tell his alpha how much it hurt, so tried his hardest not to stumble as Keith led him through the forest confidently  
“Seriously Lance, why didn’t you come and talk to me? I know Shiro freaked you out, but you’re supposed to be my omega. You’re supposed to rely on me”  
When Lance didn’t answer, Keith finally came to a stop. Releasing his hand, his boyfriend turned to look at him  
“Lance…”  
The hard look in Keith’s eyes softened as the alpha reached out towards his face. Gently, Keith rubbed at the side of his mouth with the pad of his thumb until Lance released his bloodied lip  
“S…”  
Unable to for the word, Lance coughed to clear his throat  
“Sorry”  
“What happened to your voice? Does your throat hurt?”  
“I-its nothing”  
“It’s not nothing. You should have told me you weren’t alright”  
Did he really look alright? He felt like quiznak and was pretty sure he looked like it. Turning away, Keith knelt down  
“I’ll piggyback you back”  
“I…”  
“Lance, get on already”  
It was a bittersweet relief not to have to walk anymore. With his head buried against Keith’s neck, he could smell his boyfriend’s anger  
“S-sorry”  
“What for? And didn’t I tell you not to talk?”  
How could he answer if he wasn’t allowed to talk?  
“I’m not ok”  
Sighing, Keith readjusted his hold on him  
“That’s all you had to say”  
“My heat made me think of Shiro”  
“I figured that was the case, and I should probably tell you that Shiro knows what he did. He watched your memories and wanted to tell you he understood why you did what you did”  
“H-he does?”  
“Yeah. Still, I might have broken his nose for looking at them”  
“You didn’t have to do that”  
“I did it because I love you. I love you but I don’t know what I’m doing wrong anymore”  
“Nothing. You didn’t do anything”  
Continuing the next few metres in peace, Keith broke the silence with an unexpected question  
“Lance, do you think you’d want to go on a date with me?”  
“A date?”  
“Yeah. We can go to the Space Mall… I have some money I got from the Galra…”  
“I don’t mind where we go”  
“So you want to go?”  
“Yeah… it’ll be fun, right?”  
“Cool. Cool. I’ll talk to Allura about it when we get back”  
“We’ll have to wait a little bit though?”  
“What? Why?”  
“My feet hurt”  
Straightening his legs, he showed Keith his feet the best he could  
“Laaaaance”  
“I’m sorry”  
“I feel like I’m making you apologise too much. I never knew falling for someone could make you feel so anxious”  
“You get anxious too?”  
“Of course I do. Whenever I take my eyes off you, you end up in some kind of trouble”  
Oh… so that was it. Keith only got anxious because he kept stuffing up  
“… and I get jealous. Because Shiro touched you. Because of how badly he’s left his mark on you and because I can’t seem to make you better”  
“It’s not like I had a choice”  
“I know you didn’t. It’s not you in angry at, I get so mad at Shiro, and then I get so mad that I end up hating myself for how I feel”  
“You’re such a dummy”  
“How am I dummy?”  
“Because you’re the only one I want to be touched by”  
Nuzzling Keith’s neck, Lance sighed. His throat hurting way too much to continue talking. Closing his eyes, the rest of the walk back to ship passed in silence.

 

*  
After calling Allura to let her know they were in the medical bay, Keith sat Lance down on the bed. He would have preferred to take him straight to a healing pod, but he needed to make sure Lance’s feet were splinter and debris free… which, of course, they weren’t. It had to have hurt like a quiznak to walk on  
“You did a good job. It’s probably going to hurt”  
“It’s ok. I don’t care what you do to me”  
His boyfriend’s tone might have carried warmth, but it left him uncomfortable. Part of him wondered if Lance would simply forgive him if he ever hurt him like Shiro had. Cursing himself for letting his anxieties get the better of him, Keith left Lance’s side to retrieve a bowl of warm water. For a room he hadn’t know existed during the first 8 phoebes in space, he now was way too familiar with it. After gathering everything he needed, he carried the lot back to Lance’s bed  
“You’ll need to soak your feet”  
“Ok”  
Placing the bowl down, he guided Lance’s feet into it. The omega immediately letting out a hiss  
“I’m sorry baby”  
“’t’s ok”  
It wasn’t long before Allura and Hunk joined them. Shiro was off training with some of the local inhabitants, trying to teach them basic self-defence moves. Keith suspected it was just something Allura came up with so Shiro wouldn’t feel like an outsider. He had no idea where Coran was but wasn’t in the mood for the man’s jokes anyway. Kneeling before Lance, Keith was still gently cleaning Lance’s feet with the towel and cloth he’d found  
“You did a good job”  
Snorting at Hunk, Lance tried to pull his foot away  
“That’s what Keith said”  
“Lance, your voice…”  
“Yeah, his throat seems really sore. Once I’ve got the splinters out, I’m going to take him up to the healing pods”  
“Why don’t I help you? Hunk, do you think you can make something to help Lance’s throaty?”  
“It’s like she’s never tried my cooking before. Lance, I’d personally recommend shoes in the future”  
“Suggestion noted. Thanks, man”  
Leaving them, it was back to being just the three of them  
“Allura, why don’t you take a seat next to Lance”  
“I don’t want to intrude”  
“No, I had something I wanted to ask you anyway”  
Moving to sit by Lance like he’d suggested, his boyfriend leant against the woman as Allura wrapped an arm around him  
“We were wondering if we could have a day off. I think it’ll be good to take Lance out, and I’d like to take him on a date”  
“Lance, is that alright with you?”  
Why was Allura asking his boyfriend like he hadn’t already?  
“Yeah… I need to get away from Shiro for a bit”  
Nodding her head, he didn’t miss the small glimmer of sadness cross Allura’s face  
“I told him Shiro watched his memories”  
“Oh, how does that make you feel Lance?”  
“I don’t want to think about it. I never wanted him to see them, but Keith said Shiro said he understood why I did what I did”  
“Allura, his voice is really bad, maybe we should talk about this once he’s healed up”  
“Yes, I suppose you’re right. We should be hearing back from Pidge soon, so once she checks in we’ll know when’s best for that date of yours”

Being down a paladin, they couldn’t really afford for another two to leave, besides if Pidge really did find Matt, then there might be hope that he’d find his mother. Feeling a small smile tug on his lips, he looked up to see Lance staring right at him  
“What?”  
“You’re smiling”  
“I was just thinking about how family is so important. If Pidge can find Matt, maybe I’ll find my mum”  
“You will”  
“But she’s Galra…”  
“I feel like you will. I wonder if she looks like you”  
“I don’t see how she could… what’s with the scrunched up face?”  
“I was just trying to picture the pups. I wonder if they’d have Galra markings”  
“I wouldn’t care if they did, I’d still love them all the same”  
Instead of replying, Lance looked to Allura, the woman pulling back slightly so she could look at him better  
“What?”  
“I was just thinking it’d be cute if they had marks like you do”  
“Lance, those are Altean”  
“They’d still be cute. Imagine if they did though”  
“I think you’re creeping Allura out”  
“Sorry, Allura. Hey, wouldn’t it be crazy if they did, but it was because of the Earth DNA reacting with the Galra and like Earth was originally settled by Altean’s… or like Atlantis was really Altean, ‘cause they were all advanced and stuff”  
“As nice as it would be to believe that, I don’t see how that’s possible”  
Shrugging his shoulders, Lance looked back to him, seemingly still stuck on the same line thought  
“Not all Altean’s carry the marks”  
“Sorry Allura, just ignore him. You know what he gets like when he thinks he’s figured something out”  
“It’s quite alright. I might go check in with Hunk though. Your voice is barely audible now”  
Keith took that to mean that Lance had hit a nerve accidentally by mentioning Altea. The omega probably didn’t even realise it. Letting it slip, Keith finished up washing Lance’s foot. The number of splinters his boyfriend had managed to accumulate was actually kind of impressive, and he would have been impressed if he didn’t know it was going to take vargas to get them all out.


	19. Chapter 19

Lance wasn't completely sure of his disguise. He knew some male omegas dressed more feminine than he normally did, but here he was, dressed a girl. Looking at himself in the mirror, he really didn't think it was fair that both he and Keith had to dress up just to go on a date, but both Coran and Allura had insisted that after their last trip to the Space Mall, it was safer for everyone. Shaking his head once again at his appearance, he supposed he should probably get a move on as Keith was already waiting outside his quarters for him.

Stepping outside his quarters, Lance gaped at his boyfriend. With his hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, Keith was dressed in a practically skin tight black ensemble that had him slicking. His boyfriend was hot... while he just looked like an idiot   
"Lance?"  
"How come you don't have to dress like a girl?!"  
"Because this is what Allura gave me to wear..."  
Allura had given him a pair of her dressier shoes, with a dress she'd altered to be more fun. To him it was just a dress, but to Allura, it was probably something she'd always wanted to wear. A peasant styled sun dress. After all, there had to be times the princess wanted nothing more than to be a normal person. Lance really didn't envy the weight Allura carried on her shoulders   
"You look nice"  
Wrinkling his nose Lance shook his head   
"I look stupid. I don't know how girls can wear their hair long"  
The wig was Coran's, and Lance was certain he really didn't want to know why Coran had it to begin with  
"You don't look stupid"  
"Wait until you see me walk. I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll ever get the hang of being graceful"  
"It's fine, I like you just the way you are"  
Feeling his face redden, he told himself it was from the embarrassment of what he was wearing and not Keith's cheesy line. Letting the alpha take his hand, his boyfriend pulled him close, before pressing a kiss to his cheek  
"Shall we go?"  
"Yeah..."

Insisting he should fly the pod, Lance lost any feminine graces he might have acquired on their walk down to the pod bay. Forgetting he was in a dress, he tried to kick his boyfriend out of the pilot seat, only for Keith to tease him about how he could see his underwear. There was no way he was going to be able to pull off being a girl, but he'd give it his best shot purely because he was so excited and nervous about this date. They'd already had to push it back a whole movement thanks to Pidge finding her brother Matt. So he'd had all that time to build up quite the collection of "what-ifs" in his mind. Pouting as he leaned against Keith, he tried to give his boyfriend the best puppy dog eyes he could, but the alpha barely blinked. Stupid alpha's. He was a perfectly good pilot, and why shouldn't he be the one contributing something to the date? Allura had already entrusted Keith with the money, and with a few small tasks she needed done at the mall after their date. He was just as a reliable as his boyfriend  
"Lance, I know you want to fly, but I'm taking you on a date. I couldn't really pick you up and drop you off, so let me at least make sure you arrive safely"  
"I can pilot a pod you know"  
"I do, but it's probably safer if I do"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means I've seen how you land. I want to make it there in one piece"  
"That's such an alpha thing to say"  
"No, it's a concerned boyfriend thing to say"  
Stupid Keith. How dare he pull the boyfriend card on him! Huffing softly, Lance quietened his objections for the rest of the trip, though he was definitely going to pilot on he way back, even if he had to actually kick his boyfriend for it.

 

*  
Lance looked cute. A little weird because he'd never pictured the omega dressing as a girl, but none the less, his boyfriend looked cute. Taking the omega's hand, he was sure that anyone who happened to Lance would think the same and he'd really have to thank Allura and Coran when try returned home. His own outfit didn't do much to hide his identity, but he hadn't caused as much trouble as Lance had on their previous trip here, so he kind of hoped they'd just slide under the radar  
"So, where do you want to go first?"  
"I'm supposed to ask you that"  
"Why? Because I'm the girl?"  
"Something like that"  
Stomping on his right foot, Lance glared at him  
"I'm not a girl. I'm your boyfriend"  
"I know you're not. I was only joking"  
"You were?"  
"Yes"  
Easing his foot off of Keith's, Lance sighed   
"Alright, but I reserve the right to stomp on your foot again if you treat me like a girl again"  
"Yes honey"  
Lance didn't even think twice about stomping on his foot again. Huffing at him, Lance turned away and began to walk... very stiffly away. He knew he shouldn't laugh, but the heels on the omega's borrowed shoes were tiny. Surely Lance couldn't have that much trouble with them?

Easily catching Lance, this time Keith snaked his right arm around his boyfriend's waist  
"I was thinking we could do some personal shopping before we have lunch, and save the errands for after"  
"Will you buy me something shiny?"  
Resisting the urge to tease Lance about being girly for wanting shiny things, Keith nodded slowly  
"Within limits. I don't have a whole lot of money"  
"It's fine. I'm happy enough being here with you as it is"  
"So you're not going to step on my foot again?"  
"I might..."  
Shaking his head, Lance then brushed the wig back so he could look at him properly   
"No. That was quiznak of me. I just feel so stupid. I feel like everyone's going to look at me and laugh"  
"I promise you no ones laughing. You look really cute, and while I would love to go on a date with you while you're dressed like normal, I would rather go on a date knowing that you're safe"  
"Don't you ever get tired of those cheesy lines?"  
"Leave my cheesy lines alone. There's only one person in this whole universe who's heard them, so I don't know what's cheesy or not until it comes out my mouth"  
"You've been using your lines on someone else?"  
Groaning at his boyfriend, Keith shook his head   
"One person. If I'm using them on you and only one person has heard them..."  
Lance let out a small "oh" before blushing   
"Yeah"  
Laying his head against Keith's shoulder, his omega let out a small sigh   
"I'm really bad at this whole boyfriend thing"  
"Not really bad. As a whole, I'd give you a 9 out of 10"  
"Why not a 10?"  
"Because you stomped on my foot"  
"Fair enough"  
Rubbing his boyfriend's hip, Keith cast a look around. He didn't know the Mall layout, so he had no idea where he was going to find Lance his "shiny"  
"Should we just keep walking this way, or do you want to start up on the top levels and make our way back?"  
"Definitely up the top. I mean, that's where all the really nice stuff has to be, right?"  
"I don't think we can afford really nice"  
"Probably not, be we can look... don't tell me you've never been window shopping before?"  
"Honestly? No"  
Laughing lightly, Lance pulled away before catching his hand at the last moment   
"We used to go window shopping all the time back home. We made stories up with the mannequins in the windows, but nothing we ever made up came close to being like this"  
"Sounds fun"  
"It was until the store owners would come out and chase us away"  
"So even from a young age, you were causing trouble"  
"I wasn't causing it. It just had a habit of finding me. Anyway, what about you?"  
"What about me?"  
"I bet you were a wild child?"  
"I don't really remember much of my childhood. It was me and dad, mum was gone by the time I could really remember"  
Lance frowned at words. He hadn't meant to upset his boyfriend but then again, this was Lance  
"Lance, I..."  
"Never mind. I mean, that was then and now you're going to find your mum soon, right? So let's just have fun having no responsibilities for a change"  
"When do you ever take your responsibilities seriously?"  
"Hey, I can totally be serious"  
"When was the last time that happened?"  
Lance hummed as if seriously thinking, before flashing him a bright smile  
"I don't know, but I do know that we have this huuuuuge space to explore, and it's not going to explore its self"  
"First one to the top floor gets to pilot the trip home"  
"You're so on!"  
Kicking off his shoes, Lance took off, while Keith was left to collect them. He'd been so nervous about this date that he'd needed to pilot the trip out so he wouldn't freak out over it all, and he'd always fully intended to let Lance pilot the trip back anyway. Though his boyfriend's initial piloting skills had left much to be desired, his omega had come along in leaps in bounds since then. He wanted Lance to know he didn't seem him just as an omega but as his partner and an equal.

With his head start, Lance won easily and the omega was all smiles as they walked through the maze of small stores. It was crazy just how many vendors there were, let alone their different specialities. If the people back on Earth could see everything they did, they'd realise just how out touch with the rest of the universe they really were. Pulling away from him, something seemed to have caught Lance's eye  
"Lance?"  
"Come take a look at this"

Crossing over to the stall his omega was standing in front of, Keith found himself staring down at the weirdest selection of baby goods he'd ever seen. Some were relatively normal, onesies with two arm and leg holes, but then the next lot over had three. Picking up a onesie with some kind of alien bird motif printed across it, Lance smiled sadly down at the tiny item   
"Lance?"  
"Sorry. I guess I'm feeling a little clucky. I never thought we'd find onesies like this here"  
"Neither did I. Do you like it?"  
"Yeah. It's cute"  
"We can buy a few things like this if you want to..."  
"No. It's too soon to be thinking about pups..."  
Sniffling, tears began to fall onto the tiny onesie. Carefully taking it from Lance's hands, Keith gathered his boyfriend again him. With all the baby things in front of him, there was no way his omega couldn't be thinking of the two pups he'd passed  
"It's ok. I'm here"  
"I know... I'm sorry"  
"You have nothing to be sorry for, and I'm serious. If you like something, we can buy it now"  
Lance sniffled and shook his head  
"No. When the time comes, I'm going to make you buy me everything I want... I want the pups to have everything they could ever need"  
"Deal... but don't forget, there's still a lot to do before then"  
"Yeah. I know. God. Everything's so cute, it's got my omega screaming over it all"  
"Our pups will have the best of everything"  
"Of course they will, they'll have the best dad in the whole universe"  
Feeling his stomach drop, Keith wasn't completely sure how to reply. It was a given he'd be there for his pups, but how was he supposed to be a dad when he didn't even know who he really was? Not wanting to upset Lance, he pressed a kiss to the top of Lance's head before remembering the wig was in the way  
"Let's keep looking?"  
"Y-yeah... thanks, Keith"  
"What for?"  
"For everything"

When he'd said "Let's keep looking?", he had been hoping that Lance would move away from the baby clothes, instead, the omega picked up the same onesie as before. Holding the small item, his boyfriend slowly made his way through the rest of the items for sale, including some very scary looking pacifiers. What baby needed a red and black pacifier that seemed to come with some kind of bug attached. Reaching the end of the small shop, Lance looked from him to the onesie  
"It's fine. I'll pay for it"  
"You don't have to"  
"Lance, I know you like it. You don't have to hide that from me"  
Taking the onesie from his boyfriend, Keith backtracked to negotiate the price with the trader. He ended up paying a little more than he wanted to, but the onesie seemed to mean something to Lance, so it was fine. Rejoining his boyfriend, he passed Lance the small bag the onesie was now in  
"Just so you know, that doesn't count as the shiny thing you wanted"  
"What? No, you don't have to buy me something else"  
"I know I don't have to"  
Rolling his eyes, Lance reached for his hand  
"I don't know what I'm going to do with you"  
"That makes two of us"  
Looking at him blankly, his omega seemed truly stumped by his reply  
"Never mind, let's keep going"

Making their way down the tiers of the mall, Lance found heaps of things he liked, but Keith wasn't allowed to buy him any of it, not until they found a jewellery shop on the ground floor of the mall. Walking into the store, the jewellery on display clearly wasn't of the highest quality, but Lance didn't even pause to look. Walking across to the display counter, the omega immediately squatted down to look on the second shelf  
"I'll take the one in the middle please"  
Confused over how his boyfriend could know what he wanted so fast, Keith strode over to Lance's side  
"What did you find?"  
"A cross. I know this is going to sound really crazy, but when Hunk and I were hanging out here, I bought this cross and just now I found the same one again"  
Scratching the back of his head, Keith cast Lance a sceptical look  
"I know it's crazy"  
"How did you even know about it being here?"  
"I don't know. I must have seen it when we came here before and not remembered it. There's no other way I could have known"  
"I suppose you're right. Is this the shiny you wanted?"  
"Maybe. I didn't want to tell you in case it didn't exist"  
Paying full price for the cross, Lance took it from the woman? behind the counter and immediately slipped it on over his head. The gold chain hung low enough that the cross was lost beneath the sundress Lance was wearing  
"My grandmother never lost her faith. It reminds me of her"  
Right. That made sense. Lance was definitely the most homesick out of all of them, though Hunk was right on his heels. Kissing Lance lightly, Keith smiled at his boyfriend   
"I think it's lunchtime"  
At the word "lunch", Lance's stomach gave a huge growl. Embarrassed by it, Lance darted around him. Yeah. His boyfriend was adorable.

 

*  
The burger in his memories had definitely been better than the one he was all but inhaling right now, but it was still really good. Especially given how bad the food court was the last time they'd been there. Though he mightn't have gotten to sample the cuisine, he had Hunk's word for it. Suddenly feeling selfish, Lance lowered his burger  
"Keith... it's really alright that we're here right?"  
"Of course it is. Allura wouldn't have given us permission to go if it wasn't"  
"But they're down two Paladins"  
"Lance, we talked about this before. If anything happens, Allura will call"  
"But you know her. She might try and do everything by herself and I don't like the way Matt has been hanging off her"  
Keith groaned at his words  
"Allura is a very beautiful woman and he's been in an underground bunker for phoebs"  
"So you're just saying it's a temporary thing?"  
"I'm sure it is. Besides, he and Allura are both grown adults, it's up to them if they choose to pursue a relationship"  
Nope. He didn't want to talk about Allura and anything like that...   
"I'm just saying, Allura deserves someone as wonderful as she is"  
"That she does. So, how's your burger?"  
"It's alright. I would kill for a real one though"  
"I don't think that's happening unless something happens to Kaltenecker"  
"Kaltenecker isn't being turned into burgers, she's too beautiful for that"  
"I'm just saying, she won't live forever"  
"When she dies, she's getting a proper burial. Did I ever tell you that Coran and Allura both tried to talk to her? They asked her for milkshakes"  
Choking on the mouthful of food he had, Keith was both coughing and laughing at the same time   
"Are you ok?"  
Nodding his head, his boyfriend picked up his drink and downed a large gulp, before lowering the glass with a smile on his face  
"Yeah. I was just picturing Allura being all very formal and using her manners as she asked"  
"I don't think they knew you had to milk a cow. They looked at me like I was crazy"  
"Wait. You can actually milk a cow?"  
"And I can ride a horse. Is it really that surprising?"  
"No... kind of. Society would say they're not very omegary things to do"  
"I don't know. Running a household and birthing pups is pretty much an omega's job"  
Despite his attempt, he couldn't keep the bitterness out his voice  
"Lance, you know I don't think like that, right? You're braver than most alpha's I know"  
"I don't feel very brave"  
"I'd trust you to back me up and watch my back any day"  
Feeling a warm blossoming in his stomach, Lance ducked his head  
"Did I say something wrong?"  
"No. You're just being cheesy again"  
"That's alright then. Hey, how many pups do you want to have?"  
Confused by the sudden topic change, Lance stammered out his answer  
"F-f-four..."  
"You want four?"  
"Y-yeah. 2 girls and two boys, but girls are a lot of work... and I don't know if I'd even be a good mum, so however many you want I'm ok with"  
"And what if I said I wanted a whole brood?"  
"I... I'd..."  
"Lance, I'm just teasing"  
Hanging his head, Lance shook it slowly  
"I'm sorry. I never really thought about having pups before... before everything happened, but now, I honestly don't know. When we were looking at the baby thing earlier, all I could think of was how badly I wanted to have a pup... and then I felt like I didn't deserve it after what happened with the first two"  
Reaching across the table, Keith took his hand and interlaced their fingers. The alpha than began rubbing the back of his hand with his thumb  
"Lance, you deserve to be happy. I promise you that"  
"But you don't understand. I feel so guilty. They were so tiny"  
"They were also infected with a violent organism. I know it wasn't fair, but what you did was the right choice"  
The mood between them had been so good, why did he have to open his mouth and ruin things again? Why couldn't his brain just shut up and let him have this? He loved Keith, and it wasn't like they got downtime like this all the time. Forcing a smile, he nodded at his boyfriend   
"You're right"  
"Of course I am. Did you want to maybe try the ice cream looking stuff over there?"  
"No, I'm kind of full. Maybe next time?"  
That was if Keith ever took him on another date. If only he could go back in time and start things over with his alpha. He wouldn't have stomped on Keith's foot or made a mockery of himself by running around in a dress all day. There Keith was, looking like sex on legs, while he just paled in the background. Did he really deserve to be the alpha's omega?

 

*  
It might have just been Keith's imagination, but since talking about how many pups he wanted, Lance had started trying too hard. The smile on his boyfriend's lips didn't reach his eyes, and each time he asked Lance something, the omega would jump as if pulled out of his thoughts. With their date fizzling out, it sort of merged into them running all the errands for everyone else. It was a disappointing way to end the day, and Lance seemed to agree, or at least the small sighs his boyfriend kept giving said so. He hated that it hadn't gone completely to plan, and hated that Lance looked so deflated as they climbed back into the pod. His omega didn't even try to climb into the pilot's seat.

Waiting until they were a safe distance from the Space Mall, Lance had nowhere to run. Pushing the chair back, Keith turned to look at Lance   
"What's going on with you?"  
Lance had been staring out the side window since they left the Space Mall, letting out another sigh, Lance slowly turned to look at him  
"What do you mean?"  
"Lance, I know you didn't enjoy yourself today"  
Opening his mouth, Lance closed it before shaking his head  
"Come here"  
Taking Lance's hand, he tugged gently until the omega rose and climbed into his lap. Pushing the wig back, Keith wanted his omega to be at least comfortable in his lap   
"Better?"  
"It would have been better if I hadn't had to wear it"  
"Were you still upset over being dressed like a girl?"  
"I... I was wondering if you weren't embarrassed by me being your boyfriend"  
Wrapping his arms around Lance's waist, Keith rested his forehead against Lance's arm  
"Of course I'm not"  
"But I looked so stupid today and I said all the wrong things"  
"You did not say all the wrong things"  
"I did. I had all these things I wanted to ask you, but I just got caught up in myself"  
"Then ask me now"  
"I can't..."  
"You can, besides, I want to know more about you too"  
Nuzzling Lance's arm, his boyfriend slowly began to relax in his hold. Pressing a kiss to Lance's smooth skin, he then pulled down the dress shoulder strap with his teeth  
"Keith?"  
"It's just us. If you're not comfortable wearing a dress than take it off for now"  
"But then I'll be in my underwear"  
"So? There's nothing wrong with that. I want you to be comfortable"  
"And you won't laugh?"  
Keith was genuinely confused as to why he'd laugh over his beautiful boyfriend being nearly naked in his lap, but Lance didn't want him to question what he meant, he wanted a promise he wouldn't   
"I promise I won't"  
Wriggling in his lap, Lance had soon stripped off his dress and shoes. Straddling his lap, the omega buried his face against his neck  
"Better?"  
"You have no idea. Those shoes were horrible"  
"Do you want me to rub your feet for you?"  
Laughing lightly, Lance leant back, finally smiling at him properly   
"It's alright. Hey, next time we go on a date, can we just do something like this?"  
"We could take Red out, and just spend a few hours away from the castle"  
"That'd be nice. I know you don't know when the Blade of Marmora will contact you, but we could make it like a semi-regular thing"  
"Yeah"  
Running his fingers down Lance's side, his boyfriend's skin erupted in goosebumps  
"Keith... stop"  
"Why?"  
"It tickles"  
"You didn't tell me you were ticklish"  
"I thought you would have figured it out by now"  
Curious over just how ticklish Lance was, Keith, tickled the omega's sides  
"No! Stop!"  
Laughing and giggling, Lance tried to escape his hold taking his boyfriend by the hips, he held Lance firmly as he slowly stopped laughing. Red-faced and watery-eyed, Lance pouted at him. So beautiful. Lance was so beautiful. Leaning in, Keith pressed a hard kiss to Lance's lips, and after initially resisting, his boyfriend slowly deepened the kiss. Moaning into his mouth as he did. After several long deep kisses, Lance finally pulled back, before looking away from him. Using his left hand, Keith cupped the omega's face, forcing Lance to look back at him again  
"Lance?"  
He could smell Lance's arousal, and no doubt the omega could feel his rising erection   
"I'm sorry... I slicked..."  
"You don't need to look so sad. It means your feeling good, right?"  
"It's embarrassing"  
"Really? I think it's kind of hot"  
Rocking his hips lightly, he drew a mew from Lance   
"Keeeeeeith"  
"It's ok, I've got you"

Flipping their position, Keith pulled Lance's boxers down. The omega's sweet slick melding perfectly with Lance's musky smell. Nuzzling Lance's soft brown pubes, his boyfriend's hands went to his head  
"K-Keith"  
"Do you want me to stop?"  
"N-no"  
"If you do, all you have to do is tell me. I don't want to hurt you"  
Lance nodded silently, his eyes wide and his bottom lip firmly trapped under his teeth. Pulling Lance down, Keith lifted Lance's legs onto his shoulders. Moaning at sight before him, he almost shyly ran his tongue over the omega's twitching opening  
"Keith!"  
Lance's voice shot up as he lapped at the spilling slick, but it wasn't long before Lance was mewing. He'd never tasted anything like the honied slick pouring freely from Lance. Delving deeply, he lapped and drank down as much as he could, while Lance mewed and moaned openly beneath him. Quiznak. He wanted to be buried in his boyfriend so badly, and his erection was throbbing painfully in its confines. Pulling back, he looked up to see Lance staring down at him, his boyfriend already looking completely wrecked  
"Lance?"  
"Don't stop"  
Smirking, Keith lowered his face again, this time he took Lance's erection in his hand, jerking his boyfriend awkwardly as he resumed eating his boyfriend out. Beginning to rock harder against his face, Lance didn't take long to cum, and warm semen ran down Keith's hand. Pulling back, the alpha drew every drop from the omega before finally realising him  
"Fuuuuuck... that was hot..."  
Snorting at Lance's panted out words, Keith locked eyes with him as he started to lick Lance's cum from his fingers  
"Keith, stop. You don't have to do that"  
"I want to. You have no idea how good you taste"

Closing his eyes, Lance began to curl into himself. Grabbing his boyfriends wrists, he forced them away from his face. Lance had literally just been smiling, but now tears had begun to fall  
"Hey. Hey, what's wrong?"  
"I... I'm sorry. I can't... I can't do more than this!"  
Keith's arousal fell away almost instantly. Gathering his boyfriend into his arms, he hushed and rocked Lance as he cried  
"It's alright. I understand"  
"You shouldn't have to understand! You're my alpha and I want to do these things with you! But I'm so scared! Shiro used to tell me how good I tasted, but then he'd hit me!"  
"Shit. I didn't know"  
"I know you didn't! I hate this! I hate being scared! I hate my stupid heat! I'm so fucking scared of Shiro all over again! I wanted today to go well! I wanted to forget!"  
"I know. I know you do. You've been doing so well, and I'm so proud of you"  
"I don't want to do well! I want to be good!"  
Keith wondered if Lance had any idea that that sentence didn't make much sense  
"I just want to be happy"  
"We don't have to have sex to be happy"  
"But sex with you feels good"  
Lance's sad tone was almost whiny enough to make him smile. At least his boyfriend hadn't seemed to realise just how much of an inexperienced virgin he'd been. 

Holding Lance until he stopped shaking, his boyfriend slowly uncurled   
"If you want to go jerk off, I'll understand"  
Blinking in surprise, Keith couldn't help the laugh that then fell from his lips   
"No, I'm good. How about you? Would you like me to help you clean up?"  
Lance shook his head  
"Sorry... I don't think I can..."  
Letting his sentence runoff, the omega looked so sad that it hurt   
"Lance, this is probably really shitty timing, but I want you to know I-love-you"  
The end of his sentence came out in a jumbled rush, and it took Lance a few very long moments to reply  
"You love me?"  
"Yeah. You don't have to say it back, but I just want you to know"  
"You're right. You could have picked a better time... but I love you too"


	20. Chapter 20

With things the way they were, Keith knew something had to give. Between Voltron, the Blade of Marmora and his relationship with Lance, the alpha found himself stretched too thin, resulting in less than his best in all aspects of his life. He didn't want to give up Lance, he didn't want to give up piloting his lion, and he didn't want to give up his chance to find his mother... but he couldn't do all three, and it already felt like he was slowly being pushed out of his position in Voltron. With the constant clashes in his schedule, he'd let the team down by being away on a mission with the Blades that carried past it's allotted time. He knew how much performing together had meant to his boyfriend, but he hadn't even been there for it, leaving him with an angry boyfriend, and disappointed teammates. No. It was past time he made his choice, and deep down he already had... he just hoped that Lance could forgive him for what he was going to do.

Heading to Lance's quarters, Keith found himself nervous as he knocked lightly. What he was about to do would probably end up with him being dumped, but maybe it was better that way. He loved Lance, and though they hadn't been able to go another date since the first one over a phoeb ago, he'd repeatedly made plans to, only to be forced to cancel them. In the end, he'd stopped asking Lance  
"Come in!"  
Lance sounded pissed, and Keith supposed his boyfriend already knew he'd come seek him out. Swallowing hard, the alpha placed his hand on the door pad and watched the door slide open silently  
"So you came"  
He could smell Lance's anger as he stepped into the room, his alpha growling in the back of his mind, clearly not impressed at his omega being mad at him. Crossing to sit on Lance's bed, Keith let out a deep sigh  
"I'm sorry I missed the show..."  
"You said you'd be back in time"  
"And I thought I would be"  
"It's like you don't want to be a paladin anymore... like you don't want to be here anymore"  
"Lance... it's not that, it's just... I'm sorry, but I'm leaving Voltron"

The room was completely silent, so silent that Keith could hear his own heartbeat. Looking to Lance, he found his boyfriend staring at him blankly, like he was waiting for him to tell him he was joking  
"Between you, and Voltron and trying to find my mum, I'm letting everyone down. You guys don't need anyway, you can pilot Red better than I ever could..."  
"Are you stupid?"  
"Wh..."  
"Of course we need you! You're Keith, our Red Paladin!"  
"I don't want to be just a paladin!"  
This was the wrong thing to say. Jumping off his bed, Lance grabbed his pillow and hurled it across his room with an angry growl  
"Just a paladin!"  
"Lance, calm down"  
"Don't you tell me to calm down! For the first time in practically forever, I finally found somewhere I belong! It might not be perfect all the time, but it was more than enough because I had you! I have Hunk and Pidge, but I had you! I thought that meant something to you!"  
"It does! But you need to understand, I can't give up. I can't give up on finding my mum! I want to know who she is! I want to know why she left me and why she left my dad!"  
"So what about me! You're just going to leave me behind?! You're going to throw me away like Shiro did?!"  
Flying off the bed, Keith grabbed Lance by the shoulders  
"No! You know I love you! You should know how hard this decision was!"  
"But you still made it without me!"  
Bursting into tears, Lance practically howled as he sobbed. Feeling like a total quiznak for what he was putting Lance through, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders   
"I wish I'd never fallen in love with you!"  
Pulling Lance close, he let the omega hit him weakly   
"You're just like him... Why does no one love me?! What's wrong with me?!"  
As Lance's knees gave out, Keith guided him to the floor. Pulling Lance even closer, he rocked his omega as he buried his face in Lance's hair   
"I do love you. I love you so much that I don't know what to do with myself, but Lance, I realised something. I can't be a father without knowing where I came from. I know it's selfish to ask you to wait for me, but I don't want to lose you. Being with you is the best thing I have"  
"But you're leaving me"  
"It's not like I'm leaving forever. The Coalition is growing every day, and more and more people are rising up against the Galra rule"  
"I don't care! I don't..."  
"Yes, you do. I know how proud you are and I'm so proud of you. I love you, Lance, even if you hate me"  
"I don't hate you!"  
"But you're so mad"  
"I'm mad because I love you! You're going to be out there risking your life and I don't know when I'll get to see you or hear from you again! You could die and I would have no idea"  
"Do you really think I would die, knowing what it would do to you"  
"Y-yes"  
Ouch. That one felt like he'd been stabbed right in the heart  
"I won't. I promise you I won't"  
"What... what if you get hurt?"  
"Lance, I'll be coming back. I can come back..."  
"I don't want you coming back just because you're hurt!"  
"It wouldn't be just for that. There'll be missions, and when I find my mum, I want everyone to meet her..."  
"But you won't be coming back just for me..."  
"Of course I will"  
"No, you won't! You'll find some pretty Galra girl who can kick arse and you'll forget all about me"  
"Lance, you're being silly now. I don't know how to make you believe it, but I don't want anyone else but you"  
Sobbing harder against him, Lance's whole body shook. With the omega now all but gasping for breaths between each sob, he really needed to get Lance to calm down  
"Lance, baby, you need to breathe"  
"I don't want too"  
Quiznak... he'd known it would be bad, but not this bad. Looking to the bed, he dragged Lance up with him on to it. Rearranging them, Keith pulled Lance up against his chest  
"Please Lance, please calm down for me"  
Shaking his head, Lance's body tensed, the omega then vomiting across their legs. Damn. He really should have expected that. He knew it was probably a horrible thing to say, but Lance's emotions had never really been stable. Rubbing his boyfriends back, he crooned softly  
"That's it baby, slow big breaths for me"

With Lance slowly calming against him, the omega was still shaking badly, but his sobs had turned to silent tears. Rubbing Lance's arm, he sighed softly   
"Lance, I really do love you"  
Lance nodded against his chest and he supposed he was lucky to get any kind of response at all. He'd probably shattered Lance's still healing heart back into a million pieces, yet his omega hadn't outright told him he wouldn't wait for him. That in its self-was something. Closing his eyes, he tightened his hold on his boyfriend.

When the door to lance's slid open with no prior notice, Keith couldn't help the growl that escaped. Despite being covered in his own mess, Lance had fallen asleep in his arms, though it was more likely his omega had passed out. Eyeing the doorway it took a moment for Allura to appear. The woman holding her hands up as if surrendering   
"Allura! What happened to knocking?!"  
Whisper yelling at the woman, he didn't dare wake risking and upsetting Lance all over again  
"Sorry, I didn't know you were in here. Coran wanted to talk to everyone about the changes to the stage shows, but I can come back later"  
Even if Allura didn't mean it, it sounded to him like they didn't intend for him to be part of the team meeting and that further drove home the feeling he was an outsider in their eye now  
"Lance needs to sleep"  
"Is... is he alright?"  
"Of course he isn't. He threw up and then passed out"  
Allura lowered her hands slowly  
"I'll let Coran know... is there anything you need?"  
"No. This is between me and Lance"  
"Ok Keith... I suppose I'll see you both later"  
Retreating from Lance's room, Allura probably felt the same awkwardness he did. It wasn't like he wanted things to be like this. Stirring in his hold, Lance let out a small sniffle  
"Lance?"  
"I'm sorry... I'm not a very good omega am I?"  
"Lance, you know I'm not leaving because of you"  
Shaking his head, Lance slowly extracted himself from Keith hold  
"I'm sorry for throwing up. I'm going to take a shower so you should probably just go"  
"Lance, I love you"  
"I love you too, but right now I just want to be alone"  
What about what he wanted? Keith wanted to spend every second he could with his boyfriend before he left. The moment he called Kolivan, the ticks before his departure would only speed up. Watching Lance climb off his bed, his omega nearly fell to the floor as he did  
"Lance!"  
"Go! Please! Please just go!"  
Stumbling into his bathroom, Lance didn't even look back him. 

 

*  
Shaking hard, Lance found he couldn't even stand in the shower, instead, he was curled with his knees to his chest as he cried. He knew Keith needed to find his mum, and he'd told his alpha he'd support him the best he could, but it didn't mean this hurt any less. Keith was leaving Voltron... was leaving him behind. It didn't matter what the alpha said, he was sure Keith would find someone better. Just the thought of it made him want to vomit. The thought of Keith saying cheesy lines to anyone but him filled him with such a bitter jealousy that hated himself for it. It wasn't fair. He was trying his hardest to get better. Every time Keith had had to cancel one of their dates, he'd always nodded his head and told his boyfriend that he "understood", even though it hurt so much.

Staying where he was, he didn't move until the water began to cool. His tears had finally run out, and his whole body just felt gross. He felt hot and sick, and he wanted to find Keith to apologise, but he was just too ashamed. So instead, when he finally forced himself out the shower, he dressed and staggered out his room. Heading for the dining room instead of Keith's quarters. Right now he just needed not to be alone, even if he wasn't feeling very sociable.

Standing in front of the dining room doors, he took a deep breath and tried to stand a little straighter before opening them. Finding Shiro, Pidge, Hunk and Allura chatting away, he couldn't deny he wasn't disappointed that Keith wasn't there. Crossing to take a seat near Hunk, his friend wrinkled his nose at him  
"What? What is it?"  
Confused by the looks Pidge and Shiro were now giving him, he felt like a piece of gum on the bottom of someone's shoe  
"Um Lance, you're still wearing that ring right?"  
"Yeah?"  
Holding his hand up to show them all, Pidge and Hunk exchanged worried looks  
"What? What is it?"  
"You smell like you're going into heat"  
Lance's frown turned into nervous laughter  
"Guys, I can't be. It's not that long since my last one and I haven't taken this ring off"  
"We can see that, but you still smell like it. Maybe you should head back down to your quarters"  
The smile that had formed slipped back to a frown  
"Guys, this isn't funny"  
"Lance, they aren't joking. You seriously smell sweet, like you're going into heat, and given everyone here is an alpha, we can't afford for something to happen"  
Hearing Shiro say he smelt "sweet" sent a cold shiver through his otherwise overly warm body. Rising to his feet, he wrapped his arms around himself, before snapping  
"Fine. Whatever. I'm just a stupid an omega anyway"

Having stormed from the room, the omega's emotions were just too raw to acknowledge his friend's concerns. Logically he knew his friends worried about him as a person, and not just because he was an omega, but right now it felt like they were abandoning him, like Keith was, because of it.

 

*  
"Allura, what are you doing here?"  
Having left Lance, Keith had returned to his quarters. After showering off his boyfriend's mess, he'd gotten distracted cleaning his room in preparation to leave. Most of his things would probably end up migrating into Lance's room, especially his blankets. That way the omega would still have his scent  
"I was hoping to talk to you about Lance, in particular why he was so upset earlier"  
Right, because Allura wouldn't dream of asking if he was ok... no... Allura worried about all them and just because she didn't ask how he was, didn't mean she cared any less  
"I told him I have another Blade of Marmora mission coming up soon, and don't know how long it's going to take"  
"Another one?"  
"Yeah... with Zarkon still being alive and kicking, there's been a lot of Galra movement..."  
"So he was upset because you're leaving again"  
"Something like that. I was going to go check on him later"  
"I'm sorry Keith, but Lance is going into heat, or at least that's what Pidge, Hunk and Shiro all said. Last time we had to physically separate you"  
Keith couldn't hide his shock. It was far too soon for Lance to be going into heat. He knew stress could trigger a heat, but surely his friends had got it wrong... besides, he had that ring that Ryner had made for him  
"Oh... alright. Thanks for letting me know"  
"Keith, if there's something more going on, you can talk to me about it"  
No, he couldn't. Not until he'd talked to Lance and made his boyfriend understand that he didn't want anyone else but him. Forcing a slight smile, Keith nodded  
"It's fine Allura. Anyway, I should finish cleaning up. Kolivan could call at any time"  
Allura sighed softly  
"I'll let the others know"  
"I don't think I'll be leaving soon, so I'll tell them myself"  
That might have contradicted what he'd just said, but he didn't want to just leave and then not come back. After all, they'd been through, he just couldn't sever their ties like that, though part of him wished he could"  
Leaving him with, Allura seemed to lack the usual bounce in her step, surely there was no way she could have seen through his tiny white lie.

With all his focus now on Lance, Keith grabbed the essentials and shoved them into his bag, before bundling up his blankets for Lance. Leaving his quarters, he wondered if he'd ever get to see them again, or if his room would be converted for storage. Once Lance calmed, he probably wouldn't let anyone near them. The thought of his boyfriend chasing off anyone who even mentioned changing his room gave him the courage to finally his quarters behind. This wasn't "goodbye" after all, it was "see you later".

Walking through the halls, Keith found himself trying to soak in as much of the detail as he could. Somewhere along the line, this place had become home. A home he'd never thought he'd have again, and he held all the happy memories of the castle close to heart. He'd miss everyone here, even maybe Shiro... though he still couldn't forgive him. Before Keith was really ready, he found himself standing in front of Lance's room. No matter what happened next, he'd always love his omega.

 

*  
Lance cursed the world. Sprawled on his bed with hand working his aching erection, the Omega couldn't find any relief, no matter how he touched himself. If he closed his eyes, all he saw was Keith. All he could smell was Keith. The alpha that was leaving him behind. Oblivious to the door to his room opening, Lance screamed in surprise when his bed dipped. Blushing so hard his face burnt, the teen tried to gather up as many blankets as he could into his lap, to hide what he'd been doing   
"Keith! What are you doing here!"  
This was bad. His heat wasn't full blown yet, so he possessed enough self-awareness to be thoroughly embarrassed   
"I wanted to talk to you..."  
"Well I'm kind of busy"  
"You're going into heat"  
"Thanks for the news flash. Here I was thinking I was suddenly ridiculously horny for no reason"  
Sighing sadly, Keith leant back, before sitting on the edge of his bed. Seriously? Didn't he remember what had happened last heat?  
"Keith..."  
"Lance, I want to tell you that I love you and this, between us, I'm serious. I'm completely in... I don't want anyone else, you're my omega, Lance"  
That was nice and all, but it didn't change anything   
"You're still leaving"  
"I am. I brought down all my blankets so you'd at least have my scent..."  
Quiznak. Why did Keith have to be so caring? And why did the alpha have to look at him like he was silently begging for forgiveness   
"I haven't called Kolivan yet, and I haven't told the others. I can't. I can't until you know that I'm coming back for you"  
"Keith... I don't think I can do this now"  
The throbbing between his legs was only getting worse, and beneath his arse was wet with slick. He really couldn't have a serious conversation like this  
"Lance, I need to know how I can make you understand that I love you"  
"I know you do..."  
"But..."  
"You're leaving me here"  
"I can't take you with me. You can't use Galra technology and I won't risk your life over it. But more importantly, I know how much being a pilot means to you. I've been beside you since we found all 5 lions. I've seen how much you've grown and how proud you are. You believe in the work we're doing, and you love it. I can't take you away from that, and I won't. Besides, this is the safest place for you to be. You have Hunk and Pidge, and Allura and Coran"  
And Shiro...   
"They aren't you"  
"I know baby. Just tell how to fix this. I can't stand to see you cry and to know I caused it"  
Keith didn't play fair. With his emotions already all over the place and the need to touch his alpha building. Lance pushed the blankets off, before awkwardly moving to climb into Keith's lap. Grabbing boyfriend by the hair, he held on firmly as he stared Keith in the eye  
"Promise you're going to be safe and you won't take stupid risks"  
The alpha nodded slightly, Lance's hold would have pulled out hair if he'd nodded properly  
"I promise"  
"Promise me that you'll call if you can, and you'll let me know you're safe"  
"I don't know how often I'll be able to"  
Pulling on Keith's hair, he drew a hiss from the alpha  
"Alright, I promise. I intended to call you every chance I get, but I needed you to know I don't know when that will be"  
"Really?"  
"Of course. It's going to suck so badly being away from you, I don't think I could leave if it meant never hearing from you again"  
"Promise me that if you ever fall out of love for me, you'll tell me. Or if you cheat on me..."  
"That's not going to happen"  
Pulling hard again, this time Keith yelped  
"It's not going to happen because I love you and want to be with you forever!"  
Forever... if his omega could scream out loud, it would  
"I have one more promise. Promise me you'll find you, mum"  
Keith's eyes widened slightly as Lance nodded  
"I know you're doing what you feel you need to do, but I'm so scared this will be the end"  
"Lance, no. I promise you it isn't"  
Leaning in to kiss him, Keith's lips felt so warm against his. Releasing his right hold on Keith's hair, Lance still left his fingers in the silky locks as the kiss deepened. Unable to control his lower half, he nearly came when Keith's hands moved to massage his arse. Breaking the kiss, he stared into Keith's eyes  
"Keith... can we...?"  
"Are you sure?"  
"No... but right now, I need you so badly that my heart feels like it's about to burst"  
"Then your wish is my command"

Laying him back down, Keith stripped quickly before climbing into bed next to him. Initially confused, he let out a small whine as Keith nudged him onto his side  
"K-Keith?"  
"I want to hold you. I want to feel you in my arms for as long as I physically can"  
Biting his lip, Lance told himself to relax as Keith began to mouth at his nape. The super intimate action was all it took to have him cumming, but Keith didn't mention it. Continuing to mouth at his neck, the alpha's left hand began to wander across his body, leaving warmth blossoming in its wake. Everything felt so loving and gentle that Lance couldn't stop tears from forming. This was his alpha. His alpha who was treating him like a precious treasure  
"Lance?"  
"I'm sorry... I just love you so much"  
Rolling him back, Keith cupped his face before leaning in to kiss him  
"I love you too, my perfect omega"  
"Keith..."  
"I understand"  
Nudging him slightly, Keith rocked his hips gently. The tip of the alpha's erection rubbing teasing just below his soaking wet opening. Whining softly, Lance tried to wriggle in Keith's hold. It wasn't that he wasn't scared. He was really kind of terrified, but he wanted to feel connected to Keith. His boyfriend. His alpha. Taking his leg, Keith supported it by his inner thigh, the alpha then finally tilting his hips so his erection breached Lance   
"Alpha..."  
"Omega"  
Pushing in quickly, Lance let out a lusty groan as Keith buried himself in one long trust. Beginning to rock his hips slowly, Keith didn't give him a moment to adjust, as pleasure filled Lance right to his very core. This was Keith, Keith would never hurt him.

It didn't matter how many times he came, Keith's pace was slow. The alpha alternating between fucking him so perfectly, and holding him tight. With all the pheromones they were releasing, Lance's brain was soggy with sex, and all he could feel was Keith's love. Shaking in the alpha's lap, Lance couldn't remember how he came to there, only that the way his alpha was looking at him melted his heart. Leaning in, Lance kept his lips against Keith's as the alpha held him down and rocked up. Keith was so close to knotting him again, but the alpha was still in control. Whining softly as he felt clenched around Keith, cum dribbled from his spent penis, before splattered across their stomachs in tiny bursts when Keith's knot finally popped. Falling against his boyfriend, Lance let out a satisfied purr. He no longer had the energy to even hold himself up, let alone think about doing something about the mess they were covered in. With his face buried against Keith's neck, he nuzzled is weakly   
"Love you, Keith..."  
"And I love you"

At some point, he'd fallen asleep in Keith's hold. Yawning sleepily, he nuzzled against his boyfriend's chest. Keith was still buried inside of him, but instead of feeling scared, he felt incredibly lucky. Out of every alpha in the universe, the one beneath him was his   
"Hey sleepy head"  
Resting his chin on Keith's chest, Lance gave his boyfriend a small smile  
"Hey..."  
"You know, you look so innocent when you're sleeping"  
"It's creepy you were watching me sleep"  
"No, it's not. I was watching over you and honestly, I was scared that if I closed my eyes, you'd be gone when I opened them"  
"Keith, can I ask you something?"  
"Anything"  
"Will you... will you give me your mark?"  
"Lance..."  
"I don't mean right now, but... I don't want anyone else but you marking me. I'm scared somethings going to happen and someone's going to mark me... and that you won't love me once they do"

 

*  
How was he supposed to say no when Lance was staring at him so adorably. His boyfriend truly meant the words that had fallen from his lips. It made his heart ache, and his teeth just as bad. Truthfully, he was scared of that too. That someone would mark Lance, would try to claim him and take him away   
"Lance, I want to mark you so badly, but I don't want you to feel forced into it because you're in heat"  
"I don't feel like I am anymore... I know it's strange... and it makes no sense"  
"Maybe the ring kicked in?"  
"Yeah, maybe..."  
Looking down, Lance seemed to lose some of the happy and relaxed aura he'd just been exuding  
"Would you like my mark? You don't have to give me yours until you’re ready"  
"That means it'll fade... doesn't it?"  
"Very, very slowly. It would last longer if we were having sex regularly, but at any rate, even a temporary mark will mean that you'll be safe from anyone else trying to claim you"  
Lance blinked at him  
"Who told you that?"  
"I had Pidge look it up. Apparently, she hacked the Galaxy Garrison looking for her brother and dad, and she downloaded massive amounts of information when she did. She's got like the whole school syllabus with her"  
"That's so like Pidge..."  
"Yeah, it really is"  
Sliding his hands up Lance's back, he pulled Lance back down against his chest properly. He hadn't even let his boyfriend go and he was already missing him. Taking a few deep breaths, Lance finally nodded against him  
"Please... please mark me as yours"  
Keith's alpha leapt. His second dynamic wanted to scream Lance was his from the top of his lungs, yet with Lance liable to be set off by him saying something without thinking, he didn't want to ruin the experience for his omega  
"How about we take a shower? I can change the sheets, and hold you as I mark you"  
"I don't think I can stand. I'm so satisfied that I can't move"  
Snorting lightly, Keith then pressed an awkward kiss to the top of Lance's head  
"It's ok, I'll carry you"

After sharing long and secret kisses under the warm running water of Lance's shower. Keith all but stumbled out in a hurry when Lance slid down onto his erection and began riding him the best he could. The omega's heels pressed almost painfully into his back while they fought to dominate each other's mouths. Getting Lance onto the bathroom cabinet, the omega immediately leant back as he placed his heels on the edge of the cabinet. Completely exposed beneath him, Lance mewed lewdly as Keith began to slam into him harder, and the room filled with the sound of their sex. Unlike the vargas they'd spent in his boyfriend's bed, this was hard and fast, both desperately hungry for each other, while knowing their time was growing shorter with each tick. Taking his hand, Lance intertwined their fingers, just in time for Keith's knot to pop embarrassingly fast. Both taken by surprise, the came with a synchronised moan and for Keith, he found himself praying the morning wouldn't come.

When Keith's knot finally deflated, he lifted Lance into his arms. Carrying him to the bedroom, Keith sat Lance down in his desk chair, before pressing a kiss to Lance's forehead. His sleepy boyfriend was definitely more asleep than awake, yet he still flashed him a dopey smile. For the millionth time since he'd walked into Lance's room, once again he found himself thinking how incredibly precious Lance was. He had it so quiznakking bad that he didn't know which way was up anymore.

Stripping the bed, Keith placed four out of the six blankets he'd brought with him in Lance's closet, before making a small nest for Lance and using the remaining two as it's lining. When the morning came, Lance would probably freak, he'd most certainly break down again, and a nest would help to ease that pain. Once done with the nest, he returned to Lance, drying the omega carefully, and cursing himself for not drying Lance first. Not that Lance seemed to mind. His boyfriend was snoring his head off and didn't rouse in the slightly as Keith manhandled him. Finding out a pair of lance's clean boxers, he dressed his omega in them, and then finally moved him to the nest. Where he might have been careful with Lance, Keith made rough work of drying and dressing in his own boxers. If Lance still wanted his mark when they woke, he'd give it to him, and if he didn't... well, he'd have to swallow down the need and respect his boyfriend's wishes.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I did the oops... this chapter is really long :/

Lance thought he'd be safe with Keith's mark, or at least safe enough to fulfil his duties while his boyfriend was away. He was so beyond proud to be wearing it, and Keith had been so sweet about holding him as he sobbed in pure happiness after being marked. He'd never known he could be that happy, or feel that loved and wanted. That had only been two movements ago, so why had everything gone to quiznak so fast? And why was he being hit on?

The first time it'd happened, it had been Matt who hit on him. Having stopped by to visit with Pidge, the alpha had brought a case of "rebel stout" with him. The word stout was false advertising, instead it'd been little more than moonshine. Sitting around in the lounge room, they'd all had slightly too much over the last few vargas... well everyone but Lance. One sniff of the stuff had his omega instincts screaming at him not to chance it. He wasn't keen on repeating what happened that night he'd been drinking with Hunk, and doubly so because Keith wasn't there to protect him from 4 drunk alpha's. So, he was still nursing the same drink that he'd started the night with. Lance had been ready to call it a night, and then Matt had dropped himself down beside him. The smell of arousal pouring off the alpha was nearly as strong as the alcohol on his breath   
"So Lance... I hear your alpha left"  
"Keith's working with the Blade of Marmora at the moment, if that's what you mean"  
"Yeah. It's weird without him around. You know, you're kind of cute... I've never been into male omega's before, but if..."  
Punching Matt hard in the arm, Pidge rolled her eyes  
"Lance, forget about it. Matt doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut"  
"You're the one who said his alpha had left"  
"Yes, but that's because he left Voltron"  
"I just don't see why he'd leave if he was happy here with Lance..."  
"Matt!"  
"It's fine Pidge. It's not like I've heard from him since he left"  
Placing down his glass, he knew he'd just brought the whole mood of the party down with his sad tone. Placing his hand on his thigh, Matt looked him squarely in the eye as he squeezed firmly   
"Matt! You're being so embarrassing. Lance, slap him if you want to"  
"No... but... I think I'm going to go to bed"  
Taking Matt's hand off his thigh, Lance rose, trying to keep his emotions under control. Matt was drunk and no doubt he'd regret his actions in the morning, but right now all Lance wanted to do was crawl into his bed, and bury himself under Keith's blankets because he was so quiznakking scared  
"Lance, I'm sorry. You don't need to smell so scared"  
"Matt, you're making things worse. Hunk, why don't you walk Lance back to his quarters?"  
"No. I'll be fine"  
Hunk began to place his own drink down, his friend clearly not listening   
"Hunk, stay here. I... I'll be fine, I just need some space"  
It seemed like everyone shot him a look of pity, even Matt who had no idea what was going on, as Lance mentally tried to calculate the best escape route. It was Allura who finally broke the silence   
"Coran, can you please move, so I can move and Lance can get out?"  
"It's ok Allura"  
Climbing over the sofa, he'd probably just made himself look even lamer, but it was the fastest way out. All but fleeing the room, he pretty much ran all the way back his quarters. Buried under Keith's blankets, it was vargas before he managed to finally calm enough to fall into a fitful sleep.

The following morning Matt had been extremely apologetic, to the point it was almost uncomfortable. Apparently Pidge had scolded her big brother for being a drunken fool because he couldn't remember his own actions. With the promise to do better in the future, Lance told Matt it was alright and that he understood. So things returned to normal between them, or as normal as it'd ever been between them.

The next incident occurred about a movement after the first. 

When Keith had left, his boyfriend had told him to take anything he wanted from his room. So Lance had pretty much taken everything. His wardrobe was home to all Keith's clothes, and the alpha's pillow lived in the back corner of his bed... so it was there and safe, but out of Lance's reach so he wouldn't cover his boyfriend's scent with his own. Lance had been laying on his bed, reading a book he'd found in Keith's room. It was some kind of cheesy novel that didn't really seem to suit Keith's outside persona at all, when a light knock had landed on his door. Thinking it was probably Hunk, he yelled out to "come in". The moment the door opened, his stomach dropped and felt sick.

Walking into his quarters, Shiro stared down at him like he was doing something wrong  
"Shiro? What are you doing here?"  
"I just wanted to talk to you..."  
"Shiro, I'm not sure this a good idea"  
"Lance, I just wanted to tell you that you don't need to he so scared. I know you've taken to wearing Keith's shirts under your own, and I know you love him, but are you two still dating?"  
"What business of that is yours?"  
"I thought we'd have heard from him by now, but if you two broke up, that would explain why we haven't"  
"Shiro, what are you trying to get at?"  
Sighing softly, Shiro pinched the bridge of his nose  
"I'm interested in you. I'm interested in courting you, and the way you've been smelling lately, you smell like you're trying to attract a mate"  
"Excuse me?!"  
Lance was furious. Yes. Hunk and Pidge had both commented that his scent had become stronger and somewhat sweeter since being marked by Keith, but he didn't want another alpha and they all knew that   
"I like you Lance. I know our pups had to be... I know you lost our pups, but this time things will be different"  
How dare he?! How dare he bring the pups into this!? He had no right, even as the sire!  
"Get out..."  
Clenching his hands, the book pages crumpled in his right grip  
"Lance"  
"Get the hell out of here Shiro and don't you ever come back to my quarters again"  
"Lance, I'm serious. I want to be with you"  
"I don't want you! And for your information, Keith has already given me his mark!"  
"Did you mark him back?"  
"What..."  
"Did you mark him back? Because if you didn't, it's not a true bond and that mark will fade..."  
Jumping to his feet, Lance hurled the book at Shiro  
"Keith is my alpha and the only alpha I will ever allow to touch me like that"  
"I know you're scared of me, but I wasn't in control of myself"  
"I'd say you're still not. Now get out!"  
Nodding, Shiro took a step back towards the door, before pausing  
"At least think about it..."  
"There nothing to think about"  
Leaving things like that, Shiro left his quarters. It wasn't until Shiro's back had disappeared that Lance realised he was struggling to breathe. Even with his room full of Keith's scent, his racing heart wouldn't calm and each breath he inhaled seemed to hurt his chest. First Matt? And now Shiro? Had Keith's mark faded already? No... no, he'd checked it that morning after he'd showered and it was still very much visible, so why did both alpha's think he was available?

Still shaken by the encounter, Lance dressed in Keith's clothes before heading up to the bridge. He really needed to talk to Keith, but he couldn't call his alpha, so the best he could do was send Keith an encrypted message. Finding Pidge already in the bridge, his friend smiled as he crossed to her side  
"Hey Lance"  
"Hey Pidge, what are you up to?"  
"Just playing around with things. Is there something you need?"  
"I was wondering if you could encrypt a message for me? I want to send something to Keith, but I don't want anyone but him to be able to open it"  
"Lance, come on. I could do that with my eyes closed"  
"I know. I just didn't... I don't know"  
"Have you written your message yet?"  
"No. Not yet"  
"Alright. Here"  
Opening up another page on the sensors, Pidge tapped away for a few ticks, before climbing from her seat  
"There you go. You just need to tap that button down the bottom when your done. It'll be sent straight to Keith's communicator"  
"And Kolivan won't be able to see it?"  
"Nope"  
"And you won't be able to pull it up"  
"Lance, is there something going on that you want to tell me about?"  
"No. I just really don't want anyone reading me telling Keith how much I love him"  
Groaning, Pidge raised her hands as if in surrender   
"Yeah, you're right. No one should be subjected to you two when you get all lovey"  
"We don't get all lovey"  
"That kiss Keith gave you before he left says otherwise"  
"That's because he was leaving and you should know by now you can't stop Keith when he decides something"  
"Yeah yeah. Anyway, your message is completely safe, so be as gross as you want"  
Waiting until Pidge left, Lance than dropped down into the chair she'd vacated.

In his head, he knew what he wanted to tell Keith. He wanted to tell his boyfriend absolutely everything that had happened since he left. He wanted to tell him how Matt had gotten drunk and flirted with him, and how Shiro wanted to court him, but at the same time, he was too scared too. He didn't want to risk making Keith angry and he didn't want his boyfriend doubting he loved him. After rewriting his message half a dozen times, Lance gave up. He'd tried being happy, and had tried to put happy things in his message, but he didn't have anything to be happy about. Even performing had lost its appeal, and he'd looooved that. All he wanted was Keith, and it was way too selfish to tell him that. In the end his message was stupidly short  
"Keith, its Lance. I just want to say I hope you're ok. I miss you and I love you. Wherever you are"  
Yeah... he was pathetic. But with everything going on, he couldn't help it. Keith was the only one who could calm his messed up emotions, and the only one he truly trusted to keep him safe. It was like a some of the magic in life had disappeared when Keith left, and each day felt harder than the one before. 

Having curled up in Pidge's chair, Lance had dozed off at some point. Waking to find Shiro watching him, he wondered just how long the alpha had been there  
"Lance, don't tell me you've been here all night"  
Crossing to her chair, Pidge placed her hands on her hips as she stared down at him  
"Oh... maybe. I guess I fell asleep"  
"Lance. I know Keith's gone, but you really need to take better care of yourself"  
"I know. I'm sorry"  
"Did you at least send your message before falling asleep?"  
Deciding it was time he was part of the conversation, Shiro cleared his throat before asking   
"What message?"  
"Lance sent Keith a message last night"  
"Lance. Do you not realise how dangerous that could be? If Keith's in the middle of a mission, you could have placed him in serious danger"  
"Shiro, you don't have to be so hard on him. We all miss Keith"  
"And we'd all prefer Keith comes back in one piece. Lance, I know you miss him, but you can't go messaging him whenever you want. If he'd wanted to talk to you, he would have messaged you by now"  
It felt like Shiro had peaked into his brain and seen how worried he was about just that. Feeling his stomach roll at the thought of Shiro being in his head again, Lance climbed from the chair shakily  
"Shiro, that was uncalled for. Lance, I'm sure Keith has just been really busy"  
"Yeah. He told me it would probably be like this, but I really did need to message him, so thank you for your help"  
"What did you tell him?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Did you tell him about Lotor? Or anything that can be used against us?"  
"I'm not an idiot"  
"Are you sure about that?"  
Each time Shiro opened his mouth, Lance felt like he was going to throw up. He was so sick of Shiro's crap  
"Guys, I think that's enough"  
"Pidge, we need to know Lance isn't running around and sending information to Keith that he shouldn't be"  
"The message is encrypted so only Keith can open it. I set the encryption up myself. Even if the Galra got it, I doubt they'd be able to make heads or tails of it"  
"That's beside the point"  
Having been pushed far enough, Lance's already mixed up emotions finally burst. With silent tears beginning to roll down his face, he glared at Shiro  
"I didn't tell him you made a pass at me, if that's what you're so worried about. So back the hell off"  
Pidge looked shocked at his words, while Shiro looked just as angry as he was. As if sensing this could turn nasty at any moment, Pidge placed her hand on his shoulder  
"Lance, it's fine. Ignore Captain Grumpy over there. Why don't you go take a shower and get some breakfast? Coran wants to go over performance details again, and you'll feel better once you've eaten"  
Taking the out, Lance nodded to Pidge before leaving the two alpha's in the bridge. How dare Shiro try to pick such a petty fight. And how dare he accuse him of ever risking the coalition by sending sensitive information on a possible unsecure channel. 

 

*  
Sitting in the kitchen with Hunk, Lance was hiding. He felt like he'd just been completely disregarded in every conceivable way. He hadn't heard back from Keith, and he'd just been made to feel like a fool by Allura and Shiro seemingly openly welcoming Lotor on board the castle. Nothing good could come from this, and Hunk was the only one he felt like he could turn to about it all, though his friend definitely seemed to be sick of hearing him repeat how bad an idea of this was. What was to stop the Galra converging on them? Sure they had Voltron, but if the Galra brought in the big guns, they totally didn't stand a chance. Reaching for the closest bowl of goop, Lance pulled the spatula from it  
"Lance, put that back"  
"But I'm hungry"  
"You're not hungry. You're upset"  
"That's too. Can't you just not be right for once and let me eat my feelings"  
Hunk sighed in clear annoyance, though Lance wasn't completely sure what his friend was so annoyed about  
"Just put the spatula back down, and I'll make you some cookie dough"  
Lance's eyes widened and he rushed to place the spatula back in the bowl  
"Really?!"  
"Yeah. Just give me a moment"  
"Aw yes! Hunk, you're the best friend a guy could ask for!"

"What did Hunk do this time?"  
Not letting Pidge upset his moment of happiness, Lance beamed in her direction  
"Hunk is going to make me cookie dough"  
"Well he better work fast, we just got our next mission details from Lotor"  
Throwing his hands in the air, Lance let out a huff. Good mood gone. Just like that  
"Lance, none of us like Lotor, but you can't deny we've been making real head way"  
"I just feel like we're trusting him too much"  
"Well this will make you feel better, we've already contacted Kolivan, and he'll be calling us soon... him and Keith"  
Lance's heart leapt, before falling. Keith was obviously somewhere safe, or at least somewhere safe enough to call... so why hadn't he replied? Looking down, he shook his head  
"Hunk, don't bother with that cookie dough"  
"Lance?"  
"Let's just go see what Kolivan says"

Still sulking, Lance stood to the back of the group as everyone else gushed to ask Keith how he was. His boyfriend seemed happy enough to answer everyone's questions, but didn't even say his name, let alone hello. Unable to stop the soft whine of sadness from his alpha's rejection, Lance was lucky that no one seemed to catch it as Kolivan finally brought the conversation back to what Lotor had said. Lance didn't know why he was still surprised that everything Lotor had provided was correct. But to be honest, Kolivan confirming it with his normal clipped and direct manner, went over his head. He was just so mad at Keith for snubbing him, that he couldn't take his eyes off his boyfriend... which only served to make him madder. Keith clearly didn't want to talk to him, and for the life of him Lance couldn't figure out why. Letting his own insecurities get the better of him, Lance turned away from Kolivan and Keith. If his alpha was going to ignore him, then he'd ignore his alpha right back. Walking from the bridge, he didn't care that he was being rude to Kolivan, or to his team mates. If Keith wanted to break up with him, why didn't he just say so... instead of just snobbing him off. 

Having only made it a few metres down the hall, Lance sank down against the wall, burying his face in his hands as he did so. All it had taken was the mere thought of breaking up to turn his anger into tears. Keith was supposed to be the one who was always on his side. The one who loved him and backed him up no matter what. Not the one who ignored him when he was right there in front of him. Hell. The alpha didn't have to make some big declaration of love, but would it have killed him to wave or say hello? Or anything? Just something to tell him that he missed him...  
"Lance?"  
Looking up to see Hunk staring down at him, Lance felt incredibly pathetic for being sprung mid-breakdown. Wiping his face with the backs of his hands, he forced a smile  
"Hey bud. What did they decide?"  
"We're heading out. Are you going to be able to pilot the Red Lion?"  
"I'm fine..."  
Hunk raised an eyebrow, clearly sceptical  
"I'm not fine"  
Breaking back down, Lance sobbed earnestly  
"If he wanted to breakup, why didn't he just tell me?"  
"Lance... here, let's get you up before everyone else comes"  
Pulling him to his feet, Hunk looped his arm around Lance's waist  
"I'm sure he doesn't want to break up. Keith was just being his normal broody self"  
"He didn't even look at me"  
"He was probably just self conscious. Besides, the Galra don't care for emotions or emotional actions"  
"So what? Keith's embraced his Galra side"  
Hunk was failing miserably at making him feel better, yet his friend kept trying... by bringing up all the trouble they used to get into back at the Galaxy Garrison. All it really succeeded in doing was making Lance home sick, but he thanked his friend as they parted outside his quarters.

Without the luxury of time, Lance couldn't strip his room of Keith's presence. But that didn't mean he couldn't grab all of Keith's clothes out his wardrobe and throw them into a pile on his bed. Thankfully the alpha didn't know he'd been pathetic enough to believe in him. Snatching out Keith's blankets, he threw them on the top of the pile. When they all got back, he'd wait until the coast was clear before returning all Keith's things back to where they were. No. He had to get his head in the game. He'd been stupid, but with enough time Keith's mark would fade, and maybe he might even find someone who really loved him.

 

*  
For some strange reason Lance hadn't been able to just dump Keith's things back in his room after the mission. Instead the omega had taken the time to hang everything back up, but that was only because he was crying too hard to see straights or at least that was what he was telling himself. A not so tiny part of him had been praying that Keith would magically walk through the door and tell him it was all some kind of mistake, and even though he knew it wasn't about to happen, he still dragged the process on as long as he could. The last thing Lance did, before stumbling from Keith's room, was place the alpha's pillow back where it belonged. With that, everything he'd taken was back where it belonged.

The next few quintants were spent in absolute misery. A misery he couldn't bare to share, even though he knew was upsetting both Hunk and Allura. Given how emotionally exhausted he was, he wasn't sure why he was caught off guard when life found a way for things to go from bad to worse, with the boss at the end of the game, Zarkon, contacting them. His heart hurt for Pidge and Matt, but that didn't mean agreeing to trade Lotor for their father was a great idea. Honestly, he wouldn't have been surprised if somehow Lotor and Zarkon had been working together all along, and despite all but begging to be put on the ground team, he was assigned to back up support. It wasn't fair.

Following Hunk, Pidge, Shiro, Allura and Lotor, Lance was glaring daggers at the tall white-haired man. Even with his hands bound, and even though he was talking openly with Shiro and Allura, Lotor left his omega side on edge to an unnatural degree. Stumbling into Lotor, Lance figured he must have spaced out   
"Sorry about that..."  
Wait. Why was he apologising to Lotor? And why was Lotor frowning at him? He'd said he was sorry  
"Lance, get Lotor settled in the back"  
What? Do what now? Why him? Shiro could go jump for all he cared. If he was such buddy buddies with the man, he could babysit him. Moving up the ramp, Lotor wasn't waiting it seemed, and Lance had to jog up the pod's ramp to catch up with him. Noticing the others were grouped together and whispering, his paranoia got the worst of him. In other words, he was completely convinced they were talking about him  
"You're Lance right?"  
Looking back to Lotor, Lance tried to stop glaring at the man  
"So what if I am?"  
"I get the feeling you don't like me very much"  
"How'd you know"  
Reaching down, Lance clipped Lotor's belt into place. If it was for Hunk or Allura, he would have bothered with adjusting the strap, but Lotor didn't have such a worth  
"Tell me Lance. What are you?"  
"I'm a human being"  
"Are you really? You don't smell like the others... you smell sweeter. Do the others know you're not the same as them?"  
"I'm human, so stop with whatever Galra mind games you're trying to play"  
Laughing lightly, Lotor then finally shut his mouth. Double checking the half-Galra couldn't escape, Lance walked back down the ramp towards the group... which on his arrival immediately broke up  
"Is he secured?"  
"As secured as he's going to get. Are you sure you don't need a sharp shooter by your side"  
"We're sure. We don't need you out there"  
Shiro's answer came hard and fast. There was absolutely no way that could be taken as anything but a no. Nodding his head, he tried to brush the smarting rejection off  
"I know. I was just joking... I'm going to head back up to the bridge"  
The omega barely made it to the hangar door before giving into his desire to look back. Huddled back together, his friends seemed happy enough talking about him instead of to him.

It was approximately half a varga before Allura returned to the bridge and Lance had unintentionally trapped himself with Coran as he'd waited for her. Coran being Coran had tried to laugh and joke with him, the man regaling him into boredom with some misadventure of his youth. Still, Lance was pretty sure he'd nodded and hummed in all the right places. Crossing to take her usual place, Allura stared up at the sensor screens  
"They'll make planet fall in 6 doboshes, and then the wait for Zarkon will begin"  
Biting down the urge to question if Zarkon would even appear, Lance hugged himself tightly as he looked through the ship window. It always felt like he was the one being left behind.

By the time Zarkon's ship finally appeared on the sensors, Lance was just about asleep on his feet. His sleepless nights had finally decided to catch up with him and the timing couldn't be worse. He was so completely sure Lotor couldn't be trusted, but Allura didn't want to hear it, so he kept his mouth closed. Since Keith had left, he felt like he'd slipped further away from the woman who had helped him so much, and it sucked. He wanted to say or do something to show Allura she was still a dear friend, but never really knew what he should do. Opening his mouth, he went to tell her that he still cared about her, only the words wouldn't come out and he was left standing there awkwardly as the ticks slowly turned to doboshes  
"We should have heard something by now"  
"I'm sure everything's alright..."  
"They're with Lotor!"  
"Lance... I know you don't like Lotor, but Zarkon would be foolish to harm Commander Holt"  
"No. The smart thing to do would be to keep him, and kill everyone down there!"  
"Allura, the long-range scanner has picked up a fleet of Galra ship..."  
"See! I told you"  
"So far they're holding their positions"  
"That doesn't mean anything! They're probably preparing to fire the moment Zarkon is clear"  
"Lance, we need to stay put for now"  
Despite being tempted to say "Quiznak it all", Lance glared at both Allura and Coran. His stomach was doing flips and he felt incredibly sick over doing nothing. They were supposed to all be friends  
"I'm going to Red. I have a gut feeling they need us"  
"Is this because of your omega?"  
Lance was shocked Allura would go there  
"No. This is because they're our friends. My omega side is worried, but I'm the one making this decision and I say we go give them a hand"  
"Coran, keep us updated. We need to know if those ships move"  
"Will do!"  
Annoyed with Allura, Lance took off towards the Red Lion before the woman decided they needed to talk. This was a flawed mission from the get-go and he'd never forgive Lotor if anything happened to his friends... or Shiro... 

 

*  
Keith couldn't figure out what he'd done wrong. Lance had barely looked at him during their conversation about Lotor's intel. Instead his boyfriend looked pissed, and then sad, before finally disappearing from the group all together. He'd thought they were still alright... Lance had sent him that message after all, and even though it practically screamed there was more to it than what met the eye, his omega was clearly unhappy with him. Had Lance not liked his reply? Or had the omega taken it wrong? He'd told Lance to be safe and to take care of himself, so maybe his boyfriend thought he was having a go at him? Whatever it was. He needed to know why Lance was mad.

When Shiro called to tell Kolivan the news of Zarkon's passing, Keith had jumped at the chance to visit his old team. He had another mission lined up, but with the Galra empire falling into temporary chaos, Kolivan wanted to reassess the upcoming missions, and that gave him a window of three quintants. It wasn't the longest amount of time, especially given a whole day would be lost in travel time alone, but he felt like he'd lose Lance forever if he didn't go right away. Kolivan wasn't terribly happy, the Galra once again accusing him of letting his emotions get in the way, and Keith couldn't deny Kolivan was right... but he also felt he wouldn't be effective in the field if he didn't settle things with Lance first.

Arriving at the castle, Keith felt like he was returning home after spending deca-phoebes away. Everything was so familiar, yet it all felt distant at the same time. Waiting for him in the pod bay, Shiro seemed less than happy to see him as he climbed from his pod  
"Hey Shiro. What's up?"  
"Keith. How's life with the Blades treating you?"  
"Busy. The Galra empire is in chaos, and all our missions are being reorganised"  
"That explains the visit"  
"I did come bearing gifts. Kolivan let me take a bunch of codes and intel for Pidge to analyse"  
"That's something. Allura is waiting in the bridge"  
"And Lance?"  
"He left the bridge not long after we got the transmission that you were approaching"  
"Oh. He's probably in his quarters then. I guess I'll have to brief Allura after I've gone to see him"  
"No. You'll brief Allura first"  
Sighing in annoyance, Keith shook his head  
"The whole reason I'm here is to see Lance"  
"Then you wasted a trip. I doubt he's going to want to see you"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means you left him here. You're not the only alpha who's interested in him"  
Keith's alpha growled mentally at the thought of someone daring to make a pass at his omega  
"As far as he's concerned, you've left him behind"  
"That's not true. He knows I love him. If I didn't, I never would have given him my mark"  
"And yet he's not here"  
Everything Shiro was saying stabbed at him like needles to the heart. If Lance had truly retreated to his quarters, maybe that meant the omega really didn't want to see him? Had he been the only one believing in their relationship?

Arriving at the bridge, Pidge was the first one to great him. Climbing from her chair, the female alpha jogged over to him and gave him a somewhat awkward hug  
"Keith! How are you? Are you eating enough? Did you bring any cool Galra tech? What are their ships like to live on?"  
"Pidge, slow down. He's only just come aboard"  
Initially taken back, it took him a moment to realise he was staring at Pidge's father  
"Commander Holt..."  
"Keith. I've heard so much about you. It's nice to meet you"  
"You too sir"  
Releasing her hug, Pidge looked him up and down  
"Lance is going to be relieved to see you're in one piece"  
"Shiro said he'd returned to his quarters"  
Pidge's smile fell slightly   
"He's been pretty quiet this last movement. I think everything's hit him hard"  
"Everything?"  
Flicking a glance to Shiro, Pidge then shook her head  
"No. It's nothing. Anyway... what did you bring me?"  
"Kolivan pulled a heap of intel files. We can't sort through them all on our own, and..."  
"Give them here"  
Extracting the small chip from his pocket, Keith passed it over to the hyperactive alpha. He could almost see the drool forming in the corners of Pidge's mouth over it. Running back to her seat, Pidge was soon lost in her own little world with her father hovering beside her.

"Keith, Pidge is right. It's wonderful to see you again"  
Smiling at Allura, Keith nodded   
"It's nice to be back. The food just isn't the same now Hunk isn't cooking"  
"Of course it isn't. I pride myself of my ability to create amazing food for all of us"  
Snorting lightly, Keith found he'd missed Hunk's obsession with food more than he'd thought  
"Yes, well, we'd love to hear all about it. Lotor should be on his way up already"  
"Lotor's still here?"  
"Until we can figure out our next move. He hopes for peace between the coalition and the Galra empire now Zarkon has finally been defeated"  
"I'm still amazed that he survived that first attack. Though I can't say he didn't get what he deserved"  
Allura nodded at his words  
"Anyway, I suppose we should all talk. Hunk, would you please go check on Lance? He should be here for this"  
"Lance said he didn't need to know. Just to point out what he needed to shoot"  
Lance really was going out of his way to avoid him...  
"It's fine. Let him rest. I'll fill him in on everything when I see him"  
Allura didn't look pleased, but she did her best to straighten her features  
"Alright then, shall we begin"

With all the communication back and forth while confirming the information supplied by Lotor, there really wasn't much extra to add. The Galra were growing restless and small power struggles had already broken out. Outlining the delivery routes affected and quadrants where the main action was, the briefing was more or less over in less than a varga. Each dobosh that had passed seemed shorter than the previous one and it felt like he was racing headfirst into a crash. Lance wouldn't be too happy about him showing up at his quarters, and Keith couldn't stop his growing anxieties over it. Still. Like ripping off a bandaid, it would hurt less once it down.

Wanting to look good for his omega and trying to delay the inevitable slightly, Keith headed to his own quarters first. He was shocked to find it almost exactly as he'd left it, except his bed was now remade. Lance must have visited his room at some point, but why would he return the blankets? Grabbing the top one off his bed, the alpha sniffed at the fabric, finding his own scent still lingering on it. Did this mean Lance didn't want him anymore? Or had something else happened? Like had Shiro told Lance to return his things? There were way too many unanswered questions swirling around in his head and if he brooded on it any longer, he'd never get out of his room.

After movements operating in the uniform of the Blade of Marmora, it was weird to be wearing normal clothes again. Designed more for function than for comfort, he much preferred his ordinary street clothes any day. Once he was sure he looked presentable, Keith summoned up his courage.

The walk to lance's quarters had never seemed so long, and he could hear his own racing pulse as he made his way through the ship. Did he start with "hello"? Or maybe he should go for "how are you doing?"?... or "have I done something wrong?"? Trying to run the imaginary conversation outcomes through his mind only led him to believe he'd totally stuffed up and Lance was going to yell at him. That's why, when he finally reached Lance's quarters, he didn't knock. He couldn't bare the idea of Lance sending him away. Sliding back, the door revealed Lance sitting on his bed. The omega had his face buried against his pillow, and his scent was filled with pain. Crossing straight over to Lance's bed, Keith didn't think twice as he toed off his boots before climbing up next to Lance. Wrapping his arms around both the omega and the pillow, he nuzzled the side of Lance's face until his boyfriend finally looked up at him  
"K-Keith?"  
"Hey baby... I'm back"  
Letting out a small sob, Lance buried his face back against his pillow. That wasn't what Keith was expecting at all  
"Lance?"  
"What are you doing here?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Why did you come back?"  
"Because I missed you..."  
Shaking his head, Lance raised a hand and attempted to push him away  
"Hey. What's going on with you? I thought you missed me"  
"Why would I, when you don't even love me"  
Hold up. Since when didn't he love Lance?"  
"Lance, I don't know what you mean. I'm crazy about you"  
"Then why didn't you reply?! I feel so stupid! I really thought you wanted me!"  
"Lance, I'm confused. What didn't I reply too?"  
"My message! My stupid message"  
"But I did... unless you sent another one?"  
"Don't lie to me! You probably didn't even read it"  
"Lance, if it was the message where you said you loved and missed me, I promise you I replied to that. You have no idea how happy I was to read that"  
Peaking up at him, Lance's red eyes were silently questioning him  
"I was on a mission when you sent it, so I had to wait until I got back to base to reply... but I promise you I did"  
"Well I never got it"  
Keith groaned to himself. Lance had thought he'd made a fool of himself by telling Keith he loved him, and not getting a reply. Now he could see why his boyfriend was so upset. Pulling back from Lance, Keith opened his communicator and scrolled through the pages of text until he found his reply to Lance's message  
"See, I know I wrote it and I know I sent it..."  
Finally releasing his hold on his pillow, Lance wiped at his face before shaking his head  
"It's too blurry"  
"It says that I miss you and I love you, and that I'm sorry I couldn't reply sooner but I'm alright"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. I missed you like you wouldn't believe"  
One minute Lance was sniffling, the next his boyfriend had thrown his arms around him and was nuzzling at his neck like there was no tomorrow  
"I thought you hated me! And that you found someone new!"  
"Lance, no. I thought I was the one who did something wrong"  
"You didn't talk to me when you talked to all the others! It hurt so much!"  
"That's because I thought you were mad at me"  
"I was! You never replied! Things have been awful without you!"  
Pulling Lance down so the omega was straddling his lap, Keith wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and hugged him tight   
"I'm so sorry baby. But I'm here for the next 2 quintants, so you can tell me all about it"  
"What about your missions?"  
"With Zarkon dead, everything's in chaos right now"  
"So you're going back?"  
"Yeah. I still haven't found my mum, and now it feels like I might never have the chance"  
"I'm sorry! You should be out there with her! And not with someone like me!"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"I'm not worth it"  
"Of course you are"  
"No I'm not! I can't ever get wearing your mark right! I keep getting hit on and everyone says I smell different... even Hunk said I smelt really nice, like fresh strawberry shortbread"  
What now? As far as he was concerned Hunk had never seen Lance that way... as an available omega. He thought Hunk would protect Lance from those sorts of questions  
"And Lotor keeps looking at me funny! He asked if I was even human because I smell sweet. I don't know what's going on! I know my scent changed because you marked me..."  
Lance was self imploding fast. Hushing his boyfriend, he began rubbing large circles on Lance's back  
"Hey... it's ok. You do smell sweeter, but there's nothing wrong with it"  
"I don't want to smell sweeter! I don't want to smell! Matt tried hitting on me when he was drunk and Shiro said he wanted to court me and I don't even want to see any of them!"  
"Shhhh... I'm here. I've got you"  
Shaking his head, Lance pulled back from his hold   
"Lance?"  
"I think I'm going to be sick"  
Clamping a hand to his mouth, his boyfriend rushed to scramble off his bed and into the bathroom. By the time Keith arrived, Lance was already on his hands and knees, throwing his guts up. It'd been a long time since he'd seen Lance upset enough to vomit from it. Squatting down behind him, he began rubbing Lance's back again  
"It's not worth getting this upset"  
"It is! I'm a bad omega!"  
"You're not a bad omega, and I'll be talking to Matt and Shiro about hitting on you"  
"Don't! Please don't! Matt was drunk, and he apologised already"  
"Then what about Shiro?"  
Throwing up again, Keith had the feeling there was more to this than just flirting   
"Lance, what did Shiro do?"  
"I don't want to talk about it"  
"Well, I do. If he hurt you..."  
"No! He's just... he's been so cold lately. To everyone and... I think he's been stalking me. I keep seeing him and the other day... it felt like someone had been through my room"  
Keith was murderous. How dare Shiro think any of this was ok. Whimpering, Lance shied away from him  
"I'm not angry at you. I... I had no idea any of this was going on"  
"You weren't meant to. I didn't want to tell you and I thought you wouldn't care"  
Oh... Lance had no idea how badly his words stung, but with all he'd been through, it was natural for the omega to accept the worst case possibility as truth  
"Are you going to throw up again?"  
Shaking his head, Lance spat before slowly pushing himself up  
"I feel like I show you all my uncool sides"  
"It's fine. You've been trying to be strong without me around... I thought between Allura and Hunk, you'd have some support"  
"Allura and I don't talk much anymore... she's into Lotor"  
Keith wrinkled his nose  
"Allura likes Lotor?"  
"He's half Altean or something... I don't even think she likes me anymore"  
Great. Lance felt like everyone hated him. How was he supposed to fix that?  
"How about we just cuddle in bed the whole time I'm here? We don't have to go anywhere or see anyone"  
"You need to eat"  
"We can ask Pidge to bring something down... and you need to eat too"  
Flushing the vomit away, Lance turned to face him. In the bathroom light, Keith was able to examine his boyfriend properly. Lance had dark bags under his eyes, and his skin had an unhealthy paleness to it. It was clear the fellow teen had been suffering on his own again  
"Lance, when's the last time you ate?"  
"Y-yesterday..."  
So over 18 vargas ago. Great. This was just great  
"You need to eat"  
"I can't. Hunk kicked me out the kitchen for eating too much. He said I can't stress eat anymore"  
Stress eating wasn't exactly a positive way to deal with everything he was going through, but Hunk could have been nicer about it all  
"I'm sorry. I keep talking about myself. What about you?"  
"What about me?"  
"You probably didn't even want to come see me..."  
Moving past him, Lance went to the bathroom basin and began washing his hands and face  
"I came here solely to see you. Yes I had to brief Allura and drop off some intel to Pidge, but I came because I was worried about you and I love you"  
Turning the taps down, Lance went about brushing his teeth. His omega tried to tell him something as he did, but Keith had no idea what, so waited until Lance had rinsed and spat before taking him back into his hold  
"Now, can you say that again?"  
"I said I love you"  
"Good, because I'm crazy about you"  
Letting out a soft sigh, Lance nuzzled his chest  
"Can we go cuddle? I just want to cuddle"  
"We can do whatever you want"  
"I want you to cuddle me and tell me everything you've done since you left. You have this whole other life without me and it's not fair"  
Letting out an exaggerated groan, Keith began dragging Lance out the bathroom and back to the omega's bed  
"How about I tell you everything I've been doing, if you tell me what you've been up to"  
"I already have"  
"I don't care. I could listen to babble on all day and never get sick of your voice"

With the two teens curled up in bed together, Keith knew it wouldn't be long before Lance fell asleep. Having finally broken down and let himself cry, his boyfriend no longer smelt pained, instead he just smelt exhausted... and very sweet. It was like the scent was calling out to his alpha and telling it that Lance needed to be protected. Spooned around Lance, he was soon proved right as Lance's words began to slur, before finally the omega fell asleep mid-sentence. With all that Lance had been going through, he was somewhat surprised that Pidge or hadn't contacted him to let him know Lance was in a bad way. Maybe they'd thought like Lance had, and that him leaving meant things were over between the pair of them? But he's kissed Lance in front of everyone before he'd left as a last claiming mark. He'd wanted to drive home to everyone on the ship that Lance was his and only his. Only now it sounded like it wasn't enough... he'd definitely have to mark Lance again before he left, and he really needed to know what had happened from everyone else's point of views... but for now, that need would have to wait.

 

*  
Waking to the feel of the bed dipping and the solid warmth behind him sliding over him, Lance let out a whine of discontent. Still more asleep than awake, he grabbed instinctively for his alpha, only to earn himself a kiss on the forehead  
"Mmm... where are you going?"  
"Your stomachs been rumbling in your sleep. I'm just bringing you back some food"  
"Well hurry up... it's cold without you"  
Pressing another kiss to his forehead, Keith finally climbed off the bed completely. The alpha kissing his hand before letting it fall back to the bed  
"I'll be back soon"  
"m'k love you"  
"I love you too"

Falling back to sleep almost instantly, Lance didn't remember the exchange the next time he woke. Instead he was confused as to why Keith wasn't there and why he was so hot. Pushing off the blankets, he frowned as the smell of his slick reached his nose. Not again...  
"Keith?!"  
Calling out incase Keith was in the bathroom, Lance got no reply. Upset over the lack of alpha, he didn't bother pulling his pants on as he climbed from his bed. He had his shirt and boxers on as it was, and he was only going to find Keith.

It wasn't until he was half way to Keith's quarters that he finally thought to himself that this might have been a very bad idea. With slick running down his inner thighs, he felt his reasoning slipping away. Even with Keith gone, he still continued to wear the ring, and he hadn't experienced anything like this with the others around. Feeling a wave of need flare through his stomach, the intensity dropped him to his knees. Groaning in pain, he was forced to crawl to the wall, before using it to pull himself up. 

"Lance?!"  
Jumping at the unexpected calling of his name, Lance let out a small whine of fear. Of all the alpha's in the ship, the one he least wanted to see right now, was the one who'd come across him in this state. Raising a hand, he tried to tell Shiro to stay back, but without that hand against the wall for support, he fell against it  
"Lance, are you alright?"  
Ignoring his wishes, Shiro came to his side. The alpha then let out a long groan as he clearly caught a whiff of Lance's pheromones   
"We need to get you back to your room"  
"I... I'm fine"  
He felt like he was betraying Keith as slick all but gushed into his boxers  
"You're not fine"  
Grabbing his arm, Shiro first went to pull him away from the wall, but then he was suddenly being slammed into it  
"Shiro! Stop!"  
Moving so his chest was against lance's back, Shiro rutted up against him  
"Shit... Lance... I want you so badly"  
"Shiro..."  
His voice was more a shaky whine, as he tried to tell Shiro no. Sliding his hand down Lance's side, without the omega's pants to stop him, Shiro continued down until he was in Lance's boxers  
"Shiro... stop..."  
Feeling the alpha's fingers rub against his opening, Lance let out an involuntary whine  
"Do you want me?"  
"N-no... no Shiro..."  
Letting out a growl, Shiro drove two fingers inside of him, causing Lance to cum on the spot  
"I love you, Lance. We could be happy together. We could have pups and have a real family"  
"N-no... stop"

Repeating how much he loved him, Shiro didn't stop. Instead the alpha all but tore down his boxers and Lance screamed as the man shoved inside him. Growling as he nibbled lance's ear, the omega felt sick to his stomach, yet no matter how hard he tried to fight off Shiro, the alpha behind continued to trust into him brutally  
"You're so beautiful Lance. I love you. I love everything about you. Choose me. Let me make you happy"  
"K-Keith..."  
"Don't worry about Keith. He left you after all"  
"No!"  
His objections fell on deaf ears, and he felt his orgasm tear through him as Shiro came inside. Letting out a sobbing howl, Lance would have sunk to the floor if not for Shiro's knot. Hushing him, the alpha rocked through his orgasm, filling him completely with his seed. Unable to stay conscious, Lance's eyes rolled back, and the teen slumped limply against the wall.

 

*  
Keith had gotten slightly sidetracked, and the alpha was praying that Lance was still asleep. Having headed up to the kitchen, he'd found Pidge and Hunk in whispered conversation when he'd walked in. Catching sight of him, Hunk smiled in his direction  
"How's Lance?"  
"Sleeping. He's exhausted. Why didn't you guys tell me it was this bad?"  
Pidge let out a sigh  
"Honestly, things have been chaos around here. We've been pretty much on the go nonstop since you left"  
"That's right. We did try talking to him and cheering him up, but he wouldn't talk to either of us"  
"You should have called me. He thought I didn't love him anymore because he didn't get the message I sent in reply to his"  
Pidge frowned  
"I don't remember seeing a message from you"  
"I sent it. He's been thinking I dumped him without telling him I did. He also said Matt and Shiro hit on him"  
Hunk's eyes widened comically   
"Matt?"  
"Matt did, but he was drunk, and he apologised to Lance. He said he would never have if he'd known you two were still together"  
"What's Shiro's excuse then?"  
"Well... Shiro likes Lance"  
Pidge's unsure tone meant she probably hadn't noticed anything  
"Shiro likes Lance?"  
"I know Lance mentioned something about Shiro making a pass at him, but I assumed that was in the message he sent you"  
"No, he just said that he loved and missed me. He probably didn't want t make me mad or worried"  
"Probably. I know he's been really struggling"  
"Has he been eating at least?"  
"Only enough for a small army. I don't know where he puts it all, he's still so thin. By the way, I'm just going to go ahead and make him pancakes for breakfast. Is that ok with everyone? Good, because that's what's happening"  
Nodding to Hunk, he didn't really care what Lance ate, as long as he actually got something into him. Urge hummed for a moment before finally answering   
"Maybe he just has a fast metabolism?"  
"Guys, please. I'm worried about him. He said he wasn't eating because he didn't want to make Hunk mad, and that you all think he smells weird"  
"No, he smells sweet. I don't know how to explain it"  
He was getting nowhere fast... crossing to the only counter not in use, he hopped up on it, though Hunk didn't look too happy when he did   
"Keith, you alright there?"  
"I'm fine. I just need to know everything that's happened"

Between Pidge and Hunk filling him in and correcting each other as they did, the conversation seemed to drag on forever, and yet sped by at the same time. His friends had all been through a lot since he'd left, and he could definitely see times and situations where Lance would have taken things the wrong way... like being left behind for the prisoner exchange. He was still mulling everything over when the kitchen doors slid open and Allura came running in  
"Allura! What's going on?"  
"It's Lance. I was looking for you, as I'd hoped to talk to you about Lance, but when I got to Lance's quarters he was screaming in his sleep..."  
Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Taking off running he didn't care if the others were following.

Reaching Lance's quarters in record time, Keith found the bed deserted and the bathroom door open. Striding through to the bathroom, his boyfriend was curled up in the far corner, still trying to scrub his already very red arms  
"Lance?"  
Not even registering him, Keith noticed Lance's lips were moving silently   
"Is he alright?"  
Snarling as he turned to look behind him, he found both Allura and Hunk staring at him with concern   
"No. Look. He's not ok and he hasn't been for a while now. Hunk, I know you're his best friend, but right now I can't have you near him. Allura, can you get some food and bring it down here? And then can you make sure the others stay away until he's calmed down and I know what the quiznak happened"  
Not waiting for them to reply, Keith hit the door panel and effectively ended the conversation, before turning all his attention to Lance. He hadn't mentioned it, because he hoped he was imagining it, but he could smell trace amounts of blood in the air... beneath deep deep hues of distress.

Stripping quickly, Keith stepped into the shower, before kneeling down in front of Lance. His boyfriend was still too out of it to realise he was there, so moving to sit, he placed his hand on Lance's arm. The effect was immediately   
"No, Shiro! Let me go!"  
It was a husky yell that barely came out above a whisper, but explained a whole lot. It seemed like Lance had one hell of a nightmare about Shiro in his absence   
"Lance, its Keith. Shiro isn't here. It's just you and me"  
"No... no... no..."  
He didn't want to be forceful, but Lance was now scrubbing at his arms with his nails so hard that he was starting to bleed quite a bit. Taking his boyfriend's wrists in his hold, he pulled him away from the corner enough that he could then slide Lance into his lap... less than gracefully, and wrapped the omega's arms around him. Slowly Lance stopped his weak fighting and began apologising instead  
"Lance, baby, it's alright now. I'm here. It was just a dream"  
"A dream?"  
"Yeah, just a bad dream"  
Shaking his head, Lance continued to cry against him. Of all the places to be stuck though, Keith didn't mind that it was in the shower. Galra weren't that big on personal hygiene, so showering while out on a mission didn't happen, meaning that in the time he'd been gone, he'd only really gotten to shower twice. With that thought in mind, he released Lance's right wrist, so he could fumble around and grab both Lance's soap and shampoo  
"Here, let me clean you up, and then we can go back to bed"

By the time he'd washed Lance's hair for him, the omega was finally starting to calm. His tears had stopped, but the omega was still deeply distressed and felt warm to his touch. Pressing kisses to Lance's temple, he went about soaping up Lance's back, but made the mistake of letting his fingers slide too close to the omega's arse. Lance immediately went back into fight mode. Shoving him back before trying to stand  
"Lance!"  
Scrambling to his feet, Keith caught Lance before he could slide back to the floor. Shower time was definitely over now, and by the way his boyfriend was gasping for breath, he'd be lucky if Lance didn't just pass out on the spot. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind, did it happen. Quiznak. He didn't care if Lance didn't want him talking to Shiro about what had happened, the alpha needed to back the hell off. Just because it had been deca-phoebes for Shiro, didn't mean it had been deca-phoebes for Lance. Each time he relived what had happened in his nightmares, was as a good as the omega reliving in reality. Turning off the taps, Keith then hefted Lance into his arms. With Lance completely naked and exposed, he could see his boyfriend had put on a little weight since left. Not that it was unattractive, but Lance was definitely stress eating more than he should.

Sitting Lance down on his towel, Keith leant him against the inside wall of his bed. It was only ticks before the white towel turned pink beneath his omega and Keith had to fight down his panic. The last time he'd seen Lance bleeding from... down there... had been during the miscarriage, and all the painful memories from night chose to come rushing back to him like an unwelcome slap to the face. Returning to Lance's bathroom, Keith grabbed two more towels out, slinging one around his waist before rushing back to Lance. Taking Lance's face in his hands, he rubbed at the still evident tear marks as he tried to rouse his boyfriend   
"Lance... Lance!"  
Getting no response did nothing to ease his worries  
"Baby, I'm sorry but I need to take a look. Please forgive me"  
Laying Lance on his side, he felt like he was doing something incredibly wrong as he gently went about examining him. From the scratch marks around Lance's opening, it seemed like the omega had been trying to clean cum from himself, no doubt thinking the memory was real and wanted to erase all traces of Shiro  
"Quiznak. You've done a good job, but we'll get you all healed up"  
Using the second towel he'd grabbed, Keith started by first drying lance's hair off, then working his way down, and back up to clean up spot of blood on Lance's torn up arms, and then finally the remnants of blood and slick from his arse and thighs. Life had been so cruel to his omega, and it wasn't fair that he would be leaving again so soon. He couldn't risk taking Lance with him, not when the Galra were going to be even more on guard, but he loathed the idea of leaving him behind. When Lance was finally dry, Keith dried himself off, before dressing both of them and lifting Lance into his hold. It was now that Allura finally returned with the food he'd requested, but taking one look at Lance, she strode across the room and placed the plates down on his desk  
"What happened?"  
"He's hurt himself. He thought that Shiro attacked him again, and he tried to get rid of any traces. I think he's got a fever"  
Coming to his side, Allura placed her palm on Lance's forehead  
"He's definitely got a fever. I'll call ahead and have Coran ready a healing pod for him"  
"Thanks Allura. I'm sorry for snarling at you before"  
"Hunk's been trying to teach me about alpha pack dynamics and omega's... you didn't want another alpha near him because you knew he was vulnerable, right?"  
It was just like Allura to go that extra mile   
"Yeah. I could smell the blood and I thought it was just his arms..."  
Tapping at her communicator, Allura was soon explaining things to Coran as they made their way up to the pods. Honestly, everything the woman had said to him since leaving Lance's quarters had pretty much gone right over his head. He knew Allura was talking, but he couldn't take his eyes off Lance. It was kind of crazy how much he loved his boyfriend. Part of him wondered quietly if it was really alright to love Lance as much as he did? 

 

*  
Lance's wound were healed after only 3 vargas in the pod. When the glass slid up, the omega seemed genuinely confused as to what he was doing in a pod. Having left them alone, Keith crossed to Lance, before gathering him into his arms  
"Keith?"  
"It's ok. You had a really bad nightmare, but I'm here"  
Tensing in his hold, Lance let out a shaky breath  
"Where were you?"  
"What?"  
"I woke up and you weren't there"  
Stepping back, Keith slid his hands to lightly grip Lance's arms  
"I told you I was going to get breakfast. Hunk and Pidge were there, and we got to talking a little. Don't you remember me telling you?"  
"N-no... I woke up and you were gone... so I went looking for you..."  
"Lance, it was a dream. Allura came in not that long after I got to the kitchen and said you were screaming in your sleep"  
"Allura?"  
"She said she wanted to check in with us"  
"No... I cheated on you. Shiro... he pushed me up against the wall... and he wouldn't stop"  
Keith felt both revolted and angered, but definitely more angered than revolted   
"Lance, you didn't have time to go anywhere"  
"But... I was there... he... I can still feel him pushing inside... and I can still feel him on my skin"  
"What you're feeling is what you did t yourself baby. You scratched yourself up pretty bad trying to get rid of... Shiro"  
Lance's face turned bright red as the omega put two and two together  
"It... it wasn't real?"  
"No. No it wasn't. Do you really think I would be standing here not covered in blood if it was"  
Sniffling slightly, Lance shook his head  
"No"  
"Good. Now, can we please go back to bed and eat? I just want to spend as much time with you as I can"  
"I'm sorry for freaking out, it just felt so really. Like I really was going into heat"  
"You did feel slightly feverish, but that was probably more to the fact you haven't been eating and sleeping properly. But that's going to change"  
"It is?"  
"I don't care if I have to spoon feed you. I'm making sure you at least eat 6 decent meals before I leave"  
"6?"  
"Yep. And plenty of water and rest. I don't know when I'll be back again, so I want to pamper you as much as I can before I leave"  
Raising an eyebrow, Lance seemed to be looking around the room  
"What? What is it?"  
"Where's my real boyfriend?"  
Groaning at his omega, Keith let go of Lance's right arm, as he let his left hand slide down to take Lance's hand in his  
"Remind me why I'm in love with you again?"  
"Because I'm the best sharp shooter in the universe"  
"Oh that. Thanks, I'll keep that in mind"  
"Jerk"  
"Did you just call me a jerk"  
"Maybe"  
Taking the teasing as a sign that Lance was finally perking back up, Keith kept riling up Lance as they walked back to his quarters. He'd forgotten how feisty Lance could get, and he'd truly missed the omega's spark. No one in the universe could frustrate him like Lance could, but there was also no in the universe who could make him so stupidly happy without even saying a word.


	22. Chapter 22

"Keith, stop... that tickles"  
Nuzzling at Lance's stomach, Keith's fingers had been lightly sliding across his boyfriend's chest. Lance's tiny amount of chub was adorable, and the alpha hadn't been able to help himself   
"I can't help it. You're so cute when you're asleep"  
"I'm cute all of the time"  
Mouthing at Lance's stomach, Keith continued until Lance started giggling and squirming underneath him  
"Keith... it tickles"  
"I'm trying to be romantic"  
"No, you're trying to tactfully tell me I've put on weight"  
"Maybe, but I like it. In fact, I like all of you"  
Sliding up his boyfriend's side, Keith hooked a leg over Lance's waist before nuzzling at the smooth skin of the omega's neck  
"Are you feeling better?"  
Moaning lightly, Lance rocked his hips up in clear appreciation of his attention  
"Yeah. I feel better knowing it was just a dream"  
"Good. I like it when you're happy"  
"I'm sorry... it just felt so real"  
"I know baby. But I'll never let him touch you like that again"  
Starting to suck on Lance's neck, he wasn't completely sure if he was going about giving his boyfriend a hickey, but he hoped so. He wanted to give Lance as many possessive marks as he could  
"Keith... its starting to hurt"  
"Oh... sorry"  
Pulling back, Keith felt slightly bad at the small amount of blood that sat in the middle of the dark bruising   
"I don't really know what I'm doing... I just wanted to mark you"  
"I know. Now come up here and give me a good morning kiss. It's the least you can do for waking me up"

Slowly his soft good morning kiss deepened until Lance was mewing into his mouth. After his boyfriend's nightmare, he'd ruled sex out, but that didn't seem to be the case. Crawling between Lance's legs, Keith went back to nuzzling his boyfriend's stomach   
"Stooooop. You're acting like I'm pregnant"  
"I can't help it"  
Placing his hands on Lance's stomach, he was more than happy to imagine Lance pregnant. His fingers splayed protectively across the small firmness he was sure he felt  
"Keith..."  
"Fine. But only because you seem to want me so badly"  
Blushing lightly, Lance nodded before letting his head drop back against his pillow with a groan. So completely adorable.

Keith had wanted to take it slow, but Lance seemed so desperate for more. Reaching out for him, Lance clung to him as moaned openly between hard and sloppy kisses. Here they were, having sex without the urge to breed behind their actions. Lance purely wanted him for him, and his alpha was drunk on its own ego. Making sure to pleasure Lance completely, by the time his knot popped, he'd already brought his omega to orgasm twice. Biting and nipping at Lance bottom lip, his boyfriend laughed lightly as Keith slumped down against him  
"How was that for a good morning wake up?"  
"I'm so happy, I can't even move"  
"Mmm, I like the sound of that"  
"I don't... I had plans for today"  
Keith blinked in surprise as he moved to rest his head against lance's sweaty chest  
"You had plans?"  
"I kind of wanted to ask you for some help"  
"Help?"  
"It's stupid"  
"Lance, I doubt it'd be stupid"  
"I wanted to know if maybe you could help me with hand to hand combat?"  
"Are you going to be able to stand up straight?"  
Rocking his hips lightly, Lance moaned as Keith's knot caught  
"Not if you're going to keep going like that..."  
Laughing, he nodded against Lance's chest   
"I'm sorry. I love you"  
"You're not sorry at all"  
"No, not really"  
Smacking him on the back of the head, Keith groaned at the momentary pain  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Now be quiet, I'm sleepy"

In the end, the pair wound up staying like that, Lance falling asleep beneath him, and Keith unable to let his sleeping boyfriend go.

 

*  
Stretching as tall as he could, Lance winced at the flash of pain that ran up his back. Knowing the incident with Shiro had been a dream, he felt so much better... which had led to wake up sex, followed by a much slower second round against the shower wall. It'd been totally worth it though, and the smile on his lips wouldn't fade  
"What level do you want to start at?"  
"One... let's see how far we can get?"  
"Ok, but if it gets too much, just let me know. I was pretty thorough..."  
How could Keith just talk about sex so easily? Even thinking about sex left him blushing  
"I'll be fine. After all, I can handle anything you can"  
"Let's see about that"  
"First to 20 wins"  
"First to 50 you mean"  
Yeah. He'd been baited, and he swallowed it whole. Nodding his agreement, he activated his Bayard as Keith activated his blade.

"You need to use your weight more. Drop your stance and use their own momentum against them"  
"Urgh! I know that!"  
Firing at the sentinel approaching Keith, he was loath to admit his boyfriend was beating him. Keith was so graceful when fought, almost like it was a dance... where Lance felt about as graceful as a sack of potatoes left outside in the sun. Being cornered by three sentinels, he fired in an attempt to create an opening, but instead wound up backed against the wall. Dodging the first attack, he managed to finally throw the second sentinel in a way that would have made Keith proud. But doing so, he left himself open, and he found himself on the floor thanks to his feet being swept out underneath him. Letting out a yelp, he rolled away as Keith leapt to his defence. With an echoing growl, Keith's blade cut easily through the three sentinels had been dealing with  
"End simulation!"

Panting as he pushed himself up, Lance frowned at his boyfriend  
"Why did you end it?"  
"You're exhausted"  
"I'm fine. I could have kept going"  
Shaking his head, Keith reached down to pull him up  
"My alpha's telling me you need a break"  
"Well, your alpha's wrong!"  
Embarrassed over being so thoroughly beaten, the last thing he wanted was his second dynamic questioned  
"Lance?"  
"All I wanted was to try and be your equal, but I failed so miserably"  
"You were getting much better towards the end"  
"Until you had to save me!"  
He hated how upset he was, and that he was snapping at Keith over it. Tomorrow morning his boyfriend would be leaving, and he didn't want to things to end up in a fight  
"Lance, it's ok. You just to work on your stance"  
"I know... ugh. This is so frustrating"  
Pulling him closer, Keith nodded slowly  
"I know. Let's go clean up and then we can spend the day doing whatever"  
Lance's hand moved to his stomach as it let out a huge rumble  
"I think I'm hungry"  
"I think you might be right. Let's get lunch first"  
"Carry me...?"  
He was half joking, but landing on his already sore arse had left his lower back throbbing. Fluttering his eyelashes at Keith, Keith rolled his eyes at him  
"Fine"

Lifting him by his arse, Lance wrapped his legs around Keith's waist. Now in his arms, all Lance wanted to do was cling onto Keith with everything he had. He had no idea how he was supposed to survive with Keith leaving the following day. His alpha always knew just what to do to make everything better  
"Keith"  
"Lance?"  
"I love you"  
"I know you do. And I know you're frustrated, but I'm really proud of you"  
"Mmm. It's just so frustrating"  
"You said that already. I think your fine the way you are, besides, you're the sharpshooter"  
"It feels like I'm not even that good at that"  
"Lance, if anyone was going to shoot someone attacking me, you'd be the only one I'd trust not to hit me"  
"That's 'cause you're a fool"  
"Oi. Do you want me to drop you?"  
"No"  
"Then enough being so negative"  
Sighing, Lance closed his eyes and breathed in as much of Keith's scent as he could. He never wanted to be put down again.

 

*  
Carrying Lance into the kitchen, Keith ignored the curious look he got from Hunk and Allura, instead, he concentrated on carrying Lance to the closet piece of cleared bench   
"Lance, Keith... is everything alright?"  
"Yeah. Someone's a little hungry, we've been down in the training room all morning"  
"Is that what they like to call it?"  
Groaning at Hunk, Lance nuzzled against Keith's chest as if trying to hide  
"Ha ha. We were hoping to grab something to eat"  
"I want cookie dough"  
"Lance, that isn't proper food"  
"But that's what I want... I want something sweet"  
Looking to Hunk, the alpha rolled his eyes   
"All he ever wants lately is something sweet. Lance, I'm making a taco casserole. It's either that, or space fruit"  
"Do we have any of those orange and blue apples?"  
Looking around the kitchen, Allura beat him to it. Grabbing the weirdest looking apple Keith had ever seen, the princess passed it over to him   
"This one?"  
Turning his head, Lance didn't let go as he nodded   
"Have you tried them? They taste like an apple, but they're like an orange in the inside"  
"The Galra aren't really big fruit eaters"  
"Give that here, I'll cut it up for you"  
"Thanks Hunk, I don't think Lance is letting go any time soon"  
"It's kind of sweet. He missed you very much"  
"I missed him too"  
Whining against his chest, Lance finally looked up at him  
"I am here you know"  
"No. Really? When did that happen?"  
"Huuuunk. Keith's being mean"  
"You love it"  
"Allura, Hunk and Keith are being mean"  
Laughing at Lance's pouty tone, Keith found Allura staring down at Lance almost lovingly. It was a shame she and Lance had somehow drifted apart   
"Here. Lance, you're going to have to let Keith go so you can eat"  
"I don't want to. He feels nice"  
"Baby, you need to at least lean back"  
Making vomiting motions behind Lance's back, Hunk had definitely had enough of them  
"My back hurts"  
Oh... he'd kind of forgotten about that...  
"Allura, would you mind carrying that plate for me? Lance got his feet swept out from under him during training and he hurt his back when he landed"  
It was better than saying he'd thoroughly drilled his boyfriend earlier and landing on his arse probably hadn't helped at all  
"Is he alright?"  
"He will be, it's just a little tender"  
Taking the plate with the weird fruit on it, Allura followed them through to the lounge room, while Hunk promised lunch would done soon.

Repositioning Lance in his lap, his omega was now laying up against his chest with his legs draped over Keith's right one, while Keith had his arms loosely wrapped around Lance as his fingertips lightly rubbed the omega's hip. Despite insisting he should try the orapple, Lance had practically inhaled it the moment Allura had passed him the plate, and now Lance was more or less dozing in his hold  
"I think this is the happiest I've seen him since you left. I'm surprised after yesterday"  
"So am I. He was so scared, but knowing it was a dream calmed him down"  
"That's good. When I saw him screaming, I wanted to wake him up, but I didn't want to upset him further"  
"No. You did the right thing getting me. I just wish there was a way he could forget all of it"  
"I've thought the same thing more than once. You really are wonderful with him"  
"He makes it easy. Allura, why didn't you tell me how bad he was?"  
"With everything happening, each time we talked it was mostly Lance voicing his upset over Lotor..."  
"That doesn't mean you couldn't have sent me a message. Did you know Shiro made a pass at him? Shiro of all people"  
Allura sighed at Shiro's name   
"Shiro has been getting on all our nerves of late. I honestly don't know what's going through his head"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"He's been very short of temper lately, and very forceful in getting his own way. It's like he's not even listening to us anymore"  
"How's he been towards Lance?"  
Allura shook her head  
"The same as with all of us. He hasn't given Lance any extra attention that I've noticed, but I've been busy"  
Hadn't they all? Though Allura always did try to shoulder everyone's burdens, and he knew how lacking he was when he was trying to juggle everything at once  
"Hopefully things will start to change soon"  
"Lotor wants change the Galra way of doing things"  
"No offence, but that won't happen. I can feel the anger in my Galra side and emotions aren't high on their priority list"  
"We at least have to try"  
"I know that. But I have to think about all those people we promised to help and protect. How are they all going to feel if you're suddenly allied with the Galra?"  
"I honestly don't know. But what else can we do? Something has to change, and with Zarkon's death, we have an opening we didn't have before"

"And lunch is served! I've really outdone myself this time, even if I do say so myself"  
Carrying in possibly the biggest baking dish Keith had ever seen, Hunk smiled broadly as he placed it down in the middle of the table  
"I've already called the other up for lunch, will Lance be waking up?"  
Lance's sleepy voice replied before Keith could  
"Lance woke up when he smelt the food. It smells amazing Hunk"  
"Doesn't it? I'll be right back with the rest"  
"There's more?"  
"It's alright, Coran is helping with everything. I hope you're still hungry Lance"  
"I'm starving"  
"Of course you are"  
Lance tensed against him at Hunk's joking words. No. His boyfriend wasn't not eating lunch, no matter what he thinking. Leaning in to whisper in Lance's ear, he assured his boyfriend he'd bash anyone who threatens to say he was eating too much. Lance was still tense, but his boyfriend at least nodded... so that was a small win.

When Pidge and her father arrived, Lance slid from his lap. The omegas comforting warmth was immediately missed, as was the contentment that had been in Lance's scent. Half hiding behind him, his boyfriend seemed to be trying to become one with the soft chair  
"Lance?"  
Biting his lip, Lance looked to the door. Oh. Shiro and Lotor were standing there. Great, he hadn't been thinking of that  
"It's ok. You have both me and Allura to protect you"  
"I shouldn't need protecting"  
"I know you shouldn't, but just ignore him"  
"I can't. Looking at him makes yesterday seem so real"  
"It was just a dream. Besides, if you need reminding of how much I love you..."  
"Keith! Not in front of everyone!"  
"What. No. Not like that..."  
Looking up from their whispered conversation, he found everyone staring at them  
"Nothing to see here guys. How about we start eating"  
"Sorry dad. They're always like this"  
"I remember those days well. Your mother and I used to be like that, back in our day"  
"Ew! Dad! No"  
Laughing at the look on Pidge's face, her dad was definitely more jovial than he'd expected  
"Now Pidge, when you find someone you love, you'll understand"  
"I'm alright just the way I am"  
"Of course you are sweetheart"

Oblivious to his annoyance, Keith found himself sitting beside Shiro as they all ate. He could barely keep his temper in check, especially when all he could smell was Lance's fear. Even with Shiro sitting beside him, he could still only smell Lance  
"Keith?"  
Looking to Allura, he realised the woman was trying to pass him the baking dish. Flicking her gaze to Lance for a moment, he took the tiny hint, serving up two rather large serves for them both before passing the dish to Shiro  
"Whoa, Keith. Aren't they feeding you?"  
He hadn't expected Pidge to be the one to put her foot in it, but shrugging he played his part   
"Are you kidding me? Nothing they serve up can ever be as good as what Hunk makes. I need to make the most of it"  
"It's ok bud, I'll prepare you a doggy bag to take back"  
"Don't tease me man"  
Winking in his direction, Hunk seemed as uncomfortable by the action he'd just performed as Keith did. Both alpha's silently agreed, looking away from each other and back to their food.

Poking at the food on his plate, Lance seemed to be playing with it more than eating it. Each time he looked, it didn't seem like Lance was actually trying. Finally snapping, Keith pulled Lance into his lap with a soft warning growl   
"Keith?"  
"Eat your lunch already"  
"But..."  
"Eat"  
Everyone around them had gone back for seconds, so there really was no need for Lance to be so self conscious  
"Look, everyone's on their second serve. It's fine. No one cares how much you eat, only that you eat something. So please, for me, eat"  
Whining softly, Lance looked at him so guiltily   
"How am I supposed to say no to that?"  
"You're not"  
"That's not fair"  
Looking down to his plate, his boyfriend let out a huff   
"Hey, Lance?"  
"What?"  
"I love you"  
Sighing at him, Lance picked up his fork again. This time his boyfriend actually began finally eating properly, and like the orapple, he pretty much inhaled everything on the plate. Refilling both their plates, Lance was slower this time, but he still cleared his plate. Leaning in, Keith kissed his boyfriends cheek  
"Better?"  
"Much"  
"Good"

 

*  
When lunch was done, Allura left with Coran and Lotor, while Pidge and her father helped gather up the plates  
"Hunk, do you want some help?"  
"No, we're alright Lance. Go spend the afternoon with Keith"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah. I know better than to let you in the kitchen"  
Ducking his head, Lance felt like he was about to throw everything back up. He was grateful to Keith for eating just as much as he had, but Hunk hadn't teased Keith over it  
"I'm not that bad"  
"Right. No cookie dough is safe when you're around"  
"Hunk, stop teasing Lance. People who only single encrypt don't get to tease others"  
"There's no point double encrypting"  
"Dad?"  
"Not this again"  
Gathering up the rest of the plates, Pidge's father ushered the pair from the room... leaving him in a kind of awkward situation.

"We should go too"  
Nudging him to stand, Lance was more than happy to leave Shiro sitting there alone. Taking Keith's hand, he held it tightly as they slid around the table  
"Tonight at dinner, I want you two to sit apart from each other"  
Jerked back by Keith stopping, Lance bit his lower lip. This couldn't possibly end well  
"Why?"  
"Because the kind of behaviour you two exhibited at lunch is completely unacceptable. We are trying to get Lotor to take us seriously, yet you two were all over each other. It was completely unprofessional"  
"Excuse me?"  
"You heard me. Tonight, Keith you'll sit beside Allura and Coran, and Lance, you'll sit between Lotor and me"  
"No way. I'm leaving tomorrow, and I'm not having you scaring Lance before I go"  
"Scaring him?"  
"Keith, can we please go?"  
"Hold on a minute Lance. I want to know how I've been scaring you"  
This conversation was fast going where Lance really didn't want it to   
"Nothing. It's nothing. Keith, come on"  
"It doesn't seem like nothing"  
"Lance is still scared of you, so why would I let you anywhere near him"  
"I like Lance and I care deeply about him..."  
"He's my boyfriend. He doesn't need you to care about him, he needs you to back off"  
"Right. Your boyfriend. The boyfriend you abandoned, and picked back up when you felt like it"  
"I did not abandon him!"  
"You left him behind while you went searching for you mother"  
"And Lance understands why. Leaving him here was for his own protection"  
"His own protection. Why don't you just tell him you find him a burden?"  
"Because I don't!"  
"Keith, you have no idea how much you've made him suffer. You didn't even reply to his message"  
"I did reply! It's not my fault he never received it. For all I know, you could have deleted it before he even got the chance to see it"  
Wincing at the anger radiating from the two alpha's, he released Keith's hands so he could cover his ears... not that it did much good  
"Why would I delete it? It's clear your relationship isn't going to last"  
"I love Lance and I will never hurt him like you have"  
"How? How have I hurt him?"  
"Let's see... raping him and leaving him pregnant with infected pups, which you then disposed of"  
"I wasn't myself! If I had know, we might have found a way to save those pups! They were my pups too"  
"You weren't there when he passed them! You were there when he woke up screaming in fear! You were never there! You just used him and threw him aside"  
"And you're different?"  
"God! How dense can you be?! Lance is never going to love you! You're lucky he even talks to you. So just back the hell off. He's my omega"  
"Until you bond with him properly, I refuse to accept that"  
"When and if we bond is none of your business"  
"It is when it's affecting the team! I love him, and I'll take better care of him than you ever could"  
Unable to take it any longer, Lance turned back to the alpha's   
"Shut the fuck up! Just shut up! Stop talking about me like I'm not here! I can't take it!"  
Screaming at the pair of them, his chest heaved with exertion. He was beyond livid with both alpha's and didn't want to see either of them  
"Lance..."  
"No! I told you I didn't want you to talk to Shiro about it! He can't help the fact I still have nightmares! I'm the one who's fucked up!"

Storming from the room, Lance broke into a run. He was so mad that Keith couldn't respect his wishes and just as mad that Shiro was spouting all this nonsense about them getting together. Being with Keith was what felt right. He loved Keith. He wanted to be with Keith.

 

*  
Chasing after Lance, he watched as his boyfriend began to run. He'd only wanted Shiro to pull his head out his arse, but he'd gone about it completely the wrong way, and now Lance was the one hurting. Forcing himself not to start running, his racing heart refused to calm during the walk down to Lance's quarters. They'd had such a nice day together, doing things a normal couple would... right up until Shiro decided to ruin it. It wasn't like anyone had been uncomfortable at lunch, and the conversation had flowed easily around them. 

Arriving at Lance's room, he found his boyfriend already in bed  
"Lance?"  
"Go away Keith"  
"I can't do that..."  
"Just go away"  
"I'm sorry I upset you, but I'm not sorry I put Shiro in his place. He needs to learn what he's doing to you isn't alright"  
"I asked you to leave it alone"  
"I know, but I can't stand to see him hurting you"  
"So it's perfectly alright when you do it?"  
Sighing in frustration, the alpha toed off his boots before sinking down on the edge of lance's bed  
"I didn't mean to hurt you"  
"You did! You ruined the whole day! I was so happy that everything that happened yesterday was actually a dream, but I know this isn't and when I open my eyes, it's not going to change anything"  
"Baby..."  
"Just... just leave me alone"  
Ignoring Lance's request, Keith moved to spoon up behind the omega. Placing his hand on Lance's stomach, Keith pulled him as close as he could  
"Go away"  
"No"  
"I don't want to talk you"  
"Then we won't talk"

The silence between them only lasted a few long doboshes  
"I really wish you had left it alone"  
"I know"  
"You're a terrible boyfriend"  
"Probably, but I still love you"  
Rolling over, Lance glared at him  
"You're not a terrible boyfriend. I didn't mean that"  
"I don't know, I feel like I kind of deserved that"  
"You didn't. I was just caught off guard. It hurts when you talk about the pups so easily"  
Cupping Lance's face, Keith nodded  
"I'm sorry. He just made me so mad"  
"But the pups..."  
"I know how much they meant to you. I never should have gone there"  
"Do you think he was right? That maybe we could have found a cure"  
Jealousy filled Keith's stomach, it's claws causing it to clench uncomfortably  
"I don't know..."  
"I... I don't think I can be pregnant and alone again. I know you want to find your mum, but..."  
"Lance, if we find out your pregnant before I find my mum, I promise I'll come back home"  
"I don't want you too though. I don't want to be alone, but I want you to find her. It's so confusing, and with the way you've been making a fuss of my stomach... you're treating me like I am"  
Oh... he'd just wanted Lance to know he didn't mind the extra weight  
"I'm sorry. I just... I wanted you to know I love you"  
"It was weird... it felt nice, but I'm not ready for it"  
"No more stomach touching. Got it"  
"Thanks... and no more picking fights with Shiro. You get to leave, but we all have to put up with him"  
"I promise to try and be on my best behaviour"  
"Good... right now, I'm going to take a shower because all I can smell is your and Shiro's anger and it's making me sick"  
"Do you want me to wait here?"  
"It's up to you"  
"I'll wait"

 

*  
Standing under the running water, Lance's hands slid across his stomach. Full from lunch, it was firm to the touch, almost like he was pregnant. The pups would nearly be due if he hadn't lost them, and he found himself wondering how big he would have been? Would he even have been able to carry them to term? Would they have looked more like him or Shiro? Scolding himself over being such a fool, he allowed himself the luxury of crying in the shower, but once he stepped out, he told himself the tears had to stop. He couldn't keep doing this. He had precious few vargas left with Keith, and he needed to make the most of it.

Grabbing a small jar of moisturiser, Lance sighed as he peered at the label. His mother would probably have been disgusted at how much he'd let himself go. With his towel firmly wrapped around his waste, he padded out into the bedroom  
"Think quick"  
Throwing the small jar, he missed Keith and it hit the back wall of his bed, before falling   
"What was that?"  
"Moisturiser. You were supposed to catch it"  
"I didn't think you'd be throwing things at me"  
"Well you still should have caught it"  
Why was he such an idiot? Why couldn't he just simply ask Keith to hold the jar until he'd gathered up his clothes  
"Do you want me to look for it?"  
"No. I'll do it. I have no idea what's down the side of the bed"

One his hands and knees, Lance was trying to feel for the jar, while Keith was doing the same thing from behind. The alpha hindering him more than helping. As the door to his room slid open, there was a scream, followed by "Oh my god. Oh my god. Argh! I never needed to see you too having sex! I'm sorry!"  
Pulling back from behind him, Lance could only imagine how this must have looked to Pidge. The poor girl was probably now traumatised for life  
"Pidge, calm down. We weren't having sex"  
"No! It's ok"  
"Pidge, Lance lost his jar of moisturiser and we were trying to find it!"  
Finally snagging the jar, Lance pulled it out from the under the edge of his mattress, before rushing to climb off his bed and to his boyfriend side  
"Pidge. It's ok. Look. Here's the jar"  
Peaking through her fingers, Pidge let out a huge sigh of relief   
"So you guys weren't...?"  
"Nope"  
"You were just...?"  
"Looking for the jar. Your innocence is still intact"  
"Thank god. I mean, I love you both, and I love the two of you together, but I don't need to see that"  
"Pidge, you're rambling. Is there something you wanted?"  
"Oh. Right! Hunk and I were going to take our lions out for just a bit of fun, we wanted to know if you two wanted to come with us?"  
"For fun?"  
"Yeah. Coran was talking about how seeing the lions is really good for moral"  
Looking to Keith, his alpha shrugged  
"I'm up for it if you are?"  
"Sure. Pidge, why don't you go on ahead, I still have to get dressed"  
Blushing like she just realised he was only wearing a towel, Pidge then all but mashed her hand against the door panel as she tried to flee his room. Unable to stop himself from laughing, Lance felt slightly bad for his friend  
"I can't believe that just happened"  
"I'm just grateful she didn't walk in while we were having sex"  
"I don't think she'd ever recover"  
Passing the jar to Keith, Lance moved to his closet  
"Do you want to change?"  
"No. I'm alright. Besides, Pidge might get the wrong idea if we take too long"  
Humming in reply, Lance grabbed out his uniform, before drying quickly and changing into it. Nodding to himself, he hung his towel over the back of his chair, before taking the jar of moisturiser back  
"Just let me put some on and we can go"  
"You need your boots"  
"Oh. Probably..."  
Yeah. He was still quietly laughing to himself over Pidge and might have forgotten boots were a thing.

 

*  
After spending a few vargas playing with the lions, Lance was wearing a huge smile on his face as they left the hangar. His boyfriend was amazing at communicating with Red, and Keith felt an unexpected jealousy from it. His bond with Red had never been that deep, and Lance piloted her with such ease. He knew he should be happy, but he wasn't, though he was making a conscientious effort not to let it show  
"Man that felt good. It's nothing like those Galra fighter jets, right?"  
"No. Red is a much smoother ride, hands down"  
"And have you noticed Hunk doesn't throw up nearly as much anymore?"  
"You're all working much better as a team..."  
Stopping in his tracks, Lance grabbed him by the arm  
"Keith, just because you don't pilot Red at the moment, it doesn't mean I will forever. Red was yours first, and I don't want you to feel like I'm replacing you"  
Damn Lance could be annoyingly perceptive when he didn't want him to be  
"Was I really that transparent?"  
"No. I don't think the others noticed"  
"That's alright then. I guess... I feel like an outsider"  
"You're not an outsider"  
"I kind of am at the moment"  
"Keith, this is your home right?"  
"Lance..."  
"I said, "this is your home right?"?"  
"Yes"  
"Then that means you can come back here any time you want. You can come back to us, to me... no matter what, because we're family"  
Leaning in, Keith stole a small kiss  
"How did I get so lucky as to land you?"  
"I don't know, but I think I'm the luckier one"  
"Nope. I am. I have the most adorable omega in the universe as my boyfriend"  
"I'm not adorable"  
"I'm sorry, but you're wrong"  
"I'm not adorable, and I'm the lucky one. Do you have any idea how sexy you are?"  
"We're talking about you, not me"  
"Ha! You agree your sexy"  
"I never agreed"  
"You didn't disagree either"  
"Fine. If you admit you're adorable, I'll agree I'm sexy"  
Lance gaped at him, he'd beaten his omega at his own game. Slowly Lance's smile returned   
"Damn you're good"  
"Of course I am. Now, I need to change before dinner. What are you going to do?"  
"I might go annoy Hunk. If I go with you, I'm not going to want to go to dinner"  
"Hey, it won't be so bad. If we get there early enough, we can sit together before everyone else arrives"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah"  
Throwing his arms around him, Lance let out a small purr  
"Best boyfriend ever"  
"I try"

 

*  
After deciding to take a shower, Keith was certain he was running late. Half jogging through the halls, he was proven right when Allura called through to his communicator and he was forced to slow back down to a walk  
"Keith, where are you?"  
"Sorry Allura, I had a shower. But I'm on my way up"  
"Good. I invited Ryner to join us, as well as a few more of her people"  
"I promise I won't be long"  
Ending the communication, Keith was about to start jogging again, when something sweet and familiar filled his nose. Coming to a stop, he swore he could smell Lance, but spinning around in a circle, he saw no signs of his boyfriend, and nothing out of place apart from a white smudge on the wall. Figuring he was just being a pathetic love-struck fool, he shook his head  
"Idiot. Calm down. You'll see Lance soon enough"

He was right. Walking into the dining room, his eyes sought out Lance automatically. Sandwiched between Allura and Ryner, his boyfriend didn't look happy, though Keith was relieved Lance hadn't ended up between Shiro and Lotor like Shiro had wanted. Instead, the pair were seated next to each other at the far end of the table. Good. This he could deal with... even if the only chair available was to Lotor left. Taking his seat, he was immediately passed the dish in front of Lotor by the man himself. 

"So Keith, I understand you're looking for someone"  
"You might say that"  
He doubted anyone but Shiro would have told Lotor about his half Galra heritage, and the fact Lotor was asking about it so casually caused the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He'd barely just sat down, and now Lotor wanted to have this conversation. He could definitely understand why Lance didn't like him. Something about the man just felt off  
"I understand that's why you're not currently residing here in the Castle of Lions"  
"Lotor, we both know what you're trying to say"  
"Excellent. I like a man who gets straight to the point. When I take over a emperor, would you like me to look for your mother? The Galra empire is vast, but I believe I may have a better chance of finding her"  
There was no way he was trusting Lotor. Not with something like this...  
"I don't even know if she's alive, but if she is, I'd like to find her myself"  
"That's admirable, but an endeavour like that could take deca-phoebes"  
"I don't even know her name, so there isn't anything I could really tell you about her"  
"That's a shame. If you change your mind, I hope you'll reach out. I hope now that my father's passed, we can form a firm friendship and usher in a peaceful era"  
As Lotor said that, a shiver ran down Keith's spine. Something was so completely off with Lotor, and this was only his third time meeting the man. It was like... no. He didn't actually know what it was like, but it was confusing as hell that Shiro didn't seem to get the same feeling.

During the course of their dinner, Lotor insisted on making small talk with him, despite how much he wished the man wouldn't. Each time he tried to casually interrogate the man, it somehow twisted back to Lotor questioning him. Until finally, the topic of Lance came up  
"So Keith, you and Lance are courting? Am I correct?"  
"Yes. Lance is my boyfriend"  
"But he's not like you is he?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means he's different, is he not?"  
"Lance is perfectly normal"  
"But he does not smell like you and the others"  
"Not all humans smell the same"  
"I understand we all have our own scents, it's just his seems much sweeter than yours"  
"That's just how he smells. There's nothing wrong with it"  
"So you love him, even if he's not the same as you?"  
"What? Because he's not half Galra?"  
"There's that..."  
"Lance is Lance. His past doesn't matter to me, and the fact I'm half Galra doesn't matter to him!"  
Letting his temper flare, the whole table fell silent  
"Keith..."  
Looking at him with wide eyes, Allura silently asked him if he was alright  
"Sorry. Yes. I'm in a relationship with Lance and I love him"  
"No, the fault is my own. I'm just trying to understand what draws you together"  
"Love"  
"I can't say that love is feeling I'm all that familiar with"  
"Then you're missing out. Being in love with someone leaves you anxious and worried about them all the time, but it also makes you incredibly happy"  
"That seems like a contradiction"  
"No one ever said love makes sense"  
Saved by Pidge's father, Keith sully bit his lip. He shouldn't have let Lotor get under his skin the way he had, and doubt Lance wouldn't be happy about it. Gradually the conversation began again, though this time Lotor seemed to finally understand he didn't want to talk about Lance, and for the rest of the meal, the man talked to Allura instead of himself.

 

*  
Instead of returning to his quarters after dinner, Lance hung back until Keith finally left the dining room. Tasked with seeing Ryner and her people safely out the ship, he volunteered Keith to come with him. Anything had to be better than letting Lotor need Keith again, especially when his boyfriend had practically yelled at the man. With Pidge and Hunk accompanying them, the walk was kind of nice. Ryner insisted on asking him about his ring, while Pidge and Hunk were immersed in some kind of conversation with the scientists that had accompanied the old woman. For his part, Keith's smell slowly lost its angry bite, and by the time they finally bid the Olkarions goodbye, Keith seemed to have calmed completely.

"So what are you two going to do now?"  
Standing on the terrace, the night was cool, but not uncomfortably so, while the sky above them was littered with hundreds of twinkling stars. Looking at the sky and then back to Pidge, he knew exactly what he wanted to do  
"Keith and I are going to go for a walk, what about you two?"  
"We'll be in the bridge. The program I've left running had nearly processed all the intel Keith brought with him, so he'll be able to take the chip when he leaves tomorrow"  
"Thanks Pidge. That should make things much easier"  
"She makes it sound like she did all the work"  
"That's because I did"  
Rolling his eyes, Hunk just couldn't win   
"Come on, lets go back to the bridge and leave the castle poster couple to it"  
Blushing lightly, Pidge nodded  
"Yeah. I don't need to see any more loved-up couple stuff any time soon. Just don't stay out too late"  
"Yes mum!"

When Pidge and Hunk finally left then alone, Lance turned to Keith and offered his boyfriend as small smile  
"You don't mind do you?"  
"Mind what?"  
"That I dragged you all the way out here, and now I don't want to go back inside"  
"No. It's fine. I spend most of my time going from ship to ship, so this is a nice change"  
"Good. I was thinking maybe we could find somewhere and just look at the stars"  
"You want to look at the stars?"  
Feeling slightly less confident, Lance didn't know what to say  
"If you want to look at the stars, then that's what we'll do"  
"We don't have to..."  
"No, it's alright. Being out here like this makes it seem like we're the only two people on the whole planet"  
"You do realise there's a village like right over there. You can still see the lights on"  
"Lance, shut up"  
Pressing his lips firmly to his, Keith's kiss was hard and passionate. Unable to stop himself responding, one kiss soon became half a dozen long hard kisses before Keith finally pulled away. Taking his hand, Lance was more than happy to let Keith lead him across the terrace and away from prying eyes. It was terribly cliche, just the two of them under the stars, but his boyfriend was the king of cheesy.

Completely engulfed in shadows, they were close enough to the castle that they'd be there in no time if needed, but far away that they still had some privacy. Laying on the cold stone, Lance let out a needy moan as Keith's hands slid up and under his shirt  
"It's not too cold is it?"  
"It's fine"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Keith, you're killing the moment"  
Nodding, Keith leant down to capture his mouth again. Today might not have gone as he'd planned, but there they were, about to have sex under a carpet of stars. His heart was racing, and he couldn't deny he wasn't scared, but he making the choice for himself and he knew Keith would stop if he asked him to. Taking his time to slowly strip him, his alpha's insisted on showering him with praise until Lance was about ready to hit him. Was literally laying beneath Keith naked, and slicking like mad. He didn't want to be told he was perfect, he wanted his boyfriend to hurry up before he started getting too cold. Annoyed at how long it was taking, Lance grabbed the bottom of Keith's shirt, and less than gracefully yanked it up, forcing his boyfriend out of it  
"Lance?"  
"You're taking too long"  
"Sorry. I don't want to hurt you"  
"You're not going to hurt me. Now hurry up"  
"I just..."  
"I swear to god, if you say you love me one more time, I'm going to smack you"  
"But I do love you"  
Covering his face in embarrassment, Lance really couldn't believe how ready Keith was to repeat himself. But he was also hiding because of how ridiculously happy Keith had made him  
"Lance, I'm not going to have sex with you if you're going to keep hiding"  
"It's your fault"  
"How's it my fault"  
"Because you make me too happy"  
"That's because I love you"  
He really couldn't win.

Laying beneath the stars, Lance didn't want to let Keith go. Each thrust brought more pleasure, and he felt like he was melting into his boyfriend. He couldn't think, he couldn't move, he couldn't do anything but cling to Keith as his boyfriend moved so perfectly. It was hard and fast, but exactly what he needed. He needed his alpha's knot, and that feeling of euphoria it brought, the feeling of comfort and love that only Keith gave him. Letting out a surprised squeak, Lance opened his eyes to find himself now straddling Keith's lap. His sexy alpha was staring at him so lovingly, his heart ached, and after a few awkward attempts, Lance finally got himself positioned to ride his boyfriend properly. If Keith was going to make him feel so incredibly loved, he was going to give his boyfriend the best orgasm he could manage, even if he wasn't sure he was riding him right  
"Lance... I'm close"  
"Me too..."  
Taking his erection, Keith jerked him in time with his movements, the added pleasure had his orgasm tearing through him before he knew what hit, and he came screaming Keith's name. Clenching around Keith, his alpha's knot finally caught, and Lance was struck with a second orgasm on the heels of the first. Unable to stop himself, he slumped forwards and into his own semen, but he was too exhausted to care. Laying there, the pair fought to catch their breaths, while both trying to nuzzle at each other  
"I love you"  
"I love you too... I never really knew sex could feel this good. It's so different when it's someone you truly love"  
Freeing his hand from between them, Keith wrapped his arms around him  
"I know what you mean, knowing you're choosing this for yourself, you have no idea how happy that makes me"  
"Each time you knot me, I feel like I'm falling more and more for you. It makes me safe and loved"  
"Good. Fuck... I came so hard I don't think I can move"  
Snorting, Lance nodded  
"Me too..."  
Falling silent, both teens stayed connected until Keith's knot finally lessened. Feeling his boyfriend slowly sliding out him, Lance let out a small whine  
"Hey, are you ok?"  
"Mhmm... I'm just thinking about how you're leaving tomorrow. I know I was clingy today, but all I want to do is hold onto you"  
"I know we didn't do much stargazing, but why don't we head back inside. You can cling to me as much as you want, and I won't have to worry about you getting sick"  
"I don't want to let you go"  
"I know, I feel the same way"  
"Everything sucks when you aren't here"  
"I know, but it won't be forever"  
God. He really was clingy. His omega was begging him to beg Keith to stay, no matter how unfair it was on his boyfriend.

 

*  
Dressing silently, Keith helped Lance into his own pants, before lifting his boyfriend so he could cling all he wanted. He had no idea of this was typical omega behaviour, but he didn't exactly have anyone to ask about it. Between Lance's moods, his uncontrollable eating, and his clinginess, Keith had no idea what to make of it all. Maybe leaving Lance was doing more harm than good? By the time he got them back to Lance's quarters, he'd managed to drive himself half insane wondering if he was doing the right thing by leaving again. Lance would tell him to go. He knew his boyfriend wanted him to find his mum... but if Lance was going to be a living shell while he was gone, then maybe it was better he didn't? Or maybe the initial shock of him leaving and the miscommunication had been too much, so Lance was trying to make the very most of their time together. Sitting him down his bed, Keith swatted down so he could help Lance undress again. If only he could look inside his boyfriend's mind and see what Lance really thought about everything... 

Stripping his own clothes off, Keith crawled into bed beside Lance. With how quite Lance was, he thought his boyfriend was sleepy, but the moment he was laying flat in bed, his boyfriend climbed into his lap. Growing hard from the sight in front of him, Lance wasted no time before sinking down on him  
"Lance?"  
"Sorry... I just really need you inside of me"  
Maybe he was asleep? Lance was so scared of sex... but it kind of felt like his boyfriend couldn't get enough of him. Starting slowly, Lance built his own rhythm. Not sure if he should move or not, Keith stayed still until Lance's pace slowed right down and his boyfriend let out a sad whine. With his hands on Lance's hips in an attempt to hold him down, Keith couldn't get as deep as he wanted, but Lance didn't seem to mind. Knotting his boyfriend again, Lance clenched around him, but this time his boyfriend barely came. Made to breed, he had the stamina for multiple orgasms, while Lance didn't, and cumming twice within the hour probably left him hurting. Laying against Keith's chest, Lance let out a deep purr, which only served to confuse Keith even more. Despite being exhausted, Lance was happy? Quiznak. He'd probably over thought everything. Lance knew what he wanted, and his limits. If he didn't want sex, he wouldn't have started it. He just had to trust in his boyfriend.

 

*  
Waking in the middle of the night, Keith found himself still very much inside his snoring boyfriend. Lance was probably going to feel that in the morning. As carefully as he could, the alpha lifted Lance enough to slide free, before rolling Lance to the side. He was lucky his boyfriend was such a deep sleeper, or he never would have been able to reposition them so Lance was safely in his arms. Snaking an arm around his boyfriend waist, once again his hand found its way to Lance's stomach. If Lance was pregnant, that would explain everything, but his boyfriend wasn't showing any of the typical symptoms, and surely Lance would have told him if he suspected he was. Rubbing at the small curve, Keith didn't know what to do now. He could wake Lance and ask him, or he could put it down to his paranoia and confusion, which was much more likely. He didn't want to risk upsetting Lance or getting his hopes up, especially seeing he was leaving soon. Closing his eyes again, his fingertips dug lightly into Lance's stomach. He was just being stupid. One day they'd have pups, but that wasn't now.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I completely forgot where i was when it came to posting on here :/

This time when Keith left, his alpha's had insisted on not only re-marking him but giving Lance a list of things to do and not to do in his absence. He was to eat three full meals a day and keep up his hand to hand training. He wasn't allowed to be in a room with Shiro or Lotor alone. He was to send as many messages as he wanted, wherever he wanted, but he wasn't to get upset if he didn't get an instant reply. It didn't mean Keith didn't love him, it just meant he was busy. He was to take whatever he wanted from Keith's quarters, and he wasn't allowed to get it into his head he had to return it. He was supposed to do one selfish thing a day, and he wasn't allowed to let himself be pushed around. There was a whole list of things, but Lance had kind of lost track after a while and by the time he left the pod hangar, it was only those "rules" that still remained in his head. Part of him wondered if it was because he'd been so clingy the previous day, but he'd only wanted to spend as much time Keith as was humanly possible before he had to say goodbye again. Zarkon's death had meant he could have those two days with Keith, but with the Galra unrest, he had no idea when or if he'd get to see Keith again.

Wandering around the castle, he was the first to admit that he felt lost all over again, and he didn't want to be alone. At first, he thought about maybe finding Hunk, but the idea of being teased about his eating habits was just too much. He knew his friend would stop if he mentioned how much it hurt, but he didn't want to do anything that would jeopardise his friendship with Hunk. His friend would feel awful, and that was the last thing he wanted. His next thought was Pidge, but Pidge and her dad were always busy and he wasn't smart enough to keep up with the conversation. He'd just get in the way. He wasn't allowed to see Shiro or Lotor, but that was alright, he didn't really want to. Coran... was just too much, and he really just wanted a hug. Things had been a little better with Allura while Keith was around... finding himself nodding to himself, he slowly made his way up the bridge.

Finding Allura alone in the bridge, Lance made a beeline straight for her. Wordlessly, Allura opened her arms and caught him as he stumbled into her hold  
"He's going to be just fine"  
"I know... I'm sorry. I just really need a h-hug right now"  
"I've missed this. I've missed hanging out. I'm sorry everything has been so busy"  
"It's not your fault. You have so many people to think about and protect"  
"That doesn't make it ok. I'm so sorry Lance"  
Shaking his head, he felt Allura hug him back just that little bit tighter  
"Thank you, Allura"  
Stepping back, Lance wiped at his face. He'd been crying even before Keith kissed him goodbye  
"Sorry, I think I got tears on you"  
"I'm sure saying goodbye must be very hard"  
"It is. When Keith was here, all I wanted to do was cling onto him. I wanted to spend every moment I could with him... I get so scared that something will go wrong"  
"We must believe in Keith"  
"I know... so where is everyone?"  
"They should up shortly, are you going to stay?"  
"If you don't mind. I'm feeling a little lost"  
"Here, why don't you take a seat while we wait"  
Wrapping an arm around his shoulder, Allura guided him to his usual chair  
"Did Keith tell you to message him whenever you want to?"  
Nodding, he let out a shaky breath  
"Yeah. He gave me a list of things to do and what not to do"  
"What not to do?"  
"Yep. I'm supposed to message him whenever I want, but I'm not supposed to worry or get sad if he doesn't reply right away"  
Laughing lightly, Allura nodded  
"What else did he say?"  
"I have to eat three meals a day, even if I don't want to and I have to keep on practising my hand to hand combat"  
"That doesn't sound too bad"  
"He gave me some tips on what I was doing wrong... and I'm not allowed to be alone with Shiro"  
"I don't think anyone wants to be alone with Shiro right now. It's honestly frustrating me that I can't seem to get through to him"  
"Well, he and Keith got into a fight over me. He tried to say Keith didn't love me and he'd be a better alpha"  
"I don't think I'd like to be an alpha. Those two used to be so close"  
"I know... it's because I still have nightmares. Keith's mad at Shiro still, and because he made a pass at me. They used to be so close and I hate coming between them"  
"You can't blame yourself, Lance. It was a horrible situation"  
"I know. But that nightmare the other day really didn't help. It felt so real, I mean like as real as you are right now. I was so scared"  
"I'm sorry you're still suffering"  
"It's ok. It's gotten better than it was..."  
"You're healing. These things take time. Tell me what else he said"  
"He told me he loved me, and he'd be safe... and honestly I was kind of too upset to take it all in. But I'm supposed to take whatever I want from his room. He told me too last time, but I thought he wanted t break up, so I put it all back"  
"Lance, Keith is crazy for you. He's not going to break up with you"  
"I can't help it. I don't feel like I deserve to be as happy as he makes me and I don't want to hold him back"  
"You're not holding him back. How about later, we go down and move all Keith's things into your room? I'm sure it will be a nice surprise for when he returns, and I'm sure he'd feel much better knowing you're nesting while surrounded by his things"  
Lance didn't like to tell Allura that she hadn't quite used "nesting" right, or that she'd accidentally reminded him of all the attention Keith had lavished on his stomach. Forcing himself to smile, he nodded up at her  
"Yeah. That would be nice"  
"As Hunk would say, then it's a date"  
Smiling brilliantly, Allura seemed to glow with happiness  
"Thanks. And thanks for listening"  
"You're welcome. Oh, here come Pidge and Hunk. Pidge must have finished up with Ryner sooner than expected"  
"Shiro's not with them is?"  
"No, I think your safe"

Waving to their friends, Allura didn't say anything as Hunk called out to him. Still needing a moment to calm, himself, he hadn't turned to face them  
"Did Keith get off alright?"  
"Hunk! I think could have phrased that better!"  
"You know I didn't mean it like that"  
"I know, but you could have phrased it better. Like, Lance, did Keith leave already?"  
"But we know he was leaving"  
Having crossed to stand beside his chair, Lance could smell the slight worry in both his friend's scents. The pair were probably preparing for him to fall apart and didn't really know how to ask how he was without risking making things worse. He didn't blame him, he hadn't exactly been able to keep his moods under control of late. Still. He at least wanted to make an attempt   
"Yeah. Keith left about a varga ago. Kolivan called him this morning and they're going straight to some Galra outpost in the middle of nowhere. Before you ask, I'm ok. Just a little lost, but better than last time"  
Pidge let out a small sigh of relief, sinking down onto the arm of Lance's seat  
"Pidge!"  
"Sorry! I just don't like Lance being sad! Besides, you were just as worried as I was"  
"That's because he's my best friend!"  
"Guys, I appreciate it. But I'll be alright. Keith marked me again, and he told me I'm not allowed to think too much about things"  
"That should be easy for you, you didn't think that much, to begin with"  
Catching Hunk's eye, Lance failed at pretending to be insulted. Despite how scattered he felt, laughter bubbled up, and soon everyone was staring at the pair of them laughing  
"Are you two alright?"  
"Yeah. Thanks, bud, I needed that"  
"Anytime"  
Fist bumping, they nodded at each other while Pidge slid from the chair arm  
"Guys are so weird"  
"We can't be that weird"  
"Yeah, who's the one who was pretending to be a boy?"  
"That's because they would never have let into the Garrison if they'd known what I was up to"  
"And look at you now. You found both your brother and your dad!"  
"And I'm the Green Paladin of Voltron. If only Commander Iverson could see us now"

"Pidge, did everything go alright with Ryner?"  
"Yes. They're making good headway, and my father's learning a lot. He hopes some of what they're doing will be of use back on Earth"  
"Excellent. Lance, why don't you go get something to eat? I know you barely touched your breakfast, and I'm sure Keith will be calling me anytime now to make sure you've eaten"  
"Thanks, Allura, but I'm not that hungry"  
"I'll make you cookie dough"  
Perking up, his omega was definitely all in favour of the sugary treat. Traitor  
"Oooh, if we're making cookies, I want to make some extra for Matt"  
"Go on Lance, I'll see you all in a bit, but I need to go talk to Lotor"  
Allura being alone with Lotor really didn't sit well with him   
"Will you be alright?"  
"Of course I will. Pidge, Hunk, make sure you take care of him"  
"Don't we always?"  
Taking him by the arm, Pidge pulled Lance from his chair  
"Come on, you can cling to us all you want"  
"Guys, I'll be ok"  
"Tell that to your scent. Right now it smells like you need a hug"  
"I wouldn't say no"  
Getting a hug from Pidge was a pretty rare occurrence, and though she wasn't Keith, it was nice in its own way  
"Thanks, Pidge. And thanks, Hunk. I honestly don't know what's going on with me. I just really..."  
Trailing off, Lance shrugged his shoulders  
"It's fine. Besides, with all the attention Keith gave you over the last two days, it's understandable your omega misses the closeness"  
"I'm glad you guys know how omega dynamics work because I honestly can't keep up"  
"Right. That's enough"  
Placing his hands on his shoulders, Hunk began pushing him towards the doorway  
"We'll see you later Allura"  
Giving them a small wave goodbye, Lance had no choice to let his friends drag him from the room. He would have liked to spend a little longer with Allura, but he'd see her later.

 

*  
When Allura and Lotor were both absent from lunch, Coran had insisted they go check on them. It was kind of reassuring to know Coran hadn't been swept away by Lotor... not like Shiro had. Keeping as far away from Shiro as he could, he had to force himself not to cling to Pidge as they made their way up to the bridge. Watching the door slide open, he couldn't believe Allura had brought Lotor up to the bridge, and the hues of anger coming from Pidge and Hulk confirmed he wasn't alone in this assessment. He couldn't keep the unhappy pout from his tone  
"Look, it's Prince Lotor, just hangin' out in the bridge"  
"Guess this is a thing that's happening"  
Walking over to Lotor, Shiro didn't spare them a second glance  
"What's going on Lotor"

Tagging along, Lance stood slightly to the side of the group. With his arms wrapped firmly around himself. the teen was trying to deal with Shiro smelling so angry. Shiro wouldn't dare try something in front of all them... preoccupied with that though, he only really registered that last of what Lotor was saying. Lotor wanted them to fly to some meeting? Because that was safe? What guarantee was there that wasn't some kind of trap?!  
"So you want us to fly you into the middle of a meeting with all the of the most powerful Galra leaders?"  
This had to be some kind of joke. Since when was it there job to chase after Lotor and take him wherever he wanted?  
Tactfully, Allura was at least seeing sense, though her gentle tone was ignored by Shiro. How couldn't Shiro see that Allura was right? They needed time, not some half-arsed mission to drop Lotor in the middle of what would surely be a bloodbath. Yes, he wanted Lotor dead, and if the man wanted to fly into the middle of the battle and get himself killed, all the luck in the world to him. But why did they have to risk their lives for his slimy arse  
"I'm with Allura. We need time to think this over"  
And to call Keith. Keith would probably know all about this meeting thing  
"Lance, this is not your call"  
So what? Were they back to this? Shiro disregarding him and walking all over him, because he didn't return the alpha's feelings? Smelling the distress in his own scent, he wanted to punch Shiro for making him feel like this. Looking to Allura, he silently pled for her to do something. If he opened his mouth again, he'd only be made to feel even stupider. Given they were pretty much on equal footing, Allura had the right to call Shiro out in front of everyone... Agreeing with him, Pidge and Coran both teammates only seemed to anger Shiro further. Why did this all have to happen once Keith wasn't here?

Why were they still having this ridiculous argument?  
"Shiro, we're all on the same side here"  
"I told you to stay out of this!"  
Snapping at him, Lance felt his knees going weak as if being forced into submission by the taller man. He should have just kept his mouth shut, but seeing Allura so angry and hurt, tugged at his heart. He'd thought he'd be happy to see her put Shiro in his place, but all he felt was bad for Allura. She didn't deserve Shiro's cruelty, or the alpha acting like she was wrong. Falling silent, he felt tears prickling in the corners. Shiro wasn't fit to be their leader, yet he got the final word, not Allura. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all.

Unable to take the strained atmosphere, Lance was the first to leave the room. He wanted to punch something, or better yet, shoot something. Keith would probably prefer he didn't take his anger out on the closest wall. Stopping by his quarters first, he changed into his uniform before heading down to the training room. He knew he wasn't fit to lead Voltron, but he still felt like he needed to do something. A leader needed to be able to understand everyone's point of view, and he was too stubborn for that... but Keith wasn't. If his boyfriend found his mother and came back, he'd definitely support Keith taking up the mantle of the Black Lion again... and when that happened, he needed to be physically and mentally strong enough to back him up. He needed to be better. Activating his Bayard, Lance loaded the special training program Pidge had redesigned for him. 

Pouring his anger into training, Lance imagined that each of the floating sensors was something Shiro had done or said. It made it all that much more satisfying each time he shot one down... until he found himself on the back foot. Though not overly painful, each burst from the sensors hurt enough to be uncomfortable. If this hadn't been training, he'd be dead by now, or Keith would have been in an effort to save him. At the thought of failing Keith, something deep inside of him welled up and everything slowed around him. It was like a blanket had fallen on the world, and all he could hear was the steady, calm beating of his heart. Not quite sure what was happening, Lance let the feelings filling him guide his actions. He had to protect Keith... watching the sensors, each strike of his blade sliced clear through them with no hesitation, and it was like his Bayard was an extension of himself. He didn't even have to think, he just knew. When all the sensors faded away, Lance pulled himself together, before staring down at the blade his Bayard had formed with awe. He'd never seen a blade like it before.

"I haven't seen that in 10,000 years?"  
Stammering, Lance was somewhat embarrassed and shocked that Allura had caught him  
"A-Allura?"  
"It's an Altean broadsword. My father used one just like it"  
Allura's father?!?  
"I have no idea how I did this"  
"I think your Bayard has shown you what we've all been noticing. You have greatness within"  
"Huh. I don't think Shiro has noticed"  
"Shiro had been quite difficult lately. I'm not sure what to do, we seem to be constantly at odds"  
Seeing Allura so sad, it hit too close to home. He'd dragged her into his mess with Shiro and now she was suffering because of him  
"You guys are under a lot of pressure. Having Lotor around doesn't help"  
"Sometimes it feels like it was easier to fight the Galra, rather than to try and work with them"  
Amen to that. As far as Lance was concerned, Keith was the only Galra he could trust, and the only Galra he truly believed to have their best interest in mind  
"You both have the coalition's best interests at heart. Don't forget that. Shiro isn't your enemy"  
No. Shiro had first been Allura's friend, and Allura was only trying to help him. After all, she'd been there for him through all of it, and there was no way that couldn't have affected her personal views on the alpha  
"You're right. I need to stay focused on the big picture. Thank you, Lance"  
Even though she sounded happier, Allura still looked so vulnerable   
"Speaking with you had actually made me feel better"  
"What do you mean actually?"  
Unable to stop himself from teasing her gently, the laughter the filled the room made him so happy  
"Oh, and Lance, if you're going to try to control a sword this powerful..."  
For a split second he'd thought Allura was going to give him some magical tip, but before he knew it, he was landing hard on his arse  
"... you're going to need to work on your stance"  
"Ugh! Keith's been helping me, but he makes it look so easy. You all do"  
"I'm sure Keith know's how to help you best. Why don't you take a break for today, and start fresh tomorrow? It's no good going flat out, and having nothing left for when the real fighting begins"  
"You're right. Help me up?"  
Pulling him up with her left hand, Allura pressed his Bayard into his chest as she did  
"I like the look in your eyes"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. I think we could use a little of that spark"  
"Thanks, Allura. I think I'm going to go take a shower, are we still on for later?"  
"Of course. I'm so proud of you"

 

*   
Stumbling backwards, Lance sank down onto the toilet in his bathroom. Staring down at his white uniform pants, his heart was racing at the small red stain. He was bleeding? Why was he bleeding? He'd had sex with Keith, but he hadn't been bleeding this morning. Keith would have told him if he was... was it because Allura swept his feet? Maybe Keith had torn him and hadn't realised? That's what it had to be right? So why was he so scared? 

Swallowing hard, Lance spread his legs and slid his left hand between his legs, the sensation of touching himself wasn't the nicest, and he was completely embarrassed... even though no one was there to see him. Wincing as his fingers brushed his opening, he yanked his hand back like he'd done something wrong. He was being so stupid! There was no one here. No one was going to tell him it was wrong to touch himself, and it wasn't like he was even doing that... so why was he trying to justify it? 

Forcing himself to look down at his fingertips. Blood. No... Why? Letting out a whimper, Lance didn't know what to do  
"Lance? Lance, can you hear me?"  
Sliding from the toilet, Lance crawled over and grabbed his jacket, confused as to why Allura was calling him when they'd just parted ways  
"What is it Allura?"  
"Something just crashed into the planet. Shiro's taken his Lion to check it out, but we need to be prepared"  
Forcing his voice not to shake, he couldn't believe this  
"Right. I'll be there soon"  
"Are you alright?"  
"What? Yeah. I was just about to shower"  
Ending the call, Lance forced himself up, back into the uniform he'd just abandoned. He'd just had too much sex with Keith and landing on his arse hadn't helped. That was it. He wasn't pregnant. He wasn't losing his pups. He needed to get his head in the game and get to Red.

 

*  
Mother-quiznakking-ow! What the hell was this thing? And why was it all tentaclee like a bad Asian movie? It was creepy and he didn't like it  
"I can't move my leg, my Voltron leg!"  
No quiznak! None of them could move, and whatever was going on with him was beginning to get painful  
"Separate into lions!"  
"We can't! Were seized up! Trapped!"  
Come on Red! Now would be a great time to pull out that new blade move! Quiznak! The pain and discomfort was getting pretty bad. He could smell his own bloodied slick now. He needed out. He... he needed out. Jerking the controls, he knew it was pointless, but he couldn't stand being trapped. He couldn't be trapped again  
"The Bayard’s! They amplify each Paladin's life force!. They might provide enough power to drive out the virus!"  
"It's worth a shot!"

Honestly, anything was worth a shot! Whining softly, he hunched over as pain flared across his stomach. There wasn't any time to waste, and activating his Bayard, Lance was finally given a moment’s reprieve from the pain. He had no idea what to call the moment thing they had, but when Shiro hadn't been there... and then he was... he didn't know what to make of it or why looking at Shiro left him feeling like he was missing something incredibly important   
"Lance!... Lance!"  
"Shiro! I can't hear you!"  
As everyone around them faded away, Shiro was trying to tell him something, and for the first time in a long time, he actually needed to know what it was. But then... just as sudden as it'd appeared, he out of wherever they'd been and back in Red. The pain stomach had lessened, and now he felt weirdly calm. Like he could feel his friends around him... slamming his Bayard into action, Lance felt as if everyone strength was right driving his hand, unable to stop as purple light tore through the vine monster that had held them captive. Exploding around them, Lance was left exhausted as the power he felt drained from his taxed body and didn't feel the triumph of victory like the others. He wanted to get back to the castle and find out what was going on with him... and find out what Shiro had wanted to tell him.


	24. Chapter 24

Getting back to the ship was halted by Allura wanting to watch over the clean up. Skirting around the edge of the group, he carefully found his spot on the shoulder of Voltron. One hand coming to his stomach as he did. It was probably awful that he didn't want to be there, but being this close to Shiro, he couldn't help but ask  
"Hey Shiro, what happened back there. You were trying to tell me something but I couldn't here you"  
"I don't know. Things got pretty dark for a moment"  
That didn't help... that didn't help at all. Dropping his head, he groaned softly  
"Are you alright?"  
Looking back to Pidge, Lance nodded  
"Yeah. Just tired"  
"Why don't you head back to the castle?"  
"Because right now that seems too much effort..."  
"Hey, Allura! Lance wants to go back to the castle!"  
"Pidge, it's fine"  
Coming over to him, Allura leant down   
"Everything alright Lance?"  
Biting his lip, Lance looked up at Allura, before whispering   
"I'm... I'm not sure"  
"I'm going to see dad and Matt. I'll see you later Lance"  
"Bye Pidge"

 

Giving them some privacy, Pidge took off towards the top of Voltron where her family was waiting. Taking his hand, Allura pulled him up. Hit by a wave of dizziness, he clutched Allura as he waited for the world to stop spinning   
"Lance?"  
"I... I'm spotting"  
"You're what?"  
"I'm bleeding Allura, and I don't know why"  
"Oh Lance, why didn't you say. We need to get you looked at right away"  
"Allura, what if I'm pregnant again?"  
"You haven't taken your ring off have you?"  
"No"  
"Then I'm sure it's something else. When did you notice it?"  
"Um... when I went to go shower... there was blood then"  
"Right. Wrap your arm around my waist and I'll support you back down to the castle. We'll come back for Red once we know you're alright"

 

Thanks to Ryner's vines, it was a short trip back to the castle, and one that Lance was happy he didn't have to walk. Calling Coran to meet them at entrance to the castle, the man draped a blanket around his shoulders, covering his bloodied arse  
"I didn't think we'd be going through all this again"  
Coran's words stung, but the man had pretty much said what they were all thinking   
"You and me both... Quiznak..."  
"Lance?"  
"It died down a little, but now..."  
He felt like he'd eaten something bad, and was now paying for it, crossed with the needy cramping he got during his heats. Supported by both Coran and Allura, he was dripping with sweat by the time they finally got to the medical bay  
"Have I told you how much I hate this room?"  
"Not for a while now, you've been doing quite well at staying out of it"  
"It's not my favourite place in the ship"  
Climbing onto the examination bed, he let Allura loosen his jacket and shirt, while Coran went straight over to the sensors  
"I suppose Keith's room takes that honour"  
"No... it was when he was around, he kind of said it was our room, but now he's gone... and my room's become our room"  
Moaning in relief as Allura unbuttoned the top of his jeans, the woman ran her hand over his stomach   
"Allura?"  
"Sorry. Coran, are we ready to begin?"  
"Sure are. Lance?"  
"Yeah... um... Allura, can you hold my hand?"  
"Of course I can"  
Positioning herself between him and the sensor screens, Allura sat on the very edge of his bed. Her right hand holding his, while her left hand cupped his face. Ignoring the warmth from the machine, Lance forced himself to continue staring into Allura's eyes   
"Coran?"  
"Do you want the good news or the bad news?"  
Bad news? Whining softly, his eyes filled with tears  
"Coran, just tell us what's going on already"  
"Um..."  
"Coran, if it's sex-related, just say so"  
Allura blushed at the word "sex", and Coran cleared his throat  
"You have some tearing because of yours and Keith's activities"  
Lance took a moment, before letting out a laughing breath   
"Oh thank quiznak. I thought I pregnant and..."  
He couldn't describe how happy he was... sure his omega was disappointed, but he wasn't miscarrying  
"The damage will heal on its own, or a few vargas in the healing pod will take care of it"  
Coran didn't seem as happy as Lance was. Struggling up, he awkwardly leant around Allura   
"Coran?"  
"Lance, I need you to stay calm"

 

Everyone who was anyone knew that telling someone to stay calm never worked. Gripping Allura's hand tightly, the princess frowned at him  
"Lance..."  
"Coran, what's wrong?"  
"Lance..."  
"Coran, just tell me what's going on!"  
"You're pregnant"  
"But I thought..."  
"I told you I had good news and bad news"  
"No... you have to be wrong"  
Shaking herself free of his hold, Allura crossed to Coran's side  
"He's not wrong Lance. We'll need to contact Keith"  
"What, why? He's busy"  
"I wasn't going to tell you Lance, but Keith asked me to keep an eye on you, because he was worried you might be"  
"What? When?"  
"This morning. I noticed that he seemed to be a little tired, and he admitted he had trouble sleeping"  
He hadn't seen the two of them together... and he didn't even know when Keith had time to sneak off with Allura   
"He... he what?"  
"He was worried about your eating habits, and moods. He didn't actually say it, but he did strongly hint that he was worried it might be the reason"  
"He told me... he didn't... no. Are you sure?"  
"Lance, I'm looking at the monitors. We'll need to call Keith back..."  
"No!"  
Turning back to look at him, Lance shook his head  
"No. Please"  
"Lance, he needs to know"  
"Not until he finds his mum..."  
"But what about you?"  
"I... I don't know. Ok. Just... this is too much"  
Coming back to him, Allura helped him sit up, before gathering him against her   
"Allura, what do I do?"  
"I don't know. Why don't we take you to the healing pods, and then go from there? You'll feel better knowing everything's alright, right?"  
"Yeah... I'll need a new uniform too"  
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it, and perhaps even find a way so it'll grow as you do"  
Moaning miserably, Lance nuzzled against Allura   
"Promise you guys won't say anything"  
"Lance, if there's a risk..."  
"I just got my broadsword, please don't take that away from me"  
"I'm not taking anything away from you"  
"Then just let do my job. I know my limits and I'll be really careful"  
He was fast working himself up. Too many things had happened in to short of a time for him to process. Hiccuping as he tried to breathe, Allura was forced to pull back so she could take his face in his hands  
"Lance, you need to breathe. Stress isn't good for you"  
"But... you... said... I-couldn't-be-a-paladin!"  
"Lance, deep breaths. In... and out... in... and out"  
Letting Allura coach his breathing, gradually he finally got it back under control  
"See, I knew you could do it. Coran, help me get him into a pod, and then I'll get you something else to wear"  
"T-thanks, Allura. And thanks Coran"  
"Any time Lance"

 

*  
Allura was waiting for him when he finally stepped from the pod. The pain he'd felt earlier was now completely gone, the princess was completely right. He did feel better knowing there wasn't anything wrong with the pup inside of him. Placing his hands on his stomach, Lance slowly rubbed it, not caring that Allura was watching him  
"Lance, is everything alright? Are you still in pain?"  
"No. I'm just... I'm happy that they're alright"  
"I'm so relieved to hear that. You've only been in the pod for the last two vargas, but Coran and I went ahead moved all Keith's things to his room for you. You shouldn't be doing any heavy lifting"  
Looking up to Allura, Lance gave her a small smile  
"Thank you, you didn't have to do that"  
"It's fine, I also took the liberty of grabbing you a set of Keith's clothes, I thought the smell might make you feel a bit better"  
"Yeah. God. I have no idea how I'm going to tell him"  
Crossing to where Allura was standing, Lance took the small pile of clothes from her  
"I can tell him if you can't, or I can be there when you do"  
"I think I want to tell him by myself... I just... it's a lot to work through. Today's been one thing after the other, and I finally thought things were looking up"  
Turning her back towards him, Allura nodded  
"It's a shame Keith left this morning. I'm sure he would have loved to be here"  
"I'm not so sure"  
Shimming out his clothes, he let them fall into a pile. He hated the fact his boxers and pants were completely ruined, but the shirt and jacket seemed alright  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Well, Keith wouldn't stop touching my stomach when he was here, his alpha must have known or something, and it really freaked me out. I told him I don't think I can be pregnant and alone, and he said he'd stop looking for him mum if I did happen to fall pregnant. But that was just him being him... we both thought that because I haven't taken Ryner's ring off, it wouldn't happen"  
Grateful Allura had thought to grab him a pair of his own underwear, Lance quickly pulled them and Keith's jeans on. He wouldn't get much use out of them before his stomach would be too big. His hips were wider than Keith's after all, and his arse and thighs curvier now he wasn't really taking anything to suppress his omega side  
"Lance, we truly thought it would help"  
"I know Allura. I'm not mad, but I think I'm in shock because it doesn't feel real"  
Pulling Keith's shirt into place, he patted his stomach and double checked the shirt covered everything  
"Alright. I'm dressed"  
Turning back around, Allura looked him over  
"It's funny. On Keith, it's looks so practical, but on you, it serves to accentuate all your features"  
"That's because being an omega, I'm naturally more feminine in shape. I also don't really get facial hair... or much hair in general"  
"Well I think you look very nice"  
Blushing lightly, Lance rushed to collect his shed clothes, before falling into step beside Allura as they made their way from the pod room and into the corridor. Allura seemed to be in no real hurry, so their pace was relaxed as they walked.

"We'll drop those off on the way. I told everyone you rolled your ankle badly, I hope you don't mind"  
"No. I was wondering what I was going to say. Did Shiro say anything?"  
"No. He went back to his quarters. With Commander Holt choosing to return to Earth, he asked everyone if they wished to record messages for their families. I guess he wanted to think about what to say"  
At the mention of his family, Lance was torn. He missed his brother's Marco and Luis, and his sister Veronica. He missed his mum and his dad and his grandparents... but his mum would probably be so disappointed in him  
"Lance, did I say something wrong?"  
"No. I was just thinking about my mum"  
"Do you miss them?"  
"Yes and no. Male omega's are kind of a disappointment... I mean, my family tried, but my siblings were definitely preferred because they were alpha"  
"That's terrible"  
"It's ok. We didn't really talk about it, and I went onto suppressants the moment I came out of my first heat. After that, I just stayed on the pills... until... well... you know"  
He had word vomit... but as long as he was talking, he didn't have to think about his pup. He already knew he wanted to keep it, but he honestly felt like he couldn't get attached until Keith knew...   
"You were so shaken when you climbed into the pod. I'm scared you're going to fall apart..."  
"I'm not going to lie, I probably will, but right now I really just want to pretend everything's ok. Especially given Pidge's dads leaving. I want everyone to have a really good night before he does"  
"You're always putting everyone's feelings before yours, aren't you?"  
"No... not always. I'm pretty sure Keith would have liked to spend more time with all"  
Allura snorted lightly   
"I think Keith was more than happy to be with you. Though I will admit, I wish he'd been able to stay longer"  
"I think he would have gone Shiro if he had. No. It's safer for him not to be here. I really wish there was some way to bring them back together"  
"I'm sure it will come eventually"

Instead of disposing of his bloodied pants and boxers, Lance didn't want to keep everyone waiting any longer. Stuffing the bloodied garments under his mattress, he threw his shirt and jacket in the wash, before rejoining Allura outside. Her and Coran had tried their best, and now all Keith's blankets were back on his bed, with his alpha's pillows, while the rest of Keith's things were boxed up and stacked next to his wardrobe. Taking Allura's hand, he squeezed it lightly   
"Thanks again for bringing everything over"  
"It's fine. Coran was crying as he packed up Keith's clothes"  
"That's so like him. He's like the uncle to everyone here"  
"Well we are all family, right?"  
"Yeah"  
A family that was going to get additional member, whether they liked it or not.

Hunk had gone all out, and Matt had somehow got his hands on more moonshine. Not knowing how he'd react, Lance chose to sit between Allura and Coran during dinner, as Allura insisted on not drinking, and with her not drinking, there was no pressure for him to either. Over the course of the night, Lance found himself seeking out Commander Holt thanks to the jealousy he felt. He never asked to be a Paladin, or to risk his life for the universe... and part of him was jealous the man got to walk away from it all, even though that wasn't really what was going to happen. The moment Commander Holt returned, he'd more than likely become a prisoner of the Galaxy Garrison, like what had nearly happened to Shiro. If they didn't find him crazy, then Earth was in for a massive shock, although, the Galra had already been there at some point... so maybe they already knew. He hoped for Pidge and Matt's sake that their father wouldn't go from being freed, right back into chains  
"Hey Lance, when are you going to record your message?"  
Looking towards Matt, Lance shrugged  
"When Pidge sets everything up"  
"It's all set up in the bridge! Isn't that right Allura?"  
"Yes Matt, I believe so. Lance, I can show you how to work it. I recorded my own message for your people of Earth"  
"Thanks Allura. I'm kind of done eating, so we can go whenever you're ready"  
"Then how about we go now. That should give you plenty of time to think about what you want to say"  
Allura was saving him more than she knew. Surrounded by so many alpha's left him missing his own, and he'd started rubbing his stomach under the table as he sought comfort. It wasn't like he was going to cheat on Keith, he just needed someone to hug and he didn't want to be hugging any of his intoxicated friends  
"Alright! I'll be back soon! Allura's going to show me what to do"  
"Don't forget to tell them about Keith!"  
Giggling to herself, Pidge seemed immensely proud for some reason  
"I won't"  
As in he wouldn't be telling his family about his alpha.

Agonising over telling them or not, he and Allura arrived in the bridge before he was really ready  
"Allura. I don't know what do"  
"Well, here, take a seat and..."  
Guiding him to sit in what was Pidge's seat, Lance shook his head once settled  
"No. Not about that. I... I don't want to tell my family about Keith, but that makes it seem like I'm hiding him because I'm a ashamed. I'm not ashamed of him, and I already know he's my alpha and the only alpha I want, but my family won't understand"  
"Lance, I can't make this choice for you. All I can ask you is would Keith tell his family about you?"  
"Ummm... he told me he wants me to meet his mum. It's stupid. I'm like 18 now. I can make my own choices, so why... no. You're right. I need to tell them. But I want to tell Keith I'm pregnant before they know"  
"Alright. Here, when you're ready, push this button, and then push it again when you're ready to stop the recording"  
"Allura, can you wait for me? I don't want Shiro or anyone walking in"  
"I would have waited, even if you hadn't asked me. You take as long as you need"

"Hi guys. It's me, Lance. I don't know how long it's going to be until you get this, but I'm ok. I'm kind of safe, well, I'm in the middle of a Galaxy-wide war, and we could be attacked at any moment, but I get to pilot this giant Red Lion and we stole a cow and now we're living on this planet where all their technology comes from plants and oh, no never mind, and now I'm babbling.

Mum. Dad. I want to tell you something. I um... I met my alpha. I know you probably don't believe it's serious, but I went off my suppressants and when I did, I just knew he was the one. His names Keith, and I'm actually wearing his clothes at the moment because he's off on a mission to help bring peace. I really hope the Galra haven't reached Earth while we've been gone. We haven't heard anything, but Commander Holt will probably let us know, and if you guys need saving, we'll be there. I'm sorry I couldn't make you guys proud of me, for being a male omega, and I don't even know if you really miss me, but I miss you all..."  
Pausing to pull the cross necklace out from under his shirt, he held the small pendant up  
"My alpha bought me this. It reminds me of home, and of all of you... I hope one day I'll get to come back, and I hope one day you'll meet my friends... but until then... please don't forget me... even if you have, I love you all so much"  
Ending the transmission, he dissolved into sobs. He wanted to go home so badly, and he wanted to speak to Keith. Maybe he should have told his parents he was pregnant? No. They wouldn't approve, especially when the baby wasn't even completely human.

Scrambling from Pidge's chair, Lance rushed from the room and out to Allura. Wrapping his arms around her, he sobbed against her shoulder as she hushed him gently   
"I miss them! I miss them so much"  
"I know"  
"I miss the sun and the ocean! I miss the stupid rain and even the bad food at the Garrison! I want to take you to my hometown one day, I want them all to meet you! I want to go back home, Allura!"  
"And we will, when we can be sure we won't be dragging them into this war"  
"What if they forget me?"  
"Lance, no one could forget you"  
Wiping at his tears, Lance sniffled   
"I couldn't tell them..."

"You couldn't tell them what?"  
Both Lance and Allura jumped at the sound of Shiro's voice. Whining, he half hid behind the woman   
"Shiro, I thought you were with the others"  
"I came to change my message. What's going on here?"  
Lance shook his head as his grip on Allura's jacket tightened   
"Lance just finished his message"  
"I gathered that much. What couldn't you tell them?"  
"It's nothing..."  
"Lance"  
"Shiro, what Lance said is none of your business. Each message was sealed after recording for just that reason"  
"If there's something going on, we all have a right to know"  
"God! There is nothing going on. I just couldn't tell them how much I miss them... I did, but I don't know if they'll get it"  
"For a moment I thought you might not have been able to tell them about Keith"  
Lances breath caught and his heart began to race. It was like Shiro was staring right through him  
"Shiro, that's completely inappropriate"  
He had to struggle to get the words out and seem somewhat calm  
"No. I told them all about how Keith is my alpha"  
Shiro's face darkened enough that even Allura leant back  
"Fine. Go get ready for tomorrow. I want all us in top condition, we need to make sure no one stops Lotor from ascending to the throne. Also, in future, stick to wearing your own clothes"  
Brushing past them, Shiro disappeared into the bridge  
"Allura, our messages are coded, right?"  
"Yes. Pidge did explain it to me, but honestly it still goes over my head a little when she starts using Earth terms"  
"Thank quiznak. I mean, there's nothing anything bad in there, but that doesn't mean I want everyone seeing it"  
"Shiro won't. Are you going to come back to the party?"  
"No. Not tonight. I can smell how shaken I am"  
He basically stand of distress, and Shiro hadn't helped   
"Ok. I'll come by and check in with you"  
"It's ok Allura. You need your rest too"  
"I promise to leave you sleeping if you're alright"  
"I'm not going to win, am I?"  
"No"  
Throwing his hands up in mock frustration, the omega began to walk towards his room  
"I'll see you later!"  
"I'll be sleeping!"

 

*  
Sleep came as easily as he'd joked about it. Having fallen asleep while still dressed in Keith's clothes, Lance woke to find himself sprawled across his bed, and his stomach hanging over the top of Keith's jeans. Sitting up, the omega yawned as he stared down at his slightly pudgy stomach, poking at it for good measure. A pup. He was having a pup. A pup he wouldn't lose or have to say goodbye to. But most importantly a pup that was fathered by Keith. Where Shiro's pups had left him shaken and filled with so many unpleasant feelings, he was beyond proud of the life now growing inside of him. It was crazy. He'd been so scared when Coran had told him, but now he wanted it more than he'd ever wanted anything... 

Having made it from his bed and into his shower, Lance found himself unable to stop smiling as he rubbed at his stomach. Noticing he still had Ryner's ring on his finger, he rushed to pull it off. She said it wouldn't hurt the pup if he did conceive, but he didn't want to take the risk. Reaching out the shower, he dropped it in the direction of the counter, before returning his hand to his stomach  
"I know I haven't told your daddy about you, but I want you... I don't think he'll leave us, but if he does, know that I'll always love you"  
Blinking in alarm at what'd he just said, he felt his good mood falling away. Keith had said he'd stay, but what's to say he really would? He didn't even know what happened between Keith and his dad, only that he didn't like to talk about it, and with his mum being half Galra... what if Keith didn't actually want to be a father? Maybe his boyfriend had just been telling him what he needed to feel better? Spiralling just as fast as the water disappearing down the shower drain, Lance fumbled the taps off, and nearly slid as he rushed from the shower to the toilet. Throwing up until he was left gagging, his eyes burnt from the acid burning his throat. Oh how he hated vomiting.

Laying on the cool bathroom floor, Lance stayed there until a heard a firm urgent knock on his door  
"Lance! I'm coming in!"  
Pidge, shouldn't she be with her dad? Quiznak. Scrambling up, he nearly slipped again in his hurry to grab his bathrobe  
"Lance?!"  
"Sorry Pidge, I was taking a shower"  
Hoping his scent would stay trapped in the bathroom, Lance stepped into his bedroom with a forced smile  
"What's wrong?"  
"Shiro's taken Lotor and the Black Lion"  
"Seriously?!"  
"We're going after him. You need to get ready"  
"Right. I'll be right there"  
Pidge stood there awkwardly for a moment, like she wanted to ask something  
"What's up Pidge?"  
"You don't think Shiro would really betray us do you?"  
"No. But I do think Lotor's dangerous. We need to go before something happens"  
"Right. Thanks, Lance!"  
If only he could turn his own moods around like Pidge seemed to be able to.

Climbing into Red, he found himself late to the party, as the others were already engaged in conversation   
"Hey, guys what did I miss?"  
"Well, by the seems of it, you'll get to see Keith sooner than you thought. Allura contacted Kolivan to ask about just what we'll be walking into"  
"Wait, what?!"  
"The Blade of Marmora were already on a mission there"  
"He said Kolivan was sending him out... wait no. For now we need to concentrate on saving Keith, Shiro and the Black Lion"  
"And Lotor"  
"If we have too"

"Keith... please be ok, because I'm about to really need you"

 

*  
Destroying Galra ships felt so quiznakking good, and even better when he didn't need to concentrate on not possibly killing his boyfriend. Forming Voltron, Lance was happy to hand the reins over as he finally found Keith on the battlefield. Seeing Keith standing on the stairs, he realised how close his boyfriend had come being hit, and small whine of need fell from his lips  
"Lance?"  
Forgetting the communication channel was still open, he didn't understand why Hunk sounded so concerned   
"Lance, are you alright?"  
"We nearly hit Keith"  
It didn't matter that Lotor was now lighting some flame thing, in fact, he really couldn't care less. He just wanted to get to Keith  
"Keith's fine. But I guess Lotor's now the Galra ruler"

It was an agonisingly long wait before he could finally climb from Red. Ignoring the Galra around them, Lance ran straight up the stairs and launched himself onto Keith, nuzzling his alpha's neck furiously as he all but ground up against him  
"Whoa! Lance, hey..."  
"You scared me! You stupid jerk! You could have been killed!"  
Slowly wrapping his arms around him, Keith let out a soft sigh  
"But I wasn't. You came running to my rescue"  
"Don't joke about it!"  
"I'm sorry. I didn't even know that we were coming here. Kolivan didn't want my emotions getting in the way"  
"Well he sucks. What if you'd been killed?!"  
"This is my fault. When I saw Shiro and Lotor, I left my team so I could try and disarm the charges... but there were too many"  
"That's even worse! I'm so mad at you right now"

 

*  
With his arms full of upset omega, Keith couldn't do anything as he watched Lotor begin to walk back down the staircase to where the rest of Voltron, and the various Galra officials stood. He needed to finish his mission, he needed to tell Kolivan who was pledging their loyalty to Lotor, and more importantly who was dead. The power vacuums left in the wake would no doubt cause the strong to feed on the weak, but allowing the territories to pass between hands would end up making things difficult for upcoming missions... yet, he just couldn't let Lance go  
"Lance, we need to go join the others"  
"No"  
"What do you mean no?"  
"Because once we go back down, you'll be leaving again. I know you only really left yesterday, but my heart is racing. I'm to scared too let you go"  
"That's not playing fair"  
"I know..."  
"You know I can't stay, but there will be things that need to be done before we both leave. I still need to find a new ride"  
"I can take you"  
"Baby, you know you can't. You need to be with Voltron..."  
Lances sweet smell had him biting his lip. He wanted his mate so badly, and he could definitely feel how badly Lance wanted him  
"Keith, Lance. We're going to talk to Lotor. Keith, it's probably better you leave sooner rather than later, or questions might be raised"  
Allura was right... now he thought about it, the last thing the Blade of Marmora needed was him being followed. Taking Lance's right arm, he raised it so he could reply   
"Yeah. I hear you Allura. Lance is going to help me find a ship, and then I'll be off"  
"Understood"

Carrying Lance onto the nearest ship, Keith couldn't contain himself any longer. He didn't even pause to close the cargo bay doors before laying Lance down and all but ripping open his jacket  
"Quiznak Lance..."  
"Alpha"  
With pupils so wide that his eyes were nearly black, Lance stared up at him, it was clear the omega was already drunk on the thick pheromones pouring off the both of them  
"I can't wait Lance"  
"Don't. I need you... I need to know you're alright"  
Sliding his hands across his hips, Lance made quick work of getting his pants undone, as Keith did the same. Neither of them thinking of everything other than feeling connected already. Too impatient to pull Lance's pants off completely, Keith flipped Lance onto his hands and knees, before moving to mount his boyfriend without a moments hesitation. Crying out with pleasure, Lance rippled around him, Lance also felt so amazingly warm and wet around him, like he was made just for him, his alpha couldn't agree more  
"Shit baby... I'm not going to last"

With his hands firmly gripping Lance's hips, it was definitely the roughest sex they'd had, but with Lance moaning so loudly, he couldn't help himself. Each thrust was hard and deep, sending more slick spilling to the floor. Quiznak... he wanted to devour his mate. He wanted to taste him and bond with him permanently. This was his omega. His omega who had showed up out of nowhere and saved his arse. Feeling his knot start to form, Keith hands slid to Lance's chest, pulling the omega up so they both kneeling   
"Keith... I'm going..."  
"It's ok baby, cum for me"  
Throwing his head back, Lance came hard across the cargo bay floor, while Keith's own orgasm hit right on the back of his boyfriend's. immediately sated by his knot locking them together, Keith nuzzled Lance's neck while trying to coax Lance to sit in his lap. He shouldn't have been so rough with his boyfriend  
"Lance?"  
"Mmmm..."  
"Are you ok?"  
"Yeah... just..."  
It wasn't the most comfortable positions, but with his knot in the way and the fact his seed was still filling Lance, he couldn't exactly complain. Slumped against him, Lance was trembling lightly  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah... fuck... that felt so good"  
"It did?"  
Turning his flushed face towards him, Lance's lips found the corner of his   
"Yeah... are you really alright?"  
"I'm fine, baby"  
Taking Lance's hand in his, he kissed the back of it, earning himself a small laugh from Lance. It was then that he noticed his boyfriend wasn't wearing his ring  
"Lance, where's your ring?"  
Lance tensed immediately, before half trying to climb from his lap. Letting out a moan, the omega dropped back on him  
"Lance?"  
"Sorry. I took if off when I had a shower... I guess I didn't put it back on"  
That meant there was a real chance Lance could fall pregnant from this... Quiznak...

"Keith? Keith, you're scaring me"  
Not realising his hold on Lance was now hard enough that it was even uncomfortable to him, Keith forced out a deep breath and uncurled his fingers  
"What was that?"  
"I... I'm sorry"  
"What for?"  
"I... came inside of you and you aren't wearing your ring..."  
Instead of panicking like he'd expected, Lance just let out a sigh   
"Is that all? You scared me. I thought something was really wrong"  
"But... if you get pregnant... I don't know how to be a dad... I mean... I know I kind of thought of Shiro's pups as my own, and I held you through it... but I don't know what to do. Lance... I don't know how to be a dad. I don't even know my mum. What if she's like Sendak or like Zarkon? What if she's bad? What if our kid is bad?"  
He wasn't really proud of his next move, half trying to pull out of Lance despite being knotted. 

Yelping, his boyfriend smacked   
"Stop moving!"  
"But..."  
"Keith, either you stop moving or in going to hit you again. You need to stop freaking out while your knots stuck inside of me"  
"But..."  
"No. No more buts. Keith, you're my alpha and I love you. I know from the bottom of my heart you will be an amazing father. Ok. So please. Just, just stop mo..."  
Lance's sentence was cut off by a half moan. Shit. If Lance was going to moan like that, he was completely screwed. His alpha's attention was already firmly focused on the fact he could now impregnate his omega. Stilling his movements, his hands moved to Lance's stomach. Now he just had to stay still   
"How can you be so calm? I... just forced myself on you and came inside of you"  
"I know what you did. I am sitting in your lap. I know you'd never hurt me, and I could tell you didn't just want, but needed me as badly as I needed you. So please, just stop freaking out. I can't take it. I never know what to say to make you feel better"  
By the end of Lance's sentence, his boyfriend was crying. Feeling like a dick, Keith buried his face against Lance's shoulder  
"I never meant to upset you. I just... I guess I'm so scared I won't live up to your expectations of me"  
"Keith, the only thing I expect from you, is for you to be you"  
"That doesn't even make sense"  
"Yes it does. Now your knots starting to go down, and as much as I want another round, you need to go before it gets dangerous"  
"I don't want to let you go"  
"Now who isn't playing fair"  
"Hey Lance"  
"Yeah?"  
"I love you... and if you do... I'll be there"  
"I... Keith, I... I love you too"  
It felt like Lance wanted to say something else, but instead, his boyfriend shook his head.

 

*  
He'd chickened out. Keith was right there and he hadn't been able to tell him. Wandering back to Hunk and Pidge, he kept his arms firmly wrapped around his stomach. He was too out of it to focus, but he instinctively wanted to protect his pup. Why couldn't he just open his mouth and tell Keith that he was going to be a dad? And why had Keith freaked so badly? 

Wrinkling his nose upon his approach, Hunk took half a step back  
"Uh... I guess Keith's gone?"  
"Yeah. Where's Allura?"  
"Lotor made the Galra swear their allegiance, before swearing they wouldn't harm us or Allura. She and Shiro are seeing him off"  
"I still don't trust him"  
"Does Keith know where's he's heading?"  
Walking back with the Galra knife she'd been playing with, Pidge wrinkled her nose as she got closer  
"Ok. I get that you two have urges, but why can I smell Keith so strongly? And why does it smell like he was upset?"  
Blushing lightly, Lance looked to his feet   
"It's nothing... he just didn't like leaving again, not that I was upset that he nearly got himself killed"  
"Shiro said he suddenly appeared just before the citadel blew"  
"Yeah. He saw Lotor and Shiro, so went back to try and stop the explosion. I guess Kolivan thought that without the fire thing, a new emperor couldn't be named"  
"Keith didn't tell you?"  
"Hunk, I think they were busy doing things other than talking"  
"You know, I've accepted you're a couple, but we're in the middle of a battlefield"  
"Then blame my omega. The thought of him dying sent me into meltdown"  
Snapping at his friends, Lance kicked the ground angrily. If they stank like sex, he would have been nice enough not to point it out  
"We didn't mean to upset you"  
"I don't want to talk about it"  
"Right. I'm hearing you. Pidge, what you got there?"  
"Oh! Isn't it neat? I can't wait to run all kinds of tests on it"  
"You know, we should ask Keith to bring us some shiny Galra weapons. If we can figure out how the quintessence actually works between the different weapons..."  
"Forget it. I'm going to go wait in my Lion"  
Pidge's face fell  
"Sorry Pidge. I just want to be alone for a bit"


	25. Chapter 25

"Lance, are you awake?"  
Wiping at his face, despite the fact, his tears had long dried, the teen grabbed Keith's pillow  
"Come in, Allura!"  
"Hey, I was just wondering how you both were feeling"  
"Allura, I'm barely pregnant. I don't feel anything other than fat right now"  
"Oh... I suppose you're right. Did you get to talk to Keith? I wanted so ask you about it last night, but with Commander Holt leaving... I think we were all about emotional last night"  
"No... I mean I only kind of got to talk to him. Allura, I don't think Keith wants to be a father"  
Moving to sit on the edge of his bed, Allura placed her hand on his knee  
"Did you tell him?"  
"No... I was too scared... but he freaked Allura. He realised I didn't have my ring on, and I lied... I lied to him..."  
"Lance... Keith loves you"  
"He might love me, but he's scared about what kind of baby would be growing inside of me! He's scared it's going to be bad... he scared of his Galra side"

Feeling his stomach roll, Lance pushed past Allura as he rushed to the bathroom. Ryner's ring seemed to be the only thing keeping the morning sickness away, and now it was off, this was the third time that morning he found himself kneeling in front of the toilet. With nothing to throw up, he held Keith's pillow against his stomach as he hacked and spat  
"Oh my gosh Lance, are you alright?"  
"Morning... sickness"  
Busying herself behind him, Allura then came to his side with a cool wet towel   
"Here, you don't look very well"  
"Just what every pregnant omega wants to hear"  
"I wonder why you're only showing symptoms now?"  
"Probably because I don't have Ryner's ring on"  
"Ryner said it wouldn't hurt the baby"  
"And she said it was supposed to you know, help me not get pregnant"  
Sitting back, Lance covered his face with the cold towel. It felt amazing against his hot skin  
"Lance, are you going to keep it?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It's just... when you were pregnant before"  
"Allura! I was pregnant because I was raped. I didn't want to be pregnant. I didn't want to have to remember what happened!"  
"Sorry, I just didn't know. You... you said you weren't sure about Keith wanting it"  
"I still don't know if he does, but I... I want them. I want them so much, but I want Keith even more"  
Why did Allura have to do this to him?   
"Lance..."  
"Look. I don't know what I'm going to do! If... if Keith doesn't want it... then I guess I have to... I don't want to lose him"  
Whining softly, he pulled Keith's slipping pillow back against his stomach  
"I'm sorry Allura. I know you're trying to help, but I just can't. I don't even know if they're really alright. What if I tell him, and he does want it... but then I lose it? It would break him"  
"Lance, I know losing the pups first time hurt... but Keith, it really hurt him too. He loved those pups because they were part of you. If you kept them, he wouldn't have left you. He even went as far as to let Shiro think that he'd fathered them"  
"Yeah, because that went over well"

He didn't want to abort or miscarry this time. He wanted them so badly, but what if Keith was right? What if there was something evil growing inside of him? Whining again, he wanted to melt into the floor so he wouldn't have to think about Keith rejecting him and their child. His omega side was getting the better of him. He needed to think more realistically. He needed to know more  
"Allura, can you ask Coran if we can do another scan"  
"Another scan?"  
"I need to know how far along I am and I need to know... I need to know th... if they're ok"  
"I'm sure Coran would be thrilled. When would you like to do it?"  
"Now. If possible. I can't imagine everyone being up yet. Last night was rough on all of us"  
Plucking the towel off his face, Allura smiled down at him  
"I'll call Coran and have him meet us there. You go ahead and get dressed"  
Leaving him stuck on the floor, Lance mentally glared at Allura. She could have at least helped him back up, and clothed seemed like effort  
"You're not even born and you're already making life hard for me. You better be alright in there"

 

*  
Dressed in his jeans, and one of Keith's shirts, it was a little over half a varga later that he was back in the medical bay. With his stomach exposed, he was doing his best to fight the urge he had to cover it back up  
"Allura, you're staring"  
"Sorry. I'm just excited"  
"Well stop it. Coran, how much longer?"  
"I'm just setting it up to record. I thought Keith might like to see the scan when he comes to visit"  
"It's fine. You don't have to do that"  
"It's no problem! And we're recording. Are you ready?! Can you see?!"  
"Allura, move to your left... no, my left, your right... Coran, can you please move Allura. I think she's stuck"  
Allura's eyes were back on his stomach and he hated it. He didn't want her getting attached to them. He didn't want anyone getting attached to them. He didn't even know if he got to keep them, and Allura would no doubt try to tell him it was his body and his choice. It wasn't. He felt so lost without Keith, and Voltron really wasn't the same without him. Moving over to Allura, Coran laid his hand on her shoulder, causing Allura to visibly jump on contact  
"Lance said you were in the way"  
"Oh, sorry"  
Allura looked around as if not sure where to stand  
"Allura, come stand up here and hold my hand"  
Walking around the top of the bed, Allura sat on the edge of bed near her shoulder, and took his hand  
"Is this alright?"  
"Yeah... Ok. Go for it Coran"

The same warmth pooled in his stomach, and soon Coran was swiping away at his monitors. Pulling up what seemed to be the outline of his abdomen, Lance stared at the two solid dots. They weren't pink... that was good... right? They'd been pink or was it red last time?  
"Coran. Speak to me"  
"It's two pups... both with strong heartbeats and good vitals"  
"And can you tell how far along I am?"  
"Well, they're a bit on the big side, but you weren't pregnant before your last heat. So I would say that's when it happened"  
So what was that? Like 8 movements ago?  
"What do you mean big? Is something wrong with them? Allura?!"  
Looking to Allura in panic, Allura cupped his face as she smiled  
"Everything's going to be alright. I suspect it's the Galra DNA, though these little guys will only be quarter Galra..."  
"Allura, not helping"  
Looking to Coran, the man cleared his throat   
"They're a little big for 8 movements, but Lance, it's fine"  
He really wanted something to throw at Coran  
"Don't do that to me! I'm freaking out as it is!"  
"All three of you are fine"  
One pup was bad enough... but how was he going to tell Keith it was twins again? And was with him and twins? Shit. Keith didn't want one pup. He wasn't going to want two. He was going to leave him. Why wouldn't he? He'd find his mum and he wouldn't need him anymore. He'd have his real family  
"Lance, your blood pressure just shot up..."  
Guiding his face back to look at her, Allura wiped at his tears   
"It's going to be ok"  
"But Keith won't want me!"  
"What's this about Keith?"  
"Lance seems to think Keith won't want him"  
"Nonsense!"  
"Besides Lance, you have all of us remember"  
Sniffling, he nuzzled at Allura's palm  
"Thanks, Allura. I think... I think I'm going to wait until tomorrow before calling Keith, but can... I know I said I wanted to tell him alone, but what if he says he doesn't want them?!"  
"Coran, you can end the scan now"  
Free to move, Lance immediately wrapped his arms around Allura properly, letting her pull him up to sit  
"Shhhh, you're ok. It's nothing like last time"  
"No! Last time Keith was here!"  
Great. Now he was wailing against Allura.

It seemed to take forever before he finally calmed down enough to let Allura go. The princess jacket was soaked with his tears and snot  
"Sorry..."  
"It's alright. Do you feel a little better?"  
"Honestly? No. But... I think I don't want to be alone today"  
"We haven't got anything planned"  
"How can we not? Doesn't something always happen?"  
Laughing at his words, Allura nodded  
"I suppose you're right. In any case, let's see about breakfast, I don't know about you, but I'm starving"  
"Allura, I'm like always hungry"

Leaving the medical bay, Lance swore he was cursed. He knew how wrecked he must look, so walking into Shiro was the last thing he wanted... yet  
"Lance, Allura, Coran. What's going on?"  
"Nothing"  
Frowning at him, Shiro's eyes narrowed  
"Allura?"  
"Coran was just preforming some diagnostic scans on the system, so Lance and I came to see if he wanted breakfast"  
"That doesn't explain why Lance stinks of distress"  
Stepping towards him, Lance stepped back in fear. He didn't want to be touched by Shiro, yet ignoring his clear wishes, Shiro placed his hand on Lance's shoulder  
"Lance, what's wrong?"  
"It's nothing"  
"It's not nothing"  
"Shiro, it's nothing! Just back off!"  
"Lance..."  
"No! Just leave me alone"  
Shoving Shiro off, the alpha growled at his defiance. Letting his scent pour out, Lance could feel Shiro trying to make him submit   
"Omega... know your place"  
"I know my place and it's not by your side"  
Storming off, he was furious. He didn't wait for Allura or Coran to catch up. He was hungry, angry and disgustingly slick, which was the worst of all three. It wasn't fair that Shiro could make him slick. He didn't want Shiro and it felt like he'd cheated on Keith, despite nothing having happened.

 

*  
Having consumed everything Hunk put down in front of him, Lance was pleasantly full. With his head against Allura's shoulder, he was purring softly as he half-dozed   
"I think you blissed him out Hunk"  
"It's just nice to know someone appreciates the effort I put into cooking"  
"Mmmm... life would suck without you Hunk. Your food is the best"  
"I know that, but it's nice to hear it once in a while, and doubly so when it's not related to cookie dough"  
Lance's stomach let out a particularly loud rumble the moment Hunk said "cookie dough"  
"Lance, I'm not making cookie dough. You just ate four times the amount everyone else did"  
"I'm sorry"  
Whining softly, he tried to bury his face against Allura's shoulder  
"Lance, if you're sleepy, why don't you take a little nap. I told you we had nothing planned today"  
"I don't want to move"  
"It's alright, I'm sure we can. Here, lay down properly"  
"Allura"  
"Lance, it's fine. We'll just be in the kitchen if you need us"  
"And I'll come wake you myself once everything's cleaned up"  
"Mmm, ok. Just don't go too far away"  
"Allura, is he alright?"  
"Yeah. He's just a little down because he misses Keith"  
Ignoring the fact they were talking about him, Lance let Allura help him lay down before everyone around him went about cleaning up the mess from breakfast  
"Don't forget Lance, we'll be in the kitchen"  
"'k thanks guys"  
He didn't want to be alone, but he really was too tired to move.

"Lance! What the hell is this?!"  
It felt like he'd only just closed his eyes when his peaceful after breakfast was ruined by Shiro. Quiznak. Couldn't the alpha just give him a break? Groaning as he forced himself up, he blinked at Shiro sleepily  
"Is this it? Is this why you were crying? Are you pregnant again?!"  
Eyeing the tiny onesie in his hands, Lance flew to his feet  
"What the hell Shiro! Why do you have that?! Have you been in my room"  
"Answer the question!"  
Shiro's voice boomed through the whole space, leaving him shaking   
"Whose is it?! Whose it Lance?! Did you spread your legs for everyone in here?"  
Lance saw red. Scrambling over the table  
"Who gave you the right to go into my room!?"  
Grabbing for the onesie, Shiro stepped back, holding the garment out his reach  
"Are you pregnant!?"  
"No! Now give it back"  
Activating his hand, Shiro grabbed him by the throat, the alpha carrying him back until he slammed him down on the table. Scratching and hissing, Lance fought against Shiro as he fought for breath  
"You won't be having anyone else's pups"  
The door was right there. If he could just get the words out  
"Allura!"  
It barely came out as a whisper, not the yell of help he intended. No. He couldn't give up. Getting one good hard kick at Shiro's stomach, the alpha barely flinched as the blow hit. He could smell what Shiro wanted and he couldn't help but vomit, though with the alpha's firm hold, he could only cough as he choked on it.

Keeping him pinned, Shiro used his free hand to strip Lance's jeans and underwear down to ankles. Even with the black dots dancing across his vision, Lance tried to fight back, but there was no way he could win, and he couldn't do anything as Shiro mounted him. Screaming silently, tears poured from his tightly closed eyes. It felt so wrong. Sex with Keith always felt warm and loving, while this filled him with ice. Each thrust only driving pins and needles of frost into heart. Feeling Shiro's lips against his, he pulled back enough to bite down as he could. Howling, the alpha back handed him hard, but not hard enough to knock him out. No. He was forced to wait until Shiro knotted him to finally pass out. The whole time Shiro had been patting his belly. Calling him his. Telling him how much he loved him and how he was going to make such a beautiful mother. 

 

*  
Lance's eyes flew open. His whole body trembling as he scrambled off his bed and into his bathroom. Throwing up everything he'd eaten, he didn't even make it to the toilet, instead the shower floor copped the mess. Heaving and sobbing, Lance felt like he was drowning. Shiro... Shiro had... he couldn't breathe, and his heart felt like it was about to explode. Shiro had... he could smell him. He could hear him... he needed to get him off his skin. He needed to tell Allura. The bruises. There had to be bruises. There had to be some kind of proof this time. It wasn't like last time. It wasn't a dream! Despite still gagging, Lance staggered to the bathroom counter, eyeing his disheveled reflection in the mirror. No bruises? Why were there no bruises? Shiro had choked him hard enough... it couldn't be a dream. It couldn't... Slamming his hard on the door pad, Lance raced to his wardrobe in a blind panic. Rifling through the pile of clothes he'd hidden the tiny onesie under, his eyes widened when he found it there. Still folded. Still white and crisp, and safely hidden away from prying eyes. No. Letting out a scream, he clutched the tiny garment to he chest as he started to rock. He couldn't understand. Shiro had attacked him. He knew it. He could still feel it. But what... why didn't this make sense? No... no... A dream.

Cowering on the shower floor, the omega was still fully dressed and still clutching the onesie against his chest. He couldn't stop rocking and he couldn't stop whining. He needed his alpha, even if Keith wasn't there to answer his call, he couldn't stop himself. This made no sense. Just last like time, it'd been so vivid. But even if Shiro had attacked him, the alpha couldn't get him pregnant... he couldn't carry Shiro's pups. Good. Yes. He just... he just needed to think about the pups. They were Keith's. It didn't matter what Shiro did to him... from this trail of thought, a grotesque laughter bubbled up. Keith had gotten him pregnant and Shiro couldn't do anything to change that.

The twisted laughter was still pouring from his lips when his bathroom door opened  
"Lance? What's so funny?"  
Looking up at Allura, Lance cocked his head   
"Why didn't you come?"  
"What?"  
"I tried calling for you, and you didn't come..."  
Allura looked genuinely upset and confused  
"Lance, I don't know what you mean? You know I would have come if you'd called. What happened to you? Why are you in the shower while wearing your clothes?"  
"If I tell you, you'll just think it was a dream. But maybe it was? I don't know anymore"  
"Lance... I'm going to call Coran, he can help you from the shower"  
"Don't bother. I'm fine. It's fine"  
Sliding up the shower wall, Lance swayed as the whole room span. He heard Allura scream his name, and then he was back down on the shower floor  
"Lance!"  
Laying his head on the shower floor, his laughter turned to sobs  
"Hunk, it's Allura. I need help. Lance has had a nightmare. I think. He's not making sense and I don't think I can get him out the shower on my own"

Whatever Hunk replied must have been along the lines of yes. He was still laying on the shower floor, though his knees and palms were smarting from landing on them, and at some point Allura had turned the shower off. It was weird. Like he wasn't really there. He could hear Hunk   
"Allura, what's happened? And why does it smell so bad in here? I can practically taste Lance's fear"  
"He had a run in with Shiro this morning, and... well, he's had some very vivid nightmares lately. I think he's had another one about Shiro. The way he was laughing Hunk, I've never heard anything like it. I know he's not your omega, but I don't know how to help him"  
"Lance, buddy... are you planning on staying on the floor like that?"  
Crossing to squat down near him, all Lance could see was Hunk's boots  
"Hunk?"  
"He's calling for Keith and I don't think he's really even aware of it"  
"Should I call him?"  
"No. It'll probably do more harm than good. Lance, I'm going to lift you up now. You better not freak out on me"  
He couldn't have, even if he'd wanted to. Lifting him easily, he felt like a rag doll in Hunk thick arms  
"Lance, you wanna maybe start paying attention? Because I'm not stripping you down man. There's some lines I'm just not going to cross, and I really don't want Keith coming after me. Allura, can you grab a couple of towels and lay them out his bed. He's soaked"

Laying him down, Keith's pillow was now all he could see. He could smell his alpha and wanted the pillow, but his stupid body wouldn't move  
"What should we do?"  
"My scents not going to help. It'll probably do more harm than good if those dreams are about what I think they're about"  
"We can't leave him like this"  
"And I'm not saying we should. You and Coran should be fine to touch him, but it's probably best that Pidge, Matt and I stay away"  
"Is it like when he goes into heat?"  
"Yes and no. With his heat, he unconsciously calls for an alpha for breeding. His scent affects all of us to varying degrees. Like this, anything we do to comfort him would be like forcing ourselves on him. Even though that isn't the intention"  
"Oh... I was hoping there would be something more you could do"  
"Not until he calms down and approaches us on his own terms. He's terrified Allura"  
"Thank you for explaining... I'm sorry that I don't completely understand how all of this works"  
"Hey, Lance is my best bud. I'd do almost anything for him, but this is one time he really needs me not to"  
"I'll call Coran then"  
"It's probably for the best"

Hunk must have left, because the next thing he knew, Allura was stroking his hair softly  
"Lance, I don't know if you can hear me, but we need to get you out those wet clothes"  
Reaching down, he felt Allura tug on the onesie he was still clinging onto. Letting out sob, his body finally began cooperating again, and let him curl in on himself   
"Lance?"  
"Am I crazy?"  
"No Lance..."  
"Then why did it feel so real?"  
He sounded so distant and broken   
"I don't know. Do you think you can maybe take these wet clothes off?"  
"I'm so tired Allura"  
"It's ok. Coran and I will help you, and then I'll stay with you"  
"Do you promise?"  
"Yeah, Lance. Coran, can you start with his boots"  
He was too taxed to even be embarrassed about Allura helping him change into clean boxers. Or maybe it was Coran? He honestly didn't know, though it did take both of them to get him into his bed  
"Allura, will you be alright?"  
"I'll be fine. I can't leave him when he's like this. Maybe you should call Keith and see if he knows what we should do?"  
"Don't... don't call Keith"  
"Lance, Keith will understand"  
"Please"  
From silence, he was certain that Allura was silently telling Coran to call Keith anyway. Pulling his alpha's pillow against him, his fingers hurt from the light effort, but it was worth it when he finally buried his face against it. Climbing into bed beside him, Allura gently coaxed her head into his lap  
"Get some sleep. It was only a dream, and I'm here now"

 

*  
Sleeping through until dinner time, Lance woke to find Allura staring down at him and for some reason the castle mice perched on her shoulders. Blushing, he slowly sat up  
"What happened?"  
"You had another nightmare about Shiro"  
"Was it as bad as last time?"  
"You kind of shut down. You were calling for Keith, or that's what Hunk said. I didn't know what to do, so I ended up calling for him"  
Great. Now Hunk knew he was a basket case... though if it was a bad as last time, he couldn't blame Allura. As the memories came flooding back, his hold on Keith's pillow tightened   
"Lance?"  
"I... Shiro attacked me. He had me pinned to the table. He wanted to know if I was pregnant and I told him I wasn't... so he..."  
"It's ok. I've been thinking that maybe these dreams are linked with your pregnancy. I think because being near Shiro is so stressful, your minds trying to process everything so you can concentrate on you and the pups"  
"It's doing a lousy job. I feel so sick... Shiro was so mad, and he found the onesie Keith bought me in memory of the first pups"  
"I had Coran rinse it, and it's hanging in your bathroom"  
"Coran was here? I'm sorry, I can't remember..."  
"I thought Hunk would be able to help because he's an alpha..."  
"If I was that out of it, and wanting Keith that badly, my omega would have been freaking over having another alpha close"  
"I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do"  
"It's ok. You didn't know. Even I don't know. I was on suppressants for so long, I swear my omega is in like overdrive now"  
Trying to smile for Allura, he hated seeing her so sad, and hated her having to go through whatever had happened before  
"Thank you for being here. I can't imagine watching me sleep was very exciting"  
"I'll tell you a secret, I fell asleep and woke just before you did"  
Giggling, Allura whole face lit up. Lance was relieved she'd gotten some rest  
"Do you feel up for facing everyone?"  
"If we don't have to move. I don't think I'm up to moving... I kind of need Keith's smell to keep calm"

Hunk was the first to arrive. His friend was definitely nervous as he scratched the back of his head and stared down at his feet  
"Hunk, I'm sorry about before"  
"It's ok man. Allura said you'd been having bad dreams"  
"Yeah. They haven't been great. Are you ok?"  
"Why wouldn't I be ok?"  
"Because you're my best friend and I know you"  
"I may or may not have baked enough cookies to feed the whole Galra empire"  
"That's impressive. Did you bring any?"  
Behind Hunk the door opened, sending Pidge and Coran tumbling through  
"Coran, I told you your elbow was too close to the door pad"  
"You're the Green Paladin, your reflexes should be ready for anything"  
"Hey, guys. Are you two ok down there?"  
"We wouldn't be down here if Coran learned to control his elbows"  
"It's fine. Just... approach with caution"  
Snorting at his own words, he tried to reassure his friends that he didn't mind them being there... even though he kind of meant it at the same time. His omega was worrying for his pups and didn't want alpha's near them that weren't Keith  
"Guys, you're in the way"  
Crawling out from under Coran, Pidge raised her hands in surrender as she moved to sit on the very edge of his bed  
"Is this ok?"  
"Yeah. Nightmares are the worst"  
"Tell me about it. I have this one where I keep trying to fix this program coding and no matter what I do, it's always wrong and I keep changing it and I know it's right..."  
"That sounds like your own personal hell"  
"You have no idea. Hey Hunk, wanna get the trolley?"  
"I was about to when you two decided to fall through the doorway"  
Stepping around Coran, the man was still in the process of straightening up, Hunk vanished into the hall for a moment, before wheeling in a trolley loaded with more cookies than Lance could count  
"Ok. That's impressive"  
"There's actually milkshakes in there somewhere, and cake, but he got a bit carried away with the cookies"  
"I don't mind. I'm sorry Hunk, but I think I threw up all I ate at breakfast"  
"I will let it slide this time"  
"It really sucks though. Everything you make tastes amazing"  
"Well this time let's aim for not throwing it back up"

"Hey guys, why is there a trail of cookies through the castle? This is how we get ants, guys"  
Standing in the doorway, Matt had at least a dozen cookies in his hold   
"Hunk baked, and they were casualties of war"  
"What were you waging war on?"  
"On Lance's lack of sugar. Come in and find a spot"  
Coran was sitting on his desk, Hunk was using the desk chair, Allura and Pidge were on his bed, and with the trolley in the middle of the room, Matt was left to squeeze himself into the space in front of the bathroom door  
"Is there a reason we're all hanging out in here?"  
"Not really. It's just where Lance and Allura happened to be when we found them"  
"Fair enough"  
Tensing slightly, Lance scolded himself mentally. It was Matt. Matt actually respected the fact he was in a relationship. He had nothing to worry about and he needed to calm back down. He'd managed to calm with Pidge and Hunk in the room, so having one more alpha that wasn't going to hurt him was fine. Besides, Matt has already seamlessly joined the conversation.

"Princess, I nearly forgot to tell you. We received a communication from Lotor this afternoon. He's requested our presence tomorrow at Galra Headquarters, as his honoured guest"  
Wrinkling his nose, Lance finished the cookie he'd been munching on  
"Do we really need to go?"  
"It's probably going to be boring"  
"Or a trap"  
Sighing softly, Allura shook her head  
"I might not agree with how Lotor came into power, but we must at least try for the sake of peace throughout the whole universe"  
"But it's the Galra. How much fun can they be?"  
"If Shiro was here, he'd be all like "We're paladins. We're not supposed to have fun"  
Laughing at Pidge's imitation, Lance nodded quickly   
"Yes! Exactly!"  
"He used to be funnier. It's like he's lost his sense of humour"  
"It's like he's not himself anymore"  
Forcing himself to nod again, he didn't like the way Coran's words hit too close to his own feelings on the matter  
"Still, we need to try. If we're going to Galra Headquarters tomorrow, we'll need to get an early night tonight. Lance, do you want me to stay"  
Yes! Desperately yes!  
"No... I'll be ok... but if you wake up and find me sleeping at the end of your bed, just don't kick me in the face"  
Raising his eyebrow, Hunk paused mid-bite   
"That's pretty specific there Lance, any reason why?"  
"My devilishly good looks aren't enough?"  
"I feel like there's more"  
"Fiiiiine. Back before Keith and I were officially courting, I climbed into his bed and he kicked me in the face"  
Howling with laughter, Pidge fell from the bed  
"That's what you get"  
"I'm just imagining Keith. He was probably all moody about it too"  
"Kind of. Anyway, Allura's right. I feel better now I'm full of sugar. Thanks guys"  
"Hey, tomorrow let's try and find a way to have fun. I'm sure the three of us could come up with something"  
"Yeah. I think I'd like that..."  
What was fun again? Like real actual fun? Fun where you didn't have to worry you'd be called to duty midway through? And when was the last time he had fun with just his two friends? Even Pidge wouldn't play video games with him any more, and Hunk was always busy with science stuff or baking  
"Good. Ok. Guys, time to pack up!"

Allura was the last one to move, the rest of the group leaving her to say goodbye. Waiting for him to resettle beneath the blankets, Allura than gently brushed his hair back from the side of his face, before kissing his cheek softly  
"Are you sure you'll be ok? I don't mind staying"  
"I'll be ok Allura. I just... these dreams really mess me up. I feel like it honestly happened, and I feel like I'm crazy because you guys say it's a dream"  
"I'm sorry you have to suffer like this. I wish there was something I could do for you"  
"Being here's enough. I'd be lost without"  
"We all feel the same way Lance. You're very special and important to us all"

Leaving him with those parting words, sleep didn't come easily that night. Even after he'd rearranged all his blankets into a nest and grabbed a heap of Keith's clothes out his wardrobe for the lining.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to tell your daddy all about you guys... I just hope he wants you as much as I do"


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooooo, I've been posting these on tumblr instead of keeping up on here...
> 
> this is the second update for today....
> 
> feed me comments and abuse?

"Lance! Oh my, what happened to you? And is that a black eye?"  
Grinning at Allura, Lance couldn't help himself. He'd honestly dreaded coming to the Galra Headquarters, and he'd hated being separated from Allura, but... quiznak, it'd been an awesome day   
"Oh... maybe. Pidge reprogrammed the sentry Lotor left us with..."  
Elbowing Pidge, the female alpha nodded  
"He was so brave..."  
Sniffling, Hunk wiped at his eyes  
"A true hero"  
Allura still didn't look too pleased that Lance was littered in bruises, but he'd been very careful not to let anything it his stomach  
"I'm not sure I understand, but I'm relieved everything turned out alright. Lotor and I made some discoveries of our own"  
He didn't like the sound of that. Lotor was bad news, and his smile finally dropped a little  
"You and Lotor?"  
"Yes. He'll be joining us on the castle tomorrow to go through the finer details, but if this pans out, it'll be an amazing opportunity and a huge step towards peace"  
There she went again, back on her peace campaign... Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if she wasn't blinded by that desire... kind of like him when it came to Keith...  
No. He wasn't going there. He was finally happy, he deserved to this happiness.

Returning to the castle, he should have expected Allura to pull him aside. Walking up to the bridge, his friend excused themselves along the way, until it was just Lance, Allura and Coran left. The moment they were safely inside the room, Allura let out a huge sigh, clearly preparing to launch into lecture mode   
"Lance, are you really alright? I can't believe you. What if the pups... no, just are you sure you're alright?"  
"Allura, I'm fine. My stomach didn't get hit at all, and I really did have a lot fun with Pidge and Hunk"  
"But your eye"  
"Was my own fault. Allura, I really needed today... especially after what happened yesterday. It makes me feel better about calling Keith"  
Nodding her head, Allura's eyes were still wide with worry   
"I'm sorry Lance. I just felt like my heart had stopped for moment when I saw your face"  
Was his face really that bad? It didn't feel that bad, and the times he'd caught his reflection in the glass of the Galra ship, it hadn't looked so bad   
"How badly would Keith freak out?"  
Allura looked to Coran, who looked just as confused by his question  
"On a scale of one to ten, how badly would Keith freak out over my face?"  
"A ten. Definitely a ten"  
"Coran!"  
"This is Keith. If Lance so much as sneezes, Keith worries"  
He was going to video call his boyfriend, but if his face was going to cause Keith to worry instead of listening to what he needed to tell him, then he wasn't going to risk it. Letting out a soft whine, Lance looked to his feet  
"I didn't think it was that bad..."  
"I didn't mean to upset you"  
"I know. It's just... Allura, we really did have so much fun... I guess maybe I over did it a bit, but I didn't feel sick once and I might have carried gotten carried away, but I..."  
"You can't just think of yourself anymore Lance. I know you're finding it hard because Keith doesn't know, but I care about you and about these pups. I would hate for something to happen when it could have been avoided"  
Biting his lip, Lance's hands moved to his stomach. He could feel his mood dropping with every tick that passed, and didn't want to be a sobbing mess when he talked to his boyfriend. Even if he chickened out again, he still wanted to at least talk to Keith without him worrying or asking a million questions   
"Can we call Keith now?"  
"Would you like us to stay?"  
"Are you going to make me tell him about getting hurt?"  
"I'm not going to make you tell him anything"  
"Ok..."

Moving to his control desk, Coran quickly pulled up the screens, before looking to Lance for permission. Nodding his head, the omega took a deep breath, and waited for the outgoing call to be connected. It seemed to take a small eternity before Keith's voice came through, and Lance's heart did this weird kind of skip that almost felt like a flutter. Quiznak. He had it so pathetically bad for Keith   
"Lance?"  
"Keith! Um... how are you?"  
How are you? Seriously? Tugging on the edge of his shirt, his heart was racing with nerves. What should he say? Should he tell them they were at the Galra Headquarters? Oh, but someone from the Blade of Marmora might have already filled him in...  
"Sorry. This isn't really a good time, I'm kind of busy right now"  
Oh. Right. Just because he was safe, didn't mean Keith was  
"Oh. Are you on a mission?"  
"No. Not really. Look, is there something you need?"  
Hearing a female voice in the background, Lance felt like he'd punched in the chest. Keith swore he wouldn't cheat... It felt like the air had been sucked from his lungs and the world swayed. Keith could have whoever it was, but he was going to make sure the alpha and whoever he was screwing knew...  
"Lance?"  
"Keith, I'm preg-"  
"Sorry, Lance. I'm with my mum now"  
Keith ended the transmission, having talked over the start of him trying to tell him he was pregnant, and his boyfriend didn't even let him say goodbye. Wrapping his arms around his waist, Lance sank down so he squatting. Tears rushed to drip down onto his arms as he dissolved. His boyfriend had found his mum, and he should be happy, but Keith had been so blunt... blunt to the point of sounding annoyed. Maybe because Keith had his mum, he didn't need him anymore?

Coming to his side, Allura wrapped her arms around him  
"Lance..."  
"No... that's it. He... he doesn't want me now he's found her..."  
"I'm sure that's not the case at all"  
"It is! Who would want me anyway!? I was so stupid for being so happy!"  
Guiding him to sit, Allura kept her arms around him as he screamed. Keith didn't need him now. He'd found his mum. His real family. He'd been so stupid and surely he was reaping what he'd sown. Of course, Keith would prefer his mum to him. His mum was probably a warrior, where as he just hid in his lion. Hell. Keith had tried to help him, but he couldn't even get his footwork right  
"Coran, can you help me get him up?"  
"Don't. Don't bother... I'm not worth it"  
"Lance, don't say that about yourself"  
"I tried to tell him Allura and he didn't even care. He probably doesn't even want them! He probably doesn't even want me!"  
Brushing Allura off, Lance shakily rose to his feet  
"Lance, where are you going?"  
"To my room... I... I need to..."  
Shaking his head, Lance turned tail and ran.

 

*  
Stuck in the engine? room, Lance was worrying himself into a panic. Lotor and Allura were going to go looking for some magical Altean place, which of course meant Voltron and the castle needed to be there. If this was Allura's wish, he'd support it, but it wasn't hard to miss the greed in Lotor's eyes. They'd been gone for vargas now... vargas spent with the others as they tried to get the castle up and running again. He was so completely useless, that all he could do was worry. He wasn't smart like Pidge and Hunk, or even Coran. He wasn't as big or as powerful as Shiro. He was just the unnecessary seventh wheel. The pregnant seventh wheel who was probably only going cause more trouble than he was worth. Maybe he shouldn't keep the pups... he never wanted his pups to feel as useless and as unwanted as he did, and the idea of them being thought of as the 8th and 9th wheels... it physically hurt. His pups deserved so much better than this... and a good life. He didn't know how to be a mum. He probably wouldn't be very good at it anyway... after all, wasn't that why his family hadn't loved him as much? Because he was born "wrong?". 

Caught up in his own head, his worry for Allura and his worry about being a mum some how ended up with him word vomiting put his concern for Allura. Technically it was probably better than him actually vomiting... but all he did was make his friends mad. He could smell their annoyance rolling off them, and wished he could shut up... until finally   
"Shiro! Get Lance out of here"  
No... not Shiro. They knew. They all knew what he did... but they were sending him out with him anyway?! Right. He was the seventh wheel. They didn't really care about him... like with Keith, he'd built things up to be much more than they really were...

Standing in the hallway with Shiro, it might have just been from lack of oxygen, but Lance felt like there was something off with the alpha. Not off like Shiro was going to attack at any moment. Forcing his hazy mind to process what was happening, he bit down his fear. The calmness of his own voice surprised even himself   
“Are you ok?”  
Shiro sighed, the alpha really did seem almost meek as he did  
“I-I don’t know. My head… I’m just… I’m feeling so confused. It’s like…”  
“What?”  
“Like I’m not myself”  
Not himself... What was that supposed to mean? Did Shiro realise something was wrong with him? Did he finally realise forcing his affections on him was wrong? No. Surely he was thinking too favourably... but that didn't mean he wanted to test it  
“It’s probably just lack of oxygen. You should sit down. We’ll get through this”  
Sitting down against the wall, Shiro sat close to him. This was the closest the alpha had been without trying to intimidate him in... he couldn't even remember. Chewing on his lip, Lance watched Shiro from the corner of his eye. When the alpha didn't say anything else, he slowly drew his knees to his chest and hugged them tight. He didn't know what to say, and he didn't know how to make Shiro feel better without seeming like he wanted the alpha. This awkward silence was better than having Shiro snap at him again.

"Guys... I'm sorry. We couldn't get the castle working... we need to wait for Allura"  
Panting for breath, Pidge was definitely feeling as poorly as he was  
"We tried... but without her..."  
Moving to stand, Shiro, seemed impossibly tall   
"We should wait in the bridge..."  
"Lance?"  
Reaching down, Hunk nodded to him. Taking his friend's hand, he sagged heavily against him. He didn't want to die like this. Trapped in the middle of nowhere, with no idea if Allura was alright... or Keith. Would Keith even care? He wanted Keith... and if he was dying, his last wish was that he could just see the alpha one last time. To tell him how sorry he was, and that he hoped he'd finally find a way to be happy. 

With Hunk leaning on him, just as heavily as Lance was leaning on the alpha, the pair kept each other propped up as they all slowly made their way to the Bridge. Barely making it into the room, Pidge was the first to collapse to the floor, followed by himself and Hunk. This was so ridiculous. They were only here because of Lotor, and if the Galra attacked right now, that would be the end of them all. Whining softly, he felt around until his hand found Hunk's   
"Lance?"  
"I just wanna say thank you for being my best friend"  
"Back at you bud. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have more than you on this adventure"  
"What about me?"  
"You too Pidge... I know we didn't hit off at the start, but you mean a lot to me. All of you do"  
"You too Lance. You too"  
Labouring for breath, they all fell silent. Each focusing on purely hanging on for as long as they could.

 

*  
Oxygen was a beautiful thing, and so was Allura. The princess seemed to glow under a whole new light when she returned, or maybe it was the fact he'd nearly died, but he was definitely feeling a whole new level of love and respect for Allura. Lotor, however much he played the humble sidekick, was clearly none too impressed that Allura had been granted access to the knowledge of Altean Alchemy while he hadn't. It was clear in the man's tone and the way he held himself that he was more than a little bitter, or so it seemed to Lance. Sticking around long enough to make sure Allura was really alright, Lance waited until Pidge finally excused herself to also leave the Bridge. He was so very tired, and just wanted to sleep. 

Parting with Pidge when she went to check on whatever they'd been working on before, Lance then made his way down to his quarters. It felt like forever and a day had passed since he'd last seen his bed, and his small nest he'd remade from his blankets alone. He didn't know what Keith would want from him when the alpha finally came back, so he'd put all Keith's things back in his wardrobe, apart from the alpha's pillow and the shirt he was using on it as a pillow case. He'd tried sleeping without it, but the morning sickness has been so bad that he'd been almost bed ridden. It wasn't until he'd finally broken, and retrieved Keith's pillow that his stomach had settled down. It's taken them nearly 5 quintants to get out here, so he hadn't dared not keep Keith's pillow close to him. The last thing he needed was someone figuring out his secret, and he couldn't help but worry that lack of Keith's smell was upsetting the pups and exacerbating his morning sickness symptoms... or something. He didn't know how this whole pregnancy thing worked, but given Keith still hadn't called him back, he now assumed he was doing this on his own. That didn't mean he didn't want to tell the alpha before the others. He at least owed Keith that much, especially because there was no way he would have made it through without him. Stripping his uniform off, he didn't bother about changing into his pyjamas before climbing into his nest and burying himself. Pulling Keith's pillow close, Lance nuzzled the alpha's shirt with a soft sigh   
"I'm so mad at you right now, and you don't even know it. I nearly died today... and your pups nearly died... I know I'm a selfish omega, but I miss you"

 

*  
It'd been two movements since Keith's word had turned upside and he was still wondering if it was all a dream. His mother. Krolia. He finally had a name, he finally had a face to that name and he finally had her. It really was like a dream, and the dream was about to take another step towards reality. Having secured Kolivan's approval, and having notified Allura, the pair of them were now on their way to the castle. Keith couldn't deny he was anxious to an unusually high degree. His mother was an amazing warrior. She was quick on her feet, and her mind even faster, yet the defensive streak she showed when it came to him had surprised even Kolivan, Keith couldn't even remember the offhand remark Kolivan had made, but the growl his mother had let out stopped everyone in their tracks. That was right on the heels of the initial shock of Krolia declaring herself to be his mother in front of everyone, so the man may have already been thrown off kilter as he looked about ready to have a miniature stroke, before quickly recovering his usual cold impassive look.

"Tell me more about these friends of yours. What kind of people are they?"  
"Mum. Krolia. I know you know all about the Voltron Paladin's"  
"In my experience what people see barely scratches the surface when it comes to humans. And I know you still feel weird about it, but pick either "mum" or "Krolia""  
"I'm sorry. It's just... I'm still adjusting. I was searching for you, and then, you were right there in front of me"  
"I know, and I'll never leave you alone again. Leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do"  
Each time she said that, he wanted to ask why... but so far he hadn't had the courage. Apparently she'd loved his father deeply, but then had to return to her mission. Still, she must have spent years on Earth, so why did she have to leave so suddenly?  
"Keith, your friends?!"  
"Alright. Ok. I already told you about Princess Allura and Coran"  
"The two Altean's"  
"Yes. And Allura pilots the Blue Lion that Lance used to pilot"  
"Lance pilots the Red one now"  
"Yes. He took over for me when I left to find you"  
"So now you've found me, you'll be rejoining Voltron?"  
"No. It's not that easy. For me to rejoin, someone has to willingly give up their Lion"  
"But you have friends, don't you? You have bonds of your own with them"  
"It's not like me being part of the Blade of Marmora changes that"  
"People's hearts always change with time. Your father taught me that. Now. Pidge is the Green Paladin"  
"Yes..."  
Seriously. This was like the 10th time they'd had this conversation. If it was her way of getting close to him, she could surely pick another way. He knew his mother remembered every little detail he'd told her. Yet, there he was, repeating himself because each time she spoke, his heart jumped with the knowledge he was talking to his mother.

Arriving at the pod hangar, everyone was waiting for them, mice included. Climbing down from the Galra fighter jet, he offered his hand to his mother, but being her usual self, she climbed from the fighter jet with practiced ease  
"Um guys. This is my mother, Krolia"  
Stepping forward, Allura beamed widely  
"My names Allura. It's a pleasure to meet you, and welcome you the Castle of Lions as an honoured guest"  
"So you're all the Paladins of Voltron. Can't say things haven't gotten interesting since you came on the scene. Keith, didn't your father teach you any manners"  
This was definitely going to end badly  
"Mum, this is Coran..."  
Introducing each of them was going to suck  
"My friends Shiro, Pidge, Hunk and my... my friend Lance"  
He didn't miss the hurt look that came over Lance's face. Yes, he wanted to introduce Lance to his mother as his omega... but... what if she didn't approve? Stepping forward, Lance extended his hand, making Keith feel even worse  
"It's nice to meet you"  
Grabbing Lance's hand, his mother had his boyfriend up against her with her knife to his throat before anyone could react  
"Mum!"  
"Your reflexes are slow and you smell like Galra"  
Releasing Lance, his boyfriend stumbled over to Pidge  
"I'm sorry guys. She's still adjusting to being a mum and everyone seems to be a threat, even though I told her that you're not"  
Emphasis on the word not. Shaking his head, Lance gave a clearly forced smile  
"It's fine. We get it. Just, can we not go scaring people like that in future"  
The room was still tense, and Lance smelt incredibly scared. He'd have to find a way to tell his mother to back off without making her mad or telling her he was dating Lance. This was definitely going to be more of a headache than he expected.

Walking from the hangar up to the dining room, it didn't take long before his mother had seemingly won most of his friends over. The incident with Lance laughed off for the most part and his mother had shrugged it off in her own way. Lance was tagging behind the group, and Keith couldn't blame him. With everything he'd been through, that was one hell of a way to meet his future mother-in-law  
"I hope you don't mind, it's not much"  
Pressing the door pad, the door slid away to reveal the dining room table... or what have been the dining table if it wasn't covered in a mountain of food  
"Hunk's cooking is amazing"  
"It looks amazing. I haven't seen food like this in deca-phoebes"  
"Please come join us..."

Moving to take the seat beside his mother, Keith looked up to find Lance still standing in the doorway   
"Lan..."  
"Lance, do you think you can join us?"  
Frowning at the way Allura phrased her question, Keith's alpha was instantly on edge. Letting out a small sigh, Lance looked down to his feet  
"Sorry. Krolia, it was really nice to meet you and I hope to get to know you better, but I've had a headache all morning"  
"That's quite alright. I'm sorry for attacking you without thinking. Keith is the most precious thing in my life"  
"I know the feeling... I mean, he's a precious friend to all of us. I'm really sorry"  
Fleeing from the doorway, Keith looked to the others   
"He has a headache?"  
Rolling her eyes, Pidge sighed   
"You don't need to worry. He's fine. He came down with a cold. It's mostly gone, and his scans were fine. Right Allura?"  
"Yes. Pidge is right. Lance is just fine"  
Then why didn't it feel like it  
"Lance, he's important to you?"  
"He's a friend mum. Of course he's important. I told you that all my friends are important to me"  
"And you're all like this, with all your friends"  
"Yes mum. It'd be the same if any of us was sick, we'd all want to know how they were doing"  
"The Galra aren't generally known for their love and friendship, so it may take me some time to adjust"  
Keith could feel everyone's eyes on him, and a heavy gloom filled his stomach. No doubt he'd just managed to upset everyone at once  
"Well Keith and Lance are..."  
"Are best friends"  
Pidge shot him a cold glare as he cut her sentence off  
"Oh. He's your best friend"  
"Yes. I'll check in with him later, so can we please just talk about something other than me?"  
"Nope. Not a chance. Krolia, if I may, do you have any embarrassing baby stories about Keith?"  
Really Hunk? This had to be payback  
"Doesn't every mum? When Keith was learning to talk, instead of saying, mum, when he'd come running, he'd yell "keef!""  
So Krolia could tell everyone else, but not him?

After 3 vargas, Keith was beyond relieved when Allura finally insisted on showing Krolia around the castle. His mother seemed to finally accept that his friends were good people, and he was seeing a completely different side to her. She was relaxed, happy and even laughing. Watching her leave with Allura and Coran, he felt the eyes of his friends on him the moment they had  
"Guys?"  
"What was that? Since when are you and Lance only best friends?"  
Here it came...  
"Yeah, Keith. I expected better of you. You know Lance loves you. He was so nervous about meeting you mum"  
"And he's still recovering from when this cold thing he came down with after we all nearly died"  
"Guys hold on. I thought I should ask Lance about what he wants to tell her. And what do you mean you nearly died?"  
"Haven't you talked to him?"  
"I've been busy with stuff... I'm sure you guys must have been busy too"  
"We haven't really been that busy... maybe it was because he's sick?"  
They hadn't been busy? Then how had they all nearly died and why hadn't Lance tried to talk to him? Did his omega not want him anymore? Did Lance want to break up or was he worrying that his mother wouldn't like him? Whatever it was, his alpha was hurt, and his anger rising  
"Or Keith's in the doghouse"  
Keith had had enough. If he wanted answers, he had to go see Lance  
"Seeing Lance didn't want to stick around, he's definitely in the doghouse"  
"That's true. Lance would do anything for Keef"  
Slamming his hands down, Keith let out a growl  
"Ugh whatever. I'm going to go talk to him"  
"Bye, Keef!"  
"Good luck, Keef!"  
Pidge and Hunk were soooo lucky he had more important things to deal with.

Arriving outside Lance's door, he found he was definitely in the doghouse with the omega. Boxes of what seemed to be his things were neatly stacked beside Lance's doorway, and despite the lack of signage, the closed door screamed "keep out". This wasn't exactly the welcome home he'd planned out in his mind, though he really didn't know what he'd been expecting. Taking a deep breath, Keith knocked lightly on Lance's door  
"Lance?"  
Knocking again, he got no reply  
"Lance? Baby, can I come in?"  
Now he was getting annoyed all over again. Lance hadn't even given him a chance...   
"Lance you better be sleeping and not ignoring me"  
Pressing his hand to the door pad, the smell that rolled into the corridor was so incredibly intoxicating. Just like back at the Kral Zera, he wanted to breed Lance and to mark him as his completely. Unable to stop a growl of want escaping his lips, Keith covered his mouth as not to scare Lance. Looking around his boyfriend's room, he found the object of his desire curled up and seemingly asleep in his small nest. Well, he was assuming it was Lance, he could only actually see the omega's lips and nose. Taking a half step towards the omega's nest, he stopped himself before he went further. If Lance was really sick, he didn't want to wake him... and not waking Lance meant not having to explain his earlier actions. As long as he didn't ask, they were still courting... giving him the most "true family" he'd had in as long as he could remember.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://dammitadolfnomorecake.tumblr.com

Curled up in his nest, Lance's heart was racing as he pretended to be asleep. He couldn't deal with Keith. He'd expected something like this given his boyfriend hadn't bothered to contact him. It wasn't until the door slid closed and his alpha was safely on the other side that he let out a small whimper. He wanted Keith so badly, but hadn't his boyfriend dumped him? Wasn't that why he hadn't called? So why was he calling him "baby" now they are all alone? He couldn't do it. He couldn't keep wavering back and forth. He'd made up his mind to have his pups on his own.

It wasn't that long after Keith left that another knock fell on his door. Thinking it was probably Allura, the teen poked his head out of his nest  
"Come in"  
When the door slid back to reveal Krolia, Lance acted on instinct. Grabbing the edge of his blankets, he yanked his nest backwards with him  
"K-Krolia?!"  
"Lance. I was hoping we could perhaps talk"  
"Oh... alright... um, come in"  
Shit she was intimidating. His heart was racing so hard it hurt, and his stomach was doing backflips. Moving to sit on the edge of his bed, Krolia sighed softly as she did  
"I can smell Keith in here"  
"Err. When Keith left to find you, he left his things here"  
He couldn't tell her he truth. Not when Keith clearly hadn't  
"That makes sense. I also smell something else. You're pregnant, aren't you"  
"What. No..."  
"Lance, I can smell you. I can smell the Galra in you. I'm sorry for the way I reacted upon meeting you, you smelt like Keith and like Galra"  
"You... you can really smell me?"  
Krolia's face softened, the Galra looking almost wistful, a clear yes in his eyes  
"Can you... can you not tell the others. I don't want them to know"  
"Why not? Keith said they were all good people, did something else happen? Does your alpha know?"  
Shaking his head, Lance's hands gripped his blankets tighter. Tears were beginning to roll down his and his bottom lip trembled  
"He... he doesn't know but he doesn't want kids"  
"Are you scared to tell him?"  
Moving to reposition herself, Krolia came to sit so her leg was against his feet  
"He doesn't want me anymore. I'm so stupid... I keep hoping maybe, but he... no... I don't want to tell the others until he knows"  
Letting out a small sob, his heart was breaking all over again. Before the next sob came, he found himself being pulled into Krolia's hold. Her touch was so familiar, and her scent held traces similar to Keith's. Clutching her, he sobbed against her chest as she rubbed his back and rocked him gently  
"I'm sorry..."  
"Hush. Being a mother isn't easy. How far along are you?"  
"10... 10 movements"  
"And the father's Galra?"  
"P-part... he's not around anymore..."  
"Do you want me to track him down?"  
Track down Keith... he couldn't tell her  
"N-no... I... I'm sorry. I don't know what to do anymore"  
"Shhhh, it's ok. You must think of your child"  
"There's two... I'm..."  
"You're having twins?"  
Nodding against Krolia, he wondered what she made of him. Here he was, being so pathetically omega-ish  
"I remember when I was pregnant with Keith. I never wanted the happiness I felt to end"  
"How did you do it? How did you know you wanted him?"  
"Do you not want your pups?"  
"No! I want them... I want them so much... but the father, he... he won't"  
"Then you've already decided. It's a hard road you'll travel. Being both a Paladin and a mother"  
Pressing a kiss to the top of his head, Lance felt a completely different sensation as to when Allura did it. Allura felt like a sister, while Krolia felt like a mother. Whining softly, he let Krolia resettle him so instead of awkwardly sitting on her legs, he now sat with his over her left leg and his side up against the woman's chest. So many times Keith had held him like this...  
"Lance, do you mind?"  
Blinking through his tears, he could see the blurry outline of Krolia's hand near his stomach  
"O-ok..."  
Sliding his shirt up, Krolia's hand was warm and comforting as she rested against the tiny swell  
"Keith's father loved to touch my stomach when I was pregnant. He would lay against it for hours if he could"  
"Krolia... Why did you leave him? Why did leave Keith behind?"  
"Because it wasn't safe. Zarkon had tasked my commander with scouting out Earth, but on the way there, my Commander fell out with the others, all of them firing against each other. I barely survived, and crashed into your planet. That's when Keith's father found me. He took care of me, no matter how hard I pushed him or how much I abused him. For a time, we were happy and Keith only made things even better. And then the dream was over. One day, a Scouting Ship came again, and I knew I couldn't stay with them anymore. Leaving him behind was the hardest thing I've ever had to do and not a day has passed that I haven't thought of him"  
Placing his hand on top of Krolia's, he couldn't imagine her pain  
"Keith's a good alpha. He's... he's helped me a lot. Some things happened to me because of what I am, and even so, he helped me out. He's a good guy"  
"I'm glad to hear it, and I'm sure your pups will be just fine"  
"Thank you Krolia. You know, you scared the hell out of me"  
"Just think how much scarier I would be if I really truly meant it"  
Laughing lightly, Lance nuzzled at Krolia's chest with his cheek  
"I don't think I want to"  
"You have my word that as long as you are a friend of Keith's, I will do my best to protect you"  
"Thanks Krolia... I feel much better now"  
"Good. I expect you don't have much experience in being pregnant, if you have any questions on what to expect..."  
"I'll think about it. Allura and Coran know, and Allura has been trying her hardest to learn about alpha and omega dynamics... um... you should probably get back to Keith. He's going to be wondering where you are"  
"Will you be alright?"  
"Yeah... I think I just want to try and get some sleep"  
"Make the most of it. Galra pups are exceptionally active from a young age"  
"Don't tell me that"

After Krolia left, Lance had to admit he felt so much better now. The woman actually seemed to like him, though that would probably change when she found out he was carrying her grandchildren. Rebuilding his nest, he rubbed at his pudgy stomach. Keith's mother was a good Galra, and Keith would be just fine with her around... now he just had to find a way to be alright with them both around.

 

*  
"Where were you?"  
Looking up from making up his bed, Keith stared at his mother. Something seemed different about her, almost softer  
"Getting to know your friend Lance. He was the only one I didn't get to talk to at dinner"  
She what? Lance had been sleeping... hadn't he?  
"Oh. Ignore most of what he says. When he gets excited about something, there's no stopping him"  
"Really? It seems to me like he's been through a lot. He seems like a kind kid, but being kind isn't always a good thing"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Nothing. Now, do you need help unpacking?"  
"I thought I'd just leave everything as it is"  
"If you were going to leave it packed, why didn't you leave your things with Lance?"  
"Because..."  
Just what had Lance told her, and more importantly, why could his omega talk to his mother and not to him?  
"Because he's my friend, he doesn't need my things cluttering up his room"  
"Hmmm, well, I like him"  
Hold up. His mum actually liked Lance? It wasn't hard to like Lance, but that seemed like huge praise coming from his mother  
"As your mother, it's relieving to know your friends care so much about you"  
"Alright. That's enough. As long as you didn't go telling him anything you shouldn't have"

With his mother insisting on sleeping in his desk chair, Keith spent the night staring in her direction. He could tell she wasn't deeply asleep, so he couldn't climb out of bed... even if he'd wanted to. Leaving him brooding over the current state of his relationship with Lance. He knew Lance was prone to moodiness, and over thinking things, but they hadn't seen each other in movements, and he'd gone all the way down to see his boyfriend. Maybe Lance was still upset about that call? But his boyfriend had called just after he'd found out the Krolia was his mother. He wasn't exactly thinking... come to think of it, Lance had tried to say something before he ended the call. Maybe Lance had wanted to break up?

In the end, the night passed slowly for Keith, but come morning he found his mother already gone. He didn't even remember dozing off. Showering quickly, Keith then went about finding which box had his clothes in. The problem with this was that everything he owned now smelt like Lance, and it left him wanting him to see Lance all over again. 

Dressed in his usual black shirt and black jeans, the alpha felt completely wrecked. All he could smell was Lance's sweet scent and sadness.  
Lance had been upset when he'd packed his things up. Agonising over whether to stop in and see Lance before heading up for breakfast, or just to head up, he ended up just walking up to the dining room instead. If Lance was with everyone, it would be harder for him to run away. And if he wasn't there... breakfast would be a good excuse to stay.

Walking into the dining room, Lance was howling with laughter. Pausing in the doorway, Keith felt like hadn't heard that sound in deca-phoebes and it tugged at his heart. Reaching across out, his mother seemed to be just as happy as she nodded at what Lance was saying. They already seemed so close... He should be happy, but all he was was jealous  
"Keith! Come in, Lance was just telling us about what happened at the Galra Headquarters"  
"Keith, man, you missed out. Pidge reprogrammed a sentry and taught him what fun meant... best day ever"  
While Pidge nodded enthusiastically, Lance seemed to sag behind her. The moment he saw Keith was looking at him, Lance looked away and down to his half empty plate. So Lance did have a problem with him?

Forcing himself to walk across the room as normally as he could, Keith sank down in the free seat next to his mother, in other words, straight across from Lance. Immediately piling pancakes onto his plate, his mother looked to Hunk as she did  
"You really have a talent"  
"Thanks Krolia. I'm happy to take requests, though they do have the Space touch"  
"After years on Galra rations, this is more than enough. But I wouldn't say no to cake. Cake is one concept the Galra never really got down"  
"Cake, cake is good. No cake is safe when Lance is around, nor cookie batter"  
"When I was pregnant with Keith, I couldn't get enough of your Earth food. Especially sugar"  
"Lance, you really missed out last night. Krolia told us so many stories about when Keith was young"  
"It's this cold... I'm still not feeling that great"  
"Allura, are you sure you don't have some magical cure?"  
"Hunk, I'll be fine. But I might leave you all to it..."  
"No, stay. You missed out on all Krolia's stories, and she's going to think you don't like her if you leave"  
The way Hunk's hand went to Lance's arm had Keith wanting to leap over the table and tear the alpha away. It was bad enough that Shiro was seated next to Hunk, and Lance didn't seem to care. Lance only seemed to care about doing everything in his power not to look at him.

This was ridiculous. Lance had shut up after trying to leave, and he hadn't opened his mouth since. Even when Shiro excused himself to go train, and Coran to go do whatever Coran did, Lance at least looked to them, but each time he'd tried to get his boyfriend's attention, he'd been totally snubbed  
"We're going to head off too. Pidge has been designing an interactive game of sorts incorporating Altean history, Earth history and role playing. We're trying to integrate into Olkarion learning"  
Of course they were. It was just the kind of thing both alpha's loved. Looking to Lance, Allura seemed concerned  
"Lance, how about you?"  
"I'll go check on Kaltenecker, and then try and get some sleep"  
"Alright, Krolia, I have a meeting with Ryner, the leader of the Olkari, would you perhaps be interested in joining us? We would love to hear any strategic information you can give us"  
"In that case, I would love to"

With Lance falling behind the others as they left the dining room, Keith finally had a chance to talk to his boyfriend. Catching Lance by the arm, he pulled the omega back into the dining room before he could run away  
"Lance?"  
Looking away from him, the omega seemed to shrink in on himself  
"Lance, did I do something wrong? I feel like you've been avoiding me"  
"No"  
"Then why won't you even look at me?"  
"Keith. It's ok. I know we're nothing more than friends now. I won't get in your way anymore"  
Keith was floored. What was that supposed to mean? And why did he suddenly feel so sick  
"I know I introduced you to my mum as my friend, but I wanted to ask you about it all before I told her"  
"Then you can rest easy knowing you didn't lie to her"  
"Lance..."  
"No. I get it. She's your mum and she's kind of amazing. I'm happy for you buddy"  
Growling, Keith grabbed Lance by the shoulders, shaking his boyfriend  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means I get it! It's over! You don't have to worry! You dumped me, I understand"  
No. What? No... things were awkward, and he'd been busy with his mother... but dumping Lance? He was planning a future with Lance... not planning on dumping him  
"Lance... what?"  
"Quiznak. Just let me go"  
"Not until you talk to me properly"  
"Let me the fuck go!"  
Screaming in his face, Lance immediately paled, and Keith's confused anger turned to concern  
"Baby?"  
Sinking down, Keith was forced to kneel in order not lose his hold on Lance  
"I'm not your baby. Why are you doing this when I'm trying so hard to get over you?"  
"But why?"  
Opening his mouth, Lance threw up across his feet instead of replying. The smell of pain strong enough to overwhelm the smell of vomit  
"Lance!"  
"I'm fine. Just... stop pretending you care"  
Loosening his grip on shock, Keith found himself on his arse as Lance took off. The omega had actually shoved him. His omega... no. Not his omega? He didn't understand this and he wasn't having it.

Springing up, Keith took off after Lance, catching him easily around the waist before tackling him down to the ground. Moving to pin Lance to the floor, Keith straddled Lance's lap  
"Lance I never broke up with you"  
"Then why haven't you called?! I called you, and you were busy! I know you're busy! I know! But if you didn't want me, why give me hope?"  
"Baby, of course I want you"  
"It's too late now. I can't. I can't be with you anymore"  
Snarling so his teeth was bared, Keith's alpha took full control of him, causing Lance to whimper  
"You are my omega, I love you Lance I'm not letting you run away!"  
Forcing his lips against Lance's just wanted to show his omega how much he loved him. How much he wanted him and that he didn't want what they had to be over.

When Lance didn't kiss him back, Keith pulled back. Tears were rolling down his boyfriend's face  
"Oh baby... I'm so sorry"  
"Stop it... stop messing with my heart any more than you have"  
"I love you, Lance"  
"But not enough to call me or tell your mum. I understand. She's really nice, and you're lucky you found her... you should be with her, not with me"  
"Why don't you get it? I love you. I want a future with you"  
"I can't believe you... not now. I'm sorry, but I need to be alone"  
Taking a good look at Lance's face, he finally noticed the red flush and slightly glassy look in the omega's eyes. Releasing Lance's hand, his... Lance flinched as he moved to place his palm against the teen's forehead  
"You have a fever"  
"No quiznak. I'm sick"  
When Lance was sick, or sad or even just lonely, he always came to him. So why not now?  
"Do you really hate me that much?"  
"I don't hate you. I... no. Never mind"  
Freeing himself from Keith's hold, Lance slid from under him. The broken look on Lance's face was too much. He'd hurt him and he hadn't even realised. Hanging his head, he listened to Lance walk away. Why did it have to turn out like this?

 

*  
Slumped over the toilet, Lance's body felt it like it was on fire. He'd slept soundly until being woken by the urge to vomit, though that had passed long before breakfast. Hanging out with everyone had helped to force Keith from his mind, despite all the subtle diggings Hunk and Pidge had gotten in. He'd even managed to stomach having Shiro so close, but then again, the alpha hadn't tried anything since they'd all nearly died... but the moment he saw Keith, he just felt so incredibly lost and sad. Keith was the foundation of his heart, and if he let the alpha in too close, he knew he'd crumble and tell him the truth. He'd need to tell his friends they'd broke up, but not Shiro. He didn't want the alpha taking it to mean he was available... all that could wait though.

 

*  
When Lance wasn't at lunch or dinner, no one seemed to be that surprised. He didn't know what to tell them all. Lance had dumped him? Lance had thought he didn't want him and that he'd been dumped, so he'd dumped him? Quiznak. It made his head hurt trying to get his mind around it all, and he was still thinking about it when he headed down to train instead of heading to bed. He needed something to do. Some way to fight the urge to try and fix things, because he'd done so well with that so far.

Snarling as he threw down another training sentry, Keith was blind to everything happening around him. He hadn't heard his mother come in, and his rage was making his moves sloppy. Growling as the next two sentries attacked, they were cut down before he had a chance to react. Angered at having his prey stolen, Keith's eyes narrowed dangerously as stared at his mother  
"What did you do that for?!"  
"Keith..."  
"I had them! I was fine! I don't need you rushing in to save me!"  
"Keith..."  
"No! Where were you when I actually needed you?!"  
Feeling a warm wetness hit his hand, the alpha raised his fingers to his face. Since when had he started crying?  
"End Simulation"  
"Keith, did something happen? This whole room smells of your anger, but it also smells of pain"

Stepping forwards, his mother took the knife from his hold, before deactivating it, and then pulling him against her. Howling in misery, he didn't know what to do or say as he wrapped his arms around her  
"I... I think I stuffed up"  
"Keith, I'm sure that's not the case"  
"I did! I hurt Lance and I didn't even mean too"  
Sighing softly, his mother rubbed his back  
"Lance is just going through some things"  
"He... he told you?"  
"In a way"  
"He won't even talk to me. I didn't mean to hurt him..."  
The only person who'd held him like this is deca-phoebes had been Lance, even though they'd reunited movements ago now, this was the first time his mother had held him so gently  
"Tell me about Lance"  
"I can't... he'd be angry if I told you"  
"He was attacked, was he not?"  
Keith's breath caught  
"How did you know about that?"  
"I didn't know for sure until you just confirmed it. I can tell he thinks a lot of you"  
"Mum... I... he... he's so nice to everyone, and being attacked by Shiro, it took phoebes to get him back on his feet. Everything he does, he always feels like he's not good enough"  
Growling, his mother's hold tightened  
"Mum?"  
"He was attacked by Shiro?"  
Was she really that angry over what had happened to Lance? Sinking down to the floor, he found himself kneeling while keeping his face buried against his mother's neck  
"Lance went into heat, and his Lion reacted by jumping off the ship while we were in a wormhole. Shiro followed him, but when he landed on the planet, he was infected by this worm things... he... for phoebes he... and Lance tried to deal with it all himself. He thought he deserved it, until he fell pregnant. The pups were infected with the same thing as Shiro had been, so he tried to abort them... but that didn't work out... he lost them saving my life"  
"He's a strong omega"  
"He is. And beautiful and smart and funny. When we first met, he kept trying to compete against me, but mum... I love him. I'm sorry I said he was my friend, I just didn't want you to be embarrassed or not approve of him. I love him so much, but he thinks I don't"  
Hushing him softly, Keith didn't know if that meant his mother approved or if she was thinking over what he'd just said  
"I don't know what to do"  
"You two are so similar, but Keith, if Lance says he needs time and space, then that's what you should give him. He's already had more than enough bad encounters with alpha's, and you trying to force your affections on him isn't going to help"  
"But... I love him so much. He said I didn't need him because I have you, he understood that we were just friends now"  
"Keith, Lance was the one who called that day we fled the base. Wasn't he?"  
"Y-yes"  
"You cut the call off as he was trying to tell you something, and I've been by your side since. Why didn't you call him?"  
"Because I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what you would think and I wanted to ask him what he wanted to say"  
"So you hid him from me?"  
"I..."  
He what? He hadn't? He knew he had.  
"I stuffed up"  
"You did. Keith, I know what it's like to leave behind the ones you love"  
"I didn't! I told him I was going to come back after I found you. I told him I wanted you to meet him"  
"As your omega or as your friend"  
"My omega..."

Quiznak. He was such an idiot. It wasn't like he hadn't had these thoughts, but it was completely different hearing it out loud. Pulling back from his mother, the woman smiled as she wiped his tears away  
"Wait until the morning before trying to talk to him again, he's probably resting in his room"  
"That's another thing. He's sick. He's sick and..."  
"He'll recover. It's clear everyone here loves him, so I doubt they'd be eating like it was nothing if it meant Lance wasn't"  
"I... I suppose"  
"No. I'm right. I think you've done enough sloppy training for tonight. Lack of sleep will do that to you"  
"I knew you weren't sleeping"  
"How could I when you smelt so confused?"  
"Mum... I'm so happy I found you"  
"As am I"

 

*  
Lance was absent from breakfast the following morning, as were Coran and Allura. This time he wasn't able to merely accept it. He wanted to know what was going on, and catching his mother's eye, he nodded. The look she gave seemed to say "I understand", so when he excused himself from the table, she didn't say anything.

Unsure where to begin his search, Keith headed to Lance's room first. Finding his bedroom empty, he continued into the bathroom. Spilt across the toilet rim, and floor, the amount of vomit was alarming. The pain in the air doubly so. Lance wasn't in a good way, and he wasn't here. Staggering sideways, the alpha grabbed the bathroom counter as he took a few deep breaths. He needed to calm down. If Allura and Coran were also missing, Lance would probably be with them. Ok. His omega wasn't on his own. Right. Ok. Lance was sick, so where would they take him? The medical bay? If it was just a cold, maybe they'd gotten something from the Olkari for it... medical bay.

Having ran from Lance's quarters to the medical bay, he mashed at the door pad as it took forever to open. All it took was a quick look to see that the trio clearly weren't there. Healing pods! Spinning around, he took off running back the way he'd come, praying to whatever was out there that Lance was alright. He'd been so stupid. Lance had told them all he was sick. Pidge, Hunk and Allura all mentioned the fact, and so did his mum. So why didn't he treat Lance more previously, like the treasure he was. As he'd done with the medical bay, Keith button mashed at the door pad until the door finally began to open. 

This time he'd gotten it right. He could smell Lance. 

Throwing himself into the room, both Allura and Coran were taken back by his sudden appearance  
"Keith!"  
"Keith, what are you doing here?"  
"Lance. What's wrong with him!? I saw the vomit. I know he's sick. I know something's wrong"  
Jogging to the pod that held Lance, Keith placed his hand on the smooth glass  
"Keith, you shouldn't be here"  
"Why?! Why not? I know I messed up! I know I did. But I love him!"  
"Keith..."  
"Stop saying my name! Tell me what's wrong with him!"  
"This morning, I went to check on Lance. He'd been feverish when I checked on him last night, but I found him slumped unconscious beside the toilet. Coran did a scan, and it showed an infection in his lungs, most probably from his own vomit. He's been in the pod for about 3 vargas now, so should be waking soon"  
He... he what?  
"Keith, I know things between you and Lance are complicated. He told me you broke up... I'm so sorry to hear that"  
"He broke up with me because he thought I was ashamed of him. Because my mother didn't know I was dating him. I need him better. I need to apologise to him. I can't lose him Allura"  
Walking to his side, Allura wrapped an arm around him  
"Lance will be alright. He was alright when had his last scan, this infection barely had time to set in"  
"His last scan?"  
"Yes. He had a scan about three quintants ago. His lungs had been fine"  
"So I did this. I stressed him out enough that..."  
"Keith, you can't think like that. This is not your fault in any way. He was stressing before you returned"  
"Because I didn't return his call. He thought I didn't want him... why didn't I call him?!"  
Allura sighed softly  
"Look, why don't you sit. We don't know how much longer it will take"  
"I can't face him... now that I know how much I hurt him"  
He was a coward. A pathetic alpha. Lance... Lance deserved better.

With his face against his knees, it seemed to take forever for the glass to finally slide down, and a groggy Lance to stumble out. Rushing to catch him before he could fall, Keith buried his nose against his boyfriend  
"I'm so sorry. Baby, I'm sorry I hurt you"  
"Keith?"  
"I told my mum the truth. I told her how much you mean to me, and I'm so sorry I didn't from the start"  
"Why?"  
"Why what?"  
"Why would you tell her?"  
"Because I love you. I love you and I can't stand the thought of not loving you for the rest of my life"  
"I don't deserve it"  
"No. I'm the one who doesn't deserve you. You've always put everyone ahead of yourself and you've suffered so much. I'm sorry I only made things worse"  
"I'm the one who's sorry... I... Keith, we can't be together anymore. Thank you for telling your mother, but right now, I need to focus on me"  
"I..."  
Stepping out his hold, Lance moved to Allura. The princess's eyes were filled with unshed tears  
"Lance, are you sure this is what you want?"  
"Right now. Yeah..."  
"He loves you, Lance. He was distraught when he realised you were here"  
"I love him too Allura, but I need some space to think"

Wrapping her arm around his waist, Allura lead Lance from the pod room with Coran trailing behind him. He didn't understand anything anymore.

 

*  
The next few quintants were awkward. Despite having been through a healing pod, Lance didn't really seem to feel much better, and the whole group seemed to know it was over between them. Once or twice Keith caught Shiro looking at Lance and each time he felt murderous. All he could do was sully bite his tongue. So when Lotor called, he was relieved things were starting to move again. 

Having called through to Kolivan to explain the situation, it was decided that both he and Krolia would be joining the rest of Voltron. Haggar had gone after what sounded like a font of pure quintessence and now odd reactions were occurring upon Galra ships. His mind immediately went back to what had happened with the beast weapon back on the ice base, and the quintessence involved. If this was the same quintessence, than things weren't good at all.

 

*  
Upon exiting the wormhole, it seemed like Haggar had been waiting for them. Firing immediately, the castle took a direct hit before Coran could activate the shields. Feeling the world pitch sideways, Lance couldn't stop himself as he fell to the floor  
"Lance!"  
"I'm ok..."  
No, he wasn't. Trying to push himself up, he swallowed desperately in an attempt to quell the rising nausea  
"We need to form Voltron!"  
Quiznak. He couldn't. He couldn't stop himself. Throwing up, his stomach gurgled and rolled. His morning sickness hadn't improved, even after being through a round in a healing pod, and to make things worse, he was now showing. He wouldn't be able to hide it any longer  
"Lance!"  
"Lance!"  
Hearing both Pidge and Hunk yell his name, his face burnt with shame  
"Lance cannot fight. Keith, can you still pilot the Red Lion?"  
No. Krolia. Krolia knew the truth and could probably smell just how truly exhausted he was. This attack, and incident with Haggar had come at the worst time. Things between him and Allura were strained. The princess not understanding why he still wouldn't tell Keith the truth, especially after the alpha's heartbreaking apology  
"I'm fine! I can pilot Red!"  
"Lance, if you're not well..."  
Shiro. Not Shiro too. Couldn't the alpha keep ignoring him? He wasn't blind. Now that everyone knew he'd ended things with Keith, Shiro had very much made his interest clear in the way he'd stare at him.

"Argh!"  
Forcing himself to look up at the howl of pain, he found Shiro gripping his head as if in agony  
"Shiro!"  
"My head! Something's wrong!"  
Rushing towards Shiro, Allura was backhanded hard enough to send her flying, and it felt like the whole bridge dropped in temperature. Standing there, Shiro's eyes were bright yellow and his bionic arm glowed purple  
"S-Shiro?"  
Snarling at Pidge, the alpha lunged for her. Before he could reach her though, Krolia was between them  
"This is the witches work. She's in his head"  
"What?! How? What do we do?"  
"Leave him to me"

"Coran, we need to get out of here"

Keith... Keith's voice rang out way to clearly given what was happening. His own mother and Shiro were now engaged in battle, while Hunk and Pidge had moved to drag Allura from harm. So why couldn't he move? Why wouldn't his stupid body move? He needed to help them. He needed to help Krolia, and help her stop whatever Shiro was going through. They were counting on him  
"Keith, get Lance out of here!"  
"What. No. Mum, what about you?"  
"I'm the only one here with a chance of taking on Shiro!"  
"I'm not leaving you!"  
Activating his knife, Keith went to attack Shiro from behind  
"Keith!"  
"No! Hunk, get Lance"  
Watching his ex and Krolia dodge and weave Shiro's frenzied attacks, it seemed like Shiro had no specific target in mind. Spittle flew from the man's mouth, and each breath was exhaled as a growl. He needed to... 

Grabbing his arm, Hunk dragged him backwards. Allura unconscious on his shoulder like she was little more than a doll  
"No! Hunk..."  
"You'll only get in the way"  
Forced to move, his body finally did as he wanted. Activating his Bayard, he shoved himself away from Hunk  
"Take care of Allura"  
"Lance!"

Running back, his movements caught Shiro's eye. The alpha smiling as he firmly locked him in his sight  
"Lance! You need to get out of here, you're in no condition"  
Ignoring Krolia, Lance's Bayard took shape to match his will, forming the broadsword. As Shiro attacked, the alpha left both Keith and Krolia behind  
"Omega... I should taken care of you sooner"  
"Like you did in the corridor and after you found the onesie"  
"I'm surprised you remember that. This host didn't"  
"Host?!"  
"All of you so excited to have him back, you didn't even realise he wasn't your friend"  
He'd know. He knew it wasn't a dream. It'd all been a game to Shiro... no... not Shiro. Parrying Shiro's downward strike, his sword held despite it being against Shiro's bionic arm  
"It's a shame. The way you moan... the way you move..."  
"Shut the fuck up!"  
Roaring the words, Keith launched himself at the alpha, only to be backhanded by Shiro, and sent flying much like Allura.

"Lance!"  
Throwing her blade at Shiro, the alpha was first to jump back in order to avoid being hit  
"Krolia, get Keith!"  
"Get away from him!"  
Completely ignoring what he said, Krolia wove her supple body between them, driving Shiro back further  
"Lance, take Keith"  
"Let me back you up!"  
"Lance, get out of here!"  
No. No, he wasn't going to. He wasn't going to leave them, and Coran who was still trying to get them out of firing range. They needed him.

In the moment he was distracted, he'd missed Shiro grabbed Krolia by the throat. Wrapping her legs around Shiro's arm, Krolia cried out as Shiro slammed her down against the floor and raised his arm. The look in his eyes was so filled with bloodlust that he took Lance's breath away. Shiro meant to kill Krolia. No. Keith had just found her. Letting out a howl of his own, Lance pushed himself forward, he just needed one good swing.

It was like with the sensors all over again. Everything seemed to slow right down, and he felt enormous power. Bringing his blade down, just above Shiro's elbow, he sliced clean through. The shock of the feel of the blade moving through flesh and bone was accompanied by a burning across his hip. Looking down, he realised somehow he'd been hit. Blood raced to spread across his white jacket. It... it was so red. Was blood always so red? Slumping backwards, his Bayard deactivated as his body twitched and spasmed  
"Lance!"

Watching Keith slide across the floor to him, the alpha's arm was clearly broken. He hadn't been able to protect Keith... flicking his gaze to Krolia, he found now that Shiro had been disarmed, the alpha was in a choke hold, while Coran was wrapping the bleeding stump of Shiro's arm. Finally reaching him, Keith stared down at him so lovingly  
"What were you thinking? Why didn't you run?"  
"Because I love you..."  
Pulling him up against him, Keith hissed as he tried to cover the bleeding wound  
"Hunk! Hunk!"  
The alpha's tears dripped onto his face, and Lance tried to reach for him  
"Lance, don't move. We'll get you into a pod baby"  
"K-Keith... I have to tell you something"  
"Whatever it is, it can wait baby... it can wait"  
"I'm pregnant"  
Keith's eyes widened, as black spots danced across Lance's vision. Before his alpha could reply, Hunk was hauling him into his hold. Crying out, he felt hot blood pooling in his crotch  
"I'm sorry Keith... I just wanted you to be happy"


	28. Chapter 28

How did things wind up like this? Allura and Lance were in healing pods. Shiro was healing down in a prisoner pod so he couldn't escape. His mother had a nasty concussion, and Hunk was covered in Lance's blood. His boyfriend was pregnant... Lance was pregnant with his pup... Why hadn't he told him? He told him he'd support him, no matter what happened... but Lance hadn't told him. Was he ashamed? Did he hate him? Why would he risk the pups like that? Sitting on the edge of the central platform, Keith stared at Lance's unconscious form. His boyfriend must have been so lonely... and so very scared. He thought he knew everything... but he didn't. He didn't know anything all.

"Keith"  
Placing her hand on his shoulder, his mother sank down next to him   
"He didn't want anyone to know honey"  
She knew... How did she know? And how come he wasn't more shocked   
"He said the father didn't want to have kids... but he didn't want anyone else to know before he did. I'm guessing you're the father"  
"Y-yeah... he knows... I told him I'd always support his choices! I don't know why he didn't tell me?! They're my pup too..."  
Wrapping his non-broken arm around his mother, Keith felt so broken inside. He didn't expect Coran to have some of the answers  
"Keith, Lance told us you promised to stop looking for your mother if he fell pregnant. He agonised over telling you, and when he finally did, it was the same day you found your mother"  
"He what?"  
"He tried to tell you. He didn't know if he should even keep them because you seemed so scared of your Galra bloodline. He might not have gone about it the best way, but he was trying to protect you"  
"I was there when he lost the first ones! I held him when he passed them! He knows I cared about them!"  
Keith was yelling now. He didn't want answers from Coran. He wanted them from Lance   
"Allura told me you freaked out over the possibility of him being pregnant after the Kral Zera... Lance didn't know what to do or say. You scared him that day. And every time he started getting excited about them, he would always get upset right after. He felt like he didn't have a right to be happy when you wouldn't be..."  
"If he'd just told me... we could have talked..."  
His mother hushed him softly, but her words didn't make him feel any less betrayed  
"He said the alpha didn't love him anymore but he'd decided to keep the pups"  
"I do love him! I love him so much I hate him!"

Forgetting he had an audience, Hunk plopped down next to him, and Pidge beside him  
"Lance loves you, Keith. He went back to fight because he loves you"  
"But he's pregnant... I don't think he can survive losing another pup"  
"Then we help him. We be there for him the best we can be. Lance would do the same for all of us"  
Placing his hand on his shoulder, Hunk just let it sit there, the alpha silently telling he was there for him no matter what happened.

 

*  
With Haggar's ship approaching, they were now faced with a new problem. Shiro. No not-Shiro couldn't pilot the Black Lion, even if he wasn't currently contained, it was impossible with only one arm. Allura had awoken, so they had their Blue Paladin, but Lance was still unconscious. Staring down at the two Bayard's in his hands, he'd thought he'd passed over the mantle of being a Paladin forever   
"Keith, we can't make this choice for you, but the fact you piloted the Black Lion remains. Voltron needs a leader now. A leader who understands both sides of this war"  
He didn't want to be a leader. He wanted to tuck his tail between his legs and wait until Lance woke up  
"Keith. I'll stay with Lance. You do what you need to do"  
Looking to his mother, the choice had been made before he'd even lifted the Red Bayard. Passing it to his mother, Keith nodded to his friends  
"I don't know what we'll be able to accomplish with the four of us, but right now, we need to fight. Haggar knows the truth about what happened to Shiro and she's responsible for the condition Lance is in. We need to make her talk"  
"That might not be so easy"  
Those weren't the words he expected from Allura. Turning to Allura, Allura held her head a little higher  
"It is my belief that Haggar is Honerva. The Altean alchemist who opened the rift originally. Lotor refuses to believe it, but Haggar had Altean marks, and Zarkon was married to Honerva. I think she used Shiro to watch us visit Oriande, for her it must have been too tempting to pass up, and no doubt she spent centuries searching for it. If she accessed the knowledge there, there's no telling how powerful she is now"  
"Did you say there was a guardian?"  
"Only worthy Altean's were permitted access to the secrets of Oriande. It worries me she might have found another way"  
"So it's entirely possible that everything that happened since Shiro's return was all part of Haggar's plan. By letting Shiro "escape", she was manipulating all of us without us even knowing. She used Shiro's status to align us with Lotor, and then to have Lotor crowned as Emperor. We've played right into her hands"  
The disgust in Hunk's voice left him off guard. Hunk was the most rational of them all, so to hear him put things in such a tone only showed the gravity of the situation  
"In any case, we need to stop her and to do that, we need to get on her ship. Do we know who is with her?"  
Stepping forward, Pidge nodded   
"The Galra that were with Lotor. They were with her at the Kral Zera"  
"That makes sense. Those closest to Lotor... because of Lotor, they were branded criminals, I can't imagine they're too happy about him now being Emperor"  
"Speaking of Lotor, where is he? Shouldn't he be sending someone to deal with Haggar?"  
Allura frowned at Pidge   
"He's busy quelling inner power struggles at the moment, he said he'd be here as soon as he could be"  
Late. Lotor was definitely going to be late, and then no doubt the man would fawn over Allura. Keith was 99 percent sure that's what Lance would say if he was here. This was the second longest period of time he'd spent away from the omega since Lance went in. Once Allura had woken, she'd traded places with him, promising to keep Lance in the room on the off chance Lance woke while he was healing. He hadn't. A quintant and a half later and he still hadn't. With Allura awake, they'd been able to wormhole away from Haggar's ship, but now they'd regrouped enough to take the fight to her  
"I just hope taking down Haggar won't be seen as a violation of peace. It would be the perfect thing to turn the Galra further against us"  
"Even within the Galra, Haggar isn't popular"  
"I mean to say. I just hope we're making the right decision"

 

*  
Sitting in the Black Lion, he could feel the beasts confusion. He'd abandoned her, and let Shiro take her back without fighting, now here he was trying to reestablish his connection with her. Letting out a deep breath, he felt for her mental link. It was there, yet so very weak. He wasn't even sure she was going to accept him yet  
"Keith?"  
"I can feel her, but she's testing me"  
"Um, bud. We don't have time for her to be testing you"  
"I know that"  
"Well hurry up, Haggar could resume her attack at any moment"  
Come on... move! How could he make his thoughts any clearer? If she didn't want him, he couldn't force her to accept him... but right now, he needed the power to save the people he cared about... and his pups  
"Move already!"  
Pushing the controls forward, the lights of the cockpit finally came to life   
"Yes! I know I'm not Shiro, but we have to go. We can't let more people suffer and I'm not going to run away anymore"

He'd forgotten how smooth the Lion's were to pilot, and the feeling of her in his mind. Dodging and weaving as Haggar's cannons fired, the aim was to enter the ship through the landing bay, then fight their way through. The didn't necessarily want to destroy the ship until after they'd dealt with Haggar. The chance she'd escape was too high if they just went in firing... so hand to hand combat was the best solution. Without Shiro, they were definitely at a disadvantage, and his pride was still smarting after being knocked down by Shiro. Dodging another pink burst, Keith watched as Hunk returned fire  
"Guys. The big cannon is charging up"  
"We need to take it out before it fires. We don't know what Haggar's done to the quintessence"  
Activating his blade, Keith turned Black as she flew towards the cannon. Striking the ship just below the cannon, the blade sliced through like a knife through jelly, leaving a trail of explosions in its wake  
"Keith, it's still charging. Guys, get out of the way"  
Turning Black back to face his friends, the damage had thrown the cannons aim off. The huge purple burst disintegrating the space debris just short of where the castle was "hidden"  
"Whoa! That's not good"  
"Priority is taking out that cannon. We can't let the blast hit the castle"  
We can't let the blast hit the castle and kill Lance, Coran or his mother was what he really meant. The castle couldn't be replaced, but the people on it were much more important to him than the ship its self  
"This would be so much easier if we could just form Voltron"  
"Keith, tell that boyfriend of yours to wake up already"  
"Don't you guys know how stubborn Lance is? He'll wake up when he's ready, and not a tick sooner"  
"Yeah. He really loves his sleep"  
"Enough. It's charging up again"  
He needed all the brain power he had not to think of Lance as it was... and even if his friends were joking, he wouldn't be able to rid this pit of anxiety from his stomach until he saw his boyfriend's blue eyes again.

 

*  
Waking to the sound of the castle alarms blaring, it took Lance a long moment to realise he was still alive. He'd been hit... the pups... How long had he been in the healing pod and why were the alarms going off? Stumbling out the pod, his hand went to his side... there'd been so much blood... too much blood... the pups? Did he lose them?  
"Lance!"  
Looking up, he found Krolia rushing over to him, the woman looked so relieved that he felt he guilty  
"K-Krolia? What's going on? Where is everyone?"  
Pulling him against her, the Galra woman's left hand went straight to his stomach. Squeaking in shock and confusion, his panicking omega couldn't take being touched without knowing the condition of the pups. Trying to pull away, he found Krolia's grip only tightened on him as he did   
"Krolia?! Krolia, you're scaring me"  
"Your pups, I can feel them"  
She... she could do what? She'd smelt his pregnancy before a whole ship full of alpha's had, and it was already clear the rest of her senses were incredibly sharp  
"You... what?"  
Resting her head on his shoulder, Krolia seemed to sag a little against him. Her concerned scent filling with guilt  
"I'm so sorry Lance. I'm the one who hit you... the Galra in me wanted to destroy Shiro, but the shot went wide and hit you as you swung down... I never meant to hurt you"  
Krolia hit him? That... that made more sense than Shiro hitting. He remembered he couldn't figure out how it'd happened... He couldn't imagine what that would have been like for Krolia...  
"Krolia, the pups are... they're alive right?"  
"Yes"  
"Then it's ok. I know you wouldn't have done it intentionally, and you even tried to protect me... I'm the one who should be saying sorry"  
Pulling back, Krolia placed her hand on his shoulder with a nod  
"Then perhaps, we are both to blame in our ways"  
"Yeah... just... please don't tell Keith you were the who hit me. I don't want to ever come between you guys, and he kind of loses his head when I'm involved"  
"I noticed... I never thought my son would be the father, or that I would have the chance to know my grandchildren"  
"I bet Keith never thought he'd be a father... he was so against it... Where is he? And why are the castle alarms going off?"  
"The others are fighting. Allura managed to move the castle away from Oriande, but Haggar followed. Keith has once again taken up the role as Black Paladin"  
"And Shiro?"  
"He's been detained in a prisoner pod"  
Good... that was probably for the best  
"Lance, how did you know to sever Shiro's arm?"  
Sever sounded so disgusting and so intentionally cruel  
"I didn't... when he hurt Keith, and when I saw he was going to kill you, I lost my head. Shiro even without his arm activated is imposing enough, but I thought if I could at least... disarm him..."  
He winced at his own choice of words but didn't have a better one   
"... then maybe we'd stand a chance. He's a formidable alpha, and even Keith going feral couldn't bring him under control"  
"Lance, your kindness is admirable, but it can also be a weakness. You nearly lost your own life and those of your pups. Keith's pups"  
"It would have been worth it if meant saving you all. You said they're fighting? We need to help"  
"Lance, you just stepped out the healing pod"  
"If the others are fighting, I need to help. They can't form Voltron without the Red Lion"  
"Are you sure this is what you want? To return to the battlefield?"  
Why was Krolia even asking that? It wasn't like he had a choice. He couldn't run just because he was pregnant  
"I'm sure. I'm not just fighting for my friends, I'm fighting so these guys don't have to"

Placing his hand on his stomach, Lance smiled at the swell. His pups were alright... and Keith knew he was the father. It probably wasn't the best way to tell him, but he'd gotten to tell him the truth and that he loved him  
"Then you'll need this"  
Pulling his Bayard from behind her back, Krolia looked down at it  
"It's not easy to be a mother and a warrior, there will come a time when you will need to choose"  
"I'm going to be the Red Paladin until I physically can't be. No matter what"  
"Even if it's against Keith's wishes?"  
"It wouldn't be the first time I made him mad"  
Taking his Bayard, Lance took a deep breath before nodding to Krolia  
"Get up to the bridge and help Coran. The last thing we need is the castle defences going down and Shiro escaping"  
Leaving her with those parting words, Lance took off running towards Red.

 

*  
With the canon finally disabled, they were able to continue with their initial plan, but now they were entering through the giant hole caused by the explosion. Keith's heart was racing as he dropped down through the shaft panel that separate the corridor from the outer damage  
"It's clear"  
It shouldn't be clear. Or this silent. Something felt wrong... dropping down next to him, Hunk, Pidge and Allura all cast him the same apprehensive look  
"Something's wrong"  
"Did Haggar already escape?"  
"I don't see how she could have"  
"Then why is it so silent?"  
"We should stick together. Hunk, you and I will take point. Pidge, you and Allura watch behind"  
"Keith, I'm not picking up any life signs"  
"That's impossible. What about energy readings?"  
Tapping away on her small sensor screen, Pidge frowned   
"There's an unusual reading coming from below us... and it's moving... fast!"  
"It has to be Haggar. If she's found a way to increase her powers through Altean Alchemy..."  
"Allura, if you start to feel anything remotely Shiro like, you need to tell us"  
"I don't feel anything strange..."  
"Allura, anything at all. Now let's go"

It soon became clear why they didn't find any life signs. Dead crew members lay across the ship in near-skeletal form. It was like the very life had been sucked from them. Even the sentries were the same, a fine layer of what seemed to be rust across them as if they'd been there for a thousand years   
"Keith... I'm getting a really bad feeling about this"  
Holding his hand up, Keith peaked around the corner  
"Keith?"  
"There's something there"  
Looking up, the shadow down the end of the hall seemed to lock onto him, and Keith felt his whole body turning cold. It wasn't until his body was jerked backwards that he even realised he'd frozen  
"Keith!"  
"We need to get out of here right now!"  
Alarmed by his words, it took a moment for his friends to move, a moment which was long enough for that shadow to dart by them, and cut off their exit. Standing there, Haggar had them all caught in her grasp. The crippled woman was no longer hunched, instead there stood now a radiant young woman. This had to be Honerva... Honerva before she became Haggar. Trying to look away, Keith found himself unable to, and that same cold feeling came rushing back. If she was doing what he thought she was doing, they were screwed.

 

*  
"Lance, can you read me?"  
"Go ahead Coran"  
"I can't get in contact with the other Paladins. Something must have gone wrong with the mission"  
No. No Keith was alright. They all had to be alright  
"Coran, use the ship's scanners and send me their location"  
"Lance, you can't"  
"Coran. We don't know what's going on. Keep it together. If I have to, so do you!"  
Guiding his Red Lion towards Haggar's ship, Lance kept his eyes trained for anything at all. The amount of space junk kind of made it hard though, but at least he seemed to be moving through what was once the top of Haggar's ship  
"Coran..."  
"I've found them, I'm sending the location your way, but an unusual energy signature has also been picked up. It seems to be closing in on them"  
"Lance, there's a fair chance that's Haggar. If she's as powerful as I suspect, you need to get them out of there"  
He was just going to land near where he could see everyone else's lions, but if that was the case...

Weaving his way around the ship, he followed Coran's directions, until finally taking a page out of Hunk's book. Activating his lion's blade, Lance stabbed into the ship's hull, before deactivating it, and pushing his Lion's face into the space. In front of him, Keith, Hunk, Allura and Pidge all were standing still like statues. This wasn't good. 

Exiting through Red's mouth, Lance had his gun ready as he moved to face the same direction as everyone else. Catching a shadow in the corner of his eye, the omega fired blindly. Something inside of him was screaming at him not to look, and it wasn't just his omega. Closing his eyes, he sent half a dozen shots blindly down the corridor, before looking to his friends. 

The effect on his friends was instant, and the air grew warmer around him. He hadn't even noticed it'd gotten so cold  
"Lance!?"  
Keith was the first to move, his boyfriend? striding over in a manner that Lance was sure meant he was about to be hit, but then threw his arms around him  
"I'm so relieved"  
Smiling shyly, Lance rested his forehead against Keith's   
"Hey Keith"  
"Don't you ever scare me like that again"  
"I can't say I won't... we both know me"  
Their tight hug, turned into a team hug, with Lance all but squashed against his alpha   
"You had us so worried!"  
"Why didn't you tell us you were pregnant?!"  
"Lance..."  
"Guys... it's ok. I'm ok and they're ok... but I'm more worried about you. Coran has been trying to contact you"  
Their group hug fell apart just as fast as it'd begun  
"Haggar. She's changed"  
"Everyone on here's dead"  
"And I get the feeling we were about to..."  
Lance frowned at them  
"In that case, we need to get off this ship. When I arrived, none of noticed the big Lion head"  
Turning to look to Red, it was like they were all just noticing her there  
"Yeah. We should go..."

After moving to drop everyone back at their lions, he didn't want to let Keith out of his sight. He was still worried about the last effects of whatever had happened on Haggar's ship, as well as the fact he was nervous as hell as now that Keith knew he was pregnant. Even though it would be only doboshes until the saw each other again, he hated watching his alpha leave.

 

*  
Landing his Lion near Red, Keith raced from Black. All he could think about was making sure Lance was alright. Running over to Red, he met his omega at the bottom Red's mouth   
"Lance..."  
"Keith... I... um..."  
Whatever Lance wanted to say didn't matter. Reaching out, Keith pulled Lance close, the omega letting out a soft sigh as he did  
"I was so worried about you... are you ok? Should you be up and moving?"  
"Keith, I'm fine. I'm sorry I didn't tell you... I didn't think you wanted to be a dad"  
"I never meant to make you feel like you couldn't tell me"  
"I wanted too... at the Kral Zera, but you freaked out so badly... I started to wonder if I should keep them... and then..."  
Lance sniffled softly against him  
"Are they alright?"  
"Yeah... your mum said she could feel them"  
"Krolia did?"  
"She was waiting for me when I woke up... and I kind of talked to her. She could smell I was pregnant when we met, and wanted to see if I was alright"  
So his mum had known? Why hadn't she told him? No. She was probably trying to help Lance in her own way  
"Can I?"  
Raising his head, Lance blinked at him, before nodding  
"Do you want to?"  
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't"  
Struggling out of his jacket, Lance shyly raised his shirt. The small bump took Keith's breath away. His omega was carrying his pup. Placing his hand on Lance's stomach, his boyfriend let out a soft purr   
"Does that feel nice?"  
"You have no idea... are you sure you're ok with this? I mean... one pup would be hard enough, but two... I won't blame you if you want to walk away"  
Two pups... his alpha couldn't be more pleased. He wanted to yell with happiness  
"I'm not walking away. I told you I'd always support you, and... honestly I'm really scared, but I'm really happy"  
Letting out a small sob, Lance stumbled as he reached for him. It was only a step, but it still scared the hell out of Keith. Moving his hands to Lance's arse, he only had to squeeze lightly for Lance to take the hint and let him lift him  
"I love you, Keith. I love you so much that I don't know what to do"  
"I love you too baby, always"

"Keith, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we need you on the bridge"  
Stupid Coran. They were having a moment. Didn't they deserve a moment to themselves   
"We'd better go... you're the leader of Voltron now, we can't make everyone wait"  
"I'm not the leader"  
"It kind of comes with the Black Lion"  
Oh. Right... he... he'd piloted Black again  
"Can I carry you?"  
Lance nodded against him, sniffling until he could get his words out again  
"You probably better. I don't think I can let you go. I'm so relieved you're ok that I feel exhausted"  
"I'm sure you didn't bother to eat anything either, did you?"  
"No. The castle alarms were going off, and you were out there... I wanted to get to all of you as soon as I could"  
"Keith?"  
"Alright Coran, I'm on my way. Hunk, can you please organise something for Lance to eat. My silly boyfriend came to rescue us without eating"  
"He did what? Lance, you're pregnant"  
Groaning at Hunk's words, Lance's legs tightened around him  
"I know I'm pregnant. I've been pregnant for the last 11 movements"  
"11?"  
Lance nodded against him  
"Wow... right. You're going to eat, and we're going to see what Coran wants"  
Starting across the hangar bay, Keith felt like he was dreaming. Lance was actually talking to him. Letting him hold him and Lance loved him. He couldn't get any luckier.

Slowing as the bridge door came into view, Lance wriggled in his hold  
"Hey, Keith?"  
"Mmm?"  
"Can you say it again?"  
"Can I say what again?"  
"That I'm your boyfriend"  
Kissing Lance's temple, he wondered if his boyfriend had any idea how adorable he was  
"Lance, you're my boyfriend and my omega. I'll say it as many times as you want because I'm hoping someday soon, you'll be me mate"  
Letting out a loud purr, Lance moved to kiss him. Pinning his boyfriend against the bridge door, the alpha moaned into Lance's mouth as they momentarily forget where they were. He wanted Lance so badly, not just because that same sweet smell was beginning to pour from his mate, but because he wanted to make sure every part of Lance's perfect body was really alright. As Lance began to rock against him, Keith's hand flew out, trying to find some kind of purchase in order to keep them upright, only his hand hit the door pad, and the door slid open as Lance let out a particularly lewd mew.

"Guys! Seriously!"  
"My eyes!"  
"Keith, you can do what you want to Lance later, but for now, we have other things to deal with"  
Amidst their friend's grumbling, there came a sharp wolf whistle, looking straight at his mother, the Galra shrugged. Clearly, she approved  
"Keith, can you put me down?"  
"Nope"  
Lance sounded mortified, which Keith just found at that more adorable. Changing his hold on Lance, he moved to his boyfriend's usual seat, before sinking down as Lance tried to escape his hold  
"Keeeeith"  
"Shush. Coran, what's going on?"  
Bringing over a plate of cookies, Hunk passed them to Lance   
"We had some hidden away..."  
"Thanks, Hunk. Lance, eat"  
"But no one else is"  
"I don't think anyone minds if you do"  
Mumbling under his breath, Lance picked up a cookie and began to nibble on it. With Lance finally eating, Keith gave his Coran his full attention, only his mother began talking   
"We found these three trying to sneak onto the ship"  
Pulling up the camera footage of the cells, Lotor's three main goons looked less than impressed behind the electric bars   
"They asked us to take them into custody. They want to speak to Lotor"  
"They're lucky to have survived, have they said anything else?"  
"No, but they seemed pretty spooked by whatever happened on the ship"  
"Speeshing of wissh... whass wash with youss guys"  
Keith seemed to be the only one who understood what Lance was trying to say around his mouthful of cookie, staring at his boyfriend, he could see them all slowly working out what he asked  
"He wanted to know what was with us. Did you guys feel it too, when Haggar looked at you?"  
"That icy coldness like she was sucking our souls out?"  
"We need to stop calling her Haggar. She was definitely Honerva. It felt like she was trying to get into my head. We should contact Lotor with what we've learnt"  
"Allura, I'll leave you to do that. As for those three, we'll wait until you've talked to Lotor before deciding upon what to do with them. We can't send them back to Haggar, Honerva and I don't trust Lotor... especially now we have confirmation Haggar is really his mother"  
Nodding in lap, Lance was already munching on another cookie  
"Coran, move the castle further away from Haggar's ship, but not so far as that we can't maintain visual. Once that's done, I want each of us to be scanned in order to make sure there are no ill effects from whatever happened. Mum, can you contact Kolivan and let him know about everything that's happened. Let him know that if the choice comes down to supporting Lotor or the Blade of Marmora, we will be allying ourselves with the Blade"  
Purring in his lap, Keith looked down to find Lance staring up at him  
"What?"  
"I'm really proud of you"  
Feeling his cheeks warm, Keith pressed a kiss to Lance's crumb covered lips  
"Guys! Can we make it a rule, no kissing when Keith's giving orders"  
"And no making out against innocent doors"  
"And no breaking up again"  
"Oh! And we have to be at Lance's next scan. I wanna see the pup"  
"If we agree, will you guys go do something other than being here?"  
Pidge and Hunk nodded quickly before high fiving. Leaning up, Lance whispered in his ear   
"Or we could go somewhere else?"  
"Never mind. You guys stay, we're going"


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ya'll caught up now...

Unable to keep his hands off Lance, the pair crashed into the corridor walls as they tried to make their way to Lance's quarters. He couldn't help himself, and was growing impatient with the stumbling breaking their kisses. Growling, he snapped. Sweeping Lance off his feet, his boyfriend laughed as he threw him over his shoulder  
"Keith! Put me down!"  
Kicking his legs lightly, Lance clearly didn't want to be put down  
"No. Not I'm not letting you go"

Reaching Lance's quarters, Keith laid his boyfriend down, before nuzzling at his neck. He wanted him so badly but didn't want to scare him  
"I love you, Lance. I love you so much"  
"I love you too... the way you took control back there, it was hot"  
"Hmm, you like me taking control, don't you?"  
"I do... just don't make me regret it"  
Pulling back, Keith stared down into Lance's eyes  
"I'm so sorry. You're the most important thing in my life, and I'm sorry I didn't stop think about how much I was hurting you"  
Reaching up, Lance cupped his face  
"You were a jerk. And I really did try to stop loving you... but I can't. Even when I'm mad at you, I still love you"  
"I don't deserve you"  
"No, you don't"  
Leaning up to kiss him, this kiss was much more tender than the ones they'd shared in the corridors. It was like he could feel how much Lance loved him, and his heart felt like it was about to burst  
"Silly, it's nothing to cry about"  
Since when was he crying? Wiping his cheeks, Lance wrapped his longs legs around the back of Keith's  
"My silly alpha"  
"Shut up. It's just dusty in here"

Stripping Lance down slowly, Keith didn't take the same amount of care when it came to himself. With his naked boyfriend staring up at him, Keith was more than appreciative of sight in front of him, especially Lance's pregnant belly. Climbing back into Lance's nest, he pushed his boyfriend's legs apart, before leaning down to nuzzle the omega's stomach, he couldn't get enough of it. Those were his pups inside of Lance. No one else's. Mewing as he pressed hard opened mouthed kisses to the swell, Lance's fingers carded through his hair  
"Alpha..."  
"Shhh, your alpha's here"  
Taking his time thoroughly shower Lance with love, he slowly made his way down to his boyfriend's leaking erection. God. Lance was going to be the death of him. Every part of him was so perfect. Nuzzling the omega's thin brown public hair, he growled at the teens musky scent. He wanted to taste him. Releasing Lance's right hip, he kept his hand firmly on his boyfriend's left... more specifically his hand was over where Lance had been hit. He could have lost all the three of them  
"Keith, what's wrong? Your smell..."  
Looking up at Lance, Keith shook his head  
"Nothings wrong. Not now I'm here with you"  
"Then hurry up..."  
Snorting lightly, he took Lance's erection in his hand, drawing a moan from him boyfriend. Not completely sure what he wanted to do first, Keith lapped at Lance's leaking slit, before sliding his lips down over the tip. Rocking up, Lance mewed before dropping back against the bed. So Lance liked this...

Eager to make his omega feel good, Keith built a rhythm, jerking Lance off, while toying with the tip of lance's erection. Having started off barely rocking his hips, Lance was now all but fucking his mouth, shit... he could really go for that. Releasing his hold, Keith hollowed his cheeks and let Lance take control. Driving up hard enough to make him nearly gag, his boyfriend's desperate pants and moans grew closer and closer together until he finally came. Unable to swallow it all down, Lance's cum dribbled from the corner of his mouth, as he rocked through his orgasm, before falling completely limp. Pulling back, Keith swallowed the mouthful of seeding he had, then licked his lips to catch all he could  
"Keith..."  
"You taste amazing baby"  
Purring the words, Keith leant down to press a kiss to his boyfriend's half hard penis  
"I want you alpha"

Confused as to what Lance was doing, the omega shuffled back in his nest, before rolling over and raising his arse, presenting himself. Covered with slick, Lance's twitching opening was already loosened from arousal, the pink ring was such a pretty and inviting colour, while the slick caused it to glisten lightly. His own neglected erection throbbed and twitched, while his alpha screamed at him to mount their omega. Moving forward, Keith rutted up against Lance, the needy omega immediately grinding back against him  
"Keith, I need you. Knot me alpha... show me I'm yours"  
Taking hold of his erection, Keith ran it up and down Lance's arse crack, making sure he dripping wet with slick before lining up and slowly sinking in. Fuck... after movements without taking his mate, Lance felt incredibly hot around him. The way his boyfriend clenched, drawing him deeper, the way he moaned his name as he finally filled him completely. All of this was just for him  
"Lance..."  
"Keith... you feel so good"  
"So do you, baby. So tight and wet as you draw me deeper..."  
"Only you alpha..."

Thrusting in hard and fast, Keith couldn't stop himself as he set a brutally pace. Lance's pheromones were out of control, like his boyfriend was in heat, and he'd long lost any capability to hold back. Growling and snarling his nails dug into Lance's hip. He needed to cum, and he was so very close. Pulling out, Keith flipped Lance over before pushing his knees to his chest and slamming back inside. Throwing his head back, Lance howled as he came, the sound finally pushing Keith over the edge. His knot flaring completely as his orgasm hit, and his seed filled his mate in long thick bursts. Slowly lowering Lance's legs, he lifted his limp boyfriend into his lap, before biting down on Lance's neck. He didn't want to ask for permission, only to be told no. He loved Lance more than anything, and he didn't want to ever risk breaking the omega's heart again. The alpha kept his teeth firmly lodged in Lance's neck until his knot finally began to deflate. Pulling back, he lapped at the bleeding wound site, while Lance purred softly against him.

Slowly Lance's breathing evened out, and the purring turned to soft snoring. Sliding from the omega, Keith laid Lance back down, before forcing himself from the bed and into the bathroom. Wetting down a towel, the alpha cleaned himself up, before returning to Lance and beginning to clean his omega down as gently as he could, so as to not wake him. Paying special attention to his lovers arse, Keith was relieve to find no blood mixed in with the semen and slick. He hadn't hurt Lance... he hadn't hurt the pups... thank quiznak. Dropping the towel to the floor, Keith felt around the nest until he found a blanket that wasn't under Lance. With the pressure of growing two pups, his lovers body had enough to cope with, and he didn't want him to be sick from sleeping in the cold. How he wished he could climb into bed and hold Lance close, but he needed to check on the others, and though it felt like only doboshes since they'd entered Lance's room, in reality vargas had probably passed. Covering Lance's sleeping form, he pressed a kiss to his boyfriend's lips  
"I'll be back as soon as I can. You did well baby, you saved us all today and you probably don't even know it"

*  
Waking up alone, Lance whined desperately as he blindly searched for Keith. He already knew his alpha wasn't in the room, but he'd just had one hell of a nightmare and needed comforting. In his dreams, he'd relived the last two times Shiro had attacked him... knowing they weren't a dream left him physically sick to his stomach, and the fact that both Keith and Allura hadn't believed him felt like a betrayal. Climbing from his bed, he placed a hand to his stomach as he steadied himself. He wasn't sure if he was faint from hunger or from blood loss, but he was sure he was about to throw up the cookies he'd devoured while sitting in Keith's lap.

Returning from the bathroom, his stomach ached as the omega forced himself to dress. His body felt way too warm, and Keith's arousal still filled the air. Keith loved him. He'd chosen him... he even wanted his pups... So why was he so sad now? Was it because he'd let Keith back between his legs? It'd felt amazing at the time... but now he realised they probably should have talked properly. He should have made sure that Keith wasn't just acting on the pheromones he was releasing... and that he knew that two pups would be hard work...

Instead of seeking out Keith, Lance headed to Shiro's quarters. He couldn't help but think back to what not-Shiro had said... about Shiro not realising. It didn't make sense to him, and he needed answers. If that thing on the ship was Haggar, they wouldn't be getting answers from her. They couldn't even fight against this new power of hers, and he needed to know why he'd been made to suffer, when the others hadn't. 

After not visit Shiro's quarters since... since the alpha was still actively raping him, the onslaught of memories left him shaking in the doorway. Each surface of the room held a different memory. Shiro's desk... the alpha had smacked his head so hard against it he thought he'd die... all because he'd talked to Keith. He wanted answers, but he couldn't... sinking down in front the door, he slammed his hands against the floor as he started to cry. What Shiro had put him through. Raping him again and again until he was pregnant. Why couldn't he just forget? Why did he have to see it over and over in his mind? Would the day ever come when he was finally free from the alpha's grip? Feeling pain in his stomach, he whimpered in fear. He didn't want to lose his pups. Not again. Slumping to his side, he kept one hand against his belly as he awkwardly called Allura  
"Lance. Are you awake? Keith said he left you resting"  
"Allura... it hurt"  
"Lance? What hurt Lance?"  
"My stomach... it hurts so much"  
"Lance, I'm on my way. Don't move"  
"I'm at Shiro's quarters"  
There was a moments pause  
"Right. I'm on it"

*  
Running through the halls with Allura, Keith was confused. Lance had called for Allura, not for him, and furthermore his boyfriend was at Shiro's quarter's. Why the hell was Lance there, and not where he'd left him? Picking up his pace, he left Allura behind. He didn't care if Lance didn't want to see him...

When Keith turned the corner and saw Lance laying on the floor in front of Shiro's door, his blood turned cold. Such a sad and scared scent rolled off his boyfriend that his own worries seemed to be driven away from it. Throwing himself to the floor, he gathered Lance up against him  
"Lance, baby? Baby what's wrong?"  
"My stomach... Keith, it hurts..."  
Whining softly, Lance grabbed his hand  
"The pups... I can't lose them"  
"You're not going to lose them. Coran's waiting for us in the medical bay"  
"Us...? Where's Allura?"  
"I might have left her behind. Why didn't you call me?"  
"I didn't want you knowing I was here..."  
Lifting Lance into his arms, Keith swallowed down his momentary anger. Pups first. Answers seconds.

By the time he caught back up with Allura, and got Lance to the medical bay, Lance's whimpers and whines were falling over each other, as tears ran down his cheeks. Laying him down on the closest bed, he moved to sit so Lance wouldn't be able to see the monitor. Growling as Allura approached, his scent flared with anger  
"Keith... stop it"  
"I can't... not when you're like this. Coran, hurry up"  
"Keith, Coran is already starting the scan. You know I'm not going to hurt Lance, but I would like to hold his hand"  
Shaking his head, his alpha wouldn't allow it  
"I... my alpha can't have anyone close to him"  
Holding her hands up, Allura surrendered, before looking towards the sensor screen  
"Coran?"  
"Here. See those two black splodges, they're your pups"  
The moment would have been perfect if not for Lance yelping. The two small pups seemed to be moving, or something close  
"I'm not reading any abnormalities at all. The pups are fine"  
"Then why's he in so much pain?"  
"I have no idea. These scans show he's healthy, and the pups are"  
"What do we do?"  
Curling around him, the image on the screen wavered before disappearing  
"Lance!"  
"It hurts!"  
"Allura, see if you can find my mum. She's been pregnant before, and should know what to do"  
Running from the room, Allura didn't look back as she went.

Finally returning with his mother, the woman only took a few steps into the room before laughing  
"Mum!"  
"Sorry... sorry. Allura was in such a panicked state"  
"That's because Lance is in serious pain!"  
"Keith, you can't smell it can you?"  
"Smell what?"  
Ignoring him, Krolia posed her next question to Lance  
"Lance, when was the last time you ate? The cookies don't count"  
"I can't... I can't remember"  
"Hold up. Are you telling me he's in so much pain because he's hungry?"  
"Those pups are part Galra Keith, you need to remember that. They aren't like normal pups, even though they will more than likely look human when born, Galra pups need more nutrients than normal pups during development. Lance needs to eat"  
"Seriously? Is that it? He's just hungry?"  
"It's not unusual for pups later in the pregnancy to scratch and claw at their mother when they grow hungry..."  
The mental images of their pups eating Lance's insides scared him more than he'd ever want to admit. He didn't realise that carrying his pups could cost Lance his life...  
"Keith, calm down. You're only going to upset him unless you reel that scent of yours in. Right now, it smells like you're trying to reject him"  
"What! No... no I just... I had no idea how dangerous his pregnancy could be"  
"Lance will be fine, but you need to make sure he's eating enough"  
"Here they baby, you'll be fine. We just need to feed you..."  
And I need to find a way to take better care of you because I know you'll stop eating if you start thinking too much.

*  
Completely embarrassed over what had happened, Lance had pretty much consumed his feelings in record time. Everything Hunk placed down in front of him, he scarfed down. It was like he hadn't eaten in months, but with each mouthful the pain receded. He'd been so scared something was seriously wrong, and he'd never imagined hunger pains could feel like that. Swallowing down the last of his milk, he finally let out a huge sigh  
"Baby?"  
"I feel better now"  
"You should. You just ate three quintants worth food in one go"  
Blushing harder, Lance bit his bottom lip  
"The hunger won't grow so severe if he remembers to actually eat, and something more than just cookies"  
"Now that I know he'd pregnant, I can take that into account when I'm cooking for him"  
"Hunk, you don't have to go out of your way for me"  
"Hey, I'm not going to be the uncle that let mummy get sick because he's too stubborn to ask for help"  
"I'm not stubborn"  
The moment the words left his mouth, his friends all laughed  
"Guys! Come on. That's enough"  
Of course Keith would jump to his defence  
"I think the word you're all looking for is bullheaded"  
Betrayed. He'd been betrayed  
"I hate you so much"  
"I know baby, but I couldn't help it. That was really kind of scary"  
"You try being the one it's happening to. It felt like I was losing my pups all over again"  
Snapping at his boyfriend, the whole room fell into an awkward silence  
"Lance..."  
"No. It's ok. I'm just stupid"  
Trying to push himself up, he'd eaten so much that his body didn't want to cooperate. Reaching for his hand, he slapped Keith's hand away before he could touch it  
"Don't touch me"  
"Hey. Don't get mad with me"  
"Then don't laugh at me!"  
He was making things worse... but it wasn't like he didn't feel like an outsider as it was. He didn't want them all laughing at him. He wanted them to treat him like an equal and not like the seemingly stupid omega he was  
"Why don't we give Keith and Lance some space?"  
"Yeah. Lance, I didn't mean to upset you"  
"Yeah, bud... I'm sorry"  
He felt like a total quiznak...  
"I'm sorry guys..."

Leaving them alone, Keith stared at him like he wanted to say something  
"Spit it out. I can't stand you looking at me like that"  
He words were so bitter they left a bad taste in his mouth  
"I'm just wondering why you went to Shiro's quarters"  
"Because I had a fucking nightmare and you weren't there. I wanted to know why I had to be fucking raped by him again, when you all thought it was just a dream"  
"Lance..."  
"No! I hate it! I hate remembering! I just want answers! What did I ever do to deserve this? I couldn't even get past the door Keith. All I could remember is each time he punished me, and all I could see was what he did to me. I want to know why? I want to know why I'm so disgusting"  
Drawing his knees up the best his could, he covered his face with his hands. He needed to shut up, because he could smell he was upsetting Keith  
"You're not disgusting. And I'm sorry I left you sleeping. I thought you needed the rest after everything you went through. You saved us Lance. You stopped Shiro and then you dragged yourself into battle to save us all again. I wish you didn't think so little of yourself"  
"If I'm not disgusting, what's wrong with me?"  
"Baby, it wasn't you. This is on Allura and me. I couldn't smell Shiro on you. I couldn't see any traces of him physically hurting you and I didn't want to believe he'd done it again"  
"I... I told myself it didn't matter what he did to me... because you didn't want me anyway and because I'm already pregnant. But... it hurt"  
Letting out a mournful sob, he didn't have the words to describe how much it hurt  
"Oh baby"  
"I need answers... I thought I was strong enough, but I'm not"  
"Baby, you are strong. You wanted to face your fears, and that's something that even us alpha's struggle with"  
"Is that why you're acting like you're fine with being a dad? I smelt you... You smelt like you wanted the pups gone when your mum was explaining why I was in pain"  
"No baby... well yes. But only because I'm scared for you. If carrying them means your life's in danger, then I don't know how to feel about them"  
"Can't you just love them? You loved Shiro's pups!"  
"That's a completely different thing"  
"How?!"  
"Because these are our pups. If I have to choose, at the end of the day I'm always going to choose you"  
"I don't want you too. I want you to choose them. I choose you and I choose them over me! I'm nothing!"  
"You're not nothing. I wish I could make you see that. Look. What can I do to make you believe me?"  
"Come with me..."  
"What?"  
"Come with me back to Shiro's quarters. Show me I'm not being stupid"  
"I don't know if that's a good idea"  
"I need to know, Keith... I can't live with not knowing"

*  
Keith was more than certain this was a horribly bad idea. His instincts told him he wasn't going to like whatever the found in Shiro's quarters, and the way Lance was shaking like a leaf... he wanted to take Lance by the hand and run in the opposite direction. But his omega said he needed to know, and the guilt from not believing Lance weighed heavily on him.

Standing in front of Shiro's door, Lance now had his arms wrapped around his waist. He was clearly terrified, but he stubbornly refused to admit it. Placing his hand on the door pad, the door opened silently and Shiro's scent came flooding out... but beneath it, there were definitely traces of Lance's scent too  
"You should wait here"  
"No. I'm coming with you"  
"Lance..."  
"No! I have a right to know!"  
Plunging into the room, his boyfriend only made it a few steps in before stopping. Stepping in behind him, Keith's fingers found the light switch. What he saw made him see red. Sitting on Shiro's desk was the Galra memory device, and almost all of Shiro's room was covered in photos of Lance. Some of which looked like they'd come right off the memory device. Whimpering, Lance span around slowly, before stopping to stare at Shiro's bed  
"Baby?"  
"Those... those pants..."  
Crossing to Shiro's bed, Keith grabbed the pair of white pants out of what seemed to be some kind of alpha nest. Alpha's didn't nest. They built nests for their omega's, but they didn't build nests for themselves. Looking down at the pants, his eyes widened at the blood on them  
"Lance... why is there blood?"  
Turning to the omega, he found Lance biting his lip  
"Baby, I'm not mad at you. I'm trying to understand"  
"After you left... I started spotting. I was so scared, especially after how you'd been paying so much attention to my stomach... I thought... I thought I might be miscarrying. It was from sex... but that's found out I was pregnant"  
"There's more than spotting blood there"  
"We had to form Voltron, and I couldn't get away. Once the fight was over, Allura and Coran helped me to the medical bay. I hid those pants under my mattress and I honestly forgot about them"  
"That means he's been going into your room"  
Dropping the pants, Keith ripped Shiro's sheets off his bed, before flipping the mattress up. Hidden underneath was a stash of what seemed to be Lance's clothes and small personal items like his omega's moisturiser, and a few trinkets  
"I'm going to fucking kill him"  
"Keith..."  
"No! How fucking dare he! You're my mate!"  
Grabbing up the items, he threw them down on the floor, before lunging across the room and grabbing the photos of Lance off Shiro's desk. Some seemed to be of Lance sleeping. Some even of the omega asleep in his arms. Tearing them, he let the pieces fall to the floor before kicking Shiro's desk chair hard enough to snap it  
"Keith!"  
Glaring, he looked at Lance. His chest heaved with anger and each breath only fuelled the fire inside  
"You're scaring me..."  
Quiznak... he needed... he needed to calm down. Stumbling back, he sank down on the edge of Shiro's bed, as Lance slowly moved walked through Shiro's hand. Placing his hand on the door pad, the door to the alpha's bathroom slid open  
"Keith... you should see this"

Where Shiro's room seemed devoted to Lance, the space above Shiro's toilet was covered with photos of them, and various notes on each of them. Across it all, Shiro had scrawled "Who am I?"  
"He knew something was wrong"  
"What?"  
"He knew. He said he didn't feel like he was himself... I think he knew he wasn't the original Shiro"  
"Then why didn't he come to us?"  
"Because of whatever spell he was under... Keith... we need to help him"  
"He raped you!"  
Roaring at his boyfriend, Lance paled alarmingly. Swaying on the spot, he was forced to catch the omega as he dropped  
"Shit Lance. I'm sorry baby. I'm sorry, but I'm so angry"  
"At me..."  
"No! No baby, not at you. At me. I should have been a better alpha. I should have been here for you and I should have believed you"  
Gathering Lance's limp frame against him, he lifted his boyfriend like he was made of nothing. Carrying him outside of Shiro's quarters, Lance's colour had finally returned enough that Keith was confident enough to stand him up, though he kept his firmly around him in case the omega dropped again  
"The others... I don't know what to do"  
"I'll have Allura and Coran come because honestly, I'm too close to this. Seeing this, I want to go down to prisoner pod and tear his throat out with my teeth"  
"I don't understand why..."  
"Neither do I baby. Neither do I"  
"I... I thought I'd get answers, but all I have are more questions"  
"Lance..."  
Lance what? What was he supposed to say? The team should have done a better job watching Shiro? Or that maybe if they'd taken the time to visit Shiro's quarters, all this could have been prevented? The team wasn't responsible for Shiro's actions, nor could they have guessed Shiro wasn't Shiro. They'd all been fooled  
"Lance, I'm going to take you back to my quarters for now. I'll have my mum stay with you while I take care of things"  
"You're leaving me?"  
"I'm not leaving you, and trust me, after seeing this I don't want to let you out of my sights, but I need to make sure everyone else is..."  
"Right... I get it. I'll walk"  
"Lance"  
"No... I... I think I can walk properly now. You go check in with the others and I'll just see you later"  
"Lance, don't be like that"  
"I'm not being like anything. And don't bother telling your mother"  
God give him strength.


	30. Chapter 30

By the time Lance got back to his room, he was ready to break something. All the pain he'd felt in Shiro's room had turned to anger, and his chest heaved as he sucked in deep breaths. He didn't need a damn baby sitter. He didn't need Keith smothering him even though his omega desperately wanted all his alpha's attention. He didn't need his alpha treating him with kid gloves. Quiznak. He really didn't know what he needed, but grabbing the first thing he could off his desk and throwing it helped, and it all escalated from that. Screaming his frustrations out, everything and anything he could pull apart or throw became his victim, until he was standing in a sea of self made chaos. He felt like every part of his quarters had been violated by Shiro's secret stalking, but at the same time, there was no way he wanted to go stay in Keith's. Not with his boyfriend's mother on the castle, and doubly not when he knew he'd probably end up having sex with him, despite the idea of sex making his skin crawl all over again. He'd wanted answers and all he'd gotten was fucked over... again.

Looking up as the door to his room slid open, he wasn't surprised in the slightest as Krolia stood there. The look of concern on the woman's face only serving to piss him off further  
"Nope. No. Not happening. I don't want or need a baby sitter. Go back to Keith and tell him to go jump"  
Raising an eyebrow, Krolia casually stepped through the mess, before coming to lean against the wall beside his bed  
"Mmm hmm. What do you call this then?"  
"I call it "your son is a jerk, and alpha's suck""  
"I take it things didn't go well in Shiro's quarters"  
"How did you know about that?"  
"I have my ways... and I can smell Shiro on you"  
Throwing his hands up, Lance shook his head   
"I fucking quit. All I wanted was some answers. That's it. Now I have no idea what to think"  
"Well, I think my jerk son is concerned about you and I think I'm concerned about you and him"  
Jerk sounded so harsh when Krolia said it. Walking over, Lance sank down on the edge of his bed, before burying his face in his hands  
"Krolia. I don't know what to do. I'm so beyond messed up and I don't want to be touched, but I can't tell Keith not to care about me because I want him too... but I'm mad at him for doing his job"  
Snorting lightly, Krolia moved to sink down next to him, before pulling him into a hug  
"Keith's struggling too. He didn't expect to be forced to fill Shiro's place. Nor did he expect to find out he was going to be a dad"  
Trying to wriggle from her grasp, Lance let out a huff  
"I know this. Don't you start too. If you're going to have a go at me, can you save it for tomorrow"  
"I'm not having a go at you"  
"Really?"  
"Yes, now stop wriggling around. The Galra don't have alpha's in the same sense as you do, so your omega shouldn't be freaking out too badly"  
"I just don't want to be touched. It feels like Shiro is on my skin and I feel so dirty right now"  
"You're not dirty"  
"You can say that because you didn't see inside Shiro's room. He had pictures of me naked, pictures of me in heat and pictures of him inside of me... it makes me feel so sick and so mad! He was in this room while I was sleeping. While Keith was in here with me! How does my boyfriend not notice when the alpha who raped me just stops by for nightly visits?"  
"I don't know Lance. But I do know the stress isn't good for the pups"  
"Don't even talk about them either. I am still embarrassed over thinking I was losing them because I was so damn hungry. I feel stupid and fat. I hate how much I'm eating... but if I don't eat Keith gets mad and the pups get mad..."  
"I think you look fine. Especially given those are my grandchildren inside of you"  
Groaning at Krolia, Lance finally stopped struggling and flopped against her  
"I'm 11 movements. If I'm this bad already, what the quiznak am I going to be like later on?"  
"Like this, only about a hundred times worse"  
"You know, you really suck at this"  
"Do I? I can already smell that you're much calmer than when I walked in"  
"That's because you used your mum magic on me"  
"My mum magic?"  
"Yeah. That thing that mum's do when they make you talk, even if you don't want to. Mum used to always make me talk before we stopped really talking"  
"How do you think I feel? I finally found my son again, and now I have two of them"  
"Two?"  
"You and Keith. And I'm decades too young to be a grandmother"  
"Would you prefer to be "Cool aunt Krolia"?"  
"No"  
Finally feeling a smile forming on his lips, Lance let out a sigh as he looked at the mess he'd made  
"I kind of lost my head, didn't I?"  
"Just a little"  
"I sooo don't want to clean this up"  
"Then don't"  
"Ha ha. It doesn't work like that"  
"Really? You would think will all their advanced technology the Altean's would have invented a castle that cleaned itself"  
"You have no idea. Just wait until Coran has you cleaning the healing pods by hand..."  
Maybe being pregnant would bring an end to the slave labour that was cleaning the ship? Something good had to come out of getting fat  
"Go take a shower, I'll start cleaning up"  
"No offence Krolia, but please don't. Shiro stole a heap of my things, so I don't think I can handle not putting it all back myself"  
"Alright. But I'm still going to wait for you to shower, and then we're going to Keith's quarters so you can rest before dinner"  
The hard edge in her voice told him he wasn't going to win with her on that one. He really didn't deserve Krolia.

Being alone in the shower proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back. Stripping off his clothes, it was like all he could smell and feel was Shiro. He could hear the alpha's groans, feel him rutting up against as he gripped him by the throat. Scrunching his eyes closed, Lance tried to tell himself none of it was real... Throwing up on the shirt in his hands was revolting, but then the tears started and he ended up sobbing and heaving on the shower floor. At least Krolia had the tact not to come in...

With his skin scrubbed red raw, and all traces of his mess washed down the drain, Lance found he was too exhausted to move. Sitting on the bathroom floor, he rubbed at his stomach as he tried to figure out how to get out, dressed and fed without moving from the spot he was in. In he end, he had no choice   
"Krolia!"  
Appearing in the door, the woman looked down at him with a smirk  
"Yes, Lance?"  
"I'm stuck"  
"I never would have guessed"  
He hadn't called her in to be sassed  
"Krolia!"  
"Fine. No need to yell"  
Crossing over, Krolia turned the taps off before lifting him onto her shoulder  
"Krolia!"  
"I thought you wanted off the shower floor"  
"I did. But I'm naked!"  
"So? Would you rather I just put you back on the shower floor?"  
"No. But you didn't have to pick me up, I just needed help off the floor"  
"It's fine. You know what they say... something or other about when your son's future mate's this adorable..."  
"Krolia! Stop it!"  
Carrying him into his room, Krolia snagged his towel on the way. Setting him down next to his bed, Lance snatched his towel back as he scowled at the woman  
"You can wait outside now"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Krolia!"  
Even if Krolia had only been in Keith's life for a few movements, the resemblance between the two... it was frustrating. He just couldn't win with either of them, but he wouldn't change either of them either.

 

*  
"How's he been?"  
Staring down at Lance, Keith felt more than a little jealous at the sight in front of him. His omega was curled up asleep, with head was resting in his mother's lap. The Galra woman gently stroking his hair  
"The more he speaks of Shiro, the more I wish I'd run him through with my blade"  
That good... right. He hadn't really explained to her the details of why he needed her to track down Lance when he'd called her, only that he was back in the doghouse and Lance shouldn't be alone  
"I take it he told you about it all"  
"Yes, and a head's up from you would have been nice. What were you thinking leaving him alone?"  
"It's not like I wanted to, and I didn't expect things to take so long. That's why I asked you to come stay with him. I had to make sure Pidge and Hunk didn't see what was in Shiro's room. They don't deserve that"  
"And what about what Lance deserves? He'd trashed his quarters by the time I finally found him"  
Of course he had. Hell have no fury like a pissy omega   
"And it was pretty clear he really didn't want to come back here..."  
"You know, when we were first courting, it was kind of corny but I thought of this as our room. A space where Lance could just escape it all. It didn't really work out like that, but until we make sure his room is actually safe for him, he'll be staying here"  
"Then shall I use his room? We can clean and sort Lance's things tomorrow, it'll give him something to do"  
"Mum... are you sure?"  
"It makes no real difference to me, but I don't think Lance would be comfortable with me watching over everything you two do"  
The playful notes in his mother's voice had him shocked. He'd had the sex talk from Allura and what? The encouragement talk from his mother?  
"Muuum!"  
Whining softly, Lance nuzzled his mother's leg  
"Don't wake him up. I'd only just gotten him resettled when you came back. He pretty much fell asleep the moment we got here, only to start crying in his sleep and repeating Shiro's name"  
Keith sighed bitterly. He knew letting Lance have his way was a bad idea. He wouldn't be surprised if the omega's mental health had taken a major hit  
"Right. Well, in that case I'll take a shower and then I'll take over from you. Allura and Coran are dealing with Shiro's room, while Hunk and Pidge are dealing with dinner. Our three guests are going to need dinner as well"  
"Have you heard from Lotor?"  
"Allura managed to track him down. He'll be arriving the quintant after tomorrow. It's the best he can do. What's the news from Kolivan?"  
"Kolivan's going to keep an eye out and let us know if Haggar makes a move to contact anyone in the empire. He's annoyed at losing both of us, but appreciates the fact you're willing to side with them over Lotor"  
"Of course I am. This alliance with Lotor has never sat well with me, nor with Lance. I feel like this all an act, and it's only a matter of time before he turns against us"

Returning from showering, he found Lance awake. The omega now curled up in the far corner of Keith's bed, while his mother was standing beside his desk. Looking to Krolia, he had no idea how things could have changed so rapidly in the few doboshes it'd taken him to shower  
"What happened?"  
"He woke up and realised he wasn't in his own room. He's a little disorientated and panicked"  
Yeah. Keith could smell as much. Lance's scent was like a neon sign saying "Go away"  
"Mum, why don't you head up and see how dinner is going? We'll come up once he's calmed back down"  
"Alright. I'll see you both soon"

Waiting until his mother was gone, Keith dropped his towel and climbed onto his bed, stopping just short of his boyfriend. Getting dressed could wait until after he'd talked to Lance   
"Lance. You ok?"  
"No"  
"Want to talk to me about it?"  
"Not really"  
"You know I didn't want to leave you right?"  
"It's fine"  
"I had to make sure everyone was doing as I'd asked, and make sure Allura and Coran cleaned Shiro's room up so the others didn't see"  
"I said it's fine"  
"It doesn't sound like you think it is"  
Finally looking up at him, Lance looked like he was completely fed up with being questioned, his eyes narrow to the point of nearly being cold  
"Keith, just back off. I said it's fine. It's fine. I understand. I just needed some space, but you still sent your mother after me. I wish you'd listen to me"  
"I'm just worried about you"  
"There's worried and there's smothering. My head's a mess and I need to think"  
"Then what can I do?"  
"Nothing! Aren't you listening? This day has been one embarrassment after another. First we get back together and have sex without talking things through. Then I get hungry enough to think I'm losing the pups and then we find out Shiro has been stalking all of us because he wanted to know who or what he was. You might think things just magically go back to how they were, and quiznak I wish they would but I need to think, and I can't do that with a baby sitter!"  
Wincing, he raised his hands in surrender  
"Ok! Ok! Just stop yelling at me. I don't know what to do either. I didn't expect to come home to find you're pregnant or to find that I was going to have to take over from Shiro. So while I understand you're embarrassed over nothing, I refuse to let you wander around the ship on your own"  
"Over nothing?!"  
Screeching the words at him, Lance scrambled past him. Open mouth. Insert foot.  
"Yes. You're pregnant. You have no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed. The only one with any experience around here when it comes to part Galra babies is my mother. Of course we aren't going to understand or know what's happening to you"  
"I can never win when it comes to you"  
What the hell was he supposed to say to that? Once again he was left standing there while Lance took off. It wasn't his fault he couldn't say the right things to calm his omega down. He had no idea what he was doing, but at least he was trying. All Lance was doing was getting mad at him.

 

*  
Hunk had pacified his angry boyfriend by the time Keith came up to dinner. He'd gone ahead and made a small nest for the pair of them, though he was still mad at Lance. Well, he was more mad at himself than with his boyfriend. Lance had suffered a huge shock, again, and he hadn't helped things. Crossing to take a seat at the table, he paused to drop a kiss atop his boyfriend's head as he went. They needed to stop fighting and start communicating, and even if Lance was on guard around him, he could still be the bigger person and take the first step  
"I see you made him cookie dough again"  
"This ones fruit-based, so it's healthier"  
Fruit-based? That didn't sound particularly nice...  
"Thanks, Hunk. How does it taste?"  
Licking at the wooden spatula, Lance nodded  
"Really good. Hunk would make a mint if he went into health food production"  
Smiling slightly, Keith nodded at Hunk  
"That's good. I'll have to keep that in mind for the future"  
"Noooo"  
Raising an eyebrow, Hunk looked just as confused as Keith was over Lance protesting food  
"If he goes into production, that will mean he'll be around less"  
"Lance, I'm not buying it. You just don't want to risk going without cookie dough"  
Nodding his head, Lance scraped at the side of the bowl  
"There's that too..."  
"Don't worry, I'll make you as much as you want..."  
"Hunk, you don't need to suck up. I've already decided you're going to be the pups god father. Actually, I decided all of you would be god parents. If anything happens to Keith and I, I don't want my family raising them. They wouldn't understand... not like you guys do"

 

Wait... what? Just when had Lance decided this and why was his boyfriend choosing now to drop this on them all? Of course, the team would be the best people to raise their pups, and would be helping too, but couldn't they have talked about this first?  
"Aw yes! We get to be the cool aunts and uncles, with none of the nappy changing responsibilities!"  
High fiving Hunk, Pidge was clearly thrilled over Lance's announcement  
"Lance, baby, shouldn't we talk about this?"  
"Why? You agree, don't you?"  
"Yes. But are you really sure?"  
"It's like Krolia said. This is a ship full of alpha's, and both Coran and Allura are amazing in their own right. There is no safer place for our pups to be than with them"  
Deserting his bowl of cookie dough, Lance placed his hands on his stomach  
"I decided when I took my Bayard back that I want to fight for a world where these little guys don't have to. I want to be a Paladin and I want to be a good mum"  
Something else Lance had decided without him. Letting out an involuntary growl, their friends all looked slightly uncomfortable   
"Maybe we should give you two a minute"  
"Yeah, we can go if you guys want..."  
"No. Don't. I'll be quiet, I just wanted to tell you guys that before I forgot again"  
Looking from Keith to Lance and then back to him, no one knew what to say. Lance however seemed to think what needed to be said had been, and went back to his cookie dough. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Keith sighed to himself   
"It's fine. This is on me. I told Lance I would support anything he decided and he could have picked a better time to say what was he thinking, but it true. The safest place for the pups are with all of you. And as we seem to be making announcements, Lance will be moving into my quarters while Krolia takes over his"  
Two could play this game, and he wasn't below stooping to Lance's level  
"What? No..."  
"Lance, yes. I can't be by your side all the time, so I don't want to waste the time I can be"  
Turning bright red, Lance choked on the dough he was eating. Allura rushed to pass him a glass of water, while Pidge's smile only grew  
"They're finally shacking up"  
"Uh Pidge, he's already pregnant. It was kind of inevitable"  
"It's nice though. I knew they'd get back together, but it's nice we're all like talking about stuff. It's all family like"  
"That's because we are a family... a big weird family, with a fat omega"  
As Lance's eyes filled with tears, Keith looked to Allura. He had no idea what had just set Lance off again, but was quietly sure it wasn't him. Leaning over, Hunk wrapped his arm around Lance's shoulder  
"Uh Lance? Bud? Wanna maybe tell us why you're crying?"  
Instead of telling everyone, Lance lent in and whispered in Hunk's ear. The large alpha nodded as Lance pulled away slightly   
"We'll be back"  
"But... what's the matter?"  
"It's nothing. We'll just be back, you guys go ahead and eat"  
Rising from their chairs, Hunk kept his arm around Lance's shoulder as they left. Keith was itching to go after them, but instead, he chose to trust that Lance just needed a little time with his best friend. 

 

Despite giving it his best shot, and biting his lip as they all waited, in the end, he couldn't take it and looked to his mother, knowing she would have heard everything   
"Mum, is he alright?"  
"Yeah. They'll be back soon"  
"Keith, did something happen again? Lance's scent was full of sadness and anger when he came up, but I also thought I smelt Shiro, and even now I swear I can smell trace amounts of his scent"  
Damn Pidge and her perceptiveness. Looking to Allura and Coran, Keith took a deep breath, before choosing his words carefully  
"Lance had a bit of an... episode, this afternoon. With what happened to Shiro, we're all trying to cope with it in our own way, but at the same time, we can't forget what Lance went through. He doesn't understand any of it, and the fact that not-Shiro went after him too... he can't process. This is like the third time today he's taken off, so don't let it get to you. It's not you guys. It's me. I can't seem to be able to do anything right when it comes to him right now"  
"You know, he was a lot less moody when you weren't around. Can't you guys just go kiss and make up?"  
"Not when we have Haggar on our doorstep and are forced to wait for Lotor to arrive. There are things that need to be done around here..."  
"Then let Allura help you. We're a team right? None of like seeing Lance upset"  
Placing her hand on his, Allura smiled softly   
"She's right. We can't do anything right now, and if anything come up, we can call you"  
"That's not fair on you guys"  
"If we work together, it'll be fine. Oh look, your mum was right, they're back already"

Retaking their seats, Lance was now eating something else, while Hunk picked up his fork  
"You didn't have to wait for us"  
"It's fine. Everything alright Lance?"  
Nodding his head, Lance crossed his legs and placed the bowl he'd returned with between them   
"I suddenly felt really sick, so I asked Hunk if he knew anything that would help with the nausea"  
Keith had a feeling that wasn't all there was to it, but still nodded  
"Alright. Let me know if you want to go back to our room. Allura and Coran are taking over for the night, so you'll be stuck with me"  
Lance frowned as he sat up a little straighter  
"No, I'm fine. I mean, you probably have a lot to organise and stuff..."  
"We all have work to do, but if we work together, things will be fine"  
"What happened to my boyfriend? We weren't gone that long were we?"  
"What Keith is trying to say is that he loves you and he wants to hug you and he wants to kiss you..."  
Elbowing Pidge mid-song, the female alpha glared at Hunk for interrupting her   
"What was that for?"  
"Because I'm trying to eat"  
"I appreciate the concern guys, but honestly I think maybe I'd like things to keep kind of the way they are. I'm pregnant, not dying. So as long as I remember to eat and sleep, I should be alright"  
"Lance..."  
"Keith. It's ok. You sort out what you need to with everyone else tonight"  
Lance's calm and casual tone didn't sit right with any of them, it was way too calm and casual after all Lance had said and done. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like whatever his omega was actually thinking, but let it finally drop. 

 

*  
Face planting onto his bed, Keith was exhausted. No. He was way beyond exhausted. But the moment he hit the hard? blankets, he was scrambling off them as fast as he could thanks to the yelping noise they'd made  
"What the hell Keith?!"  
"Lance?! I didn't think you were talking to me"  
"I'm not, not talking to you. I'm just mad at you. But that doesn't mean you can jump on me!"  
"I wasn't expecting you to be in my bed!"  
"Your mum said I had to stay here. She wanted to do some training on her own, and I'm not allowed to go back to my room"  
Lance had kind of slowly shut down during dinner, before excusing himself. Keith hadn't even had to ask his mother to follow the teen, the woman leaving with just a nod to everyone else. After that, they'd begun trying to figure out how to make all this work. Keith wanted the nights "off" so that he could be with Lance at the end of each day, but at the same time, that wasn't fair to Allura. Asking her to be on call night after night would only end up with Allura burning out, even if at the moment nothing was happening. Because of how Lance couldn't always control his fears or actions, having him spend nights with Pidge or Hunk in their quarters was out the question, but the pair were happy to stay up and play video games and such on the nights they weren't busy. The plan was to slowly ease Lance into doing as little as possible outside of his duties as Red Paladin. None of them liked the idea of him going into battle, but none of them wanted to tell him no, especially because of how much it meant to him. The Omega had well and truly cried enough tears to last a lifetime and a half. Somewhere amongst all their planning, the topic of Lotor's arrival and what they'd tell him came up, and now it was the very early hours of the morning. Hence why he was so exhausted, not just physically but mentally too. Thinking was hard work.

 

Rearranging himself, Lance pulled Keith's pillow into his lap, before pouting up at him. It was no good. Lance was adorable. Trying his hardest to form words, he had to fight to remember what they were talking about. Oh. He'd jumped on Lance... and Lance didn't want to be here  
"It's not that you're not allowed to go back to your room, I just want to make sure it's actually safe before you do. It probably doesn't mean anything, but I'm really happy your here"  
"So happy that you squashed me"  
"That was an accident"  
"How could you possibly miss the big fat lump in the middle of your bed"  
Groaning, Keith figured that no matter what he said, Lance would find a way to take it wrong  
"You're pregnant. Now move over, I need my bed and I want to cuddle you"  
"I can't be touched right now"  
"What do you mean you can't be touched?"  
Stripping off his clothes and boots, he honestly didn't care where they landed. He just wanted sleeeeeep. Climbing up next to Lance, he rolled onto his side so he could look at his boyfriend as he spoke, his words low and mumbled as if he was embarrassed   
"My stupid omega doesn't want to be touched, but I don't want to be alone either"  
"Is that why you're so mad?"  
"Maybe... I don't know. But Keith, I don't want to have sex"  
Sex was the last thing on Keith's mind... well maybe not the last, but it wasn't the first by a long shot. Snaking an arm up, he awkwardly half hugged his tense omega   
"I said cuddle, not sex. I'm so tired I don't think I could move, even if you wanted it"  
"Promise?"  
"Yes. Please. I am so done with today, so get down here and let me hold you"

 

Very slowly, and very carefully, Lance did as he asked. His boyfriend letting him cuddle up against his side, without making any effort to cuddle him back  
"Lance. Even if we fight and you're mad at me. I still love you"  
"I know... I'm sorry today messed me up so much"  
"I'm like 90 percent sure you don't have to say sorry"  
"I do. I kept making you mad and then I got mad at myself"  
"No, you don't say"  
Lance tensed as he went to escape. Sliding up, Keith rested his head on Lance's shoulder so he couldn't escape   
"Baby. I'm joking. Please"  
"I can't... my omega is so on edge that I can't tell... every time you say something, I keep waiting to be punished like with Shiro"  
"Lance, I'm not going to punish you"  
"I know! It's stupid! I'm stupid. Ok. I can't stop myself"  
"You're not stupid. I wish you wouldn't talk about yourself like that"  
"Then what else would you call it?"  
"Stress? Trauma? Confusion? You're not stupid and that's that"  
"Then why do I feel stupid?"  
"Because you're adorable. Now, can we please go to sleep"  
Mumbling something about "not being adorable", Lance wasn't proving him wrong. Not that he could. Every bit of the omega was adorable, even when he was over thinking things. Nuzzling his boyfriend's cheek, Keith pressed a sleepy kiss to it  
"I love you baby"


	31. Chapter 31

Waking up with Keith spooned around him, Lance groaned. He had to pee... but sometime while he'd slept, his instincts had finally calmed enough to accept Keith's warmth around him, and didn't want to lose the alpha's warmth. He didn't deserve Keith. He really didn't. Untangling his alpha as gently as he could, each time he got Keith's hand free from his shirt, his alpha would grab another handful  
"Keith, stop it"  
"Shhh..."  
He seriously had to pee and Keith not letting him go, while cute, was starting to get seriously annoying. Scrapping his plan to be careful, Lance crawled over Keith, forcibly pulling his shirt free as he did. The flimsy fabric ripped easily, except for the stupid collar, that he actually had to manoeuvre out of.

Finding freedom in the bathroom, Lance finished up his business before sinking down onto the toilet. How he could possibly hungry, he had no idea. Placing his hands on his stomach, he pressed the small bump lightly  
"Hey babies. Just now, your dad ripped my shirt off. I know it sounds bad, but he's really sweet and such a good alpha... and why am I even talking to you? You probably can't understand anything I say... Do you think Coran will let us the scanner? I kind of really want to see you guys again"

"Lance?"  
Yawning his name Keith sleepily stumbled into the bathroom, with lance's ruined shirt hanging from hand. The alpha looked like a little kid with his blankey. Wow... if there pups looked like Keith, they'd be so adorable  
"Is everything alright? I thought I heard you talking to someone?"  
Lance blushed lightly  
"I was talking to the pups"  
"The pups?"  
"Yeah... I was telling them how you wouldn't let me get up to go pee on my own and then ripped my shirt off"  
Raising his shirt, Keith nodded at it  
"So that's why I have this... I was kind of wondering. I didn't hurt you, did I?"  
"No. It was cute to begin with, but then I really needed to pee"  
"I'll buy you a new shirt once we're finally out of this place"  
"Mmm, I'll take you up on that. I suppose we'll have to do all kinds of shopping for these little guys"  
Walking across the bathroom, Keith knelt down in front of him  
"Can I touch your stomach?"  
"Oh. What. Sure. I mean... if you really want to"  
"I do"

It was weird. Sitting on the toilet, he had Keith nuzzling and kissing at his stomach as his hands roamed across the bump. Starting to become aroused by his boyfriend's loving touches, Lance squirmed at the wet feeling in his boxers  
"Keith... can you stop?"  
"Why? Don't you like it?"  
"It's not that I don't like it, but there is more to me than just my stomach"  
Sliding his hand down, Keith rubbed at Lance's half hard erection  
"Keith. Stop"  
"But I want you..."  
Keith might want him, and Lance's body might want him, but Lance himself didn't. He didn't want to have sex  
"Keith, please"  
Sucking lightly on his hip bone, Keith growled as Lance tried to push him off  
"Keith. I said no!"

Jerking back, Keith blinked at him. Wrapping his arms around himself, Lance leaned forward as if trying to protect his stomach   
"Shit. Sorry... I didn't mean..."  
"I told you no"  
"You're right. You did. I'm sorry baby, I got so caught up touching your stomach..."  
"I noticed. I think I want to take a shower. Why don't you go back to bed?"  
"Lance"  
"Go back to bed..."  
He needed to calm back down, mentally and physically  
"Are you sure? I can wash your hair?"  
"Keith! I swear, if you don't get out of here, I'll kick you"  
Raising his hands, Keith slowly got to his feet  
"Alright. Just come back to bed when you're ready"

 

*  
Leaving the breakfast table before Keith could call him back, Lance headed to his old room on his own. There was pretty much no way that Krolia wasn't going to be showing up sometime soon, so before that, he wanted to at least make sure anything that was remotely embarrassing was picked up. With all the destruction he'd caused, it was easier to push everything into the hall and then work from there... and he might have been slightly scared to be in his room on his own.

"Lance, what are you doing?"  
Looking up from the pile of clothes he was folding, the teen cocked his head in confusion   
"Cleaning up?  
"I can see that. Why are you sitting the hallway though?"  
"Because I am? It doesn't really matter, does it? I mean, it's just the floor"  
"Did something happen again?"  
"No. I just like it down here"  
"Lance, I'm going to tell you this for your own sake. You suck at lying. I can smell your guilt"  
"Then stop asking me what happened. I'm fine. I'm cleaning everything up, and when I'm done I'll take my stuff down to Keith's quarters"  
"Is there anything left in there?"  
"Nope. It's completely empty, so you'll be able to move right in. Though, I don't know why you'd move into my room. This is a castle, we have dozens of empty rooms"  
"Because this room means something to you and Keith"  
Yeah. It was the room Shiro violated and violated him in. His quiet little corner of the ship that had been his safe haven, was now about to be taken away from him. Starting to panic at the thought, he forgot all about Krolia standing right in front of him. Was it always this hard to breathe? Keith said he wanted him and the pups, but what happened when the shock of the news wore off and he realised he was actually going to be a father to two tiny living people? And what about his Galra bloodline? Krolia was nice, but what about her parents and her parents parents? Had they killed innocent people under Zarkon's orders? Had they tortured and beat people who wouldn't surrender their homes to the Galra? What if the pups turned out bad? What if they were angry that he'd forced them to be born?

"Lance! Lance, look at me!"  
Whining in distress, Lance shook his head. His panicked mind now moving on to mock him. What if the pups weren't even Keith's and he couldn't remember? What if they were Shiro's? What if the Galra Krolia could smell was from whatever Haggar did to Shiro? What would happen if they came out looking like Shiro? What would he tell Keith? How was he supposed to look at his alpha? Feeling his head smack against the corridor wall, the sensation felt far away, and not the sharp pain one might expect. He couldn't do this. He couldn't have these pups. He couldn't. Keith would hate him and then what would he do? He'd have to give up being a Paladin. It wasn't like he was all that good and Krolia could probably replace him. Why was he even here?

 

*  
"Keith, you need to come to Lance's quarters immediately"

Having just checked on the three prisoners in their custody, Keith's head was aching from their complaining. They were lucky he even let them on board the ship, and now they wanted to talk to Lotor. No. Not happening. They were lucky Hunk was kind enough to make them breakfast as he wouldn't have wasted the trip down here otherwise. When he'd been leader of team last time, he'd been stressed, but he couldn't remember it being this bad. Now he was stressing even more. His mother had called him, told him to come up to Lance's room, and then had promptly hung up. Now she was ignoring his calls, and he was running through the ship stressing over what he was going to find when he got there.

Keith smelt Lance before he saw him. The omega smelt sickly, and as if he was trying to reject something. The alpha was having a hard time trying to differentiate what though. He knew Lance cleaning his room would probably end up with his boyfriend in tears, but whatever this was, it made his alpha angry instead of concerned. Turning the corner, he slowed his pace to a jog, and then a walk. Staring down at the floor, he frowned at the way his mother didn't even acknowledge his arrival  
"Mum, what's happening"  
"Lance. He freaked out while he was packing. He tried to take my knife, and kept saying he wanted the pups gone"  
If it wasn't his mother telling him this, he wouldn't haven't believed it. Only that morning had Lance been talking to his pups... their pups. Pushing his mother aside, Keith squatted down in front of his boyfriend   
"Lance? You ok baby?"  
"Keith... I can't. I can't have the pups. I.. I can't. They're wrong"  
"What do you mean they're wrong?"  
His boyfriend looked horrible. His face ghostly white, except for feverish looking pink cheeks  
"I... what if... I cheat on you. I fucked Shiro. They might be his. I can't have them. I can't have them"  
Lance wasn't making sense, and the hollowness of what he was saying gripped Keith's heart like a nest of thorns. Rising to his feet, he grabbed his mother by her arm and pulled her into Lance's old room  
"Mum. What else has he said?"  
"Nothing. We were talking and then he just started struggling to breathe. I tried to get him to snap out of it, but then he wanted to hurt himself so I called you"  
"Did he say he wanted to hurt himself?"  
"No. He went for my knife after saying the pups were bad and he couldn't have them"  
"So did he give you an indication at all of what triggered him?"  
"If I had to guess, I would say it's this room. He moved all his stuff out of it to sort it all rather than just do it in here"  
Closing his eyes, Keith counted to 5 before opening them  
"Ok. I'll take him up to the bridge with me, can you grab his things"  
"He doesn't want anyone touching them. Something about Shiro taking something?"  
"Yeah. I wasn't thinking about that. How about we get off the castle for a bit? We can't go far, but a change of scenery should help..."  
"What are you asking me for? He's your omega"  
"Because I don't know if it's the right thing to do or not"  
"If the Black Lion smells like Shiro, then I wouldn't recommend it. In any case, you need him to calm down first"

Leaving his mum to wait in lance's quarters, Keith stepped back out and into the hall. At least Lance hadn't moved. Padding across to his boyfriend, he cleared space next to the omega before sinking down into it. Lance didn't even blink as he picked him up and settled him between his legs  
"Baby. It's ok. Whatever you're thinking, you've got it wrong. Those pups are mine, like you're mine. I'm not going anywhere"

Keith's back and arse were numb by the time Lance slowly gripped his arm. The omega then let out a soft yawn before looking Keith in the eye and scrunching his face up   
"Hey... baby. What happened?"  
"I don't know... what are you doing here?"  
"Mum said you got a little freaked out..."  
"I did?"  
"Yeah. Something to do with the pups?"  
Keeping his questions vague, he hoped Lance would fill in the gaps  
"I'm sorry. I can't remember. Is that why I'm so sleepy?"  
Couldn't Lance remember?  
"You're sleepy?"  
"Mhmm... I feel like I haven't slept in a movements"  
Frowning, Keith placed his hand on Lance's forehead. His boyfriend didn't feel as cold as before, but neither was he feverish. It wouldn't be the first time Lance forgot something he'd done in a panicked episode, but knowing the pups could be at danger didn't sit well at all with Keith. Lance loved those pups and would do anything for them, as evidenced by lying for weeks over them   
"Oh... are we outside my quarters?"  
Looking at the piles of things around them, Keith nodded  
"Yeah. Is that alright?"  
"Mmmm. Keith, can we go back to your room. I'm really tired"  
"Baby, you just said you were tired"  
"I did? My head feels all spacey"  
"Baby, I think I should take you up to Allura and Coran. You're not making much sense"  
"No... I don't want to. I just want to go to bed. Can I go to bed now?"

"Mum!"  
Having kept his mother waiting for vargas, the woman emerged from Lance's quarters with a concerned look upon her face  
"You heard that right?"  
"I did. What do you need done?"  
"I want to take him to Allura and Coran for a scan. He seems too spacey"  
"He did have an another episode. I can carry him if you'd prefer"  
"No. I'll carry him, but can you go ahead? I want only Coran and Allura there"  
"Keith, I'm sleepy"  
Kissing Lance's temple, he nuzzled against the spot   
"I know baby. Just a little longer and you can go to sleep"  
"Mmm... how did you know I was tired?"

Carrying his precious omega up to the medical bay, Coran was already waiting when he arrived. Haven fallen asleep in his arms, Keith laid Lance out on the examination bed before looking to the man  
"Where's Allura?"  
"Lotor called. It seems he'll be arriving sooner than expected"  
Quiznak. He couldn't deal with Lotor today. Not when Lance was like this  
"Great... I need you to do a full body scan on Lance. He had an episode while packing his room up, and he wasn't coherent when he came too. He kept forgetting he'd told me he was tired"  
"Ah yes. I can see why that would be a worry"  
Brushing his fingers against Lance's fringe, Keith then forced himself to take a step back so Coran could scan his boyfriend. It was several long doboshes before the man hummed  
"Coran?"  
"I can't see anything out of the ordinary, but the pups are definitely bigger than they were in the last scan"  
"Bigger?"  
Didn't babies grow slowly? Isn't that why pregnancy lasted for 40 weeks? Watching Coran pull up the pups, the pair were indeed bigger, and both were moving. For 11 movements, they seemed far too big  
"Are you sure he's only 11 movements?"  
"We're basing it off his last heat as he wasn't pregnant before then"  
"They just seem too big..."  
"Hold on"  
Tapping away, Coran pulled up another video of what seemed to be the pups, though they were only half the size in it  
"This is Lance's first scan. The pups are nearly a third of the size bigger now"  
Keith was sure that made sense only to Coran, but didn't voice his annoyance. It was mesmerising watching the two videos side by side  
"They both have good vitals and I can't see anything wrong with Lance. Perhaps he really just was tired"  
"Yeah. Maybe. Coran, can you contact me when Lotor gets here? I still feel like something is off with Lance and would like to be with him until he wakes up"  
"No worries. Should I ask Hunk to bring lunch down to you?"  
"That would be great"  
Looking from the screen down to Lance, Keith placed his hand on his boyfriend's stomach. Were the pups really alright? And was it safe for Lance to keep them? He didn't know his mother's bloodline, and he took after his father... but some of those Galra males out there were massive. He didn't want Lance to abort the pups, but if it came to it, he couldn't do what his boyfriend wanted. He'd chose to save Lance's life over their's every single time.

 

*  
Lance was still asleep when Lotor arrived. His boyfriend hadn't even roused for food, despite Hunk bringing down an array of Lance's favourites. Making sure his omega was completely covered in their nest, he placed his pillow in Lance's hold so he wouldn't feel so lonely, before kissing his forehead  
"Baby, I'll be back later. That quiznak Lotor's here now. I really don't want you anywhere around him. I don't trust him baby"  
Lance snored on completely oblivious to his words, if it wasn't for the dry snoring, his boyfriend would look almost angelic, and not the cause of so much stress for all of them.

Straightening his uniform out, Keith paused before opening the bridge doors. This could either end up with Lotor seeing the light and helping them, the half-Galra ending up dead, or the alliance dissolving and the Galra returning to slaughtering thousands. Basically, a whole heap was riding on how willing Lotor would be to listen. Placing his hand on the door pad, Keith nodded to himself, waiting until the door was completely open before stepping inside.

"Lotor. Thank you for coming"  
Crossing to Allura's side, Lotor looked less than impressed that he was there  
"Keith. It's a shame we are meeting again under such circumstances. are Shiro and Lance not here?"  
"Yes, it's a shame. Shiro is unfortunately preoccupied right now, and Lance is resting in his quarters. Shall we perhaps sit?"  
"No. I'm fine. I want to know what's happening though. We didn't expect to see a half-destroyed Galra ship upon arrival"  
Keith knew for a fact that Lotor knew all the details, and that it was Haggar's ship  
"Haggar hasn't moved in the last quintant. Lotor, before we plan our next step, there's something you should know. We have confirmation now, Haggar is Honerva"  
Reaching her hand towards Lotor, Lotor slapped it away   
"I told you before, there is no way that witch could be my mother"  
"Lotor, we all saw her. Whatever she found at Oriande changed her"  
"Then we'll go to Oriande. Learn what Haggar learnt"  
"Lotor, we were separated before. I got the answer I needed..."  
Lotor's normally warm tone, or rather the warm tone he reserved for Allura turned icy  
"Allura if Haggar did gain access to the knowledge of the Altean Alchemists, we need to see for ourselves. As the last of the Altean's we have a duty to make sure her corruption hasn't infected Oriande"  
"Wait a moment Lotor. We can't leave Haggar like this"  
Keith was so not alright with the way things were going, but for once Hunk and Pidge were actually keeping their mouths shut   
"Allura and I will go. We are the only ones who can access Oriande"  
"Pidge will take you as close as she can in the Green Lion. Hunk, you'll provide back up, just in case. Coran, keep an eye on Haggar's ship. If she so much as moves, I want to know"

While Lotor gave orders to the Galra that had accompanied them, Keith pulled Allura aside. The princess seemed just as worried as he was over this whole mess  
"Allura, what do you make of Lotor's reaction?"  
"I don't know. I've rarely seen him angered like this"  
"I don't trust him, and if the situation arises, I want you to put your own survival and escape above his"  
"Keith, you can't think Lotor will attack me"  
"I would rather be cautious than following him blindly like Shiro did. We still don't know how factors into things"  
"Is that why your mother isn't present?"  
"That and I don't want Lotor knowing her identity. The base she was commanding was destroyed, so it's best for now she's believed dead. Allura, you're important to all of us, so just keep in mind what I've said"  
"I understand"  
Allura didn't look thrilled about it all, but this was Allura. The woman would sacrifice herself in a heartbeat for what she believed was right and what she believed would bring peace  
"Allura..."  
"I understand Keith. You just focus on Lance"  
"Lance will be alright. Coran said both he and the pups are fine. With all these Galra around, I doubt I'm going to have time to stop in and check on him"

Walking over to them, Lotor flashed a brilliantly bright and fake smile  
"Are we ready?"  
"Yes. As soon as Pidge and Hunk return, we'll be ready to leave"  
"Good. I must admit, I'm anxious to see how Oriande is. I have no idea how Haggar could have found the location out so shortly after our visit"  
Shiro. It had to be Shiro. There was no other way to explain it, but he wasn't telling Lotor that  
"Perhaps the range of her reach is rather than you know"  
Lotor's lips turned down at the sides, though the fake smile didn't fade   
"In any case, shall we make our way down to the Green Lion?"  
"Indeed"  
Allura was so much better at this than he was. Just looking at Lotor had his alpha growling and scratching at his mind. The sooner Lotor was off the castle, the better it would be for everyone.

 

*  
Waking up alone in Keith's quarters, Lance let out a sleepy yawn. He felt so incredibly tired to the point he couldn't ever remember being this tired. He wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but the pains in his stomach meant he needed to eat. Eyeing the pile of food on Keith's desk, he scrambled off the bed and practically launched himself at it. Consuming everything he could in record time, his stomach and his omega began to settle back down, and he was left with the feeling he was forgetting something important. He'd had breakfast... but everything after that was blank... why it a blank? He'd been going to do something today, but for the life of him he couldn't remember what. 

Padding through to Keith's bathroom, Lance stripped off his shirt before eyeing himself in the mirror. If he looked at himself face on, he just looked fat, but when he turned sideways the small baby bump was visible. How big was he going to get? And how big were the pups going to get? He already hated how chubby he looked, and had no idea why Keith found his stomach so sexy. Would the alpha want him if he got bigger than this? The first time they'd had sex he'd been pregnant with Shiro's pups... but he swore he wasn't even this big when he was 16 movements with them... Thinking of his first two pups and Shiro, Lance felt his mood plummet rapidly and before he really understood what was happening, he'd pitched forward and vomited into the bathroom sink. Grasping the counter as hard as he could, he emptied his stomach until he was dry heaving and his throat was burning. Shiro... he wanted to see Shiro...

Having changed his shirt to a fresh one of Keith's, Lance felt like the worlds most uncoordinated ninja as he crept through the ship. It was creepy and spooky how silent it was, leaving him jumping every time his own breathing got too loud. Scolding himself, he closed his eyes   
"Lance?"  
"Wha!"  
Shouting in surprise, the teen felt like he'd jumped 10 ft as he span around and glared at Krolia. The Galra woman for her part seemed to find it funny, which only pissed him off  
"Krolia! What the hell?!"  
"Sorry... sorry, I wasn't expecting to see you here"  
"Well, you scared the ever living quiznak out of me! What are you doing down here?!"  
"I was just watching Lotor's ship for any signs of movement"  
Rubbing at his stomach, he swore the pups were as unappreciative of the sudden scare as he was  
"Well you scared me. Could you not be so quiet next time"  
His snarky tone was almost venomous as he looked from Krolia to his stomach and back to Krolia  
"I really didn't mean to. Does Keith know you're awake?"  
"You said Lotor's here, he's probably busy dealing with that. Now if you'll excuse me, I have something I need to do"  
Turning his back on Krolia, he hoped the Galra woman would take the hint and back off  
"Lance, wait..."  
"Just leave me alone!"  
Yeah, because that wouldn't make Krolia even more worried or whatever. Taking off running, he didn't get very far before had to drop back to a walk. Why the hell did he have to be so tired?

Arriving at the prisoner pods, Lance double checked that Krolia hadn't followed him before letting himself into the room where Shiro and his arm were being kept. They couldn't very well reattach Shiro's arm, so it laid in its own pod beside the sleeping alpha. Having not seen Shiro since the fight, he felt the urge to apologise to alpha welling up, despite how ridiculous it was. This wasn't Shiro and he needed to start reminding himself more often that he wasn't. They had no idea who or what this was... or even if the real Shiro still existed. With his arms wrapped firmly around his waist, Lance took small and timid steps as he crossed over to stand right in front of not-Shiro  
"Just so you know, I'm not afraid of you"  
He was. He really was. It looked like Shiro was going to open his eyes at any moment now, and burst out the pod  
"What did you do with the real Shiro? And what's Haggar's game? Did she send you here just to mess with us? Is that why you did what you did to me? Or was it something else? Is that why you watched all my memories? Because you knew it was the other Shiro who did it? Did you like watching him hurt me? Or get me pregnant"  
Striking out against the glass, his palms slapped hard against it  
"Answer me! I need to know! Why did you tell me you loved me? You're not supposed to hurt the people you love, and if it was my fault I'm sorry... just... just give us back Shiro... everyone needs Shiro more than they need me..."  
Sinking to his knees, Lance's palms were still against the glass  
"Please..."

One moment the glass was between him and the next Lance felt it sliding away. Scrambling backwards, he looked up with fearful eyes. He hadn't even touched the pods pad, so there was no reason for the pod to be opening. Too shocked to move, he watched as Shiro slowly roused, the alpha's left hand moving straight to his head as he staggered out  
"L-Lance?"  
Quiznak. He'd stuffed up. He was in trouble...   
"Krolia!"  
Shiro's first step was shaky, but with the next 4 he'd coveted the space between them, and was hurling Lance up like he was a rag doll  
"Sh-Shiro... stop..."  
"You! You did this to me!"  
"Shiro... please..."  
Howling, the alpha let him go and Lance dropped to the floor with a solid thud   
"No. No this isn't me... this isn't right..."  
Clutching his head, the alpha howled again   
"Get out... get out of my head!"  
Lance knew he should run, but he couldn't move an inch. He was completely rooted to the spot by fear, but something was wrong with Shiro... Lance could smell real pain and confusion under all the anger rolling off the alpha   
"Shiro?"  
"Shut up!"  
Roaring at him, the alpha raised his foot, seemingly ready to stomp on him. Finally getting his act together, Lance went for his Bayard, only to find he didn't have it. Of course he didn't. He'd seen sleeping in Keith's quarters... where he was safe. Instead of stomping on his face like Shiro looked about to, the alpha's foot connected with the pod behind him, and Shiro once again pulled him up by the collar. Pressing his lips to Lance's, Lance was too shocked to push Shiro off of him  
"I won't hurt you anymore"  
Releasing his hold, Shiro looked around the room, before noticing his arm. Moving to the pad, the alpha deactivated the pod and snatched it out, before taking off. Shaken and confused, Lance didn't even have the energy to call for Keith or Krolia.


	32. Chapter 32

"Keith, we have an issue. The Galra jet you arrived in with Krolia has just left the ship and is heading towards Haggar's"  
"Are you sure it's ours? Pull it up on the monitors"  
Doing as requested, Keith was confused by the image on the screen. He couldn't see who was piloting, and he had no idea why one of Lotor's Galra goons would use the fighter jet, they no doubt would have had their own  
"Coran, I want a full scan of the castle. I want to know exactly where everyone is, and if possible where Lotor's men are. I also want to know where Krolia is"  
Keith highly doubted his mother would be the one piloting the fighter jet, but he had to make sure it definitely wasn't her before calling Lotor out on his bullshit.

"All of Lotor's people are accounted for, but we do have an issue. Shiro is no longer in his pod, and Lance is currently in the prison pod room he was in"  
"Lance is what?"  
Why? How? He'd left his boyfriend sleeping. How did sleeping equate to Lance ending up down with Shiro and Shiro being released... wait?  
"Coran, where's Shiro?"  
"He's not in the castle"  
"So he's the one piloting the Galra fighter... Coran, I need to go talk to Lance. I need to know what the hell he was thinking letting Shiro out"  
Looking from his screens to Keith, the man covertly pointed to the Galra standing near the door to the bridge   
"What are we going to do about them?"  
"Nothing for now. If they make a move, feel free to take them out"  
Coran went to launch into some war tail, but Keith was already moving towards the door. Lance better have a quiznakking good reason for this.

Striding through the halls of the castle, Keith only grew angrier with Lance. He knew Haggar was just there, and it'd been hard enough to subdue Shiro the first time. The pair of them together was not good news, or a good idea. They'd lost their one source of information, and because Lance had to go poking around where he wasn't supposed to. Hearing the roof panels above him rattle, Keith glared as the panel opened and his mother lowered herself down  
"Not now mum"  
"You sound like Lance. I was trying to talk to him before, but he yelled at me before running away"  
"You saw him?"  
"He told me off for scaring him, the yelled at me to leave him alone. He didn't seem too happy"  
"Of course he wasn't happy, he was on his way to see Shiro and knew you'd stop him. Now he's gone and let Shiro out, and Shiro's returned to Haggar"  
"I don't think Lance would let Shiro out"  
"And yet, Shiro's gone while Lance is in the pod room. You should have stopped him. You knew he collapsed earlier"  
"I can't move freely when you told me I have to hide"  
"Mum, there's hiding and then there's keep an eye on Lance. Whatever. I need to check on Lance, so stay out of trouble"  
"I can't come with you?"  
"No. Now go back to hiding until Lotor leaves"  
"Fine. I think I liked you more before you became bossy"  
"Mum!"  
He didn't have time for this, or for her. Brushing past his mother, he started to jog. Lance better have a good explanation, or so help him.

 

*  
Sitting with his back against a pod, Lance wasn't moving. The omega's eyes were open, but he was just staring at the empty pod across from him  
"Lance. What's going on here?"  
Jumping at his harsh tone, Lance blinked at him  
"Shiro woke up..."  
"No. You don't say. He's taken a Galra fighter jet and met up with Haggar. What the hell were you thinking?"  
"Me? I didn't do anything?"  
"Right, I suppose the pod just magically opened?"  
"Actually it did"  
"Pods don't just open! Why did you let him out, Lance!?"  
"I didn't! I didn't let him out! I didn't even touch the pod's pad!"  
"Then how did he get out!?"  
Yelling back at his yelling boyfriend, Keith wanted to shake Lance until he made sense  
"I don't know! He started howling like he was in pain, and he was holding his head, and then he kissed me before taking off! I don't know what happened!"  
Shiro kissed him? So what? Had Lance gotten lonely and... no. The moment the thought flittered through his brain, he was immediately disgusted by it. Just because he was now jealous on top of being pissed off, didn't mean he had the right to think of Lance like that.. like he was so kind of... Clenching his fists, Keith forced down a deep breath, forcing himself to keep an even tone as he asked  
"Do you swear you didn't let him out?"  
"Of course I didn't! Do you think I wanted to be attacked again? Do you? Do you think I like being raped? Or being beaten?!"  
Flinching at the hurt in Lance's voice, he knew he deserved it. He'd hurt Lance and now all he could do was try and dig himself out the hole he'd dug   
"Then why did you come down here?"  
"Because I was thinking about the pups... his pups..."  
The pups... he knew how much Lance missed them, but it had been phoebes... Why couldn't he have waited until they'd at least dealt with Allura before seeking out Shiro? Or, more importantly, why hadn't Lance asked him to come down here with him?  
"Lance..."  
"I don't want to hear it Keith, I can see it on your face. I can see how disgusted you are"  
Pushing himself up, Lance placed his hands on his stomach. Rubbing softly at the swell he talked down to it, rather than looking Keith in the face  
"I can't even tell if you believe these are your pups, and honestly I don't even know anymore. I don't know what's real and what's a nightmare. I don't know how many times Shiro attacked me, leaving me to think it was a dream. I don't know if each nightmare I had was actually reality and I'm too messed up to realise. Maybe I should have just had them aborted. You'd be happier if I did, wouldn't you? I mean, your boyfriend's a slut. What other reason could I have for coming down here if it wasn't to let Shiro between my legs? Go ahead and think whatever you want Keith, because I am so done. I'm so tired and so done with everything"  
"Baby..."  
"Save it. Like I said, I could see it on your face. I could see you actually wondering if I really would. So save it. I didn't let Shiro out and I didn't let him between my legs"  
Storming from the room, Lance left a trail of pained pheromones as he went, while Keith felt like the worlds biggest jerk.

 

*  
Lance made it to the hallway before running out of steam. He hadn't wanted to pick a fight with Keith, but he felt so betrayed. Keith hadn't even wanted to listen, or at least not properly. His boyfriend had thought he'd really let Shiro out, and that he'd let the alpha escape. Sure, he hadn't stopped Shiro leaving, but he'd been too shocked to do anything other than let him leave. Quiznak. Why did Keith have to look at him like that? Like he really did think he'd cheat on him, and with Shiro of all people. It made no sense. Stumbling through the halls, Lance made his way up to the bridge instead of back to Keith's room. It would be harder for the alpha to have a go at him if it was in front of everyone. Quiznak he was tired. Tired to the point he could barely keep his eyes open.

"Lance, is everything alright? You look a little pale"  
Making his way to his usual seat, Lance sank down with a weary sigh  
"I'm just really tired, Coran. Where is everyone?"  
"Allura, Pidge, Hunk and Lotor have gone to check out Oriande"  
"Oh... are checking to see if Haggar did anything?"  
"Yep. They've taken the Yellow and Green Lion's, but as they didn't use a wormhole, they're still at least 4 vargas away from arriving"  
"4? We made it that far out? I mean, the Lions are so fast that I guess 4 vargas seems like forever"  
"I can imagine. In the meantime, where's Keith?"  
"He was down in Shiro's holding room thing... Shiro escaped Coran. One dobosh I had my hands on the glass and the next it was opening. I didn't even touch the pad or anything, but Keith doesn't believe me. He practically asked me if I let Shiro out because I wanted to be attacked... and I think he wanted me to abort the pups. I don't even know if they're really his..."  
"Lance, I thought Shiro hadn't attacked you since before your heat, and then not again until after you found you were pregnant"  
"I don't know Coran. I feel like I'm losing my mind. I can't tell what was a dream anymore and seeing all those photos didn't help. What if they come out looking like Shiro? I can't do that to Keith. I'm already fatter than I was the first time around... it won't be long before he doesn't want me"  
Pinching the edge of his moustache, Coran stroked at it with his pointer finger   
"I don't see how they could be anyone but Keith's pups. The timing all adds up with you conceiving mid-heat"  
"Yeah, a heat during which I decided to go wandering through castle. I don't know what to do anymore, and I'm just too tired to even think"  
"I think you're thinking too much. What does your gut tell you? Are they Keith's or Shiro's?"  
"Keith's"  
The answer flew out of his mouth before he even realised   
"There you go"  
Maybe Coran was right and he was getting worked up over nothing. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he buried his face against them. The sooner this whole mess was cleared up, the better.

 

*  
Returning to the bridge, Keith's eyes fell on Lance straight away. He'd half searched for boyfriend as he'd walked through the castle, but for the most part, he'd taken the long way back up to the bridge because he needed to calm back down. Ignoring the Galra which were still standing, the teen made his way over to Coran   
"Any news?"  
"Not yet. Did you find out what happened with Shiro?"  
"Lance said he didn't touch the pod. I would like to replay the footage, but that's impossible with our guests over there"  
"Ah yes. They are rather intimidating aren't they. I still find it hard to believe they're on the ship and haven't destroyed anything"  
"Me too. Has there been any movement on Haggar's ship?"  
"No. The fighter ship docked, but hasn't moved since..."  
So either not-Shiro was dead, or he was planning his next move with Haggar...  
"Good. I guess it's just back to waiting for now"

Sitting on the floor beside Lance's chair, Keith watched over his sleeping boyfriend as he they waited for news. He was surprised Lance was able to sleep with the Galra mere metres away, and he was kind of annoyed over it. He didn't want Lance getting hurt, yet he was completely exposed and vulnerable while sleeping. Groaning, the alpha shifted his weight, his arse having become numb during the vargas that had passed. He was too old for this.

"Coran? Keith? Can you guys see me?"  
Climbing to his feet wearily, Keith nodded at Pidge. The girl's face taking up almost the whole screen  
"Hey, Pidge. What's going on?"  
"We're heading back. Oriande has been destroyed. The white hole that was entrance has disappeared completely and Allura says she can't sense anything. We did a few laps of where it was, but it's like it was never there"  
Allura would no doubt be crushed by the destruction of Oriande. Yet another piece of Altean history was now gone from the universe and could never be recovered... it wasn't fair. He had no idea how he'd feel if Earth was to ever be destroyed, but he imagined the feeling would suck   
"Keith?"  
"Oh. Good work. We'll discuss this further once you return"  
"Alright"  
Ending the transmission, Keith looked to Coran   
"I'm sorry we couldn't protect Oriande"  
Coran didn't seem to know what to say. The man simply giving him a single nod before looking down to the sensor panel. It had to be hard on Coran. Always watching on from the sidelines, but never really being involved in battle. When they'd left Earth, Keith never thought that fighting would become part of the every day norm, but if he had to give it up and take on a supporting role while others fought... he didn't know if he could do it.

 

*  
Lance was still sleeping in his chair when Allura, Lotor, Hunk and Pidge all returned. Keith wasn't sure if it was his imagination or not, but things seemed tense between Allura and Lotor, the Galra emperor standing much further away from the princess than he normally would  
"Welcome back guys. I'm sorry the news wasn't good"  
Nodding her head, Allura seemed exhausted to an unusual degree  
"It certainly wasn't what we expected. How were things back here?"  
Crap? He couldn't exactly tell them all Shiro had taken off because Lance let him out... even if the omega said he didn't   
"No major dramas. Why don't you all freshen up? We can discuss Oriande over dinner..."  
"I've got some snacks stored away, why don't we just have those for dinner? I'm starving"  
Pidge snorted as elbowed Hunk  
"You should have heard him Keith, all he talked about was food on the trip back. You'd think he hadn't eaten phoebes"  
"Well I'm sorry that bad news makes me want to eat, and besides, I didn't hear you complaining. In fact, I seem to remember you joining in"  
"You try piloting with these two when they're upset"  
"I told you I'd take Allura"  
"And leave me with Lotor? What would we even talk about"  
Clearing her throat, Allura brought an end to the pairs playful banter  
"Hunk, that would be lovely. Lotor, perhaps your Galra companions would like to join us?"  
"No, now that I'm back they can return to our ship"  
Clearly eavesdropping, the Galra group all saluted Lotor  
"You're to return to our ship and remain there, awaiting further orders"   
If his mother wasn't hanging out in the air vents, he would have insisted on sending someone down with them, but if they pulled anything, he was confident she'd stop them before things got too out of hand. Leaving the room, it felt like some of the weight on his shoulders had lessened. He didn't miss their judgemental stares at all.

Lance's soft whine cut through the momentary silence. Crossing to him, Allura placed her hand on his shoulder  
"Hey, Lance. How are you feeling?"  
"Oh... Hi Allura. When did you get back?"  
"Just now. We were talking about getting something to eat. Are you up for joining us?"  
"Yeah... I'm glad you're ok. I was worried about you"  
"I'm just fine Lance"  
No. He wasn't going to get jealous. He wasn't... ok. He was completely jealous of the closeness he'd just witness between Allura and his omega. He'd made Lance scream at him, but Allura got kind and soft words. He should have been the one going to Lance's side, not Allura   
"Keith, buddy. You alright?"  
Shaken from his mental sulking, Keith forced a smile   
"Yeah Hunk. I was just thinking. Anyway, why don't we head up, you all deserve a rest"  
"If you say so... but that's a pretty scary scent you're letting out"  
"Hunk, it's fine. I'm just worried about Lance"  
Pidge rolled her eyes with a loud sigh  
"I hope I don't end up like you two when I fall in love"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"You'll figure it out"  
Stumbling over, Lance stretched before letting out a loud yawn  
"Hey, guys..."  
"Hey, Lance. Have a good nap?"  
"Yeah... I'm still really tired though. Hunk, please tell me there's food?"  
Swaying lightly, Lance didn't seem too stable on his own feet. Snaking an arm around his omega, Keith was relieved when Lance didn't try to pull away   
"You ok baby?"  
"Yeah... just sleepy"  
"Do you want me to carry you?"  
He'd expected Lance to kick up a fuss, instead, his boyfriend smiled at him, before pressing a kiss to his cheek  
"Please. I'm so hungry..."  
Making a gagging motion, Pidge was clearly loving this, while Hunk just looked confused   
"Didn't you eat what I left you?"  
"Sorry Hunk. Morning sickness struck... I feel bad about throwing it all back up"  
"Oh. As long as you tried to eat, that's the main thing. Our pups need the nutrients"  
"Our?"  
"Well we're the godparents right"  
Sighing softly Lance nodded, more the omega's weight slumping onto him as he did. Half kneeling, Keith swept Lance up into his arms. His boyfriend immediately letting out a soft purr as he did.

"Lance, are you expecting?"  
Caught up with their friends, Keith had half forgotten Lotor was even there. Tightening his hold on his boyfriend, he didn't want Lotor knowing Lance was a little different from them, or about the pups. Everyone seemed to share an uneasy look  
"Possibly. In any case, shall we go?"  
Lotor didn't seem to like being snubbed but didn't mention it again.

Lance was nearly back to sleep by the time they were settled down for dinner in the lounge room. Given the omega was more asleep than awake, Keith was feeding his boyfriend while Lance obedient opened his mouth. It warmed his alpha to be providing for his mate, and eased some of the tension he'd been holding since their fight. If only they could be this close all the time.

"So Oriande?"  
He didn't want to bring the subject up, but Lance was finally starting to slow down his eating, and that could only mean he was about to fall asleep  
"We found no trace that it'd even been there. We did detect a strange energy in the area, but it's signature showed it was rapidly degrading"  
"No doubt Haggar's hard work. I'm sorry Allura, if I had only taken action against that witch sooner"  
"You mustn't blame yourself Lotor"  
Placing her hand on Lotor's, the man took it lightly  
"Still, if not for my insistence on visiting Oriande, she would never have bothered with it"  
"Honerva was Altean right? Maybe she just didn't know where it was?"  
Looking down at Lance, Keith wasn't the only one surprised by the omega's input   
"That witch cannot be my mother"  
"Lotor..."  
"No. I refuse to believe it"  
"It doesn't matter if you believe it or not. Everyone saw it"  
"Lance..."  
Rising from his seat, Lotor slammed his hands down on the table  
"Lotor... Lance is right. We all saw it on Haggar's ship. She wasn't Haggar anymore, she was Honerva and whatever she discovered at Oriande has made her exceptionally powerful. I know this must be difficult to hear..."  
"You don't. You do not know. I refuse to accept this"  
Great. Just great. Lance had got Lotor all riled up again, aaaaand fallen back to sleep  
"Lotor, we know this is hard, but right now, we need to come up with a plan on how we intend to deal with her"  
"I'll deal with her myself, and show you once and for all how wrong you are"  
"We can't let you do that. Even just looking at her is dangerous. We boarded her ship, only to be trapped by her. If Lance hadn't saved us, we'd all be dead"  
"Then I'll go, seeing the Voltron Paladins will not"  
"Lotor, you cannot risk your life. Only you can herald in the age of peace for Galra"  
"Do you have such little faith in me Allura. I do not intend to die so easily"  
"Then at least let me back you up"  
"Allura"  
"You can't!"  
"We all felt the same thing Allura... we can't rush in without a plan"  
Looking to Pidge, Keith hoped she'd have some ideas  
"Pidge, is it possible to hack into Haggar's ship sensors? Or reprogram a floating sensor? We need eyes in there before we go in..."  
Yeah. They needed to see if Shiro was still alive too... if Haggar had reattached his arm, they'd be in real trouble. His anger at Lance flared again, and the omega seemed to sense so. Nuzzling Keith's neck, Lance pressed a small kiss to it before letting out a sleepy huff. Quiznak. Lance was just too adorable  
"I should be able to figure out something, but after today, I think I need a good nights sleep"  
Keith could appreciate that, though he did feel a twinge of guilt over hiding Shiro's escape, and leaving Shiro stranded with Haggar. Even if it wasn't really Shiro, he'd been by there side and he'd thought he was, and now he would more than likely be dead thanks to Haggar... and part, Lance. It would destroy his boyfriend to know the alpha had run straight to her, and the memory of the death would be something Lance would never forget. He couldn't allow another alpha to engrave their mark in the heart of his omega. His pride and jealousy wouldn't allow it  
"Allura, why don't you see Lotor to his ship, or perhaps he'd prefer a room upon the castle for a night?"  
"My ship will be fine. I can see myself out"

After politely wishing Lotor goodnight, it was like everyone was holding their breaths until the man finally disappeared through the lounge room door. Letting out said breath as a collective group, all eyes went to Keith   
"I think we made him mad"  
"I think Lance made him mad. Is it safe to let him wander around the castle?"  
"Lotor is our ally"  
"Allura, you saw how mad he got. If he confronts Haggar, he's going to see the truth right in front of him. I'm pretty sure he's a mumma's boy. He seems proud of Honerva, but now she's Haggar and that has to be a bitter pill to swallow"  
"Well we absolutely cannot allow him to go on his own"  
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Keith let out a measured breath. If they thought things were bad, they were going to love what came next  
"Guys. I need to tell you something. Shiro's on Haggar's ship"

The whole table was silent with shock... apart from Coran. Coran just hummed awkwardly in confirmation. Hunk was the first on his feet. The usually passive alpha evidently shaken  
"How did he get out?"  
"We don't know. Lance was with him at the time, but he swears he didn't touch the pod's pad"  
"What was Lance doing there?! Was he... did he... you know?"  
Scowling at Pidge, he wasn't sure he did know  
"Lance didn't say anything. He's been tired all quiznakking day, and when I did try to talk to him, he got defensive"  
"Wake him up. We need to know what happened"  
"I'm not waking him up. Now that Lotor's gone, we can watch the video feed"  
"If it was any one of us you'd be livid, but because it's Lance..."  
"Pidge. That's enough. I am mad. I'm mad because Shiro escaped. I'm mad because Lotor is here. I'm mad because Lance keeps doing stupid things and I'm mad because he was thinking of his lost pups again. Ok. So yes. I'm mad"  
"You're mad at me?"  
Pushing himself up, Lance placed a hand on his stomach as he looked to Keith with sad wide eyes  
"Lance..."  
"No. I get it. I was the only one there, but my word's not good enough, is it"  
"Lance, I'm sure that's not what Keith meant. Right, Keith?"  
"It's pretty clear Hunk. He's had enough of me and doesn't know how to say it"  
"Baby, if I'd had enough of you, I wouldn't have carried you in here and fed you. You wouldn't be curled up in my lap and I wouldn't be feeling like a quiznak for upsetting you"  
"It's all we do lately isn't it. I mess up and you get mad at me. I think maybe we should spend some time apart"  
"No. No, I don't want that"  
Because every time he took his eyes off Lance, his boyfriend did something stupid   
"It's ok. I'll hang out with Krolia... if you don't mind"  
"Why should I mind? She already thinks of you as her son too"  
"Wait. Lance needs to be part of the mission to get Shiro back"  
Straightening up, Lance looked to Hunk   
"What does that mean? Where is Shiro? Where did he go? I thought Krolia would have stopped him again... no... not to Haggar. Keith. Keith we can't leave him with her! He doesn't even know who he is!"  
Trying to rise, Keith wrapped his arms around Lance to keep him seated in his lap  
"Lance, we can't just go after him"  
"We can't leave him! Was he there the whole time you just left me sleeping?! How many vargas have passed since then?"  
"10..."  
"Keith! I can't believe you!"  
"Why? Because Shiro's gone and I couldn't go after him with Lotor around? Shouldn't you of all people be relieved he's gone?"  
"Me of all people. Right. Well if me of all people being worried about whoever that person was before he was forced to become Shiro makes me stupid and weak, then I am!"  
So Lance wasn't worried about Shiro... not-Shiro... he was worried about the guy who took Shiro's place?  
"Keith, Lance is right. We can't just leave that guy with Haggar. He could be being tortured as we speak"  
"Or he and Haggar could be planning their escape..."  
"We're going in in the morning. We need intel first"  
"We can't leave him"  
"We are not leaving him. But what good are we to everyone else in the universe that needs us if we're dead thanks to Haggar"  
"Ugh. I'm so mad at you right now. I'm going back to my quarters"  
"Lance"  
"No. I'm sick of fighting. I feel like you're not even listening to what I'm saying now. I love you, but right now, I don't want to see you"

"Well that happened"  
Glaring at Hunk, he really hadn't needed the alpha to state the obvious.

 

*  
Returning to his old quarters, Lance began rifling through clothes. He wasn't leaving Shiro on Haggar's ship. Not just because he'd apparently caused Shiro's escape, but because his pride as the Red Paladin wouldn't allow it. He'd sworn to protect people, and Shiro or whoever he was qualified as a person in help.

Dressed and armed with his Bayard, Lance headed down to Red the moment he was done. As he should have expected, Krolia was casually waiting for him inside Red's hangar  
"Krolia, I'm not changing my mind"  
"I can see that. I take it you're going after Shiro?"  
"How did you know?"  
"You heat a lot when you're crawling around in the vents"  
Lance wrinkled his nose, his omega slightly disgusted at the thought   
"You haven't been up there the whole time have you?"  
"Yes and no. Lance, you can't face Haggar alone"  
"I don't have any other choice. Shiro escaped and Haggar could kill him"  
Scratching the back of her head, the Galra ambled over to him  
"So? I mean, he hurt you"  
"Why does everyone keep coming back to that?"  
"Because you're all kinds of messed up from it and now you're about saving him"  
"It's not him! It's the person who was forced to become Shiro! I know he attacked me, but what if he had no idea? What if it was because of the implanted memories? I don't want him ending up dead"  
"So you'll risk your life and your unborn pups to save the alpha who raped you?"  
Flinching at "rape", Lance felt sick at the thought. He didn't want to be alone with Shiro, but... he didn't want to be responsible for the death of a friend. Even if he wasn't the real Shiro, everyone had ties to him. Allura, Coran, Pidge, Hunk, even Keith. They all had memories with the fake Shiro, and even if it didn't seem like it on Keith's part, they'd all grieve the loss. He couldn't have that on his conscience  
"I have to. I can't let everyone be hurt because of me. I'm sick of crying. I'm sick of hurting. I'm sick of being so tightly wound up that I don't know which was is up. All I want is to move on, but then something happens and it's like I'm not even trying. I don't want to be a victim. I don't want to be an unstable omega, clinging to my alpha like I have been. I hate myself so much it makes me sick, so yes Krolia. I'm going"  
"Then I'll back you up"  
"Really? Just like that?"  
"I like you Lance, and I don't want to see my son lose his love and his children"

Flying over to Haggar's ship, Lance landed where everyone else had the previous day. Activating his Bayard, he nodded silently to Krolia before the pair of them made their way from Red and down into Haggar's ship  
"Don't forget, do not look at her"  
"Yeah I know. Soul-sucking evil or something"  
"Yeah... something like that. Where should we start?"  
"I'll take lead, and you back me up. I should be able to sniff out Shiro's scent"

After a dozen dead ends and crumpled corridors, Krolia finally caught onto Shiro's scent. Up until then, he'd hoped that there was some kind of mistake. That Shiro had just taken his arm and run as far as he could. Stilling his steps, he felt a cold shiver run down his spine. It was almost like they were being watched. Holding her hand up, Krolia slowly turned back to him  
"He's just ahead. I can smell his confusion and rage. Let me go first"  
"If he's angry, he might lash out and hurt you"  
"It's better me than you and the pups"  
Everything came back to the pups. Couldn't they just trust him? He loved his pups. He hated throwing his guts up, but now Coran had erased the doubts from his mind, he'd fallen even more in love with two lives inside of him... So why couldn't everyone just trust he'd never hurt them intentionally?  
"Krolia, you're far more skilled than I am. That's why I should go first. I need you to be able to get me out of there or get me to help..."  
Slipping past the woman, Lance raised his Bayard rifle into position  
"Ok. Open it"

Chained to the far corner of the room, Shiro was a beaten mess. It honestly seemed like there wasn't a single place on the alpha that wasn't hurt in someway. His bionic arm wasn't present, and as he only had one wrist, the second cuff was restraining the alpha was around the top of the stump from where Lance had removed Shiro's arm  
"Shiro!"  
Rushing over to the alpha, Lance took Shiro's face in his hands. The alpha definitely had a fever  
"It's ok. We're going to get you out of here"  
The needed a key, but that wasn't an option with Haggar likely to appear at any moment  
"L-Lance?"  
"I'm here"  
"What... why? You're not supposed to be here"  
"Because you ran off"

Placing his hands around the tight cuff on Shiro's arm, Lance turned it, trying to get it to slide down with the bandaging covering the stump. Instead of moving, it seemed to bite down harder on Shiro's arm. Snarling, the alpha kicked out  
"Let me go!"  
"I can't get this quiznakking thing off"  
"Move. Let me try"  
Moving to his right, he let Krolia take his place   
"Shiro, we'll have you out of here soon"  
Letting out a dry barking laugh, the alpha raised his head to look at him  
"Why? Is it this body? Do you miss it my little omega? I miss the way you moaned underneath me and the way you clenched as you drew out every drop of my seed. I can take care of those pups for you and we can try again. In fact, let me out and I'll bend you over right here"  
Reeling back, Lance swallowed down the bile rising in his throat  
"That's what I thought. You like acting all meek and having us alpha's chase after your slut arse, but when it's over, you turn away and say you never wanted it"  
"Lance..."  
Krolia's tone was a warning growl  
"It's not him. I think the memories are messed up in his head"  
"My memories are just fine and I'm getting harder by the tick. Just thinking about you... How wet you were and how nicely your blood looked smeared across my dick as I tore you open"  
In less than a moment, Krolia had her blade out and at Shiro's throat  
"Say one more word to my son and I'll gut you"  
"Your slutty son who was fucking me while dating your son?"  
Hearing something rustle outside the door, Lance pushed Krolia aside as he aimed his Bayard   
"We have to go"  
Firing the gun, the beam cut through the chains with ease. The moment he was free, Shiro let out a pained howl  
"Lance?"  
"I don't know. Let's get him back to Red"  
Shaking from Shiro's words, Lance couldn't help as Krolia looped her arm around the alpha's waist. His omega was going into meltdown, while he was just angry. How dare Haggar use the man in front of him! And how dare she make watch all of those memories"

Things were going too smoothly. They hadn't seen Haggar and they'd made it back to Red in relatively one piece, though Shiro looked about to keel over and die. Restrained by Krolia's hold, Shiro was growling and struggling, but the alpha didn't have the strength to dislodge Krolia completely. That was something. Powering up Red, it was then that Haggar finally appeared in front of him. The moment his eyes met that of the woman's, his blood turned to ice and he found he couldn't move at all. It felt like his life was draining away but there was more. It felt like Haggar was seeing right through him. If he could just get the shot out. If he could just move.... please Red. Please

Red was listening, firing on Haggar without him lifting a finger. With Haggar's attention broken, Lance finally fell out from under her control  
"Thanks, Red! Let's get back to the ship!"  
No sooner were the words out his mouth before a surge ran through Red. Screaming at the feeling, it was like he was being electrocuted   
"Lance!"  
Placing her hands over his, Krolia pulled back on the controls, sending Red leaping off the side of the ship. Panting in pain, Lance nodded to Krolia   
"Thanks. Let's get out of here"  
Hit by another bolt from Haggar, Red was sent spinning out of control, which Lance's stomach didn't like at all. Fighting to right Red, the omega was also fighting not to vomit everywhere  
"Lance, you need to do something!"  
"I know!"  
Gritting his teeth, he could only beg Red for her help  
"Red! Come on girl! I know you can do this. We need to get back to the castle... please girl, I need your help"  
Smacking into space debris, their uncontrolled spinning was finally slowed and Red let out a roar  
"That's my girl... now let's get back to the castle"  
He was about to prove Keith wrong. He could do his job, even if his boyfriend doubted him.


	33. Chapter 33

Watching Red touch down in her hangar, Keith forced himself not to blow his top. Lance had run off once again and done something stupid, and he hadn't even known about it until he'd returned to the bridge with Coran and Allura. Vargas had passed since dinner time, and he'd thought his boyfriend had returned to his quarters, not stolen Red and run off to Haggar's ship on his own. That stupid fool. He was only grateful that Pidge and Hunk didn't have to see how foolish Lance was. They'd both be hurt by his actions... his actions seemingly telling them all he didn't need them. His alpha was just as hurt. It wanted to be the one to protect the omega from doing anything remotely dangerous, yet Lance had gone off and... oh hell no. Instead of Lance appearing at the top of Red's mouth ramp, it was his mother... with Shiro. How could she be so stupid?! Marching Shiro down the ramp, the alpha looked barely conscious   
"Get him back in a prisoner pod!"  
Snapping at his mother, the woman glared at him  
"Keith..."  
"No. I can't believe how stupid you are. How could you go off with Lance like this? What if he'd been hurt? What if he'd died? Did you think about that?"  
"And did you think about what you're putting him through. He's desperately trying to figure out who he is and how he fits in here. Yes he was stupid for wanting to go on his own, but he didn't do this for himself"  
"Right. He didn't think that this would somehow make up for letting Shiro escape. Like if he brought Shiro back, it would be like nothing ever happened"  
"He brought him back because he was worried about everyone else. Even if he's not the original Shiro, you all have ties to him. That's what Lance said. He brought him back because he didn't want Shiro dying. He might not be the real Shiro, but he was your friend for a time. Stop thinking as the leader of Voltron, stop thinking with your alpha and think about what you want for yourself"  
Shoving Shiro forward, his mother lead the alpha through the hangar, before disappearing out the door. What did he want? He wanted for Lance to start taking better care of himself. He wanted his boyfriend to stop putting himself in danger and he wanted them to stop fighting.

Waiting what he considered a fair amount of time, Keith started up the ramp. Lance was probably hiding because he knew he'd messed up. Tiny part of him hoped that was the case... ok, it wasn't such a tiny part. Stepping into the cockpit, he made his way around the pilot seat and sighed at the sight in front of him. Lance was fast asleep with his hands still on Red's controls. A small, somewhat smug smile was on the omega's lips, only irking Keith more. His boyfriend clearly didn't regret his actions at all. Stooping down, he lifted Lance in his arms. The omega's warmth and strongly sweet scent instantly calmed his agitated alpha. There was no hint of pain at all, either physical or mental... in fact, Lance smelt happy. With everything being so nonstop and missions seemingly piling upon top of each other, it seemed like forever since his boyfriend had been happy. There hadn't been a moments rest, and as soon as Haggar was out the picture, he was ordering them all to take a break. They would return to Olkarion, and take a break... a real break where they did nothing but the absolutely necessary.

Carrying Lance through the corridors, Keith was brought up short by both Pidge and Hunk running towards him  
"Keith! Is it true? Did Lance really go to Haggar's ship?"  
Skidding to a stop in front of him, Pidge stared up at him with wide panicked eyes, while Hunk slowly came to a panting stop  
"Did he? Why would he do that? Is he alright? Is he hurt? Why didn't he wait for us?"  
Keith felt his anger rising at the upset beginning to roll off Pidge. The relief of holding Lance had quietened his own anger, but now it was flooding back  
"He went with Krolia and they brought Shiro back. He doesn't seem to be hurt, and Krolia has escorted Shiro back to a prison pod"  
"How did he get past Haggar?"  
"I don't know. It wasn't until she started attacking that we even knew he'd left. I'm taking him back to his quarters"  
"Not to yours?"  
"No. Not to mine. Right now, I'm so mad at him for being so stupid and I need to cool down before I do something stupid"  
"I'll take him"  
Looking to Hunk, he didn't want to offend the concerned alpha, but he didn't want Hunk touching Lance while he slept  
"You should check in with your mother, so Pidge and I can take Lance back to his room"  
If it was both of them, then it should be alright. Nodding his consent, he left Hunk lift Lance out his hold  
"I know he was sorting his things out, so don't be surprised if you find everything everywhere"  
"Alright. Well, we'll see you later"  
He wanted to chase after the pair and take Lance back from Hunk's hold, and his alpha was screaming at him over his decision, but maybe some space was what they needed? They'd only begun courting properly not long before he'd left... of course it was going to take some time for all the pieces to fall back into place... 

"Mum, what the quiznak happened?"  
After stalking around the castle looking for his wayward mother, he'd found she was standing in a different section of the prison pods, just staring up at Shiro's encased form  
"What do you mean?"  
"I doubt Haggar just let you go. So what happened?"  
"Lance flew us over and we boarded through one of the rips along the top of the ship. I took lead, and we made our way through the ship until I caught Shiro's scent which led us to him. He was chained up, and we couldn't get them undone, so Lance shot through them. In his state, he was easy to keep subdued"  
"Too easy?"  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"I don't know... but why would Haggar let you take him back?"  
"I don't know. Maybe she has no use for him now?"  
"He was with us for phoebes, and no one knows more about the coalition than he does..."  
"Well, he's contained now. That's one less thing we have to worry about"  
Keith wished he could agree, but there were too many questions. Like if Haggar had gotten her hands on Shiro, how was he still alive? None of them could even look at the woman, yet he'd been chained by her? Why? Why not just data mine his brain and kill him? She no doubt would have expected them to come for him... so what if he was some kind of Trojan horse? A ticking time bomb?  
"In any case, what's done is done now. You should be with Lance"  
"No. I'm so mad at him I don't know what I'd say. I had Hunk and Pidge take him back to his old quarters. They'll stay with him"  
Letting out a huge sigh, his mother took him by surprise. Pulling him up against her, she kissed his forehead softly  
"You're both so stubborn. I just hope you don't miss your opportunity to tell him you love him while you still can"  
"I do love him... it's just... everything's been so full on and the moments where we could talk... well, he's either been mad at me or sleeping"  
"Then do something nice for him"  
"Didn't you just hear me? Everything's been so full on. We're all exhausted"  
"Does this place have a bath?"  
"A bath?"  
"Yeah. You both need to shower anyway..."  
"Mum!"  
"It doesn't have to be sexual"  
Oh god. This wasn't happening  
"I am not talking to you about my sex lite"  
"And I said it didn't have to be sexual. Even just taking a shower together and touching and kissing. He needs reassurance"  
"If he would stop making things worse than we wouldn't have to worry like this"  
"Lance is trying his hardest. He might not always go about it the right way, but yelling at him is only going to make him mad and more likely to lash out. Today, he really was trying to think of everyone else. Just remember that when you talk to him"  
"Fine. I'll try talking to him in the morning. I doubt he'd want to take a random shower with me"  
"I don't think he'd say no if you asked him the right way"  
Sighing in resignation, he really needed to get it through his head that his mother wasn't shy about voicing her opinions when it came to his love life.

 

*  
Sleeping fitfully, Keith felt like rubbish when he finally gave up and crawled from his bed. His bed was full of Lance's sweet scent, and without him there it felt like half of him was missing. No longer mad at his boyfriend, the alpha just felt incredibly lonely and wanted to "make up" with Lance as soon as possible... even if his boyfriend was still in the wrong.

Having showered and dressed, Keith made his way up to the kitchen, hoping to find Hunk. Stepping through into the kitchen, he let out a sigh of relief that Pidge wasn't there. He might not have much of an image left, but he so didn't need Pidge giving him quiznak because he wanted to do something nice for Lance. Walking over to lean against the nearest bench, he promptly placed his elbow in some kind of batter, causing it to slide and him to pitch sideways. Smooth. There went any kind of self-pride he might have had left  
"Keith? You right there bud?"  
"Uh. What? What is this stuff?"  
"Cookie dough. I thought I might actually get some baked before Lance woke up"  
"So he didn't wake up?"  
"Nope. We stayed with him for a while, but when it became clear he wasn't about to, we left him sleeping"  
"Good... good. Hey Hunk, I don't suppose you feel like baking a cake? Mum was interested, and Lance too..."  
"Keith, are you trying to apologise to Lance?"  
"What. No. Maybe. Look, I get enough from Pidge, I don't need you getting on my case too"  
"No need to get so defensive"  
"Sorry... it's just hard. I'm still mad at him over last night, but I miss him"  
"Then go down and see him. I'll make the cake and he can have it for breakfast"  
"Thanks, Hunk. Hey, you did get some sleep right?"  
"Yes Keith, I slept, and better than you by the looks of it"  
"I blame Lance"  
"Sure sure. You just miss him. Go makeup with him already, we're all tired of him being sad"  
Keith's alpha wanted to smack Hunk for wording it like that, but he did appreciate the teens honestly. Leaving Hunk to it, Keith made his way back through the halls and down to Lance's quarters.

Lance was still snoring as Keith slipped into his boyfriend's room. Smiling at the sight of his boyfriend's belly, he ached to touch him, but didn't want to disturb him. Carefully sitting on the edge of Lance's bed, his omega immediately rolled towards him, flinging his arm over Keith's legs   
"That's not playing fair baby"  
Resting his hand on Lance's hair, he gently stroked the locks. It'd gotten long, but not to the point where it was it was at that awkward ugly stage. Not that Lance could ever be ugly. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed the simple contact, and soon he'd fallen asleep.

"Keith?!"  
Groaning as he roused, Keith looked down to find Lance staring up at him. His boyfriend's eyes wide, and his bottom lip was firmly trapped beneath his lip. It was like Lance was expecting him to yell at him   
"Hey, baby. I didn't mean to fall asleep"  
As Lance went to pull away from, Keith slid his hand down to hold him against him  
"It's ok. I don't want to fight anymore"  
"R-really?"  
"Yeah. I feel like we've been fighting too much lately. I'm not happy you went off with Krolia, but what's done is done"  
"I'm sorry... I knew you'd be mad, but I couldn't leave him"  
"Lance, let's not talk about it. Not now. You've just woken up, how about we just enjoy this"  
"Mmm, that does sound nice... but I need a shower"  
"Do you want some help?"  
Even if he'd just showered before going to see Hunk, he was more than happy to shower again if it meant staying beside Lance's side  
"You want to take a shower with me?"  
"Sure... but only if you want to"  
"Ok, but don't blame me if things end up getting steamy"  
Raising an eyebrow at Lance, his omega returned it with a cheeky grin... that went straight to his penis.

Despite trying to keep his hands to himself, he couldn't help it. Starting with massaging his boyfriend's back, the moans Lance was letting out were clearly designed to tease him. Pulling his omega up close to him, Keith's hands slid across Lance's belly and up to his forming breasts  
"You've gotten bigger baby"  
"I know... I think... I think I can feel them"  
"You can?"  
"Yeah... it feels like bubbles in my stomach"  
Massaging Lance's breast, his omega's head lolled back against his shoulder   
"God... that feels so good. They've been so tender"  
Rocking his hips forward, he ground his erection against Lance's arse  
"Keith... I want you"  
Mouthing at Lance's neck, Keith nodded  
"I want you too baby. Here or the bed?"  
"Here..."  
Turning Lance around, Keith lifted his boyfriend by the arse as Lance's lips found his. Quiznak he missed this. He missed Lance so open like this. Lifting himself up, his boyfriend sank down onto him with a slight hiss  
"Baby?"  
"It's ok..."  
Waiting until the slight hue of pain faded from Lance's scent, Keith than began to move, loving the way his boyfriend's belly bounced slightly as he did. He couldn't wait until Lance got even bigger... groaning at the thought, he thrust up harder   
"Alpha... right there"  
Pinning Lance's wrists to the bathroom wall, Keith was reduced to grunts as Lance mewed. His orgasm was coming too fast, he wanted this to last, but when Lance came across his chest and swell, Keith couldn't help but cum. Everything about his boyfriend was so erotic, and he wanted so badly to bond with Lance right there. Instead he pulled Lance back up against him, before stepping back under the running water  
"Keith... I really love you. Like... more than I know what to do with"  
"I love you too baby. Even when I'm mad or we're fighting. Last night, I couldn't even sleep properly without you by my side"  
"You're so cheesy"  
"Maybe"

Slow kisses beneath running water gradually turned more heated, and into a second round. Wanting to take his time, Keith carried Lance back to the bed, showering his omega with love and attention, causing Lance to come apart piece by piece beneath him... and then on top of him. Collapsing against his chest, Lance was purring so loudly that the omega seemed to be vibrating against him  
"Feeling good baby?"  
"Mmm... and fat"  
"Fat?"  
"Mhmm..."  
Lance might have been joking, or too relaxed to know what he was saying, but the words stuck in Keith's mind. Lance wasn't fat. He was pregnant, and perfect  
"You're not fat. You're pregnant with our pups, and I love it"  
"Shhh... don't be so loud. I'm sleepy"  
"Baby, we have a mission to do today, but if it all goes well, we can take a small break"  
Pushing himself up, Lance moaned as Keith's knot jostled  
"I suppose we'll have to clean up again"  
"I'll clean you, just rest until my knot goes down"  
"Such a good alpha"  
With all the fighting, it didn't feel like he'd been that good  
"You're frowning. You're getting mad again, aren't you? Well I don't regret bringing Shiro back. I don't"  
"I'm not mad... but baby, you can't do things like that on your own. What if something had happened to you? Or what if something had happened to the pups? When you go off on your own, it's like you're saying you don't need us. I know you're strong, and all I want is for you to take better care of yourself"  
"It's hard to do..."  
Tracing his fingers of Keith's abs, Lance's eyes filled with tears  
"Lance?"  
"I don't want to be this person anymore. I want to be better. I want to be stronger... but it's really hard. I feel like being an omega and being pregnant, I don't have the same place in the team as the rest of you. I'm sick of feeling like I don't belong. I just... I just wanted to bring him back for everyone and prove that I could do it"  
"You have all of us. You're not fighting alone and I would have been just as mad if it had been Pidge or Hunk"  
"It doesn't feel like that"  
So Lance felt he didn't have a place? And that's why he'd been acting so stupid? He was trying to prove his worth... Sliding his hands up Lance's body to cup his boyfriend's face, he wiped at Lance's tears with his thumbs  
"You do. You're the glue holding us all together"  
"If that's the case we're all screwed"  
"Come on. It's not that bad. I trust you with my life"  
"But you don't trust me with mine"  
"I'm just worried. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you"  
"You won't..."  
Leaning back down, Lance nuzzled against his chest. His boyfriend's bump pressing against his own stomach. Why couldn't they just stay like this?

When Keith's knot deflated, Lance slid from his lap and collapsed to his side with a yawn   
"We have to people today, don't we?"  
"Yeah, baby. But Hunk has a surprise for you"  
"Is it food? I'm starving"  
"Maybe, buuuut we have to get out of bed"  
"Can I wear your shirt today?"  
Keith wrinkled his face. Why was Lance even asking? He usually just took his shirts  
"Yeah, of course..."  
"Ok. Clean me now?"  
"You just want the bed to yourself"  
"Am I that transparent?"  
"Maybe"

Keith's shirt barely fitted over Lance's baby bump, and the omega struggled with his own pants. It was like Lance had popped overnight... and he loved it. Even if his boyfriend didn't. Holding Lance's hand, his omega rested his head on Keith's shoulder as they made their way up to the dining room. It'd been vargas since he'd seen Hunk, and the alpha would probably be impatient over being made to wait... everyone probably would be. Oh well. He wasn't really rushing to see Haggar.

 

*  
"Look who decided to join us!"  
Leading Lance over to his usual seat, Keith pulled his omega down into his lap as he sat  
"Better late than never. So, what did we miss?"  
"Well, Hunk says he has a surprise for us all, but then he wouldn't show us"  
"That's because everyone had to be here. I did tell you they'd probably running late"  
Lance's stomach chose that moment to let out a loud growl, his boyfriend's face reddening as it did   
"Sorry. I'm just starving"  
"Without further ado, I present what we've all been waiting for"  
Rising to his feet, Hunk lifted the lid off the large plate in the middle  
"Hunk... is that cake? Do I really get to have cake for breakfast?!"  
"You sure do, but we do need to save some for later"  
Staring at the cake with wide eyes, Lance nodded quickly   
"I've been craving cake for ages!"  
"Well, Keith mentioned..."  
Whipping his head back to look at Keith, Lance grabbed his face and pushed a hard kiss to his lips  
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Best boyfriend ever!"  
"Don't I get a thanks"  
Releasing his face, Lance looked to Hunk   
"Thanks, Hunk! Best friend ever!"  
"I'm glad to hear it. I still expect you to eat something a little more healthy while you're at it"  
"Hunk, no. You cannot ruin the holy institution of cake eating by following it up with something healthy"  
Knowing Hunk, the alpha had probably secretly loaded it with healthy ingredients.

With Lance inhaling his piece of cake, Keith found it a little too sweet for his liking. Placing his fork back down, he looked to Allura   
"Where's Lotor?"  
"He got a transmission last night about some Galra in-fighting, so he's been attempting to sort that out. He'll be joining us when he's done"  
Which meant his mother could have joined them for breakfast  
"Krolia's going to be so happy. She likes cake too"  
"That's why we need to save some for later"  
Nodding his head, Lance sucked on the fork in his mouth in a way that shouldn't be legal  
"Good. That's good. Hunk, this is amazing... Keith, why aren't you eating?"  
"Because I'm enjoying watching you eat"  
It wasn't a lie, but he also didn't want to hurt Hunk's feelings  
"Well stop it"  
Despite his piece being twice the size of everyone else's, Lance finished his slice first. Seemingly not full, the omega's stomach let out another loud rumble  
"Here, eat mine"  
"But..."  
"Lance, it's fine. I'll just have some later"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah"  
Exchanging his plate for Lance's his boyfriend began to demolish what was left of his slice. This was nice. No Lotor. No fighting. Three rounds of amazing sex to start the morning. What more could he ask for?

And he'd jinxed it. 

No sooner had he leant back in his chair, Lance was scrambling out his lap and running from the room. Leaping to his own feet, he chased after his omega, ignoring Pidge calling out to ask what was wrong. Jogging into the kitchen, he found his boyfriend violently vomiting into the kitchen sink  
"Lance? Baby, you ok?"  
"Morning sickness"  
Of course. He should have guessed as much. Walking across the kitchen, he wrapped his arm around Lance's shoulder as he continued to heave. Hopefully, Lance's morning sickness would clear up soon, because he was honestly sick of hearing the pain in each heave. Crooning softly, he rubbed Lance's arm until the omega finally stopped vomiting   
"Better?"  
"Not really. That was awesome cake, and now my stomach feels gross"  
"Here, let me get you some water"  
"No... I just need a dobosh or two. It's gotten better since you came back"  
Yeah, because half the time Lance was throwing up before, it'd probably been thanks to his nerves and anxiety. Kissing the teen's temple, he squeezed Lance tightly for a moment before moving to fetch Lance a glass of water and making his omega sit on the kitchen bench to sip at it until it was all gone.

By the time they finally returned to the table, Lotor had arrived. The man looked exhausted, despite the day having started not that long ago  
"Lance, is everything ok?"  
Lance tensed the moment Lotor said his name, his hold on Keith's hand significantly tighter than before  
"He's fine. How did things go on your end?"  
This time when Keith went to sit, Lance sank down into the chair beside him, instead of back in his lap  
"Not good. One of the rogue commanders attacked a transport of quintessence. They managed to slaughter most of the crew, and make off with the containers"  
"Oh. No. That's not good at all"  
What else was he supposed to say? Sorry you lost your quintessence, but I didn't really mind if you guys wipe each other out? Or at least get rid of the Galra still wanting to war and conquer  
"No. It means we must hurry and make our plans for opening the rift reality"  
"For today, we need to focus on Haggar. Once she's been dealt with, we'll be returning to Olkarion. With all this excitement, I think we could all use a break"  
"Then I propose we leave after breakfast. Lance, I take it will be staying behind?"  
Keith's eyes narrowed at Lotor   
"Why would he do that?"  
"He's clearly not well"  
"I'm fine, thanks"  
The omega sounded royally pissed over being singled out   
"No. The front line is no place for one expecting. I knew there was something different about you the moment I laid eyes on you"  
"Whether or not Lance is pregnant, or not, has no bearing on this mission. Without him, we cannot form Voltron"  
"Yes. Losing the Red Paladin from your ranks would be a blow. Perhaps it's time to think about finding and training a replacement?"  
Keith wanted to tear at Lotor's throat. He hadn't wanted Lotor knowing Lance was expecting, but wearing Keith's shirt... it was practically skin tight  
"Lance is an important and valued part of our team. When or if the time comes to consider a replacement, that will be for all of us to decide"  
"I meant no offence. I just thought having your lover in danger would cloud your judgement"  
"My judgment is just fine"  
"Lotor, what Keith means is that Lance is out sharpshooter, and won't be involved in hand to hand combat, meaning there is very little risk to him or his pups. Unlike Shiro, his people skills are sometimes lacking"  
Thanks Allura  
"I understand. How is Shiro? Have you received any word from him?"  
"Shiro is fine and will be rejoining us after this"  
"Excellent. Now, shall we finish breakfast and prepare?"  
Personally, Keith hoped Lotor choked... and was very disappointed when the man finished his meal without doing so. 

 

*  
Keeping their feed open with Coran, the five Paladin's and Lotor landed on Haggar's ship. Lance had been silent since breakfast, and it hurt. Lotor had bashed the omega's place in front of everyone, but only he and Allura had tried to stick up for Lance. Pidge, Coran and Hunk probably had no idea what to say without making things worse, yet that didn't mean Lance took it that way. 

Dropping down into the corridor, Keith took Lance by the arm and lead his boyfriend a short distance from the others, where Pidge was scanning the ship  
"Lance, talk to me"  
"There's nothing to talk about"  
"I know Lotor's words upset you"  
"No... it's alright. He's right. I am different"  
"You're different in a good way. If you weren't born an omega, I wouldn't have found you. I wouldn't have found the one person I was supposed to be with and you wouldn't be carrying our pups. You're fine the way you are"  
"I wish I could think like that, but you know how Earth treats male omega's... it's just hard"  
"I know baby. It's not fair"  
"Guys, Pidge has a trace on the video feed from the ship. We're going to head to the monitoring room, and try to salvage any footage we can"  
"We're coming, right Lance?"  
Mumbling under his breath, his boyfriend's smart remark had him snorting   
"Yeah. We were both cumming this morning"

Taking point, Keith found himself at Lotor's side, while Hunk and Lance brought up the rear. If he had the choice, he'd much rather preferred Lance was by side, especially seeing Lance's Bayard was in the form of a sword instead of his usual gun. The bright red blade was beautiful... though it did look like it was covered in blood and the gun would have been way more practical, only Lance couldn't get it to swap back to its previous form  
"You want to go left at this next corridor"  
"Left. Got it"  
Darting past Lotor, Keith made it to the intersection first. Something about all this left the hairs on the back of his neck raised. Haggar had to know they were there, but Pidge hadn't said anything about it  
"It's clear"  
It was also clear for the next three floors and right up to the room they were looking for  
"I'll go first"  
"No, I'll go. You stay here for now"  
Pressing his hand on the door pad, the door opened to reveal a half-destroyed room, but no sign of Haggar. Stepping inside, his eyes swept every corner of the room  
"Ok, let's get this video before she makes an appearance"  
Slipping past him, Pidge made her way to the terminal, before immediately getting to work   
"I don't like this. Haggar should have shown her face by now"  
Voicing all their concerns, Allura frowned as she looked around the room  
"Perhaps she is resting"  
"No. I feel like she's got us right where she wants us. Coran, has there been any movement?"  
"Not that I can see. I'm reading you all on the monitors and the energy signature that seems to be Haggar's isn't anywhere near you"  
Walking over to her Lance placed his hand on her shoulder  
"It'll all be alright"  
"I wish I could believe that"  
"Allura, if it bothers you that much, would prefer to wait outside this room?"  
Looking at Pidge working away, she'd already hooked her data slate up to the terminal  
"Pidge, how long do you need?"  
"How longs a piece of string?"  
"Pidge"  
"I don't know. I need to bi-pass the security protocols in place before I can even start searching for the footage"  
"Hunk. You, Lotor and Allura keep watch. Lance, Pidge and I will stay here. That way we should be covered if Haggar tries anything"  
Nodding their confirmation, the three stepped out of the room, and despite no one inside the room touching the door pad, the door slid into place  
"Very funny guys. Let us back in"

Taking a few steps back, Keith placed his hand on the door pad, only for it not to move. Trying again, nothing happened. It'd didn't even seem to read his palm against it  
"Hunk, I need you try from your side"  
"We have. It's not working"  
"What's wrong?"  
Looking to Lance, Keith shook his head  
"The doors busted. They can't get back in and we can't get back out"  
"Uh guys, I think we have an issue"  
Striding away from the door and over to Pidge, Keith stared down at the girl  
"What is it?"  
"See that green cable running from my tablet and into the terminal?"  
"Yeah, what about it"  
"When I looked inside the terminal, I didn't see any kind of tampering, but take a look at the back"  
Leaning over, Keith's eyes widened. Haggar had boobytrapped the terminal with a small explosive device, that was pretty much identical to the ones the blade used. The main difference being that he couldn't see a way to turn it off  
"Pidge, I'll take a look at this. Whatever you do, don't let Lance know"  
They couldn't risk having Hunk blast the door down. There was a chance the explosion or sparks from the shot could trigger the explosive device. Maybe with his knife and Lance's sword they'd be able to cut through the door, but there was no way to tell how long they had. Vaulting over the terminal, the alpha crouched down. Quiznak. It really was giving him nothing  
"Keith?"  
"Pidge, leave the tablet and get as close to the door as you can"  
"What? Why? Can't you disarm it?"  
"No, I don't think we have enough time"  
Vaulting back over the terminal, Keith grabbed Pidge by the arm as they ran towards Lance. His only thoughts were to protect his boyfriend as the device detonated behind them. All three were caught in the explosion, Lance was launched backwards, striking his head on the wall, while both Keith and Pidge were sent flying into the door, which crumbled under their combined weight, and did nothing to stop their flight. Instead the corridor wall across from the door did  
"Keith! Pidge! Rushing to their sides, Keith could barely make Allura's face out. His ears were ringing and he'd clearly cut his face thanks to the blood stinging his eyes. Coughing as he pushed himself up, his fingers were wet with blood. Initially he thought it was, until his unfocused vision found Pidge. The female alpha's back was torn to shreds by shrapnel as she laid there unmoving   
"Pidge!"  
Trying to get to Pidge, it was Lotor who pulled him away as Allura and Hunk carefully assessed whether or not Pidge could be moved  
"Where's Lance?"  
Keith's heart dropped, and he shoved Lotor away as hard as he could. Swaying as he tried to walk, he fell hard to his knees. Given how nauseous he was, he was more than likely concussed  
"We need to get back to the castle. Coran, there's been an explosion. Pidge is badly wounded, but we don't know how Lance is"  
"Understood, I'll have pods ready"  
Unable to do much more than crawl, Keith was left trying to crawl to Lance as Lotor easily strode over to the room. It felt like an eternity before Lotor carried Lance from the room. The omega was awake and lucid as Lotor lowered him down  
"Keith!"  
"Don't worry about me. How are you?"  
"I smacked my head on the wall... oh my god. Pidge..."  
"We need to get her back to the castle as soon as possible"  
"I'll take point"  
With Lance pulling him to his feet, they both swayed as they fell behind the group. He was so stupid. He should have expected something like that. When Lance stumble to a stop, Keith's stomach rolled, causing him to throw up at their feet   
"What is it?!"  
"Haggar. She's behind us"  
Trying to look back, a jarring pain shot through his neck, as red and black spot danced across his vision. That couldn't be good  
"Allura, get them out of here! I'll take care of the witch"  
"Lotor, you can't!"

"Lotor!"  
The voice that called the man's name made Keith shiver. It was overly sweet, like a relative calling for a child they didn't particularly love. With Lance moving again, they passed Lotor  
"Lotor my son... I can't believe I forgot... my son"  
"No. It can't be!"  
"Lotor, come on!"  
Whether Lotor followed or not, Keith didn't know. The ringing in his ears now so severe... it was all he could do just to stay conscious. He tried his hardest to keep going for Lance's sake, but when Lance had to lower him and help the others get Pidge out, his world finally turned black.

 

*  
Falling out the healing pod less than gracefully, Keith had no idea what had happened. Allura, Coran, and Hunk were all huddled together one the edge of the central platform, arms around each other and a sadness hung in the air. Stumbling forward, he was brought to a stop by strong arms wrapping around his waist  
"Keith!"  
"Mum?"  
Turning slowly in her arms, he was even more confused  
"Mum, what happened?"  
"There was an explosion on Haggar's ship. You, Pidge and Lance were caught in it"  
All at once everything came back... well up to trying to get Pidge away from the small device   
"Pidge..."  
"She's still healing. Her back copped most of the shrapnel. But you... your heart stopped and we had to revive you..."  
"My heart stopped?"  
"Lance wouldn't give up. He gave you CPR all the way up here..."  
Oh god... he'd just told Lance he didn't know what he'd do if he'd lost him, and now he'd been the one to nearly die... no... he had... What had his boyfriend gone through? Pulling back just enough to look at the pods, Pidge was shirtless, though her dignity was protected by her sports bra, Lance, on the other hand, was shirtless, and his pants stained red with blood. If only he'd done his job better... Tears formed in the alpha's eyes  
"Mum... I..."  
He didn't know what, he just felt so incredibly guilty  
"Keith?"  
Jumping at Allura's soft voice, his mother let him go, allowing him to face his friends  
"Allura..."  
Rushing to him, he found all three of them pulling him into a rough hug  
"Don't you ever scare me like that again"  
"I'm so sorry. This is my fault..."  
"No. This is Haggar's fault. You, and Lance and Pidge... we will bring an end to her"  
Allura's voice held a fire that scorched him. Such words from the gentle and sweet princess weren't right. Awkwardly the hug broke apart, and his mother placed her hand on his shoulder  
"You need to rest"  
"No. Not until Pidge and Lance are both out"  
"Keith, maybe Krolia's right? Your heart stopped..."  
"How can I just leave them? And if my heart stopped, why am I the first out?"  
Allura and Coran both looked to Hunk  
"Hunk?"  
"Pidge woke up as we were removing the shrapnel... Lance..."  
"What about Lance?"  
"Lance started bleeding... he worked on you to keep you alive all the way up here, and he wouldn't stop... even when we thought it was too late... but the moment he got your heart started, we got you into the pod. After that, he took off... he kept going while we were here working on Pidge. He pushed himself too far, and was half crazed thinking you were gone"  
Uncharacteristically Keith whined at the thought. As stupid as it sounded, he should have been there for Lance  
"How long have they been in?"  
"2 quintants now..."  
2 quintants. Quiznak. That meant there were things that needed to be done  
"What happened to Lotor and what happened with the Lions? Has there been any movement on Haggar's ship?"  
Coran answered this time  
"Lance retrieved Lotor, as well as the Green and Black Lions. Haggar's ship exploded shortly after Lance and Lotor returned, but we don't know for sure if Haggar was on it. Lotor left yesterday. It seems accepting Haggar was Honerva was too much for him, and he left saying he needed to deal with something. Though he didn't elaborate. He did however promise to get in touch soon. We took the initiative, and the castle is now on its way back to Olkarion"  
All that had happened? Lance had well and truly stepped up, and though he understood the other were busy working to save Pidge, they should have stopped Lance. His mother should have stopped Lance. If Lance lost the pups, he'd never forgive any of them... except for Pidge. She would have tried to stop Lance or at least help him... but then again... no. He couldn't go there.

When it became clear to everyone that he wasn't leaving the room, his mother did. Disappearing for nearly a varga, before returning with her arms full of blankets and food. Begrudgingly, Keith allowed her to make up a bed for him on the centre platform, while he ate. He wasn't especially hungry, in fact his stomach was rolling nonstop, but didn't want to be lectured over not eating. His alpha was beyond worried about Lance, he could feel it scratching and snarling at not being able to do anything. Coming to sit by him, Krolia placed an arm around his waist  
"Lance will be alright. So will the pups"  
"You don't know that. He was bleeding"  
"He was, but I don't think it was from the pups..."  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It smelt like normal blood. There were no traces of slick in the scent"  
"So he was hurt? He wasn't losing the pups?"  
"I don't think so... I can't say for sure though. I might have lost my own head when I saw you"  
"Mum. I feel like I let everyone down. I don't know what to say to Pidge or to Lance"  
"Lance will just be happy to see you, and Pidge. Pidge is no pushover. You guys are like family"  
"Family doesn't let family get blown up"  
"From what Lance was saying, it sounded like you tried to get both he and Pidge away from the explosion"  
"Because that worked out well"  
"You're all alive. That's the main thing. Now get some rest before I knock you out myself"  
"You wouldn't"  
"Wouldn't I?"  
She would. He didn't doubt that for a second   
"Will you stay with me?"  
"I'm not going anywhere"


	34. Chapter 34

"Lance!"  
The glass on the healing pod had barely slid away when Lance found his name being called. Stepping out, the omega barely had time to process what was happening before he was gathered up into Keith's arms. Thank god. Thank god Keith was alright  
"Baby, I've been so worried"  
"You don't have to worry, I'm ok... but you..."  
Letting out a sob, he couldn't stop the tears that began to gush from his eyes. He thought his boyfriend would never wake up. He thought he'd lost his alpha. His sobs turned to wails as he felt the rest of his friends wrap their arms around the pair of them  
"I thought you were dead"  
"No baby. You saved me"  
"Your heart stopped and you weren't breathing"  
"Shhh... it's over now"  
"I..."  
"Shhhh baby"  
Rocking him, Keith nuzzled his neck. He was really alive. They'd made it in time. When he'd pulled Keith from Red, his alpha's lips were already turning blue, after that Hunk had found a utility trolley to place Keith on, and Lance had straddled his lap, preforming CPR all the way up to the pods... he'd been so sure... so sure Keith wouldn't come back to him. Unable to remain standing, he slumped against his alpha and let Keith control the fall to floor  
"I... I was so sure..."  
"Baby, I'm ok. I'm here. Pidge is ok too, she woke up just before you"  
Lance's head shot up, immediately looking for Pidge. The female alpha was sandwiched between Allura and Coran   
"P-Pidge... oh, thank god..."  
"Hey, Lance. I'm so happy you're awake"  
"I'm fine... What about you though?"  
"I'm ok. I'm sorry, because of me, you nearly lost Keith and the pups"  
"No. Not because of you. Never you Pidge. I thought I lost both of you"  
The relief he felt left him limp. They were both really alright. His family were all present and accounted for, and above all, alive and breathing. Whining softly, he buried his face back against Keith's chest as he tried to remember how to breathe  
"Can I get in on this?"  
Hearing Krolia, Lance nodded against Keith. There was no way he was letting go of Keith, even if he'd been physically able to. When Keith had nearly died, the pain he'd felt in his heart... he had no word for it. It was like his heart had burst, and then the pain in his stomach had started and the bleeding, but if he'd been in the healing pod, that would have saved the pups too. He knew that from trying to abort Shiro's pups. Quiznak. His thoughts were so scattered. He was just so happy  
"Lance?"  
"Don't ever leave me alone again"  
"I'm so sorry baby. I'm sorry I scared you and I'm so proud of you. You didn't give up"  
"If I'd given up, you'd be dead"  
Keith was a selfish jerk for nearly dying. He'd told him to take care of himself and then pulled a stunt like that. He was selfish and cruel  
"Guys, let's give them some space"  
"No. No... don't leave me"  
He didn't want any of his friends to leave. His omega was going crazy, and he needed them all where he could feel and smell them. At least until he calmed  
"You heard him, we're not to leave him. Hunk, do you have anything we can watch?"  
"Maybe. Pidge?"  
"I have some files from Earth that were in the stuff I took from the Galaxy Garrison, why?"  
"Because Lance doesn't want to be alone, and I honestly don't want to let anyone out my sights right now. We nearly lost him and we nearly lost you Pidge. I think what we need right now is some quality time together..."  
Hearing Keith give voice to his thoughts, Lance nodded   
"My omega's still freaking out. I'm scared I'm going to wake up and find you and Keith dead... so please Pidge"  
"How can I say no to that? I think there's still blankets and stuff in the games room. It'll be a tight fit though"  
"I'll get the snacks and meet you there"  
No. He didn't want Hunk to go either. Hunk had been hurt too. He didn't say anything, but Lance had smelt it. He knew he had  
"Well I need to get dressed. Keith, you and Lance will probably want to change too"  
"No!"  
Trying to clutch Keith harder, everyone was leaving... just like he didn't want. 

 

*  
With an armful of distressed omega, Keith didn't know what to do. They'd all been in the same clothes for quintants now, and when the food his mother had brought down ran out, they simply didn't eat. They'd all been that worried for Pidge and Lance... they all needed food and needed to change, but Lance's scent had them all worried. He was beyond distraught at the thought of parting with them, even so they could prepare to watch whatever Pidge had downloaded  
"Baby, it's ok. Everyone's ok. I'm ok, and you're ok. Let's get you off the floor"  
"No! Everyone's going to leave"  
"No ones leaving. We're all right here. What if mum grabs the things we need? Is that alright?"  
"I don't want her to go either"  
"She's not leaving... none of us are leaving"  
Keith had expected Lance to be more together than this now that he knew he and Pidge were alright, but his clinginess was almost scary. Usually when he was worked up, Lance didn't want to see anyone but him, but now he wanted their whole group. He was much more rattled than Keith could have ever expected. Looking over his boyfriend's head, he nodded at Coran and then his mother  
"Guys, can you grab whatever we'll need. Fresh uniforms, blankets, food... and whatever else, and then join us? We're not going to be able to leave him without him self imploding further"  
"Sure can. I'll even round up the mice"  
"Good idea. It'll be a Voltron family movie marathon. Everything else can wait for now"

Carrying Lance to the games room, the omega would whine each time Hunk and Pidge got too far in front them, meaning the whole group was reduced to Keith's snail pace. If that wasn't bad enough, when they finally made it there, the room was a total mess. Lance had at some point holed up there, or at least that was Keith's guess from the crumbs and empty food containers everywhere  
"You know, I've been wondering where half these containers got to. I didn't think he'd been coming here"  
"I didn't know about it either. But I'd say it hasn't been recently, most of these containers are mouldy"  
"You'll have to keep him out here while we clean up a little. Mould's not good for the lungs as it is, let alone the lungs of pregnant omega's"  
Lance didn't like it one bit. The moment Hunk and Pidge disappeared behind the door, the omega started flailing in his arms, trying to get free and back to them  
"Baby. Baby calm down. They're ok. They're right there"  
Shaking his head, Lance wouldn't stop whining for their friends, continuing his struggles until Pidge appeared with a pile of dirty dishes   
"It's safe now. Allura and Hunk are just remaking the bed"  
"P-Pidge?"  
"I'm right here Lance"  
Reaching out for her, the female alpha awkwardly moved into his arms   
"Keith, he smells scared"  
"Yeah. He started struggling the minute the door closed. I don't think he knows what he's doing right now"  
"Do you think he's still disoriented from the explosion or from being in the pod"  
"Probably both. If we can settled him enough to get him to sleep, he should be alright after that"  
Hopefully. Because there was no quiznakking way he was going to sleep with Hunk and Pidge in their bed forever. He was jealous enough as it was, and if Lance hadn't been through such a severe shock, he would have locked them both away  
"Guys, we're all good in here, come on in"

Sitting in the middle of the group, Keith had Lance between his knees, his arms were wrapped around Lance with his chin resting on his boyfriend's shoulder, while the omega held Hunk and Pidge's hands. Pidge couldn't even get up to put anything on the screen because each time she so much as repositioned Lance would whine. The five of them were effectively stuck until Coran and his mother returned   
"Aw, you guys look so sweet together"  
"We might look sweet, but we can't move. Lance starts to freak out each time we do"  
"That's alright. Pidge can talk me through setting things up, while Coran hands out the food"  
"I'm on it! It's a good thing we're headed back to Olkarion, we're running low on food supplies"  
"That's because Lance has been ravenous"  
Glaring at Hunk, he didn't need his boyfriend stressing further  
"I'll pay for the extra, just don't talk about it in front of Lance. He's super sensitive about it as it is"  
"We know he can't help it. He doesn't need to be"  
"Well he is. I've got money and things from working for the Blade, so when we get back to Olkarion, we'll all shopping"  
"Stuff shopping. Let me talk to Kolivan. He can give me good Galra targets we can hit"  
"Mum..."  
"It's fine, besides, you guys don't exactly get paid for your work"  
"Just because we have Galra enemies, it doesn't mean Voltron is going to throw their weight around and act like pirates. No. We'll do things as legal as possible"  
"Fine. But don't say I didn't offer, now move over, I want to sit next to Hunk"

The bed was definitely not designed for 2 Altean's, 3 humans, 1 Galra and a half Galra, but at least it was cosy. Having talked his mother through pulling up video feed from her laptop, Keith was now seeing a completely different side to Lance, Pidge and Hunk  
"Pidge, did you really have to tell her how to put the recordings of our training simulations on?"  
"You're just dirty because Iverson told you vomit is not an approved lubricant"  
"Maybe. You know, I forgot about Lance calling himself "the tailor""  
"I hadn't. Is so weird though. It feels like this was a whole lifetime ago"  
"That's because it was. None of ever imagined sneaking out would lead to this"  
"I'm glad it did though"  
"Yeah. Me too"  
For Keith though, all he could see was how much confidence Lance had lost. When had his cocky boyfriend become so quiet? Stupid question.

From the training videos, they moved into personal interview files. Most of them were boring, so for the most part they skimmed through them in disinterest  
"Oh! Oh I forgot! Krolia, pass me the controller"  
Taking them all by surprise, Pidge was practically bouncing in her spot. It was nice to see there was no ill effects from the back full of shrapnel, but her sudden happiness kept jostling Lance   
"Pidge! Stop it. He's nearly asleep"  
Looking somewhat sheepish, Pidge poked her tongue out  
"I just remembered something really cool"  
"Is it our kind of cool? Or is it nerdy cool?"  
"Both. Remember how we left our feed to Coran open, well, what was downloading onto my tablet was streaming straight through back to the castle! I can't believe I forgot"  
"Pidge. English"  
"I'm saying I have some of the data from Haggar's ship!"  
Everyone let out a collective groan   
"Pidge, can't this wait? We were having Voltron chill time"  
"Don't you want to see what Haggar was up to?"  
"Not unless she's been singing karaoke"  
Elbowing him, Pidge wasn't going to be stopped. Tapping away on the controller, she pulled up page after page  
"Pidge, Keith's right. You're killing movie night"  
"Not you too Hunk. I'm just about done. This would be easier if Lance would let my hand go"  
"Maybe it's a sign we should just take a break"  
"We'll take a break when we get back to Olkarion. Anyway, it's done"

Despite being only connected for moments, Pidge had pulled a huge amount of video. Though the quality wasn't great, the audio wasn't terrible. Fast forwarding until Haggar came onto the vision, Pidge then placed the remote down and leant forward   
"She's saying something"  
"She's saying she's boring and we should watch something else"  
"Shhhh..."  
On the screen Haggar had one of her minions on their knees, with her hand on his forehead, the Galra glowed blue before falling sideways, clearly dead  
"More. I need more... more power"  
"Pidge..."  
"Shhh!"  
"Atlantis..."  
Having been ready to phase the whole video feed out, Keith's attention was caught completely by that one word  
"Did she just say Atlantis?!"  
"I think she did!"   
Turning the volume up, Pidge was just in time to deafen them all with static as the video feed turned to fuzzy black and white dots  
"Guys! She said Atlantis?!"  
Lance was going to love this  
"We're talking about thee Atlantis? The mythical advance city lost to time? Pidge, do you have more?"  
"Oh, so now you're all interested"  
"Guys... what's Atlantis? I think Lance said something about it once?"  
Great. Now Allura was getting swept up in the excitement gripping Pidge and Hunk   
"Atlantis is thought to be a myth. It was this crazy advanced place, and then one day it just disappeared. There's a lot of mentions of it in old literature on Earth, but as no traces of it have ever been found, it's assumed it was a myth. I never thought we'd hear about it from Haggar!"  
"Guys, can you please keep it down, Lance is resting"  
"Aren't you excited Keith? Imagine if Atlantis is real! We could actually find it!"  
Whining against him, Lance wriggled as if trying to turn and hide against Keith's chest  
"What was it that Lance said? Something about imagine if Atlantis was an Altean city?"  
"Something like that. Altean and Atlantis certainly are similar"  
"I can't believe I never thought about it"  
"No. You can't believe that Lance suggested it first. Pull up the next video"

Most of the videos were Haggar draining her crew of their life. They did however find the one of Lotor's minions escaping, which reminded Keith that they should probably feed them. He might have slightly forgotten all about them again. Finally finding the video feed from what seemed to be Haggar's personal quarters, the woman was half crazed as she stalked around, muttering about "how it all made sense now" and how "she needed more power". Atlantis was mentioned half a dozen times, though she didn't seem to know where it was, only that she'd learnt about it existence through Oriande. During this time Lance finally fell asleep against him, allowing both Hunk and Pidge to shower and change. Without having to hold his hands anymore, the alpha's moved to sit closer to the screens and began watching the surveillance videos all over again  
"Keith, why don't you go clean up. I can take care of Lance while you're gone"  
"No, I'll take him. He needs to be cleaned up too, but if you like, can you bring out clothes and towels into the bathroom?"  
"Sure, do you need help with him?"  
"I'll figure something out"  
After all, the games was just a converted quarters room complete with attached bathroom. If something went wrong, all he had to do was yell out.

 

*  
After sitting Lance on the toilet, Keith stripped his boyfriend carefully, though Lance was seemingly dead to the world. A little help would have been nice, but if Lance was sleeping, he wasn't going to get upset about his friends not being by his side. Gathering him into his arms again, Keith carried Lance over to the shower, making sure to adjust the taps before settling Lance on the shower floor. He wasn't taking the risk of Lance waking and slipping from his arms. 

Starting by washing Lance's hair, Keith worked his was down, loving the feel of his boyfriend beneath his fingers. The omega's small breasts were now big enough to cup his hands over, and the swell of Lance's stomach had small stretch marks appearing on the sides. He didn't care what anyone said, he was proud of his mates growing and changing body. Keeping his touches light, he only paused when it came to cleaning Lance's more intimate areas. He felt like a total pervert for spreading Lance's legs, but he had to know if Lance had been bleeding, and upon inspection, he found he had. His mother had been wrong... or Lance had been bleeding for another reason. Whatever it was, it left a lump in his throat, and his heart racing. Pulling Lance into his lap, he buried his face against his boyfriend as he began to cry. He could have died. He could have left his pups fatherless and his omega broken. His earnest tears turned to soft sobs as all the stress he'd been under broke through his walls.

"Keith, what's wrong?"  
"I love you, Lance. I love you so much"  
Nuzzling his cheek, Lance kissed the corner of his mouth  
"I love you too. Did I have another episode?"  
"Kind of. I think it was more the relief that we're all ok"  
"Oh... was I embarrassing?"  
"Baby, you could never be embarrassing. How are you feeling?"  
"Really tired and scared"  
"Scared?"  
"You're crying"  
"This is nothing"  
"It's not nothing. I know you only cry when it gets too much and you can't hold it back anymore"  
"Damn you're good. I'm just relieved you and the pups are alright. That everyone's alright"  
"My silly alpha. I couldn't leave you by yourself... even if you did try to leave me"  
"No baby. I'm never going to leave you, and I hate that I put you through this"  
"Keith, can we not talk about it anymore. I don't want to remember"  
"I'm sorry baby..."   
With Lance awake, the omega wrapped his arms around him, rocking him gently as he hushed him. When they got to Olkarion, they were definitely taking a break. Just the two of them. He was going to ask his omega to bond with him, to become his and his alone for the rest of their lives.

 

*  
Warm and safe in Keith's arms, his boyfriend had dried him down, before helping him dress. His own shirts had slightly more room than Keith's, but not by much. He'd have to ask Coran about having a new uniform made, and Keith if they could go shopping. Holding Keith's hand, they'd walked from the bathroom and out into the games room  
"Lance, you're up?"  
"Uh yeah. Keith said I had an episode"  
"I wouldn't call it an episode, you just didn't want any of us to leave"  
Blushing, Lance felt like an idiot, but Pidge climbed up from the floor. The alpha moving to wrap her arms around him  
"It was sweet. How are you feeling now?"  
"Better. I'm so happy to see you. I was so scared for you"  
"Yeah. We were all a bit shaken after what happened, so we've been watching movies in here"  
"Anything good?"  
"Well, actually. Have you heard of Atlantis?"  
Lance wrinkled his face as Pidge pulled away  
"Atlantis? Don't kid with me Pidge"  
"I'm not. Haggar was talking about it. Atlantis is real"  
"No. No way!"  
His tiredness vanished in an instant. Slapping their hands together in a high 10, they both jumped happily on the spot  
"It's real!"  
"It's so real"  
"Pidge, we have to find it!"  
"I know! Imagine if it's on Earth!"  
"Earth! The beaches!"  
"Stuff the beaches! Altean tech!"  
"Ok guys. That's enough. Lance needs to eat and rest. We don't even know if Atlantis is real"  
Spinning back to Keith, Lance's smile fell. Keith looked slightly hurt, no doubt because the alpha had just been crying and now all his attention was on Pidge  
"Ok. But can I lay in your arms? I'm all excited and happy and sleepy and hungry"  
"How's that different from normal?"  
"Very funny Hunk"

Lance didn't know it, but laying back in Keith's arms, he was pretty much in the same position he'd been before waking up in the shower. Having all his friends this close made him feel stupidly happy because they were all alright. Even Pidge. She'd been so badly hurt. Purring contently, he moved Keith's hands to his stomach before placing his own over them. Everything right now was so perfect and Atlantis could actually exist.


	35. Chapter 35

Olkarion! They were finally back and Lance couldn't be happier to be off the castle. After being trapped on the castle for the last few movements, he'd missed having firm land beneath his feet. Or Keith's feet. He'd barely made it off the castle before his alpha had swept him off his feet and carried him down to the Olakarion village by the main terrace.

It'd been two quintants since then, and he'd had Keith to himself the whole time. Curled up in the bed of the one room cottage they were using, they hadn't done anything sexual, instead they'd napped and shared kisses, completely alone in their own little world. And the greatest part of it all was the fact he didn't have to put clothes on, they were both living in their boxers like there wasn't a war going on. This peace thing was nice. Rolling over, Lance snaked his arm around Keith and pulled his alpha back from the edge of the bed  
"Keith... come back to bed"  
"In a minute baby. I need to check my messages"  
"But I miss you"  
"I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere"  
"Your bodies here, but you're thinking about work"  
Laughing lightly, Keith finally gave into his tugging. Flopping back so he was laying across Lance's stomach and side  
"Are you jealous?"  
"Yes. I want you all to myself"  
"And you'll have me all to yourself as soon as I tell the others that I'm taking care of you"  
Pouting, Lance sighed softly  
"I suppose you can let them know. Only if we can take a bath together. We haven't done that yet"  
Olkarion houses were awesome. Fresh water ran in through vines, and the bathroom had the biggest bath he'd ever seen. According to Keith, who'd arranged everything with Ryner, one of the bottles in the bathroom was supposed to be bubble bath, which he couldn't wait to try  
"How about I start filling the bath, while I reply to the others? That way both things get done and you can have me back again"  
"Ok. I want bubbles, can we have bubbles"  
"Of course we can baby"

Baths were amazing. More than amazing. He didn't have a word for it, but it was. The bath was fashioned out of a tree root, which pulsed green and pink like a tiny light show. Not that his attention was really on it. With his head against Keith's chest and his pregnant stomach resting on his boyfriend's knee, the warm water felt amazing on his aching muscles  
"You still awake?"  
"Mhmm. Have I thanked you for all of this?"  
"Only about a hundred times, but I'm happy you're happy"  
Pressing a kiss to the top of his head, Lance purred at the action  
"I am. I really am. I know I should be worrying about what's happening out there, but this is like a dream"  
"It's not a dream baby, and you have nothing to worry about. Allura reached out to Lotor and told him we have his three little minions, so that's taken care of. Mum's filled Kolivan in on everything. There were no major issues in our absence and Ryner said we could use this place as long as we wanted"  
"It all sounds too good to be true"  
"No. We all needed down time. Pidge and Hunk are back coding their learning game. Coran got some Olkari tech to play with, and Allura is dealing with Lotor, but when she's not, she's been playing with the children"  
That was good, though he did realise how self centred he'd been. He hadn't really thought of his friends since Keith swept him away from them  
"You ok baby?"  
"Yeah. I'm just happy they're all happy"  
"We can go see them if you want to?"  
"Maybe. But not right now. Can you believe this is a root? Or these bubbles? They're insane"  
Laughing, Keith pulled him up for a kiss, before staring down at him so lovingly that his breath caught  
"You're so beautiful"  
"No I'm not. My hairs long, and I'm fat and tall"  
Threading his fingers through Lance's hair, Keith hummed  
"Do you want me to cut it?"  
"You can cut hair?"  
"Who do you think did mine?"  
"Do you promise not to give me a mullet like yours?"  
Scowling, Keith tried to seem serious, before failing  
"Of course I won't"  
"Ok. I trust you"  
"I know baby"  
Snuggling against Keith, Lance sighed happily.

Having fallen asleep in the bath, his alpha had let him sleep until the warm water had cooled to room temperature. Helping him from the bath, Keith's hands roamed across his hips, before giving his arse a firm squeezed. Squeaking, Lance clutched Keith's arms  
"Keith!"  
"I couldn't help myself. Not when you're so sexy"  
"I'm not the sexy one, you are"  
"No, I'm pretty sure it's you"  
Starting to massage his arse, his alpha's lips found his  
"I want you baby"  
"I want you too"  
Letting Keith guide him backwards, his knees folded when his legs hit the bed  
"How do you want me?"  
"Like this"  
Sinking between his legs, Keith nuzzled into his crotch, before lifting his legs onto his shoulders. A jolt of pleasure had him gasping as Keith's tongue ran over his opening, his slick began flowing as his alpha continued to lick, before finally sliding his tongue in. It felt incredible. Every time Keith touched him like this it always felt incredible, even when he wasn't sure what he wanted or how he felt. Moaning, his back arched as Keith's fingers joined his tongue, and Lance swore his eyes rolled back. This alpha truly loved and wanted him. Continuing to tongue and eat him out, Lance's pleasure turned to panic, letting out a panicked sob, he tried to push Keith off   
"What? Lance. What's wrong?"  
Shaking his head, he curled into a ball on his side. He couldn't tell Keith that while he making him feel amazing, he'd remembered Shiro's words to him "...You like acting all meek and having us alpha's chase after your slut arse, but when it's over, you turn away and say you never wanted it...". He couldn't tell him. This was all so perfect, and now he was ruining it. Climbing into the bed behind him, Keith pulled him close and hushed him   
"Baby?"  
"I'm sorry"  
"Shhh, it's ok. You don't need to be sorry"  
"I do. I'm ruining everything"  
"You're not ruining anything"  
"I am... I'm dirty!"  
"Lance, you're not dirty. You're perfect baby"  
"No, I'm not..."  
"You are baby"  
If he was perfect, he wouldn't be thinking of Shiro while Keith was doing that... whining, he could feel himself still slicking  
"Shhhh. I'm here"  
Holding him until he stopped crying, Lance couldn't even look Keith in the eye when he crawled from his arms   
"I... I need to clean up"  
"Alright. Do you need some help?"  
"No... just... I'm sorry"

Despite Keith's reassurances, he was sure he'd ruined things, so that night when they were invited to dinner with the rest of the village, he consented. He wanted to put some space between himself and Keith, before he upset his alpha further. Dressing, he'd left before Keith was even half dressed. Why did he have to be so messed up?

 

*  
Groaning to himself, Keith wished Lance would listen. The last two days had been magical, even if Lance had had a meltdown during oral sex. He didn't mind. He knew Lance couldn't help it, but his boyfriend had still taken off. After what had happened, and his near death experience, he wanted to do something extra special. That's why he'd called ahead to Ryner and asked if they could use one of the village houses. In his mind, he had it all planned out. Ryner had said they were going to hold a festival of sorts now Voltron was back, to celebrate that and lift the spirits of those still in hospital. It was tonight that he intended to ask Lance to bond with him.

Heading out the cottage, the festival was well underway outside. In the middle of it all, Allura was dancing with Keith, while Hunk and Pidge seemed to be stepping on each other's feet as they tried to follow the steps. Quiznak. He was sooo nervous. All he wanted was for Lance to be happy  
"Keith! Come join us!"  
Waving him over, Coran already seemed to be intoxicated, while a small group of Olkari women were hanging by his side. Crossing over to the man, Keith tried to play it cool  
"You look like you're having fun?"  
"Ladies love a moustache!"  
"I'm sure they do"  
"Have you thought about growing a moustache?"  
"I don't think mine could ever be as magnificent as yours"  
"Yes, it is magnificent. Nothing like King Alfor's though"  
"I'm sure he'd be proud of you. Sorry Coran, I've got to go catch Lance"

Waiting on the sidelines until Lance finally made his way around him. Stumbling from Allura, Lance gasped for breath before looking up at him  
"Hey..."  
"Hey, you. Having fun?"  
"I was, but too much spinning. I feel sick now"  
Taking Lance by the hand, he stepped forward, wrapping his free arm around his boyfriend's waist  
"Keith?"  
"I just want to hold you. There's no way in hell I'm dancing"  
"It's ok. They don't expect you too. Allura's a natural though"  
"She was probably taught all sorts of etiquette growing up"  
"Probably. Do you wanna find a seat?"  
"Sure"

Letting Lance pull him through the crowds, the came to sit near a fire towards the back of everything. Cuddling into Lance, Keith kissed his cheek  
"Better?"  
"Yeah. Dancing was fun, but my boobs hurt and so does my belly"  
"You are pregnant. I'm pretty sure it comes with the territory"  
"You don't say. Hey. Pidge and I were talking before, do you think we're going back to Earth soon?"  
Taken back by the question, Keith frowned  
"Why?"  
"Well, we were thinking Atlantis might be on Earth, and we were talking about what we'd do when we got home"  
"You want to go back to Earth?"  
Lance's smile fell  
"Yeah. Don't you?"  
"I don't really have a reason to"  
"Oh. I suppose that's right... I mean, your mum's out here"  
"Yeah. Lance, we don't know if Atlantis is actually a thing"  
"How can it not be? Haggar found out about it. She called it by that name. It has to be real"  
"Lance, can we not talk about work?"  
Lance hummed before nodding  
"What do you want to talk about then?"  
"About earlier?"  
His boyfriend immediately tensed   
"Keith..."  
"I just wanted to say, I love you, and I was actually hoping that maybe..."

"Lance! Keith! You guys have to try this!"  
Hunk! Really? Out of all the times, in all the places, the alpha had to pick now?!  
"Is it food?"  
"Yeah! They promised to show me how to make it"  
Ignoring the intimate setting, Hunk plonked himself down next to Lance and handing a bowl of rice looking food to him  
"It's so good"  
Taking the spoon, Lance tried the strange rice. His whole face lighting up  
"This is amazing. Keith, you have to try this. Wait you were about to say something?"  
"No. It doesn't matter now. You enjoy your food and I'll just see you back at the cottage"  
"Ok..."

With his romantic plans ruined, Keith made his way back to the cottage alone.

 

*  
"Keith... Keith, wake up"  
Slapping at Lance's hands, his boyfriend laughed as continued to poke at him  
"Lance, I'm trying to sleep"  
"But I missssssed you!"  
Groaning as he gave up, Keith peaked at Lance, finding his boyfriend grinning down at him  
"Lance?"  
"Oh good. You're awake! Guess what?"  
"What?"  
"Hunk's going to the Space Mall tomorrow. He said he'd take me!"  
"Hunk's what now?"  
"He's going to the Space Mall and said I could go with him"  
"I thought you were sick of ships?"  
"I am... buuuut I thought maybe you'd like to come with me"  
He said he'd pay for Lance's extra food, but he didn't expect Hunk to hit up the Space Mall so soon  
"I thought maybe we could just spend the day here... you know, just the two of us"  
"So you don't want to come?"  
"Well I did plan to be here with you... do you not want me to go?"  
"I didn't say that"  
"Then I can?"  
"I didn't say that either. What time is it?"  
"I don't know... it's either really late or really early"  
"Then you should be sleeping"  
"I don't want to sleep"  
"Then I should be sleeping"  
"But Keith..."  
"Lance, we'll talk about it in the morning. Now come here"  
Doing as asked, Lance snuggled into his side, before bolting back up  
"Lance?"  
"Gotta pee"  
Groaning again, his boyfriend climbed over him as he headed to the bathroom. More asleep than awake, Keith felt Lance climb back into bed. They'd talk about this Space Mall thing in the morning.

Only when the morning came, Keith woke to an empty bed and a note from Lance. Apparently Lance hadn't wanted to wake him. So it was fine when Lance wanted to do something, but heaven forbid Keith checked his messages to make sure he wasn't needed. He'd been so close to asking Lance to bond with him, and now his omega had run off with another alpha. Even if it wasn't like that, he wasn't happy.

"Keith? Keith, are you there?"  
Still sulking in bed, Allura's soft voice came from his communicator. Rolling to the side of the bed, Keith picked his communicator up  
"Yeah Allura. What is it?"  
"Lotor's going to be arriving shortly. I thought you'd want to be here?"  
"Give me 10, and I'll be right up"  
"Great! See you soon"

Scuffing his feet as he walked, Keith was a ball of bitterness as he made his way to the landing pad that Lotor would be using. Allura was already prepared, she had both Coran and Pidge with her, as well as Lotor's three minions. Kicking the rock beneath his feet, Keith really didn't want to deal with Lotor. He wanted to jump in his Lion and chased down Hunk and Lance. The pair alone... all he could think was it'd be trouble  
"Hi Keith. Wow. You do not look happy"  
"Geez. Thanks Pidge"  
Snapping at the girl, he felt like an arse  
"Let me guess. You're mad because Lance went with Hunk"  
"Without even talking to me. Yes"  
"Well we're all going to meet them there after Lotor leaves, so you can ride with us"  
"I wouldn't dream of making you go out your way. Where's Krolia?"  
"She's working out"  
"Then I think I'll join her after this. Lance can do whatever the hell he wants"  
Shifting her weight, Allura looked uncomfortable   
"Keith..."  
"No. Don't Allura. I'm being an arse and I know it. I had everything planned, so of course things didn't turn out right"  
"Maybe if you talked to us about it, we might be able to help"  
"I doubt it. I was going to ask Lance to bond with me properly, but he was distracted by Hunk with food. Everything was perfect, but I guess I'm stupid to think he'd prefer talking to me over food"  
"You were going to ask to bond with him?"  
Pidge seemed genuinely surprised   
"Yeah. What of it?"  
"I just thought you'd wait until we went back to Earth. You know, in case Lance wanted to stay there"  
The female alpha's words only served to make him angrier  
"I don't think Lance would want to stay there"  
"Allura, Lance loves Earth. He's totally homesick for the place"  
"Alright! Enough about Earth!"  
Snapping at the pair of them, the group fell silent. Today was not his day.

Watching Lotor land, Keith clenched his fists. He just had to keep his head until Lotor and his pals were gone  
"Allura, I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon... oh. It's the traitors"  
"They were on Haggar's ship. We wanted to hand them over to you sooner, but with everything that happened..."  
"No. I'll take them now. Thank you"  
Lotor didn't seem terribly grateful. Waving over half a dozen sentries, they surrounded the three Galra and lead them back into Lotor's ship  
"I'm sorry for leaving you like I did. The infighting had spilled into the Galra Headquarters"  
Lies. Lotor was lying and doing a horrible job of it  
"No. It's completely understandable. I'm relieved to see your unharmed"  
Beaming brightly, Allura totally pacified Lotor   
"As am I. You too Pidge. Is Lance not recovered?"  
"Lance is off-world at the moment"  
"With Shiro and Hunk?"  
"Something like that. Would you like to join us for lunch?"  
"No. Now that I have these three back in my custody, I should deal with them. Next time however"  
Laughing sweetly Allura nodded quickly   
"It'd be our honour"  
Just as quickly as he arrived Lotor was gone. Letting out a big sigh, Allura looked to him  
"Thanks for the help"  
"I thought I should probably keep my mouth shut. Besides, he didn't even care about the rest of us"  
"Well, we're going to have to meet with him again. Especially if Voltron will be going to Earth"  
Earth again. Couldn't they all just give it a break already?  
"Keith?"  
"It's nothing. I'll be down training with my mother"  
"Ok. But are you sure you don't want to join us? It's going to be fun"  
"I'm sure you'll all be fine on your own"

Stalking down to the training room, he found his mother was indeed training. Dancing and weaving, she cut down sentry after sentry  
"Keith, join me"  
Activating his Bayard, he ran into the fight  
"Whoa! You smell mad. What happened?"  
"Lance"  
"Of course. Did your romantic get away go sour?"  
"Pretty much. I wanted to bond with him, but he wanted to go shopping"  
Slicing through the white sentry, he kicked the second one attacking him  
"Did you tell him you wanted to bond?"  
"No. I didn't get the chance. He freaked out yesterday, and when we did talk, Hunk interrupted. Now he's off with Hunk without even talking to me about it"  
"You didn't want him to go?"  
"It's not that. But I planned all this out and now I feel stupid"  
"You're not stupid"  
"It sure feels that way. Yesterday, the mood was perfect, today, nope he's gone"  
"Try not to take it personally. He seemed really happy this morning, and kept talking about how he nice it'd been staying in the cottage instead of the ship"  
"That was the idea. I wanted him to rest. That's why I asked to use the house"  
Blocking the incoming attack, he stabbed the sentry in the chest  
"You can bond with him any time you wish. Things aren't ruined and you're not stupid"  
"His frame of mind was so much better and he was so happy. Now all anyone is talking about is going back to Earth"  
"To find Atlantis. If you can do that, you'll do something Zarkon never managed"  
"Wait. Even you know about Atlantis?"  
"That was why I was sent to scout Earth. The witch Haggar mentioned it"  
"You saw the videos, why didn't you say something then?"  
"Because Haggar was half crazed. She was talking as if she'd only just learnt about it. Something was different about her, and not just because she reverted back to Honerva"  
"I'll take your word for it. Besides. We can't just go to Earth. There's the Galra to deal with"  
"Which Lotor has under control. As long as you're in an alliance with him, he can't attack. In that manner, is it not better to go now?"  
"We can't just leave. And why did Haggar want Atlantis"  
"According to her it contained the last of the Altean Alchemy"  
"Why didn't you say this in front of the others?"  
"Because I could tell you weren't happy"  
This was all turning out to be too much. He didn't want to talk about it or think about it any further  
"If we're going to train, lets go full out"  
"I like the way you think"  
Resetting the simulation to level one, Keith spent the day training with his mother and working out his anger. He just wanted Lance to be safe, but Lance was pregnant with their pups... and always found some kind of danger to fall into.

 

*  
Returning the house, the others had told him Lance had gone ahead... and then practically kicked him off the castle. Not sure what to say to his boyfriend, Keith was confused when he walked in and found the bed empty  
"Lance?!"  
"In the bathroom!"  
Pausing to take his boots off, Keith then padded through to the bathroom to find Lance back in the bathtub, under a sea of bubbles. Picking up a soapy handful, his boyfriend blew them in his direction   
"There you are. Why didn't you come to the Space Mall with the rest of us?"  
"I spent the day with mum"  
"She should have come too"  
Disappearing under the bubbles, Lance reemerged coughing  
"Blargh. These bubbles really don't taste nice"  
"You're not supposed to eat them... wait, you had your hair cut"  
"Yep. Do you like it?"  
It was back to how Lance usually had it, which looked nice and all, but he'd wanted to be the one to cut his boyfriend's hair for him  
"It's alright. I take it you had fun"  
"It would have been more fun if you'd been there"  
Resting his chin on the side of the bathtub, Lance stared up at him  
"What?"  
"You seem mad"  
"It's nothing"  
"Keith"  
"God Lance. I said it's nothing"  
Flinching back, his omega let out a soft whine  
"Quiznak. I didn't mean..."  
"No. I stuffed up again. Didn't I?"  
"I didn't say that"  
"Then why are so you mad at me?"  
"Because I had this all planned out. I got this place for us, but you took off today and you even got your hair cut when I wanted to do it for you"  
Lance gaped at him  
"You actually wanted to cut my hair?"  
"I said I'd do it. But you went off and got it done, so what does it matter now?"  
"I'm sorry... I didn't want you to feel pressured"  
"Right. Or you didn't trust me"  
He was letting his anger get the better of him again  
"You're the one who doesn't trust me. I could smell your anger on Allura and Pidge today. I told you I wanted to go"  
"But you didn't wake me up so we could talk about it"  
"Because we've been doing so well at talking"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means any time we mention Earth, you lose your shit"  
Sloshing water across the floor as he rose, Lance slipped as he stepped from the bath. The thud stopping Keith's heart as he rushed to help Lance up  
"Lance!"  
"Don't touch me! I landed on my knees. Your precious pups are just fine"  
Wincing at the coldness in Lance's voice, Keith backed away from the omega. He hadn't come down here looking for a fight   
"Lance"  
"No. Why can't you just trust me?! You trust everyone else"  
Starting to shake, Lance pulled himself into a ball   
"It's not that I don't trust you"  
"Then why did you have to get so mad?"  
"Because I love you and because I worry about you"  
"You only care about the pups"  
"No. I care about you and the pups"  
"Keith, what are we even doing here? In this place? Everyone else is on the castle... are we here because you don't want me to be a Paladin anymore?"  
"Whatever gave you that idea?"  
"Because we're here!"  
Quiznak. Lance was crying now  
"Baby, no. I know how much being a Paladin means to you"  
"Then why aren't we on the castle with the others?"  
"I though you'd liked being down here instead of on the castle"  
"I did until I realised we didn't have a reason not to be. If you don't want to be a Paladin, just say so"

Ignoring the fact he was about to get wet, Keith crossed to sit in front of Lance   
"Baby... I brought you down here so we could have some us time. Just you and me, in our own little world"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. With everything that happened lately, I just wanted to spend some real one on one time with out the risk of being interrupted. We're not down here because I want you step down as a Paladin, we're down here because I wanted to ask you to be my mate"  
Lance sniffled as he looked up from his knees  
"Your mate?"  
"Yeah baby. I wanted to ask you last night, but then Hunk showed up with food and I got jealous"  
"You want me for your mate?"  
"Isn't that just what I said?"  
"But I'm not a good omega"  
"You are, and I love you. I don't want anyone else but you"  
"But you're mad at me"  
"I'm mad at everyone. Everyone's saying that once we go back to Earth, you're not going to want to come back out here..."  
"I want to go home, but I want you even more"  
Opening his arms, Lance reached for him. Scooping his omega up into his lap, Keith nuzzled against Lance's neck   
"I'm serious. I want to be your alpha. I want to be a father to our pups and I want you by my side"  
"Really?"  
"Yes. So will you accept my mark, and give me yours?"  
"Yes"  
Keith's heart leapt at the small word. This wasn't the way he'd intended it at all, but Lance had said yes!  
"Not here though..."  
Snorting, Keith kissed Lance's shoulder  
"No. Not here, let's get you up"

Sitting on their bed, both teens were naked as they stared each other. Both clearly nervous about what came next. Keith wanted to man up and just bite Lance, but he didn't want to upset his omega  
"Um... Keith?"  
"What baby?"  
"Do you think maybe I can sit in your lap?"  
Straightening his legs, Lance climbed into his lap, the omega was shaking like a leaf as he settled down against him  
"So do I bite your first?"  
"How about I mark you? I don't know if I'm going to be able to hold back once you've bonded with me..."  
Nodding his head, Lance twisted to present his nape to him. The rush he felt had him aching to just plunge his teeth in. Instead, Keith forced himself to mouth and lick at the site he intended to bite, drawing out a long mew from Lance as he did  
"Are you ready?"  
"Yeah"  
Sinking his teeth in, his mouth filled with Lance's blood as his penis lengthened and hardened. Cumming between them, Lance ground down in his lap as he tried to mount him, while his boyfriend's fingernails clawed at his back   
"Alpha..."  
Regretfully Keith pulled back, before lapping at the site  
"Now mark me"  
Presenting his own neck felt like he was showing weakness. Not exactly what he'd expected, but none the less, he wanted Lance's mark more than anything. Growling as his boyfriend's teeth punctured his neck, the feeling of pain soon turned to euphoria. In every part of him warmth blossomed, and tears filled his eyes as he came. So this was what it felt like to be one with the one loved. Pulling back, Lance did as he'd done and ran his tongue over the bite mark, before pulling back to stare at him with hungry eyes. With each other's blood on their lips, Keith surged forward to claim his omega, thrusting himself Lance as he hungrily dominated the omega's mouth. Moaning and mewing, Lance's legs wrapped around his waist, as Keith laid him back on the bed. Lance was his. All his. And nothing could change that.

That night passed in a blur of sex. No matter how many times he brought Lance to orgasm, it wasn't enough. Biting and nipping, they both marked as much of each as they could, before collapsing into a sweaty heap as the sun rose. Still firmly knotted inside Lance, Keith rolled them over so his boyfriend was straddling his lap again... no. His mate was straddling his lap. Cupping Lance's face, Keith smiled up at him  
"I love you, my mate"  
Laughing at the term, Lance pulsed and twitched deliciously around him   
"I love you too... my alpha. My mate"  
Leaning up to kiss Lance, this kiss was slow and sweet as Keith tried to convey all the love he could into it. His alpha was so proud and so happy that he want to howl it from the rooftops. After nearly a whole deca-phoeb of ups and downs, Lance was his.

Much like the night before, they spent the day having lazy sex, snoozing and eating. Lance's smile never once fading from his face, even when he slept. If this was a dream or some kind of hallucination, Keith never wanted to wake from it. And surprisingly enough, taking a whole day off from work didn't result in the universe ending.


	36. Chapter 36

Holding Keith's hand, Lance was practically skipping as they made their way into the castle dining room. He was bonded to Keith. He was bonded to his alpha and he was so beyond happy. Nuzzling Keith's shoulder, he pressed a small kiss to it  
"Mmmm, my mate"  
"Yeah, your mate baby"  
"How do you think the others will take it?"  
"They'll be happy. Pidge will probably say something like "about time""  
"Mmm. Maybe. I'm starting to feel nervous though"  
"There's nothing to feel nervous about. I'm right here with you"  
"I know..."

Walking into the dining room, everyone stopped the moment the doors opened, and Lance felt like a deer caught in a set of headlights. Blinking in confusion, he looked to Keith   
"Good morning guys"  
"Lance... why do you smell different?"  
Sniffing the air, Lance shook his head  
"I don't?"  
"You do. I can smell it... oh my god. Keith... did do what I think you did?"  
"If mean "did you bond with Lance?", than yes"  
Letting out a squeal, Pidge flew out of her chair and ran over to them, throwing her arms around them both   
"I'm so happy for you! We didn't know if you'd bonded or killed each other! I'm so happy it's not death!"  
"No. We did manage to get into a fight, and Keith proposed bonding at the most inconsiderate time imaginable"  
"That is so like him though! Oh my gosh! Show us your necks!"  
"Pidge!"  
"Please?"  
Rolling his eyes, Lance was secretly thrilled to show off his bite mark  
"And now yours Keith"  
Despite drawing it out, Lance could tell Keith felt the same pride as his alpha bared his marked neck   
"Wow! This is so cute! Bonded and going to have pups! Which reminds me, when are we going to see that scan? You're like 13 and a half movements now, aren't you?"  
"Mhmm. It's up to Keith though..."  
"Hey, don't deflect this onto me. You're the one doing all the hard work"  
For the first time since bonding, Lance's smile faded. He'd nearly joked back "you supplied the sperm", only to find the words hit him harder than expected. Closing his eyes, he swayed on the spot  
"Lance?"  
"I feel sick"  
He did. He suddenly felt completely sick to very bottom of his stomach and didn't know why. Swaying again, Keith caught him this time  
"Shit! I've got you"  
"Keith... I don't feel good"  
Feeling a cool palm against his forehead, he whining softly. He hadn't felt warm before entering the dining room, and he'd been fine right up until his unspoken joke. Surely joking wouldn't make him suddenly this sick  
"He was fine when we left this morning, but now he's burning up"  
"I... I didn't do anything!"  
That was Pidge. Why did she sound so scared?  
"Pidge?"  
"Lance... Lance, I didn't do anything, did I?"  
"No. It wasn't you"  
Aside from the general feeling of nausea, his head began to throb in time with his heart  
"Let's get him up to the medical bay"  
He didn't want to go to the medical bay. He didn't know what was wrong, but that wasn't going to help.

"I can't see anything wrong with him"  
Still shaking, Lance seemed to get better the further away from the dining room they got. Cradle in his arms, Keith's hands were on his stomach as they all stared at the screen  
"Could it be the pups? They seem too big"  
Whining softly, Lance tried to his face against Keith's arm  
"He should only be 13 movements, these pups look closer to 18"  
"So they're growing too fast?"  
"His body is under enormous strain..."  
"Even so, that doesn't explain why he got so ill the moment we got into the dining room. I've been making sure he ate and drank plenty"  
"Maybe he'd allergic to something?"  
"Or maybe it's another episode?"  
Glaring at Hunk, Keith wanted to smack him. Not all of Lance's problems were caused by episodes  
"Baby, can you tell me what you felt?"  
"Sick. Incredibly sick, and my head hurts"  
"Like a sharp pain, or a throbbing?"  
"Throbbing"  
Tapping away, Coran pulled up the scans of Lance's head  
"I can't see anything"  
"Wait. Coran, what's that?"  
"What's what?"  
Pretty much pushing Coran aside, Pidge zoomed in at the base of Lance's skull. The tiniest pink dot grew pixilated as Pidge continued to zoom  
"Pidge. That better not be what I think it is"  
"It can't be. We removed all the samples"  
"Then why is it in that spot..."  
"I don't know. Shiro disposed of the pups, and the worm from his brain was incinerated..."  
"What's going on?"  
Struggling to sit up, Keith pushed Lance back down   
"It's nothing baby"  
"Is it the pups?"  
"No. Here, look, Pidge will pull them up"  
Doing as requested, Lance let out a sigh of relief as their pups filled the screen again  
"Thank god"  
"See baby. We don't know what it is, but we'll find out"  
"Can we go back to the cottage then? I'm really sleepy"  
"Sure. Do you want us all to come down?"  
"No... you guys are busy, and the place smells like us"  
"That's more information than we needed. Mum, can you come down with us?"  
"Sure. I always look forward to being stunk out by my kids having sex"  
"Mum!"  
His yell caused Lance to whimper  
"It's ok baby"

By the time they got out the castle and down to the village, Lance was doing better. So much so that he was able to walk unaided. That had to mean something on the castle was making his mate sick. Letting Lance crawl into their bed, Keith then covered him with the blankets  
"Baby, I've got to check out what's happening on the castle. I'll be right back"  
"Ok. I love you, Keith"  
"I love you too. Mum's going to be right here, so just ask her if you need anything"  
"Cuddles"  
Looking to his mother, the woman shrugged  
"What can I say? He's got good taste"  
"Yeah, cuddles are a go. Can you call me if he gets worse again?"  
"Will do"

 

*  
Returning to the castle, he found the others already searching the dining room   
"No luck?"  
"No. Nothing's out of place here and everything on the table is stuff he's eaten before. How is he?"  
"By the time we got back to the house, he'd pretty much recovered. He just said he was really sleepy. It can't be another worm..."  
"No. I don't think it is. It wasn't moving and it was only about the size of a grain of rice"  
"Still, a worm would explain a few things. Like how Shiro's pod opened"  
"Hunk, don't even joke about that"  
"I'm not joking. I'm thinking out loud"  
"It's not a worm. We got rid of them phoebes ago..."  
"Well, this is getting us nowhere. When did Lance first start getting tired?"  
"About a phoeb ago? It was before Shiro wasn't it?"  
"Was it?"  
"I don't remember. It was definitely since you can back. Do you think his tiredness has something to do with all this?"  
"I don't know. It's possible, or it could be the pups? I wish we had an actual omega professional"  
"We could ask Ryner to examine him?"  
"Yeah. Actually, that might be better. He's with my mother now, so Allura, can you call and ask her to go take a look at him. Pidge, it's way past time, but we need to take a look at Shiro's escape"

Waiting until Allura rejoined them, Pidge pulled up the footage of Shiro's escape. Everything happening as Lance has described it, though he did feel particularly murderous when he saw Shiro kiss Lance  
"Play it again"  
Slowing the speed, this time they saw something they hadn't the first. A tiny spark flew off the pod's pad without Lance's hand being anywhere near it  
"No way"  
"That wasn't normal"  
"He wasn't lying either. He really didn't release Shiro"  
"No. The pad shorted. Is it just me, or does this feel all Galra and evil like"  
"No Hunk, it's not just you, and if Lance has had something placed inside of him, we all need to be checked"

Instead of heading to the prisoner pod room, the group returned to the medical bay. Having scanned each of them, Pidge than scanned Coran so no one missed out. Their scans however came back clean of the same pink rice grain Lance had. So in some ways that was relief, and in some ways they were in even more trouble than before. Pidge's scan has revealed that despite thinking they'd removed all the shrapnel in her body, there were in fact several pieces still inside her, all of which close to her spine. With none of them talented enough to remove them, it was another favour they'd have to ask of Ryner, and it was clear Pidge was scared of the prospective surgery  
"Allura, why don't you call Matt and have him come stay. Pidge, you stay up here with Allura. We're still on holiday so try to relax as much as you can. I'm so sorry I failed to protect you, but I promise we will get that shrapnel out safely"  
"I'd like to see Matt, and it's not your fault Keith. If it counts, I can't even feel it"  
No it didn't and it didn't make him feel better at all. Still, he forced a smile for her  
"That's good. Hunk, you come with me. You'll have a better idea about all of this than I would"  
"And what shall I do?"  
Twiddling his thumbs, Coran looked somewhat lost  
"You're at Allura and Pidge's beck-and-call. Don't work him too hard ladies"  
Winking at them, he wondered if it felt as wrong to them as it did to him. He wasn't naturally flirty, or charismatic enough to pull that shit off  
"Yeah. Don't do that again. You guys go, I'll be fine"

 

*  
"So you and Lance went and bonded"  
Pausing mid-step, Keith looked to Hunk, not sure what to make of his question  
"Yes. You don't mind do you?"  
"What? Why would I mind?"  
"I don't know. Just the way you phrased the question?"  
"Oh. I was just wondering how he took it is all. He seemed really happy before he got sick"  
"Yeah. He was. I was always so anxious when it came to him, but now all I feel is a deep kind of satisfaction and contentment... How long before you ask Pidge out?"  
Hunk spluttered, his face turning red  
"Don't worry, she's totally into you"  
"S-she is?"  
"You two are always nerding out together, and didn't you notice you were the first one she looked to after her scan"  
"I can't ask Pidge out. We're both alpha's and she needs to have surgery..."  
"Hunk there are plenty of alpha/alpha couples out there. Besides, Lance and I can't be the only poster couple around here"  
"Do you think he'd mind if I did?"  
"Who Lance? No. He'd just want you both to be happy. That's all he really wants for any of us"  
"Do you think he'll be up for a visit later?"  
"I can't see why not? If he can't come to the castle until we figure out what happened, he's going to be lonely as hell down there"  
Truthfully Keith loved that the tiny little house didn't smell like anyone except for him and Lance, and he would have loved to keep it that way, but his mate missed his friends and he wasn't going to be cruel enough to keep them apart  
"I'll bring down a whole heap of food, and we can celebrate you two finally bonding"  
"He'd really love that"  
Holding his fist out in front of him, it took Keith a moment to realise Hunk wanted to fist bump this out. Bumping fists with the alpha, Hunk gave him a huge smile. For an alpha, Hunk was definitely one of the rare breed that actually gave two shits about omegas as something other than breeders. He was honestly relieved that Hunk had been there for Lance as his best friend with no pressure, and it made him like the fellow teen just that little bit more.

Heading into the pod room Shiro had been stored in, Keith threw his hand back to stop Hunk walking in  
"Keith?"  
"We don't know what we're dealing with, and I don't want a repeat of what happened on Haggar's ship"  
"Do you think that's likely?"  
"No, but I can't help but need to double check the pad before I let you touch it"  
Hunk rolled his eyes, and cross his arms   
"Hey, do you want to explain to my omega why you've ended up in a pod?"  
"No. Not really"  
"Then stay put"  
Crossing to the pod pad, Keith placed his hand down on it  
"So it's fine for you to be electrocuted"  
"It's easier for you to carry me than me to carry you"  
"Low blow man"  
Shrugging, Keith let his finger slide over the pad   
"I can't feel anything, but it's definitely burnt out. I think it's safe"  
Coming over to his side, Hunk stared at him until he moved away. Interlacing his fingers, the alpha stretched his arms out until his fingers cracked  
"Time to let pro get to work"  
"I'm liking this confident side to you Hunk"  
"I'm liking the fact you're not a broody arse all the time"  
Keith gaped at him. Never ever did he think Hunk would say that... like ever. Shaking his head, he backed away, moving to look at the pod pad where Shiro's arm had been sealed  
"This one seems fine. It's just that one"

Watching Hunk pull the pad apart was kind of interesting. Lance would have been bored, but despite appearances, Keith liked this sort of thing. He wasn't as nerdy as Pidge and Hunk, but he wasn't quite the dreamer Lance was. His dad had taught him plenty, and he'd had to learn a lot living alone in the desert  
"So it's completely fried. It looks like an electrical overload. The wires in here have all melted into each other"  
"And there's no way someone could have done this?"  
"No. Not unless they were super careful and opened the pad without opening the pod, tinkered with the inside, put it all back together and timed Lance coming down here all to the last second"  
"And there's no trace of any pink worm?"  
"Not that I can see. Do you want to check the pod the pups were in?"  
No. He wanted to stay the hell away from that room  
"We probably should. Lance will probably feel better knowing there isn't"

The pod room the pups had been in was only three doors down, but for Keith, it was a long and heavy walk. He'd never gotten to say goodbye to the two tiny lives he'd helped Lance bring into the world. So pitifully tiny, they never would have stood a chance, even if they hadn't been infected. With his thoughts shifting to his own pups inside Lance, the compulsion to run to his boyfriend and make sure they were all alright, was a tough one to ignore  
"Keith, are you ok? You smell upset"  
"Yeah, Hunk. I just couldn't help but remember Lance's pups. They were so tiny, not even fully formed... it's stupid but being there with him as he passed them... no, never mind"  
"I hate that I didn't know what was going on with him, and then finding out he'd been pregnant with infected pups... Thank you for being there for him"  
"I just wish I'd noticed something sooner and I wish I could have seen the pups again before..."  
Falling into a solemn silence, both alpha's stepped into the pod room  
"Do you know which one it was?"  
"The one closest to the door. I think that's what Allura said"  
Nodding, Hunk moved to pod while Keith just stared at it. Life really wasn't fair  
"Keith, come take a look at this"  
Pulled out of his thoughts, Keith crossed the three steps to come to Hunk's side. It was tiny, but there was a pink vein of sorts running the entire length of the pod, disappearing beyond the glass  
"No fucking way. We need to check the rest of these pods"  
He honestly hadn't expected to find anything, yet there it was. Checking the rest of the pods, they found three others that had the same pink veining  
"What do we do?"  
"Incinerate all of them. We can't risk another infection, especially if we're going looking for Atlantis"  
Hunk's eyes lit up  
"We're really going?"  
"Yes, but don't tell the others yet, and let's not tell them about this either. I'll have Coran run a full diagnostic later, that way they'll think nothing was here"  
"If you keep this up, you're going to ruin your reputation"  
"What reputation? All you have to do is put Lance in front of me and I lose my head"  
"That's true"

Leaving Hunk to activate the incinerator of each pod, Keith's eyes were back on the pod the pups had been in. If Lance lost their pups, he didn't want them stored down here. He wanted to bury them properly, give them a resting place they could both return to, to remember them.

"Keith, Hunk? Are you guys done yet? Ryner's here"  
Opening his communicator, Keith smiled at Allura, despite how he was really feeling  
"Yep. We're just about to head back up"  
"Well come to the dining room when you do"  
"Why the dining room?"  
"You'll see"

 

*  
Keith hadn't even made it into the dining room when he watching an armful of nuzzling omega. He would have fallen backwards if it wasn't for Hunk, and Lance seemed none the wiser about how close they'd come to falling  
"Hey, baby. Everything ok?"  
"Not really"  
Placing his chin on Lance's shoulder, Keith caught the scent of blood on his mate. Trying to not freak Lance out, he brushed back the tips of Lance's hair, revealing a small puncture point that was still bleeding  
"What the hell happened?"  
"Keith, Lance is alright. Ryner used one of her vines to remove the implant that was in the base of Lance's skull"  
Was that even safe? Walking them both over to the nearest seat, he sat with Lance straddling his lap  
"Implant?"  
"You have to see this"  
Pulling out a small containment container, Pidge held it up to the light. The tiny grain rice thing glowing an angry pink   
"What is that thing?"  
"It's a Galra internal tracker. It monitors things like pulse, oxygen saturation, hormone levels... basically all the vital statistics for the person it's embedded in"  
"So someone put one in him?"  
"Not just someone. You see, these download to a sensor, and to collect the data, you need to be in range of it fairly regularly"  
"We found this stuck to the bottom of the table"  
Holding up another container, there was some kind of transparent film inside of it, with pink circuitry   
"It started glowing after Ryner removed the implant, I don't think we would have found it otherwise"  
Keith was seeing red. He wanted blood  
"Lotor"  
"Keith, you don't know it's him"  
"Save it Allura. We all know he's been interested in Lance since he found that Lance wasn't like the rest of us. He's Galra, and he's constantly on and off this ship"  
Whining in his lap, Lance clutched his shirt hard enough that his fingernails caught in Keith's back  
"There's another thing. In close proximity, the user can affect a person's actions, such as making them fire their weapon, or messing with a person's memory. It was developed for use in controlling populations, but because of its limited range, it was ultimately discontinued"  
"So Lotor was in Lance's head?"  
"We don't know for sure it was Lotor. It may have been Shiro acting on Haggar's orders. What we need to be asking is why did this only come to light now? Why was it today that Lance had such a negative affect?"  
"I think I've figured that out"  
Everyone looked to Hunk   
"They bonded. Instead of having just Lance's data, it was overloaded with that of Keith's as well. We all know bonding changes both the alpha and omega on a genetic level. When it went to upload to the receiver, it probably caused a back loop which was felt by Lance. That's why the further away from it he got, the better he felt"  
"Putting it like that, I think your right Hunk"  
"Then why didn't it show up on any of Lance's scans until now?"  
"That I can't say. Possibly positioning? Or composition? Now that it's out, he'll probably have a headache for a while, but then he should start to feel a whole lot better. He probably won't be as moody or sleepy either"  
That would be nice. Some normality would be a very welcome change  
"We'll have our scientists analyse it"  
"Thank you, Ryner. And thank you for removing it"  
"It's no bother. I think we've all become quite fond of Lance, and young Pidge"  
Oh right. Pidge   
"Pidge, did you get in touch with Matt?"  
"He'll be here tomorrow"  
"And your surgery?"  
"The day after that"  
So they'd be able to spend some quality time together before and after. Good. Maybe Hunk would finally make a move? But being such a gentleman, Keith highly doubted it  
"Alright. I'd planned to allow two whole movements for this vacation of sorts, and provided Haggar doesn't do something drastic, we'll begin preparations for returning to Earth"  
Pidge let out a gasp  
"We're really going?"  
"Yeah. Lance and I talked a little about it... before, we didn't really have a reason for returning to Earth so soon, but if Atlantis holds Altean Alchemy, we need to find it before Haggar"  
"Allura's coming right?"  
"We're all going. However, if we're needed, we will be turning back"  
"I can't wait to tell Matt!"  
Whining against him, Lance clearly didn't appreciate Pidge's excited exclamation   
"Oops sorry Lance"  
"'s ok Pidge. It's just a headache"  
"While we're all here, do we want to have lunch together?"  
"I don't think I can eat"  
Lance not wanting food rendered them all speechless. His mate really must be feeling terrible not to want food  
"I'm sorry, but I'm going to take Lance back down to the house. Hunk suggested we all have dinner tonight down there"  
"That would be cool. You two have hardly been around..."  
"What do you expect them to do? This is like their honeymoon now that they're bonded"  
"I was just trying to say I've missed them"  
"Dinner would be lovely. Ryner, would you like to join us for dinner? It's the least we can do to repay your kindness"  
"No, not for me. Thank you. I should be getting back as it is"  
"Thank you, Ryner, and thank you for removing the device from Lance"  
"No thanks are needed"


	37. Chapter 37

With the help of his mother, Keith got Lance stripped down to his boxers and back into bed, positioning Lance on the edge in case his mate needed to vomit. Lance had described it as a hangover and half, which left Keith wincing in sympathy. Crawling in behind Lance, he was careful not to place any of his weight on his mate so as not to upset the omega's stomach further   
"You two are so sweet together. I'm so happy you bonded"  
"Me too. I'm sorry for leaving you pretty much alone"  
"It's fine. My son's an adult with his own life and he has a place where he belongs. Nothing could make me prouder"  
"And what about you mum? I know all we can really offer you is a support role in the team, but I'd love it if you stayed"  
"Keith, about that... this is your home, not mine. While taking a break has been nice, I've been thinking maybe it's time I returned to the Blade of Marmora"  
"You what?"  
"I know I said I would never leave you again and I won't be. Especially with Lance pregnant with my grandchildren, but sitting still has never agreed with me. I could be doing so much more out there"  
"But..."  
He'd kind of expected her to stay. She said she would, and now it felt like she was abandoning him all over again. A lump of emotion settled in his throat  
"Keith, I won't leave until you're all leaving for Earth"  
"You don't want to come back to Earth"  
"Earth is your home. One day you'll understand, but for now just try not to think about it"  
He wanted to scream at her to go. To leave him again and not to come back, his anger causing Lance to whine against him. Biting his lip, he closed his eyes. For a warrior like his mother, it was probably harder than he could imagine to sit still. He had to respect her wishes... even though they sucked.

Lance managed a few vargas sleep before vomiting across the floor. Waking up to feel his mate tense, he didn't even have time to tell his mother to grab a bucket. Rubbing his omega's back was pretty much all he could do until Lance slumped back against the pillow  
"I'm sorry"  
"It's ok. I'll clean it up"  
"I think I got vomit on myself"  
Sitting up so he could look over Lance's shoulder, his omega had  
"Mum, can you help Lance into the bathroom while I clean this up?"  
"Why don't you take him? I can deal with this"  
"Or I can clean it up  
"No"  
"No"  
Both Keith and his mother both said no at the exact same time, snorting, Lance shook his head   
"You two could be twins"  
"I think one set of twins in the family is enough for now. Keith, I'll take care of this"

Coaxing his omega from their bed, Keith lead Lance into the bathroom and began filling the bath. Given he felt slightly warm, he ran the taps just the warm side of tepid so Lance wouldn't be too hot or cold  
"I didn't need help"  
"It's ok. You're sick"  
"Ryner said I'd have a headache, but this sucks"  
"I know baby, but it's all over now"  
Picking up the nearest jar beside the bath, Keith shook some of the contents into it, bubbles immediately forming the moment the contents touched the water. He'd have to remember that  
"Here, lean on me while I pull your boxers down"  
"I'm not an invalid"  
"I know"  
"And I could have cleaned up after myself"  
"I know that too"  
Freeing Lance from his boxers, Keith helped him step into the bath. Sinking down, Lance looked at him in confusion  
"You're not getting in?"  
"I didn't know if you'd want me to"  
"I do. Your touch makes me feel better"  
That was enough to have Keith stripping in near record time. Sliding forward to make space for him, Keith settled himself behind Lance, before lifting him into his lap  
"Better?"  
"Much. Can you put your hands on my stomach though?"  
Doing as Lance said, his omega let out a purr   
"That feels really nice"  
"Um, you know, I'm not doing anything"  
"I know, but I think the pups like it too. My stomach feels less gross now"  
"Your stomach feels perfectly fine to me"  
Nipping at Lance's earlobe, the omega moaned  
"Boys! I'm still here"  
"We know!"  
"Sprung"  
"Only slightly. Are you ok with everything that's happened?"  
"Am I ok with having yet another lot of Galra tech in my head? No. Not really? Am I ok with going to Earth? Maybe. I don't know if I want to see my family though"  
"I thought you loved your family"  
"I do and I miss them so much... I just didn't think I'd be pregnant the next time I saw them"  
"Lance, we can not go"  
"No. I want to. I want to show you where I grew up... it's just scary"  
"You've got nothing to be scared of. I'll hit anyone who dares so much as look at you"  
"Maybe that's what I'm scared of? I didn't follow their plans for my life, and now I'm bonded and pregnant"  
Keith's heart dropped  
"Do you wish you weren't?"  
"No. No you and the pups are all I could ever want. I just wish everyone else would understand"  
"I'm sure they'll just be so happy to see you that it won't matter, and you know, going back to Earth, we'll be able to buy stuff for the pups"  
"We can?"  
"Of course we can. If no ones been out to my shack, I should have enough cash there to buy plenty of things for you and the pups"  
"Keith, you know you don't have to buy things for me, for me to love you"  
"I know, but I like spoiling you"  
"Well what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to spoil you back?"  
"All you have to do is let me love you. That's all I need"  
Covering his face, Lance whined  
"I can't win"  
"Nope"

 

*  
The following morning Keith woke to Lance vomiting again. The Omega had been so careful as he'd crept out bed and into the bathroom, but hearing Keith coming up behind him, he couldn't help but feel relieved   
"How long have you been vomiting?"  
"I don't know... the sun wasn't up when it started"  
Settling down behind him, Keith peppered kisses to his shoulder as his mates hands moved to rest on his belly  
"You should have woken me up"  
Heaving again, Lance was completely over vomiting. His throat was burning, and the his stomach hurt from the intensity   
"No. It's ok. Besides, we all had a late night last night"  
It'd been nice having everyone down in the cottage for dinner. Hunk had made all his favourites, and despite his throbbing head, he'd had heaps of fun. By the time their friends had returned to the castle, it was well after midnight   
"Still baby, I don't want you to feel like you have to go through all of this on your own"  
"Mmm, I know. Your pups are just being mean to me"  
"Our pups"  
Letting his hands roam across Lance's swell, his alpha let out a happy sigh  
"I can't wait to meet them"  
"I can. I've told them they're not to be born until I'm full term"  
Trying to make it sound like a joke, his scent didn't take the hint as it soured  
"Lance?"  
"It... I'm ok. Really"  
"Ok baby. Do you want me to organise something for breakfast?"  
"Sorry, I don't think I can eat right now"  
"Then do you want some water?"  
"No. Just stay by me?"  
"Always"  
It was stupid how happy he was when Keith was holding him. His omega had quietened down substantially now they were bonded, and even knowing something had been in his head again didn't have him as rattled as he probably should have been. It was all so perfect that he couldn't help waiting for the other shoe to drop.

When lunchtime approached and he was still vomiting, or rather drooling and spitting, Keith was getting worried. He could smell it on his alpha's scent, and his own spiked in response. He wanted to tell his mate that he was alright, but he felt like quiznak warmed up. Feeling Keith shaking him, Lance groaned his response   
"Baby, I think we should have you looked at"  
"It's morning sickness"  
"You've been throwing up for over 6 vargas"  
"I don't want to move, can't we just sleep"  
"I'm not letting you sleep on the floor"  
"Then the bed then. I'll be ok, I just need to get some sleep"  
The hum Keith gave clearly wasn't happy  
"Keith, I'm ok. Let's get back into bed?"  
Honestly he was kind of worried. It made him think of the nights he'd spent alone vomiting when pregnant with Shiro's pups and the time before Keith came back to him. Letting his alpha lift his limp body from the floor, his mate carried him back to their bed  
"I'm going to get a cloth and wipe you down"  
"Ok... I love you"  
"I love you too, baby"  
Snuggling into the blankets, Lance was soon asleep, still smiling at Keith's words.

 

*  
Keith couldn't help but worry for his omega. Lance still looked ridiculously pale, but the smile on his face was ridiculously happy. Having wiped Lance over with a cool cloth, he'd found another to turn into a cold compress and placed it across his forehead. All he could do was wait now.

He wasn't great at waiting. Sitting by Lance's side had turned into pacing, and the way he was glaring at furniture, it wasn't long before that would go flying. So when a knock came on the door, it was almost welcome. Stalking over, he nearly ripped the door off its hinges as he tore it open  
"Allura! What's wrong?"  
"Matt. The rebel base he was stationed at got his this morning by rogue Galra. We can't get ahold of him"  
"Shit. Right. Hang on"  
Rushing back to Lance's side, he roused his sleeping omega  
"K-Keith?"  
"Baby, I've got to go out for a bit. Will you be ok?"  
"Wh... yeah. Is everything ok?"  
"Probably. I'll explain when I get back"  
"Ok. Stay safe"  
Kissing Lance, it was his promise to do just that. He really didn't want to leave Lance, but he couldn't leave the rebels either, and Lance would tell him to go. Grabbing his uniform, he jogged out the house  
"Is he alright?"  
"Morning sickness. He's been resting though"  
"That's good"  
"Yeah. Let's go kick some Galra arse so I can get back to him"

 

*  
The rebel base was in ruins. Black smoke billowed out from destroyed ships, and Galra forces were still cutting down those who survived. Pidge had just about been beside her self on the flight out, and now all Keith could do was pray Matt was safe. Activating his Bayard, the alpha hurried from Black, his mother by his side as he did. He'd wanted her to stay with Lance, but one look at Pidge had stopped him from voicing his own desires.

Hacking and slashing their way through the Galra, Hunk and Allura took down the fleeing ships with Yellow and Blue, while he and his mother fought. On the edge of the battlefield Pidge was trying to get as many survivors as she could into Green. The thought of peace had made him weak, or that's how it felt. Voltron was supposed to protect all these people, but they'd been relaxing while the rebels died. Howling in rage, he let his alpha take over, cutting down Galra and sentry alike. He was more like a feral beast than a noble Paladin, and when the last Galra fell, his mother had to physically restrain him until his head cooled enough to regain control of himself  
"Is that all of them?"  
"Yes. We should hurry though"  
"We need to gather the wounded"  
"Allura and Hunk are on it. Pidge is already on her way back to Olkarion with as many as she could take"  
He hadn't even noticed   
"Any word of Matt?"  
"It seems he was off-world, but Pidge still couldn't get through"  
He was off world. Maybe they'd just missed each other then? Nodding, he pulled his blade free from the Galra in front of him  
"You can let me go now"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah. My alpha's calming back down"  
Releasing him, Keith stumbled slightly   
"Keith"  
"I'm ok. I'm not hurt"  
"Good. I wouldn't want to be the one to tell Lance if you were"  
"I wouldn't let you. He's sick. He was throwing up all morning"  
"All morning?"  
"I have no idea when it started, only that I didn't get him back into bed until after lunch time"  
"No wonder you're on edge. You should have told me"  
"No. Not with Pidge as upset as she was. I have to believe that Lance will be alright"  
"Ok. Let us deal with the wounded"

Keith was surprised not more rebels were dead. Most of them had disappeared into the camps tunnels during the initial attack, and out what seemed to be hundreds of misplaced people, only a handful had died. With their camp now compromised, their mission switched from search and rescue to striking camp, and loading up the Lions with everything they could take. It wasn't until he finally collapsed back into Black that he could through to the castle   
"Keith! You look exhausted"  
"I am. We've got another hundred odd people coming in with us, and we've struck camp here. How's things there? Did Pidge make it back alright? And did she get in contact with Matt?"  
"Matt arrived just after you left. I had a quiznak of a time convincing him to stay and prepare for you return. He certainly is a stubborn one"  
"And Pidge?"  
"She's down with the Olkari, helping get the injured into hospital"  
Good. That was good. Though she really shouldn't be running around in her condition  
"I don't suppose you've heard from Lance today?"  
"No, not today. Isn't he with you?"  
"I let him at the house because he's been sick all morning. I know everything's in chaos, but can you please go and check on him?"  
"I'll pop right down now"  
"Thanks Coran. We'll be back in about 4 vargas"  
"Understood"  
Giving him a salute, Keith could only raise an eyebrow as he cut the transmission. Coran was like a weird uncle, and having him salute him didn't feel right. Shiro might have liked that kind of thing, but his own ego wasn't so fragile that it needed boosting.

 

*  
Between helping everyone get to where they needed to go, directing rebels where they needed to unpack and trying to get to away so he could check up on Lance, he didn't manage the last one until late in the night. He hadn't seen his mother or Coran, and his alpha was antsy from leaving Lance alone for so long. Staggering down to the house, he was completely exhausted, and the last thing he expected was to see both Coran and his mother standing in front of it, both looking upset. Summoning up the last of his energy, he ran over to the pair  
"What is it? What's wrong?"  
Pulling him against her, his mother rocked him instead of giving an answer. Angrily, he pushed her away  
"What's wrong with Lance?!"  
"There was a complication..."  
Whatever she was going to say next was lost as he ran into the house. Sitting on the bed, Lance was holding something  
"Baby?"  
"K-Keith?"  
Scrambling up, Keith came to a stop in front of Lance. His eyes falling to the small bundle in his hold. No. No. This couldn't be happening  
"I'm sorry!"  
Wailing, Keith pulled Lance up against him. He could still smell blood on his mate   
"I'm a bad omega!"  
"No baby. No you're not"  
The tiny bundle was one of their pups. It was like all his fears had manifested into reality, but he had no idea if Lance had lost both of them, or just one. Either way, it was heartbreaking  
"I didn't know what was happening. I woke and it was too late"  
"Baby, shhh. You don't have to explain"  
"I'm sorry!"  
"Shhh"  
Rocking and kissing Lance's hair, he didn't know what to say. He felt so cold and distant, like this couldn't be reality.

It took vargas for Lance to finally pass out against him. Laying his mate down, Keith took the tiny bundled up pup into his arms  
"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't here little one"  
Kissing its forehead, he wanted to howl from the pain. This wasn't fair. They were finally so happy. They were finally going to be a family. Manoeuvring himself so Lance was in his arms and their pup between them, he couldn't even close his eyes. Instead he cried silent tears all night long.

When Lance woke, the omega let out the saddest whine he'd ever heard in his life. His eyes were so cold and empty that it physically hurt to look at his mate. Once again he hadn't been there   
"Keith..."  
"I'm so sorry baby. I'm sorry I wasn't here. I'm sorry you had to go through this alone. I'm sorry"  
"Where... where were you?"  
"There was an attack on the rebel camp Matt's been living at. I.. I thought you'd be safe here and you'd be ok if you rested..."  
Looking down, Lance seemed to notice the pup between them, his fingers shaking as he placed then against the pups cheek  
"I don't know what to do"  
"Did..."  
He winced, knowing this would sound caliche  
"Did you pass them both?"  
"No... I don't know..."  
"Baby, I know you don't want to move, but... we need to find out what's happening"  
"No. Please... please don't take him away from me"  
"I'm not taking him away..."  
Him? Lance seemed so sure...  
"... I need to clean you up, and then we'll go up to the castle and have Coran scan you"  
"Why? So you can blame me"  
'Baby, I don't blame you"  
"Well you should! I should have known! I should have realised sooner!"  
Dissolving back into wails, the sound was too much for him. Throwing back his head, he let out his own mournful howl.

When Lance's sobs turned to silent tears, Keith finally gathered him up into his arms. Carrying him into the bathroom, he sat Lance in the bath while he turned the taps on. Cradled against his left breast, the omega was only seeing their pup. With the water rinsing away the blood and gunk from Lance's legs and arse, Keith forced himself back into their room. Under the stop sheet, the next three were ruined with blood and birth, but he found no trace of the second pup. He didn't know if that was a good sign or not, but it did make him want to hurry everything along. Coming back to Lance's side, he cleaned his omega the best he could before wrapping him up in a towel. All he could think now was "maybe?" and "what if?" Maybe the second pup was alright? And what if it was? What came next?

Both Coran and his mother were still outside the house when Keith carried Lance out. Stripping off her jacket, her mother covered Lance's chest, though she made sure he could still see the tiny pup  
"Keith?"  
"I don't think he passed the other one, but we need to get him up to the castle. No one knows, do they?"  
"No. Everyone's been busy with the rebel refugees"  
"Good. No ones to know until Lance is ready"  
"Keith"  
"Don't mum. Just don't"

 

*  
The castle was bless-fully silent as they group made their way up to the medical room. Lance hadn't even seemed to notice what was going on around him. Even when Keith laid him down, his boyfriend never looked away from their pup. Sitting so Lance was half propped up against him, Keith didn't want to look the screen as Coran went about scanning Lance  
"Keith?"  
"Just tell me. I don't want to see"  
His voice was hoarse with emotion  
"The other pup is ok... but that..."  
But what? He forced himself to look up  
"That's not funny Coran"  
Lance's scan still showed two big pups  
"I'm not being funny"  
"Then why show me that? To rub it in he lost one?"  
"That's what I'm trying to tell you, it still shows both pups"  
"It can't..."  
"Can I look at the pup?"  
Moving closer, his mother kept both hands up until she drew level with Lance. Carefully lifting the pup from his arms, Lance let out along whine  
"Shhh baby"  
He didn't want to watch, but he couldn't take his eyes off the pup as his mother unwrapped it  
"With alpha pups, and Galra bloodlines, they tend to be bigger than normal babies or omega's. I think this little one was being shielded by its alpha brothers, that's why the scans never picked it up. As it is, it looks only about half the size of the two on the screen. With the sudden growth of the two alpha's, this little one was determined unnecessary by Lance's body"

He couldn't breathe. Trying to suck in a breath, the room swam and blackness hit him.

 

*  
"Keith! Keith wake up"  
Shooting upwards, Keith sucked in a desperate breath as everything came into focus. He was laying in a hospital bed, with his mother by his side  
"What happened? Where's Lance? The pup!"  
Struggling up, he fought against his mother as he tried to get out of bed  
"Keith!"  
Bellowing at him, she ceased his struggles   
"Where's Lance? Where's the pup?"  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Lance, he lost the pup"   
Drawing her brow, her mother shook her head  
"I saw him not even a vargas ago. He was fine"  
"But the pup!"  
"Keith, you collapsed while directing the refugees. You've been asleep most of the night"  
He'd been asleep? It was a dream?  
"I collapsed?"  
"Yeah. It's not surprising after you went feral on the battlefield"  
"And Lance is alright?"  
"He was when I left him"  
"Oh thank god. It felt so real"  
"What felt so real? You were thrashing in your sleep and I couldn't get you to wake"  
Wrapping his arms around his mother, tears filled his eyes  
"I had a dream that Lance lost a pup. A little omega boy... mum, it was so real. I could smell the blood. I could see the pup"  
"It was just a dream. Lance is alright"  
"I need to see him"  
"Alright. I'll call him up"  
"No. I want to see him"  
"You mean you want to go to him"  
Nodding against her, he still couldn't believe it'd been a dream.

Still wearing a hospital gown, and with his mother's arm around him, she wouldn't let him go as they walked down to the house. His heart was in his throat, and each time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Lance's face. When they reached the door, he almost couldn't open it  
"It was just a dream"  
Turning the handle, the door creaked open to reveal Lance sitting on their bed, the omega feeding his face  
"Lance!"  
Scrambling ungainly across the bed, Lance ran over to him and threw his arms around him  
"Keith! Where have you been?"  
"He fainted, but he's been checked and he's just fine"  
"You fainted?"  
"Thank god you're ok... all of you..."  
"Um yeah. When I woke up I felt so much better, but I might have gotten crumbs on the bed"  
Laughing, Keith pulled back and wiped his face  
"That's ok baby"  
"Krolia, are you sure he's ok? He's not making much sense"  
"He had a nightmare. You lost a pup"  
"It felt so real"  
"Oh Keith"  
Gathering him back up in his arms, Lance nuzzled his cheek  
"I'm ok baby, and our pups are ok"  
"It felt so real"  
"I'll leave you two alone. The others will be relieved that you're awake"  
"Thanks Krolia, I'll take care of him now"

Guiding him to sit, Lance rocked him  
"Keith, I'm ok. I've been stuffing my face for vargas now, waiting for you to come back. What happened?"  
"The rebel camp Matt was at was attacked by rogue Galra. Matt's ok, and so is everyone else. We helped them pack up their camp and they're going to be living here for a while"  
"Wow. I had no idea. I heard stuff going on, but then I thought you wouldn't want me wandering around"  
"I'm so relieved you didn't. I still can't believe it was a dream"  
"Here, come have something to eat and I'll even let you rest your head on my stomach"  
"You don't have to do that"  
"I know, but I think you've earned some stomach time. I... I know how it feels"  
"You do?"  
"I lost pups remember... and I've had nightmares about losing these ones too"  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
"Because I'd wake up and you were there and I'd know everything was alright"  
He didn't deserve Lance, he really didn't.

Climbing around the food in the middle of bed, Keith wasn't hungry at all. Lying his head on Lance's swell, his fingers gently stroked the bottom of it   
"That tickles"  
"I thought you said I could have stomach time"  
"You can, just no tickling"  
"Lance, you're sure you're really ok?"  
"I'm fine. I promise. Do you want to talk about it?"  
"No. But can we have a scan later?"  
"I just had a scan"  
"You're right"  
Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Lance leant over to look him in the face  
"Ok note to self, this isn't comfortable... but, we can have another scan if it will make you feel better"  
"I don't want to force you"  
"And I don't want you upset. Just wait until I'm done eating then we'll head up"  
"Ok. Thanks for not making fun of me"  
"I might make fun of you over a lot of things, like the mullet, but not over this"

 

*  
It was weird to see Keith acting so meekly, but his alpha had been seriously freaked. Even after letting him finish his meal, Keith had found a way to hover beside his side, and his hands were never far from his stomach. Finding the rest of the team in the bridge, Keith shied away from them all, leaving Lance feeling stupid   
"Coran, can we borrow you?"  
"Me? You want me?"  
"Uh, yeah? Unless you're busy"  
"No, no. I'm coming"  
The man's excitement was comical as he straightened his back and stiffly walked over to them, moving into the hallway, Lance waited until the door was closed before talking  
"We were kind of wondering if you could do another scan. Keith had a bit of a scare today, and I was sick all morning"  
"I would love to! Let's make sure those pups of yours are in tiptop condition!"  
"Admit it, you just love seeing them"  
"How can I not? Our two future Paladins!"

When Coran pulled up the image of their two pups, Keith started crying against his shoulder. His silly alpha was being adorably sweet  
"There's only two right?"  
"Indeed there is. Is there supposed to be more?"  
"No, I think he's just spooked"  
"In my dream, there was a third"  
"Coran, can you see a third?"  
"No I can't, and I'm only reading three heart beats"  
Keith let out a long breath, before growling as the door to the medical bay opened. Spilling inside, Pidge looked at him mischievously  
"I told you they were having another scan"  
"I didn't say they weren't"  
"Come on in guys. Oh, hey Matt"  
"I hope you don't mind?"  
"No. It's ok. I can't imagine you'll find it too interesting though"  
"Lance! Those are our pups!"  
Rolling his eyes, Lance let his head loll back against Keith's shoulder  
"She says it like I'm not the one carrying them"  
"And he says it like I'm not even here. I swear they keep getting bigger"  
"They're kind of supposed to"  
"That's not what I mean"  
"Don't make me sic Keith on to you"  
"You wouldn't dare"  
"No? Wanna try?"  
Laughing, Pidge shook her head  
"No! I'll leave that to you"

Moving so they could all see the scan, all of them seemed entranced  
"What does it feel like?"  
"Like bubbles... or gas. I've been feeling it more lately"  
"Just wait until they start kicking properly. Keith broke my rib doing that"  
"He what?"  
"He loved kicking at my ribs, but I'd take kicking over having to pee every 30 seconds"  
The pups could break a rib? What? He expected the peeing thing... but having his ribs broken...  
"Mum, stop it. You're scaring him"  
Tensing as Keith spoke, he'd thought his alpha must be dozing because of the rhythmic warm breaths fall across his neck and shoulder  
"I'm just saying. It's not very common, so I doubt you'll have to worry"  
"Then why mention it?"  
"Your friends like your baby stories"  
Groaning, Keith pulled him tighter against him  
"If you keep that up, you can all leave"  
"Keith, it's ok. I was just a little taken back"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine. And our pups are fine. Nothing to worry about"  
"Good. I still want to kick them out"  
"Well I am getting hungry again"  
"Alright, that's it. Lance is hungry, so I'm taking him back to the house"  
"But the pups!"  
"You all got to see them"  
Sliding his hands across Lance's stomach, the image of his hands covered the pups  
"Fine! But I won't forget this"  
"Sorry Pidge, I'm sure you'll see them again"  
"It's not the same"  
"Out!"  
Growling with more force than necessary, Lance wrinkled his nose as he tried to look at Keith   
"Keith?"  
"I just want to be with you"  
His mates voice was low, so only he heard him  
"Sorry guys. I am kind of tired too"  
"That's ok. We'll see you later then?"  
"Yep. Sounds good"

Watching everyone leave, Lance sighed as turned in Keith's hold  
"I want to know every detail of this nightmare you had"  
"I don't want to talk about it"  
"Keith, you died in front of me. The least you can do is tell me about this nightmare"  
"That's not playing fair"  
"I know. So please?"  
Taking a deep breath, Keith repositioned them so he was between his mate's legs with his own legs over Keith's left one  
"I don't know where the dream starts and reality ends"  
"Your mum said you collapsed?"  
"I was back for that... so... I came back and we were organising everyone and setting up the refugees and stuff, and no matter how many times I tried to get away, someone else wanted something"  
"That sounds like your own kind of personal hell"  
"Do you want to hear or not?"  
"Shutting up now"  
"When I finally got away, I came down to the house and mum and Coran were standing out the front. Both of them were upset, and mum started apologising. I knew it had to be bad. I opened the door and you were sitting with your back against the bed head, cradling something... when I climbed on to the bed, you started apologising, and I saw the pup in your arms. He was so tiny... really tiny and you. You were wailing. You cried and cried and I felt like I'd failed you. I wasn't there. After you fell asleep, I put him between us, and I was watching you sleep. You were so broken..."  
Keith paused, before taking another deep breath, his tone was shaking badly with emotion   
"When... when you woke up, we were both crying and you were yelling at me over how I only wanted to take here so that I could blame you for losing the pup. After that, I carried you to the bath, but you weren't paying any attention to anything but the pup. You only passed the one, and after cleaning you up, I brought you up here. That's when Coran saw that there were still two. Mum said it was an omega pup and that your body couldn't support it, so you'd lost it. I woke up after that"  
Leaning in to kiss Keith, Lance felt horrible for making him tell him, but at least he understood now  
"I'm ok. You always take such good care of me"  
"It felt so real Lance. I could smell the blood. I could feel how cold the pup was"  
"I know, I know. How about we just go back to the cottage and cuddle?"  
"I feel pathetic"  
"No, not pathetic. You helped me pass my first pups, even though I can't remember it all. It's only natural you're afraid for our ones"  
"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you or them"  
"I don't plan on losing them, and honestly, I'm relieved I'm not the only one who's scared for them. With everything happening, I can't tell what was a dream and what was reality, and now I find out I had someone poking around in my head... it's scary"  
Lacing their fingers together, Keith nodded before raising his hand so he could kiss the back of it  
"I know baby. But I'll listen. I'll listen to anything you want to say"  
"Even if it's really messed up?"  
"Even then"  
"'cause I had this really weird dream. Instead of Shiro touching me, it was Lotor. I don't know if I'm projecting my dislike of Lotor onto Shiro, but it freaked the hell out of me"  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
"Because being down with you in that cottage, and having you all too myself... it's been so nice. I... I think that might have been why I was so sick this morning"  
"I thought you said it was morning sickness"  
"It was... I told you before though, when I wake up and see you, I know it's all ok"  
"How can you put so much trust in me?"  
"Because I love you"  
"I wish you'd told me"  
"I'm sorry. Can we go now? I really need to cling"  
"Let me carry you?"  
"Only if you promise not to drop me"  
"Then you better hold on"  
Before Lance could prepare himself, Keith had jumped off the examination bed. Laughing as his alpha span him around on the spot, he was happy they were finally communicating and not fighting.


	38. Chapter 38

After thoroughly pleasuring each other all night, Lance's hips hurt like a quiznak as he paced back and forth. Thanks to the rebel refugees Pidge's surgery had been first been delayed, and then not. He would have asked Keith to be a little gentler if he'd known he'd be doing so much pacing. Pidge was still in surgery and he couldn't calm down. Feeling Keith grabbing for his arm, he side stepped as he continued to pace  
"Lance, sit down already. She'll be fine"  
He'd already chewed his nails into bloody stumps, but with his fingertip back in his mouth, he just couldn't sit. Pidge might not be his alpha, but his omega was pacing just as badly as he was, anxious for any kind of news at all  
"Lance, please. You're making us all feel worse"  
Jerking his head up, he looked to Allura. Her eyes full of unshed tears. Quiznak  
"I'm sorry. I just really want her to be alright"  
"The Olkari are amazing healers, and they even set up the operating theatre in the pod room so she could be moved straight into one"  
"I know..."  
"If you know, then sit already"  
Slumping down into Keith's lap, he immediately reached for Hunk's hand. He hadn't even thought how Hunk would feel  
"Don't even think about biting my nails"  
"I wasn't thinking about it until you said that"  
His attempt at humour got him a tight thin-lipped smile... that was really more of a frown  
"I'm sorry. My Omega is going mental"  
"We know. We can smell you"  
"You can?"  
"You smell like sour strawberries"  
"Oh... I'm sorry... should I go?"  
"No. We know you can't help it"

Lance was pretty sure both Allura and Hunk wanted to kick him out by the time Matt walked out with Ryner. He hadn't been able to sit still, and his scent had only worsened. The only one who cut him any slack was Keith, but that was probably because his mate was feeling just as anxious. He hated how much Keith blamed himself for it all  
"Pidge is fine. All the shrapnel was removed, and Ryner did an amazing job. She shouldn't need too long in the healing pod"  
Launching himself off Keith, Lance threw his arms around Ryner   
"Thank you!"  
The old woman clearly didn't know what to do, and he was awkwardly guided into Matt's arms  
"Sorry. He's just really relieved"  
"Well, he did take this old woman by surprise. We'll be packed up shortly"  
Releasing Matt, Lance wrinkled his nose  
"Sorry. You smell really bad"  
"Thanks. I'll try not to be offended"  
"Lance, let's give them some space now"  
Turning back to Keith, Lance bit his lip as he walked back to his mate. He was trying to keep his head, but Matt smelt so much like Shiro that it wasn't funny. No. He couldn't freak out. Not now. He had to be normal just a little longer  
"Lance, you ok?"  
"Yeah. I think I'm going to head to the games room"  
The games room was the first place that came to mind, probably because of all the time he'd spent there with Pidge  
"Ok, you go on ahead, I have something to talk to Ryner about, but then I'll come down"  
Kissing Keith's cheek, Lance forced himself to walk away. Why didn't Keith want to come with him? Was it because he'd hugged Matt? Or because he'd held Hunk's hand? Whatever it was, he'd worked himself by the time he reached the games room.

 

*  
Leaving her scientists to clean up after Pidge's surgery, Keith lead Ryner through the castle. He hadn't talked to any of the team about what he planned, but he figured he should talk to Ryner first. It all depended on what she had to say. Reaching the room, he let them both into it, before walking over to Shiro's pod  
"Shiro? What happened?"  
"This isn't Shiro. This is a clone or something created by the witch Haggar"  
"He looks exactly like the original"  
"Yeah, so much so he had us all fooled right up to the moment he snapped. If we're going to Earth, we can't afford to take him. There was an incident where he escaped his pod"  
"So you want to know what you should do with him?"  
"Kind of. The thing is, whatever Haggar did to him is wearing off. He's not Shiro, and he's not whoever he used to be"  
"Is he violent?"  
"He has been. Lance said he seems confused more than anything, and we don't know what to do"  
"We'll take him into our custody"  
"Are you sure?"  
"You cannot keep him in a pod forever"  
He nearly joked "maybe not forever, but for 10,000 years" but thought against it. Ryner wouldn't get his sense of humour   
"No, we'll fit him with a device to keep him calm, and see if we can figure out what really happened"  
"Thank you. I feel like we keep asking you for favours without giving you anything in return"  
"You've protected us from the Galra and freed us from their rule. You have a long way to go before you use up all your favours"  
"Still. I wish we could do more"  
"Keith, you are but one person. You do not need to shoulder all these burdens on you own. We'll make the preparations"  
"Thanks"

After leading Ryner back up to the healing pod room, the alpha finally went to find Lance. Hopefully knowing that something was going to happen with Shiro would perk him back up. Pidge's operation had been hard for all of them. The feeling of helplessness had left them all on edge. Lost in thought, he was pulled out by his own growling. Confused, he sniffed at the air, only then realising he could smell Lance's pain. His mate was deeply upset, and his scent was screaming for him to come find him. Sprinting through the halls to the games room, he could hear Lance sobbing as he mashed his hand on the door pad, it was taking far too long to open.

Curled up on the floor, Lance was sobbing hysterically. He had no idea what set him off, and the only thing that came to mind was Pidge. Sitting beside Lance, he hauled his mate up  
"Hey, it's ok. Pidge is alright. She's just fine"  
Shaking his head, Lance's breaths came in gulping gasps  
"Not... Pidge"  
"You're not upset because of Pidge?"  
Shaking his head again, Lance's bottom lip was quivering like crazy  
"Is it me?"  
Another shake  
"Can you talk?"  
Yet another shake. Taking Lance's face in his hands, he stared into Lance's eyes  
"You need to breathe baby. In... and out... in... and out..."  
Coaching Lance through his breathing, he finally got his mate to calm   
"Hey, that's better"  
"Thank you"  
"It's alright. Can you talk about it now?"  
"Matt smelt like Shiro"  
That one sentence had him groaning internally. With his nerves a wreck over Pidge, a face full of Shiro like scent definitely would have pushed him over  
"Matt isn't Shiro baby. It's just us here"  
"I know Matt isn't Shiro..."  
Pushing him off, Lance glared at him  
"I didn't mean..."  
"You didn't mean to say I'm stupid?"  
Great. Just great  
"Lance I didn't say you're stupid. I'm just trying to understand"  
"Your fucked up mate just had a melt down over another alpha's smell making him think of the alpha that raped him. That's what happened"  
Glaring daggers at him, Lance started to scratch at his arms  
"Baby. You're not fucked up"  
"I am! I should be over this!"  
"You can't click your fingers and be magically cured"  
"I know that! Just go away"  
Didn't they say Lance wasn't going to be so moody now the thing was out his head? Because if they did, they were dead wrong. Bursting back into tears, Keith sighed as he shuffled over to pick Lance up again  
"I'm sorry! I'm a horrible omega!"  
"No, you're not"  
This time it was probably just safer to keep his mouth shut  
"I'm so fat and ugly"  
Trying to shove his fingers in his mouth, Keith ripped Lance's hand away from it. He wasn't having Lance making himself vomit because he thought he was fat  
"You are pregnant. Not fat. And definitely not ugly"  
If Lance had been making himself sick, that was a whole other issue they were going to have to work through. He hadn't seen him trying to, but he could have missed it.

When Lance quietened down again, the omega looked up at him with eyes  
"I'm sorry"  
"Nah. It's ok. Do you want to move?"  
"Can we go see Pidge?"  
"Will you be ok? Matt will probably be there"  
"Y-yeah. I think the relief of Pidge being ok and all of it just got to me. I was so scared she'd die"  
"Pidge is strong. Even if she's tiny"  
"Yeah... we don't have to stay if Hunk's there though"  
"Oh, so you noticed that did you?"  
"Pidge and Hunk? Mhmm. Don't you think they'd be great together"  
"Not as good as us though"  
"No. Team Klance for the win"  
"Klance?"  
"Keith and Lance..."  
"I got it"  
"You don't like it?"  
"I do if you do"  
"Good... 'cause I've kind of being calling the pups names based on that"  
Lance had the pups named already? He was still struggling to keep up with what he was saying, and now they were onto pup names?  
"You have?"  
"Yeah. Kelance and Lanieth... you know, because they're half me and half you"  
If anyone else but Lance had suggested them he would have hit them, but coming from Lance's sweet lips, they sounded magical   
"Well?"  
"Well, what?"  
"Do you like them?"  
"Yeah, baby. They're cute, but not as cute as you"  
"You were such an arsehole when I met you. Who would have thought you could be this nice"  
"And you're nowhere near as insufferable as you used to be either"  
Pouting at him, it slowly turned into a soft smile  
"Can see Pidge now?"  
Keith could only shake his head. He couldn't keep up.

 

*  
Pidge was awake and talking away happily to Matt and Allura when Keith lead him into the room. Though he didn't want to leave Keith's side, he wanted to hug Pidge. For a girl who'd just been through surgery, she was amazingly animated   
"Pidge!"  
"Hey, Lance! Allura and Hunk said you were pretty worried"  
"I was... um, can I have a hug?"  
Opening her arms, Lance darted around Keith and into them. Pidge didn't even smell like blood or hurt at all  
"I'm so happy you're awake"  
"I'm perfectly fine. Are you? You smell upset?"  
"I am now"  
Hugging Pidge for longer than what was probably acceptable, Lance finally forced himself to let her go  
"So no ill effects?"  
"No. I feel awesome! Hunk's already agreed to an all-night game-a-thon. We're going to teach Allura and Coran too"  
Poor Hunk. He was so close...  
"That sounds fun... but before then, we can eat right?!"  
"I baked a whole bunch of cookies, and made extra dough just for you"  
"Hunk, you have no idea how good that sounds right now. I know I'm only 14 movements, but I feel like I'm 40 and eating for that many"  
"Lance, you don't even look that big"  
Grabbing him from behind, Keith kissed his neck   
"So games night?"  
"Yep. We could do like a tournament until we have a champion"  
Hunk definitely wasn't going to get any alone time with Pidge tonight. He almost felt bad over it. Almost.

 

*  
If there was a way to play backwards, Coran and Allura had discovered it. Both eliminated in their first round... even the mice played better than the pair of them combined. Still, Lance was happy. With his head in Allura's lap, Keith was leaning on his stomach as he fought Hunk. They're one on one match had spilt into its forth round now, and both alphas were furiously button mashing away. Hunk wanting to impress Pidge, and Keith with his reputation as Voltron's Black Paladin on the line  
"Come on Hunk! Kick his arse!"  
Cheering for Hunk, Pidge spilt her orange berries across her lap. It was the closet thing they had to popcorn, though their juicy flesh was confusing, it wasn't like they could just pop down to the local shops and buy real popcorn  
"Thanks for the support Lance"  
"Kick his butt babe, or don't bother coming home tonight"  
Whooping with laughter, Pidge hit Matt, which caused Matt to kick Hunk, and Keith finally took the win  
"Interference!"  
"Nope. I can't help it if you got kicked"  
"I demand a rematch"  
"Lance, you good?"  
"I'm sleepy"  
"Right, someone else take the control. It's time to take him home"  
"Bowing out. Can't take the pressure"  
"Pidge, show Hunk how it's done"  
"Oh, it is so on!"  
Lifting him from Allura's lap, Keith held him long enough for Allura to drop a kiss on his forehead   
"Goodnight Lance"  
"Night night Allura. Make sure you don't stay up too late. Night guys"  
"Good night Lance. Don't forget to come up for breakfast tomorrow"  
"Can't breakfast come to me?"  
Even though he wasn't walking down to the house, the thought of it seemed like too much effort.

"Do you think Hunk's going to make a move soon?"  
"I think he wanted to make one tonight"  
"Yeah. If Allura and Coran hadn't been invited, I would have just said no"  
"Do you think they've realised?"  
"Probably not. I don't think Matt has either"  
"So, are you really sleepy or were we just trying to give them all a hint?"  
"I'm not that sleepy"  
"Oh, so you could walk then?"  
Half dropping him, Lance scrambled to hold on to Keith   
"Keith!"  
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself"  
"I wish you had"  
"So if everyone's having a games night, what do you want to do?"  
"Can we take the Lions out?"  
"I don't know..."  
"Then can we go outside?"  
"You want to watch the stars?"  
"Well I actually want to go sun baking"  
"You can't go sun baking in the middle of the night"  
"We could go see Kaltenecker?"  
"You know, I honestly keep forgetting we have that cow"  
"Kaltenecker is beautiful. She deserves more"  
"So we're going to see the cow?"  
"Kaltnecker!"  
"Yes. The cow"  
"Keeeeith"  
"That's my name"  
He wanted to punch his alpha, but then Keith turned and began back the way they'd come  
"Where are we going?"  
"I thought you wanted to see the cow"  
"Kaltenecker!"  
"I know!"

Walking back the way they'd come, they came across Krolia. The woman coming towards them from the games room  
"Hey boys. I thought you were going home?"  
"No, we're going to see the cow"  
"Kaltenecker!"  
"Settle down Lance, you don't need to yell"  
"But you won't say her name"  
"Because it's so much more fun getting a rise out of you. What are you up to?"  
"Nothing really"  
"Good. You can come with us. Have you met Kaltenecker? I can't remember"  
"You want me to come meet your pet cow"  
"We got her for free with the game console"  
"And I won't be intruding?"  
"No. You can save me from your son"  
"In that case, I'd love to"  
Good. Now he had someone else on his side.

"Is she real?"  
Rolling his eyes at Krolia, Lance wasn't amused  
"Of course she is. And it looks like she needs milking. Have you ever milked a cow?"  
"I tried to once, but Keith's father sprayed me in the face with its milk"  
Grabbing the pails for the milk, Lance carried them over to the milking stool before looking at Krolia. She looked more like she wanted to turn Kaltenecker into a steak dinner than she wanted to milk her  
"Come here, I'll teach you"  
"Lance..."  
"It'll be fine. Milking a cow is so easy"  
"I don't know Lance, I don't want to hurt her"  
"You won't. She's probably more uncomfortable from not being milked, and she needs more grass. Keith, can you get her some more out while I show mum how to milk a cow"  
The word mum rolled off his tongue, and for a moment he was worried, but Krolia finally sat down on the milking stool  
"Ok. Show me how to do this"

Krolia was a natural at milking, while Keith was not. Not wanting him to be left out, Lance had offered to teach him, but the moment Keith gripped Kaltenecker's teat, she let out a long "moo" before trying to kick at him  
"I don't think she likes me"  
Laughing hard enough to draw their attention, Krolia looked mischievous   
"Mum. What did you do?"  
"Me? Nothing"  
"Then why does it look like you did?"  
"Because you're paranoid. Anyway, give it another shot"  
Leaning in and taking her teat in his hand again, the same thing happened and this time he caught Krolia poking Kaltenecker with the tip of her blade. Biting his lip, he tried not to laugh at his furious alpha   
"I give up!"  
"Keith"  
"No! She doesn't like me"  
"Keith, she's just not used to you"  
"She wasn't used to any of us until we rode her out of the Space Mall"  
Keith was definitely now sulky. Kicking out, his mate hit the less full bucket of milk, causing it to slosh over his boots and pants  
"Hey! Watch it! She worked hard to make that milk!"  
"This whole thing is stupid!"  
Throwing his hands up, Keith stormed off. Leaving Lance somewhat hurt. He didn't think milking a cow was stupid...   
"Sorry. I didn't mean to upset him"  
"No. I thought it was funny too..."  
"Should I go after him?"  
"Probably. I'm just going to stay down here for a bit"  
"Do you want me to take the milk up to the kitchen?"  
"I'll do it after I've cleaned up here"

With Krolia and Keith both gone, Lance went about grooming Kaltenecker   
"You're a good cow. He's just a cranky alpha. Don't let him get to you"  
Mooing like she understood, Lance smiled at the beast  
"We're going back to Earth soon. I wonder who brought you all the way out here. Do you miss Earth? Maybe we can find you a few cow friends? Or some chickens for the fresh eggs? No, I don't think Keith will let us get any more animals. A cat would be nice. Or a dog. I always wanted a cat, but every time I fed the strays mum would tell me off. Do you like cats?"  
Mooing again, Lance sighed at her response   
"Some help you are. But you're right. I should probably take the milk up to the kitchen. Thanks, girl. I'll try and remember to come back, but if I don't, don't be too mad"

Carrying the pail of milk up to the kitchen, he found Hunk baking up a storm  
"What happened to games night?"  
"Matt insisted Pidge go to bed. What happened to going back to the house?"  
"I got distracted. Here, have some fresh milk"  
Placing the pail next to the sink, Lance sat down on the stool in the corner of the room   
"Do you wanna talk about it?"  
"Not really"  
"Did she beat you?"  
"Lance either shut up or leave"  
Cringing, Lance climbed off the stool  
"Excuse me for being worried!"  
First, he'd set Keith off and now Hunk  
"Wait for Lance, I'm sorry"  
"No. It's ok. I get it. I'll just go"  
Stalking from the kitchen, he just wanted to be alone. He couldn't upset anyone else if he wasn't around.


	39. Chapter 39

Something was definitely going on with Lance and it all started that night his mate had tried to teach him to milk a cow. Having lashed out stupidly, he'd immediately wanted to go back and apologise but instead had started wandering around the castle until his mum had found him explained she'd actually been poking Kaltenecker. That only made him feel more stupid.

That'd been a movement ago, and Lance had been weird ever since. It wasn't like he wasn't joining in with conversation, but he was a still distant. He'd fall asleep in Keith's arms, but Keith would wake to find Lance on the other side of the bed, or sleeping in the bath. He'd tried to tell himself it was because of all the plans they were currently making to return to Earth, but that wasn't it either. Thanks to fore mentioned plans, almost ever waking hour was consumed with meeting with people from the coalition, or helping the rebels. This was the last week they'd be spending on Olkarion, and the week he'd have all his family in one spot. Being in charge sucked.

Standing in the bridge, Keith was pouring over star charts when Krolia and Lance finally showed up. They were supposed to have started the meeting over a varga ago, and the already stressed alpha didn't appreciate being made to wait  
"It's about time you two showed up. Where have you been?"  
"Just busy. It was my fault"  
"Mum, you don't need to cover for Lance"  
"I'm not. I wanted to talk to him a little more before I leave"  
"Wait, you're leaving?"  
"Keith didn't tell you?"  
Glaring at him, Pidge shook her head  
"No, he didn't"  
"I'm returning to the Blade of Marmora, at least while you're gone"  
"So you're not coming back to Earth with us?"  
"Sorry Pidge. Keith's place is here with all of you, and mine is with the Blade, but we'll talk again soon and I'll be back to visit"  
"Aw... I was looking forward to going shopping with you"  
"I'm sure Allura will going with you. She's going to be amazed by all the variety on Earth"  
"Yes well, that's enough. Now that you're hear, we can finally discuss the travel route we'll be taking"  
Looking at Pidge, he dared her to say anything other than what she was supposed to   
"Right. Well, we all know Earth is really, really far away from here, and even with the teladuv, it's still going to take 3 whole movements to get back. We also don't know how long it will take us to find Atlantis, and if we'll come across Honerva on the way"  
"Which means we need to pack enough supplies so we get there comfortably. It also means we'll be on ship for all of that time"  
"Wait, we're not stopping?"  
Poking his pointers together, Hunk seemed genuinely concerned   
"Do you have a problem with this?"  
"I was hoping we'd get to see some of the outer planets. Maybe stop by and see Shay..."  
"Hunk, we don't have time. The fact Honerva has been out there for movements without making a move could mean she's already nearly at Earth"  
"Fine. But what are we going to do with Shiro"  
"I was actually going to bring that up. Because we don't know who Shiro actually is, or was, Ryner has had him transferred into the care of the Olkari"  
"What?! When did this happen?"  
"Why weren't we told?"  
"Is it safe?"  
"Guys! Enough! It's done! He was moved off the castle a couple of quintants ago"  
"Why didn't you tell us?"  
Staring at him, Lance seemed the most hurt over not being told  
"When have I had time? I've been busy trying to organise everything so it doesn't all just fall apart when we leave"

Turning, Lance ran from the room  
"Lance!"  
"Leave him"  
"But Keith, he was crying"  
"So? We can't go chasing after him every time he cries. If we did that, nothing would ever get done around here"  
The words sounded just as awful out loud as they had in his head   
"Dude not cool. He's nearly 16 movements pregnant"  
"I know how far along my mate is"  
"He's going to be 19 movements when we arrive back on Earth"  
"Enough about Earth! We have to get there first! Now, Hunk I need you, Coran and Pidge to go to the Space Mart. We need enough food to make it there, as well as soap, toilet paper and the rest of it. Allura, I need you to continue contacting our allies. Make sure they know we will come, but might take a little time. Matt, your job will be to make sure all the rebels are accustomed to Olkarion. Krolia, while we're gone, I want you to update Matt and the rebels on any big or nasty surprises. I don't know if we'll be able to get your transmissions from so far away"  
"What are you and Lance going to do?"  
"Lance is going to finally organise his things, and I have another meeting with Ryner to attend"  
"About Shiro?"  
"No"  
"Can we see him?"  
"Not at the moment"  
"He's our friend too... well, he was"  
"Look. Ryner has her science team on it. They're attempting to figure out who Shiro was before he became our Shiro. I don't think seeing us is going to make him any less confused"  
Pinching the bridge of his nose, his head was throbbing  
"Keith?"  
"I'm ok. Just... let's get this done as soon as possible"

 

*  
Sitting on the far edge of the terrace, Lance was watching the trees moving beneath him. Shiro was out and Keith hadn't even told him. Ryner had probably seen to making sure the alpha couldn't hurt anyone and it was nice that he wasn't just gathering dust in the prisoner pod anymore, but it still hurt, especially after he'd been trying his hardest not to make Keith mad again. Things had been weird, and now he didn't even want to be touched by his mate. Each time he did, Lance felt like he was suffocating. That's why he'd tried to keep his distance. That and the fact his stomach had grown even further. He'd brought a few shirts from the Space Mall thinking he had movements until he'd grow into them, but his stupid stomach hadn't gotten the message. Even forcing himself to vomit didn't keep his weight down. He missed his old body. He missed having a smooth flat stomach and small cute hips. Now he was just a blob. A big fat useless blob, that was about as attractive as... something revolting. Krolia had caught him kneeling in front to the toilet, and he'd lied. He said he felt nauseous, but couldn't throw up. Not that he was throwing up because he was fat. Her solution had been to sip on cool water until it settled. That's why they'd been late. That and the fact he really didn't want her to go. 

Figuring enough time had passed, Lance shoved his hands as deeply into his jean's as he could. Hopefully Keith would have taken all his anger out on the others and he'd be able to just slip right by. Keith had told him he had to finally finish moving his things into the alpha's room, but it honestly seemed like too much effort. It wasn't like there was much left, only a box or two down in the cottage they'd been using. Still, it was enough to upset the alpha. Their blissful honeymoon period was over.

Returning to cottage, he could smell that he'd just missed Keith. His mate stank of anger, which did nothing for his nerves. Quickly darting around the cottage, he triple checked he had absolutely everything. Even if they were staying for two more days, he didn't want to come back down here. That's how he ended up carrying two insanely heavy boxes up to the castle on his own. His back and hips were screaming in protest, but he'd rather be physically hurt than risk upsetting his mate. Staggering into something, he was sent sprawling as he bounced back. Confused over what happened, his hands immediately went to his stomach  
"Oh my goodness. Lance, are you alright?"  
"Yeah. Sorry Allura, I couldn't see you"  
"That's what you get for carrying two big boxes up at once"  
"Keith wanted all my stuff on board the castle"  
Climbing to his feet, he bit down a yelp as pain flared through his side. Two boxes had definitely been a terrible idea  
"Here, why don't we help you?"  
"No. I suppose Keith gave you all a mission to do?"  
"I was just seeing off Coran, Pidge and Hunk. Keith sent them off to go food shopping"  
"Allura, we haven't left yet"  
"Oh. That sounds fun. I wish I was going, but these boxes aren't going to unpack themselves"  
Reaching down Hunk picked up the box closest to him  
"Lance, this is pretty heavy"  
"It's fine. Pass it over"  
Taking the box, it was definitely heavier than he remembered  
"And can you put the other one on top?"  
The weight of the second box threatened to topple him. Lifting it straight back off, Hunk passed it to Allura   
"Allura, can you please make sure Lance gets down to Keith's quarters in one piece?"  
"Guys, I'm fine"  
"Just let Allura carry the big box, and Hunk might bring you back something nice"  
Talking to him like a small child made Lance realise he'd done it again  
"Fine, but let me know if it gets too heavy"  
"It's fine. Shall we go?"

With Allura by his side, the princess kept glancing at him from the corner of her eye  
"What is it?"  
"Are you ok? I didn't notice it before, but you look sick"  
"I'm fine Allura"  
"Have you been eating and sleeping? Keith hasn't hurt you has he?"  
"Yes I've been eating and sleeping, and no, he hasn't. He's been so busy getting ready for this trip, that we haven't really talked"  
"Yes. He certainly does seem stressed"  
"That's because we're taking the only weapon capable of standing up to Galra all the way to the middle of nowhere"  
"Still. I do wish he'd told us about Shiro"  
"Allura, when Keith makes up his mind, there's no stopping him"  
"I suppose so"  
With the conversation dying back down, Lance didn't know what to add, so they continued to Keith's quarters in silence.

Keith's wardrobe was too small, or he had too much stuff. Which ever it was, it wasn't all going to fit  
"Allura, I don't think it's going to happen"  
Trying to find a way to fit even more in, the princess had even tired "pushing" the walls out to make space  
"No. I don't think so either. What do you want to do with your things?"  
"A lot of my old clothes don't fit anymore, so they don't need to be hung up. I might just put everything like that in the room next door"  
"That's a good idea. That way it isn't too far away"  
"Yeah. So my blankets and that can go too..."  
"What do you two think you're doing?"

Caught in the act of cleaning, both Allura and Lance jumped at Keith's voice   
"You wanted everything organised..."  
"By you. Allura is supposed to be contacting the rest of our Allies"  
Oh Quiznak. He'd gotten her in trouble...  
"Sorry. I needed some help"  
"Then you should have come and found me"  
"It's quite alright, we're nearly done"  
"I'll take over. You're much better with people than I am"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Allura, it's fine. It's not that much. Thanks for the help"  
"Ok. I guess I'll see you later Lance"  
Leaving them alone, Lance tried his best to act like everything was normal. Rising, he began gathering up his clothes   
"What are you doing with those?"  
"Folding them"  
"Why?"  
"Because they don't fit anymore"  
"Some of those look new"  
Probably because some of them were?!  
"Well it's not like I'm going to be pregnant forever, besides, I'm going to put them in the room next door"  
"Fine, just make sure you don't over do it. The last thing we need is for you to get hurt"  
Did Keith not realise how Shiro like he was being? Or had his alpha just finally snapped? There was being stressed, and then there was this. Lowering himself back onto the bed, he reached his hand out for Keith's   
"Keith, come here"  
"Why?"  
"Because you look like you need a hug"  
"Quiznak Lance. We don't have time for hugs"  
It hurt. It hurt a lot. It felt like his whole body had been slapped by the alpha's rejection. As his eyes filled with tears, he felt like a fool   
"What are you crying for?"  
"Get out"  
"Lance?"  
"Get out! Get out! Get out! I don't want to see you!"  
"What are you getting so upset for?!"  
"If you have to ask, then you're a jerk!"  
"Lance"  
Growling his name, stepped forward   
"I've been doing everything I can to get you back to Earth"  
"Everything except being a decent human being! I've been trying to keep quiet, but you're being a jerk to everyone! Now get out and don't come back here!"  
"These are my quarters!"  
"Fine! I'll leave! I don't want to see anyone until we reach Earth!"  
Running through the castle, the best he could. Lance was deadly serious. He really didn't want to see anyone, so he headed up to the healing pod room. Even if they healed, they could be set to sleep mode. Relieved to find some of them up and open, he stepped into the one on the far end of the room. He didn't care if time didn't move for him. He just needed a break from everything.

 

*  
Watching Lance leave, Keith didn't know what to say. Lance had told him to "get out" and that he was a "jerk". He didn't like having to be such an arsehole to everyone, but he needed them all to play there parts so they could actually leave. It was exhausting. He was exhausted. All he wanted to do was fall down into bed and wake up when it was over. At least now he knew what was wrong with Lance. It was him. He was what was wrong... he knew he was being hard on everyone, but had he really went that bad? Probably. Especially for Lance to blow up in his face like that. Smooth Keith, real smooth. Eyeing the mess of clothes across his bed, the least he could do was put them away, or next door like Lance had suggested. 

After moving all Lance's clothes to the room just down the hall, or what Lance had been referring too as the room next door, his whole afternoon had been a lesson in patience that he'd nearly failed miserably. Trying to explain that yes, they were going away, but they were coming right back seemed to baffle people. Their top concern their own planets, and seemingly not that of the Paladins protecting them all. His alpha was royally pissed by the end of it, and just when he thought everything was finally organised, Pidge came running up to him.

"Keith, what happened to Lance? Is it the pups? Are they alright? He seemed really sick earlier, and like he was in pain when he was trying to carry those boxes down to your quarters. Is that what did it? He's not loosing them right?"  
Pidge was talking a million miles a second, her words falling over each other in a rush to get them out   
"Pidge, what in quiznak are you talking about?"  
"Lance! Is he ok?"  
"He was when I last saw him"  
That was definitely a lie...  
"Then why is he in a pod? I was doing another castle scan to test our new sensors out, and he's in a pod!"  
Why would his mate decide... oh...  
"We had a fight and he said he didn't want to see anyone until we reached Earth"  
Pidge let out a huge breath  
"So he's alright?"  
"Yeah. Just throwing a tantrum"  
"Keith, I know you probably don't want to hear this, but Lance is pregnant. His hormones are out of control, and we can all smell it. One dobosh he's hungry, the next he's crying, and then he's horny"  
"Pidge, did you just say horny?"  
"Well, he is. My point is, you've been a real quiznak lately. Instead of trusting us, you've been breathing down our necks and making us all uncomfortable. I know you're under a lot of pressure, but taking it out on us won't help, and taking it out on Lance... well it's kind of a..."  
"It's a dick move. I just want this to all go perfectly. We're going back to Earth, and not only leaving everyone here without Voltron, we could be bringing the war right to Earth's doorstep"  
"We all know that. But it's home and we need to stop Haggar. So go find Lance and kiss and makeup"  
"Maybe it's better if we did let him sleep..."  
"Lance would kill you if he didn't get to say goodbye to Krolia, or anyone else here. He loves people, and being social, even when it doesn't seem like it. You should know how easily he gets lonely"  
"Alright. I get it. You win. I will go soothe the angry omega"  
"Good. Then bring him up to the lounge room. The others will be back soon"  
"Yes, Commander Holt"  
Wrinkling her face, Pidge shook her head  
"Too far"  
There had to be some secret Voltron language between everyone else that he was just not in on.

Calling his mother and asking her to meet him the pod room, he needn't have bothered as she was already there. Her palm flat on the glass of the pod Lance was in, and a scowl on her face  
"Mum?"  
"This Altean technology is amazing"  
"Yet I get the feeling that's not why you're glaring at it"  
"Lance didn't smell physically hurt... I must have missed something"  
"He's not. He just had a bit of a tantrum and decided he didn't want to talk to anyone until we got to Earth"  
Walking over to the terminal, Keith had seen Coran do it enough to know how to kind of work it. With a simple tap, the glass slid away. Catching Lance, Krolia held him tightly  
"Krolia?"  
"I was worried about you"  
"I'm fine... a little confused but fine. I wasn't supposed to wake up yet"  
"I couldn't very well leave without saying goodbye to you"  
"I wish you weren't. I don't know what I'm going to do without you"  
"Ahem, guys, maybe let Lance get out of the pod properly"

Lance pulled back from Krolia the moment he spoke. His mate looking scared as he did  
"Keith, don't be mean to him. He hasn't been well lately"  
"Krolia, it's fine. I told you it's just morning sickness"  
"Not just that. You've been quiet. I can't leave knowing that both my sons aren't alright"  
"I'm sorry... I've just been trying to stay out the way... there's so much to do and I ever do is get in the way"  
As Lance dissolved into tears, his mother swept the omega off his feet, before glaring at him  
"What did I do?"  
"It's what you didn't do. If you knew he was in here, why didn't you come for him sooner?"  
"Because I didn't. I've been in meetings all day trying to get the last of it all sorted. Pidge only just told me he was in here, and then we were supposed to head up to the lounge room"  
"I'll carry him. His scent tells me he doesn't want to be touched right now"  
How was he supposed to do anything about upsetting Lance if Lance didn't want him around. Trailing behind his mother as she carried Lance across the room, he clenched his fists. Things used to be so much easier. 

Following the pair into the lounge room, he found the space transformed. "Goodbye Krolia and Good Luck" hung above the back door, and centred on the table was a huge cake decorated in shades of purple and pink  
"What is this?!"  
"Well, you've become a very important part of the team, so we wanted to have a party!"  
As the group popped their party poppers Allura looked terrified as confetti burst forth, the princess then bursting out laughing   
"These things are amazing!"  
"Krolia, you can put me down now"  
Standing Lance up, Krolia was soon being hugged not just by him, but by Pidge and Hunk too  
"Thank you all so much"  
"We've even got alcohol!"  
Appearing from the back, Matt held up bottles of rebel moonshine   
"Now this is a real party!"  
Keith had no idea how they'd managed to pull all of this off, but he was happy they had. Half stumbling, he threw his arms around his mother and buried his face against her back. He didn't want her to go. He knew she had to do what was right for her, but he just didn't want to say goodbye and risk never seeing her again. Turning in his hold, his mother wrapped her arms around him  
"No matter what happens Keith, I will always be proud of you and proud to be your mother"  
"I love you"  
"I love you too. Come sit by me?"

With Lance on Krolia's other side, his mother was pretty much squashed between them. She'd become so incredibly dear to both of them, and given Lance the support only a mother could  
"Hunk, this cake looks amazing. Is that me on top of it?"  
"Yep! Blade and all. I tried to model it off Keith's Blade of Marmora outfit"  
"It's amazing. You truly are talented"  
"Well Pidge did the lighting"  
"Lighting?"  
Beneath the small figure of his mother, the top of the cake glowed light pink, before a tiny projection popped up, playing an animated version of Krolia sneaking around   
"Wow. Pidge, that's amazing"  
"It was nothing"  
"All of this has been amazing, and far more than I deserve"  
Reaching over the top of the cake, Pidge and Hunk high fived  
"Now, do we do cakes or presents first?"  
"There's presents?"  
"Yep! Maybe we should do presents?"

From Allura and Coran, his mother received a new communicator, which Pidge swore should work almost all the way to Earth.  
From Pidge was a copy of the Earth books she'd had on her laptop.  
From Hunk was a heap of cookies and dried rations so she'd have something decent to eat.  
From Matt was a whole case of rebel moonshine.  
Then finally it came to him and Lance   
"Now Keith and Lance didn't know about this party either, but we took the liberty of organising their gift"  
Passing over a clearly Olkarion device, Krolia turned it round in her hold as if trying to figure out what to do. Finally finding a button or a switch, she pressed down on it, and the device popped open  
"It's a media player. It's got copies of Lance's ultrasound photos, photos of you and Keith, photos of Keith and Lance, photos of you and Lance, photos of all of us together, and it's got a tracker for the Red and Black Lions... you know, so if they forget to call you can track them down and hit them"  
"Thank you so much..."  
Was those actual real tears he saw in his mother's eyes? Placing the device down, his mother wrapped her arms around both him and Lance, kissing them both on the cheek  
"You guys better take care of my boys"  
"We will"  
"And boys, you better not make your friends here worry. I'll hear all about it if you do"  
"I'll try my hardest"  
Kissing Lance on the top of his head, Krolia then looked to him  
"Alright already!"  
"Good boy"  
"Look at little Keef... promising to be a good boy"  
Glaring at Hunk, he was blinded by the flash of the camera in his hands  
"Ugh! Really?!"  
"Yes. Now let's eat!"

 

*  
After stressing all week, Krolia's part was what they all needed. Staying close to Krolia's side all night, Lance could pretend everything was going to be ok, even though it still felt like Keith was mad at him. He even managed to forget about it until the drinking games started. Given he was pregnant and not allowed to drink, his glass was filled with water as the rest began working on the moonshine. He was just going to take a sip, when the glass was sent flying from his hands  
"What are you doing?"  
"Drinking?"  
"Have you forgotten you're pregnant and can't drink?!"  
Glaring at him, Keith seemed thoroughly enraged  
"It's water! Do you think I would be stupid enough to drink?"  
The alpha's eyes widened   
"Water?"  
"Yes. Water"  
"Ooooh look out, Keef's mad at Lance!"  
"Lance, what did you do?"  
"Nothing. He thought I was drinking"  
"I didn't know drinking water could be so dangerous. You better not get drunk!"  
"Guys, that's enough. Keith over reacted, that's all. Now he's going to get Lance another glass of water, and then I'm going to show him what a real drinking game is"  
There was a collective "ooooh" around the table, and Keith had no choice but to fetch him a new glass of water. While everyone went back to their festivities, Krolia leant in to whisper into his ear  
"Don't worry about Keith. He'll calm back down, and I didn't tell him about your little secret. Lance, you're pregnant, and you look beautiful. Making yourself vomit is bad for you and the pups. I love you and Keith loves you, and we're both always going to be there for you. Never forget that"  
After that, it'd been impossible to enjoy the party properly. Krolia knew he'd done it intentionally.

With the smell of drunk and horny alpha's in the room, Lance had slipped away. He couldn't forget what Krolia had said, and he felt so incredibly guilty for endangering his pups over his own self image concerns. It was just so frustrating. His body was changing, his hips and thighs widening, his breasts developing, his stomach now had stretch marks... he didn't feel sexy or cute or anything. He just wanted to hide it all away. He wanted to hide away, but he also wanted to be there when Krolia left.

That's how he ended up down in the hangar bay, beside Krolia's ship. Crawling into the small space, he climbed into the pilots seat, before curling into a ball. He didn't want to say goodbye and he didn't want to be left behind again. He was so stupid. He was 18, not 8, and it wasn't like Krolia was disappearing completely. She'd be back... but the last time one of their missing teammates had come back, it hadn't even been him. Who knew where Shiro was, or if he was even still alive out there... eventually he fell into a fitful sleep.

"Lance?"  
Groaning at the unwelcome shaking of his shoulder, Lance swatted at the hand shaking him  
"Lance, come on, it's time to get up"  
Slowly opening his eyes, he realised where he was and bit his lip sheepishly at being sprung by Krolia   
"Did you spend all night down here?"  
"Y-yeah... um... I didn't want to miss you leaving"  
"You spoilt it. I was intending on sneaking out, but I never expected to see you here"  
Helping him up and down from the cockpit, Krolia wrapped her arms around him  
"I'm sorry if I upset you last night"  
"No. I... I was stupid. I want to be the best omega I can be, but everything I do never works out"  
"That's because you're much too hard on yourself. You're perfect and Keith loves you for you"  
"I keep stuffing up"  
"You make it sound like you're the only one who ever made a mistake"  
Nodding against Krolia, he really didn't want to let her go   
"Promise me you'll be safe?"  
"Of course I will be. I have two precious sons and two grandpups on the way. There's no way I'd die before getting to meet them"  
"You swear it?"  
"Yes, Lance. I swear it. Now, I have to go, but I want you to call me any time you need to. If I don't answer I'm on a mission, but I'll reply just as soon as I can"  
Keith had told him the same thing and that hadn't exactly worked out well. But this was Krolia...  
"Ok... I'll try... I'll try and do better.. Um... Is there anything you want brought back from Earth?"  
"Just all of you in one piece"  
"I think that's the plan... I'm going to miss you"  
"I'll miss you too. Say goodbye to everyone for me?"  
"I will"  
Kissing the top of his head, Krolia slipped from his hold   
"You'll see me again before you know it"  
Nodding, Lance backed away from the ship. His arms firmly around his stomach in a self hug as tears streamed down his face. At least he'd been here to say goodbye, even if it really, really, really sucked. 

He wanted Keith. No, he needed Keith. Heading down to his alpha's room, he didn't know what to say to him, he really just needed cuddles. Krolia had left, his alpha would probably be feeling just as lost as he was. Placing his hand down on the door pad, it slid open to reveal Keith's room. The clothes he'd left all over the place were gone, and Keith was sprawled across their bed. The small smile he felt tugging on his lips vanished as his heart dropped. Curled into Keith's side was Pidge. The female alpha was in his spot... Why? Why would Pidge be in bed with Keith? Reeling backwards, Lance ran, barely making it down the hall before throwing himself into the first room he found. Keith wouldn't cheat on him. Not with Pidge... but she was small and cute... he was just fat. Fat with pups Keith probably didn't really want. He was probably just being polite. Sinking to his knees, Lance stuck his fingers in his mouth, forcing himself to gag then vomit. His world felt like it was crumbling down around him. Keith and Pidge. Emptying his stomach, he stared down at the mess through blurry eyes. Krolia would be so disappointed in him. He'd told her he'd try to do better. He'd stuffed up. He'd stuffed up so badly. 

Feeling lost, the omega wandered up through the castle, eventually ending up in the kitchen. He'd thought he'd be the only one awake, but Hunk was scrubbing dishes. Walking over, he snagged the dish cloth and picked up the closest dish  
"Lance, everything alright?"  
"No... not really"  
Shaking his hands off, Hunk wrapped his arms around him, Lance shaking as he hugged his friend back  
"I did something really stupid"  
"Whatever it is, I'm sure we can work it out"  
"I don't even know what I'm doing anymore"  
"Right now you're giving me a hug, and then you're going to help dry these dishes and I'll make you pancakes for breakfast"  
"I don't deserve you"  
"Probably not"  
Snorting as he pulled away, Lance nodded. He needed to keep his mouth shut. Hunk liked Pidge... he couldn't tell him   
"You did say pancakes right?"  
"Yep, and by some miracle, there's even left over cake"  
"Now you're speaking my language"


	40. Chapter 40

Trapped beneath his sleeping omega, Keith didn't dare move. Lance had talked to him a little after Krolia left, but that was to ask for some space to work his head out. Going as far as to use the room down the hall. After one very long and likely movement, whatever he'd been working out had come to an end the afternoon before. His mate had walked into their room, climbed into his arms and promptly passed out. So far Lance had been snoring for the last 12 vargas, and Keith was trapped as he ignored his increasing need to pee.

The need to pee was now a burning throb, and Lance still hadn't moved, trying to slide his mate off him, Lance clutched at his shirt, making his escape even harder  
"Baby, wake up"  
Whining, Lance nuzzled into his chest   
"Lance, I need to get up"  
Pushing Lance, his mate finally took the hint. Confused blue eyes blinked at him  
"I need to get up"  
Rolling off of him, Lance's eyes filled with tears. Quiznak. Ok. Peeing first, than Lance. Scrambling from his bed, he barely made it to the toilet. Peeing. The relief had him sighing happily.

Returning to his room, he scratched the back his of his head as he yawned   
"Lance, sorry. I really had to..."  
...Pee. Lance wasn't in their bed. After a week of not talking, apparently Lance couldn't a few more doboshes... but him crawling into their bed meant he wanted to talk? It had to... Grabbing a fresh set of clothes, Keith rushed to dress, before heading out. He hadn't been in the bathroom that long, so Lance couldn't have wandered that far... he'd been mostly holed up in the room he'd stored all his extra clothes in, and none of them had been allowed in, which meant he'd more than likely returned there.

Not bothering to knock, Keith opened the door to Lance's new quarters? or temporary quarters? or perhaps it was just better to call it a storage room? Whatever it was, he let himself into it. The bedroom was empty, but there was a strong smell of upset in the room. He hadn't even meant to upset him, he'd just really needed to pee  
"Lance, I'm coming in"  
Opening the bathroom door, his mate was hunched over the toilet, throwing up pitifully  
"Baby?"  
When Lance didn't reply, Keith crossed over to him, sitting down he wrapped his arms around Lance  
"Sorry baby, I had to pee. Are you ok?"  
Whining softly, Lance shook his head  
"Can I do anything to help?"  
"N-no... leave me alone"  
Keith's alpha didn't like that one bit. He'd missed his mate so quiznakking much, and he wasn't about to leave him alone again  
"I can't do that baby. I've missed you"  
Rubbing Lance's stomach his mate whined deeply, it was like Lance wanted to give in and lean back in his hold, but wasn't letting himself   
"I've missed holding you and sleeping next to you. I've missed waking up with you"  
Throwing up again, Lance's scent spiked with pain. The sour taste seemed to stick on his tongue as he took a deep breath. Sliding his left hand off Lance's swell, he moved it up to his omega's forehead   
"Baby, you feel feverish. Do you want to take a shower? It might make you feel better?"  
"I'm fine"  
"Baby"  
"Stop calling me that! Stop it! Stop it..."  
Breaking down into tears, Lance finally slumped against him. His blue eyes were filled with a pain that made Keith's blood run cold. Examining his Lance's face, he found that despite having slept for 12 hours, dark bags hung under his eyes, and he just had the general look of being sick.

"Lance, breakfast. You didn't come and see me, so I brought it down to you"  
"We're in here Hunk!"  
Looking over his shoulder, Hunk popped his head into the bathroom  
"Keith! I didn't know you were here. That explains why he didn't come up. Is he throwing up again?"  
"Yeah. I had to wake him so I could go to the toilet, but when I came back he'd taken off"  
Why was Hunk acting like it was perfectly ok for him to be there? Lance had told him he didn't want anyone around because he needed to think... so what? Anyone was just him? Or was it because it was Hunk and Hunk had food? Squirming in his hold, Lance pulled himself up to stand, flushing the toilet before moving around him. Keith had barely risen when Lance's knees gave out. Both he and Hunk lunging for him, with Hunk reaching Lance first  
"Lance!"  
"I'm fine!"  
"You're not fine. You have a fever!"  
"He's feverish?"  
"Yeah, and he smells like he's in pain. I was trying to get him to talk to me so I could get him to agree to a scan"  
"No scans"  
"Lance buddy, you know I'm on your side, but maybe Keith is right. Especially if you've been..."  
"If he's been what?"  
"Throwing up"  
He had a feeling there was more to it than that  
"I'll take him, can you get Coran to meet us up in the medical bay?"  
"I'm fine!"  
"Then you won't mind having a scan"  
Lifting Lance from Hunk's arms, he frowned at how light his mate felt. Even when Lance hadn't been pregnant, he'd weighed more than this... he was sure of it. Just how much had been throwing up?

Fighting weakly against him, Lance soon went limp, seemingly too exhausted to keep fighting, and the trip up to the medical bay was silent. As requested, Coran was already waiting, but so were Allura and Pidge. By the time he got Lance settled down on the examination bed, Lance was crying silent tears, while staring off at some unknown things  
"Thanks... for wait... ing"  
"Sorry Hunk. Coran, he's got a fever and he's been throwing up"  
"Normally morning sickness was have abated by now, though it doesn't always happen"  
Then why even mention it?  
"I'm sure Lance is just a little under the weather from his pregnancy. Let's take a little look"  
Without really knowing why Keith slid up Lance's shirt to expose his swollen belly. Instead of filling him with satisfaction and contentment, he felt scared  
"That's odd..."  
"Coran?"  
"The pups are perfectly healthy, but all of Lance's stats seem down, and he's lost nearly 4 kilograms in the last two movements"  
"He's lost weight? Shouldn't he be putting it on?"  
"Yes, he should be. Has he been eating?"  
Looking to Hunk, Hunk nodded   
"Yep. Three proper meals a day, with plenty of healthy snacks"  
"Then he shouldn't be losing weight"  
Shuffling on the spot, Hunk was clearly hiding something, spurring his alpha into anger  
"Hunk, what aren't you telling us?"  
"What? Me... nothing"  
"Then why do you look so guilty?"  
"I don't know! I've been feeding him!"  
"You were allowed to see him? He told me he didn't want to see anyone"  
Pouting, Pidge looked from Hunk to Lance  
"How about you Allura?"  
"I've visited with him twice, and slept over once"  
She got to sleep beside Lance? But he couldn't?! He hadn't even done anything! So why did Lance come crawling in beside him? Did his mate not want him? Did he regret bonding?He couldn't take this. Storming from the room, he ignored the calls of the others. He wanted to scream with pain. It wasn't fair.

"Keith, wait up!"  
"Leave me alone Hunk!"  
"Just stop! I'm too fat to keep running around and it's about Lance!"  
Pausing mid-step, Keith snarled as he turned to the teen  
"I knew you knew something!"  
"Look, Lance wouldn't want the others to know. Ok. Just, come here"  
Pulling him into the closest room, Keith couldn't remember if he'd ever actually been in it. Blocking Hunk's escape, he glared openly at the fellow alpha   
"What's this about my mate?"  
"Lancehasbeenmakinghimselfvomitbecausehefeelslikehe'sugly"  
Hunk's words were so badly mumbled that he prayed he'd heard them wrong  
"What?"  
"Lance has been making himself vomit because he feels like he's ugly"  
"He's been doing what? And why did you let him?!"  
"I didn't let him. Look, just after Krolia left, Lance came to find me. He told me he'd done something stupid. I didn't know what he was talking about until we were eating breakfast and he just fell apart. That's why he needed some space, and I've been trying to get him eating properly and not forcing himself to throw up. He wants to get better, but he thinks you don't want him anymore because he's bigger than he used to be"  
Keith gaped at him, processing what he'd just said. Lance thought he didn't want him...   
"Did... did he say... did he say why he felt like that?"  
"No. But he doesn't want to talk to Pidge either"  
Pidge? What did Pidge do? Oh...  
"It looks like you know why"  
"The night of Krolia's party, Pidge was worried about Lance. We both ended up trying to stay up all night, waiting for him to come back, but we fell asleep. He must have seen us together and jumped to the wrong conclusion"  
"You and Pidge were in bed together?"  
"Not like that"  
Hunk looked like a kicked puppy  
"Hunk, I love Lance. I bonded with Lance. I'm having pups with Lance, and though Pidge is nice, she isn't Lance. I swear on the Black Lion that all we did was sleep"  
"She didn't tell me about it..."  
"She probably didn't want you to think it was intentional. She likes you, not me"  
"How do you know that?"  
"Because she said your name in her sleep"  
Watching Hunk blush a near on impossible shade of red, Keith couldn't help but smile. Hunk had it so bad  
"See. You have nothing to worry about and thank you for trying to take care of Lance... I just wish he'd talk to me about things"  
"And say what? He wants to be the perfect omega"  
"He is. I think I should put him through a pod, and the we need to talk"  
"Talking would be good. That's why I was so surprised he was with you"  
"I can see why"

Returning to the medical room, Lance had fallen asleep with Allura gently stroking his hair   
"Where did you two get to?"  
"I was calming Keith back down. We decided Lance should probably spend a little time in a healing pod, just to be safe, and then he and Keith are going to hole up in their room for a while"  
"But I've missed Lance too"  
"Pidge, they reaaaaally need to talk. If you're lonely, why don't we play video games?"  
"Fine. But don't cry when I win"  
"Oh. I do believe I won last time"  
"Yeah, like when you won against Keith?"  
"Matt kicked me in the head!"  
"You still lost!"  
"Allura, I'm going to move him now"  
Dropping a kiss on Lance's cheek she moved away, letting him move in to pick him up.

The moment Lance was in his arms, the omega clutched his shirt like he'd done earlier  
"I've got you, baby. My silly little omega, I wish you'd just talked to me. Are you trying to send me to an early grave?"

 

*  
When Lance finally came out the healing pod, the look on his face nearly broke Keith's heart. Guilt. He looked so scared and so guilty   
"Baby, hey, it's ok. You're ok and the pups are big and healthy"  
"Then..."  
"You were throwing up and feverish, so I put you in the pod just to make sure everything was alright"  
"But you were mad at me... because I was sleeping on you"  
"I wasn't mad baby, I just really needed to pee"  
"Oh..."  
"Look, come back to my room with me? I've really missed you"  
"You don't need me"  
"If I didn't need you, I wouldn't be here"  
"I thought..."  
"You thought Pidge and I were a thing?"  
"How did you know about that?"  
"I used my brain and worked it out, eventually. Pidge and I were both waiting for you to come back, and fell asleep. That's all"  
"But Pidge is so thin and pretty"  
"And you're pregnant with my pups"  
"I'm fat"  
Lance swayed slightly, and Keith wasn't taking any chances. Sweeping his mate off his feet, he kissed Lance's temple  
"You're perfect baby, and I think it's about time you realised that"

Carrying Lance down to his quarters, he let his mind fill with the thoughts of all the things he wanted to do once they got there. Letting his arousal fill his scent, it didn't take long for Lance's own scent to respond. Talking could wait for now.

Sitting Lance on the edge of his bed, Keith tore off his shirt and jacket, before moving between Lance's legs and pushing his shirt up. Scrunching his eyes closed, Lance shook his head   
"Don't... don't look at me"  
"Why wouldn't I look?"  
Taking the shirt by the hem, he pulled it up and off his mate, eyeing Lance's blossoming body with hungry eyes. He wanted him but had to do this right. Sinking down to kneel, he mouthed at Lance's swell, until his omega slid his hands into his hair and pulled him back  
"You're so beautiful, baby. So full of my pups..."  
"I'm ugly"  
Undoing his pants, Keith pushed them down as he rose  
"If you're ugly, why am I so hard?"  
The wide-eyed look Lance was giving his erection nearly had him laughing  
"I know you don't think it, but I love your belly. Every time I see it, it has me aching to touch you"  
Pushing Lance's shoulders with his fingertips, the omega shimmied back, his hands clutching up the sheets as he stared at him  
"Let me show you how much I love you, because we both know I suck with words"  
Nodding his consent, Keith climbed onto the bed, his hands going straight to straining button of Lance's jeans. As soon as they got to Earth, he was buying his omega clothes actually fitted... but then again, if he didn't... quiznak. He could totally go for that. Stripping off Lance's pants, he was less than sexy as he struggled to get his own off. Boots. He should have taken them off first. Finally getting them both completely naked he crawled back between Lance's legs. It was about making Lance feel good about his body, and his stomach seemed to be the real issue. Resuming nuzzling and kissing Lance's stomach, he let his hands move up to cup Lance's breast, his mates nipples already peaked as he tweaked them  
"Keith!"  
Hissing his name, Keith looked up   
"They're really sore"  
"Ok baby, no to nipples. Got it"  
Letting his hands slide down, he pushed Lance's legs further apart. The muskiness and sweet slick had him groaning with want. Pulling Lance down, Keith ran his tongue down the crease of Lance's inner thigh, before finally moving to lap at the slick dribbling from his lovers opening. He already knew Lance loved being eaten out, but his mate rarely allowed it.

With his tongue and fingers, Keith brought Lance to climax, Lance screaming his name as he did. After not touching for two movements, his mate was clearly touch starved, not that Keith was much better. His aching erection was leaking precum that was smearing across his own stomach, and dribbling down into his pubes. Sliding back up, he rutted up against Lance, smirking at the mew he let out  
"You're so perfect baby"  
"... a-alpha..."  
"I've got you omega"  
Sliding into Lance's soaked heat, both mates moaned. Lance's hand flying off the bedsheet and grabbing his own as he sank in completely   
"I'm in baby. Just breathe"  
"Alpha... alpha, I love you"  
"I know baby. I love you so much baby. My omega, pregnant with my pups... it makes me so proud"  
Drawing back, Keith slammed forward with enough momentum to make Lance yelp. He'd hit his mates sweet spot without even aiming. Smirking, he slowly slid back, before slamming up against Lance again. Keeping up the delicious torment, his omega fell apart. His free hand moving to work his right breast, while mews and whines fell from Lance's parted lips. Intoxicating. Lance was intoxicating, and he was drunk with love. Feeling his knot forming, Keith's forced himself to keep his pace slow, feeling Lance tense beneath him, his omega came across his swollen stomach as his back arched and Keith's own orgasm hit, his knot flaring and flooding him with the bliss of being connected with his mate. Panting, he slumped over Lance, peppering kisses to Lance's heaving chest. Each time it rose and fell, the omega's breasts would wobble slightly. Letting out a rumbling purr, Lance's free hand came to rest against his hair, stroking it lovingly  
"I love you"  
"I love you too Lance. Always baby. Never doubt that"

When his knot deflated Keith climbed up and nudged Lance on his side, spooning up behind him as his hand roamed across Lance's stomach again. Even though he'd only just pulled out of Lance, his erection was forming again. Rubbing along Lance's slick crack, the omega ground back against him, inviting him back inside. Taking Lance's leg into his hold, he pushed back inside with a deep growl. With intermittent kisses, Keith slammed into his mate, the way Lance was rocking back against him, his mate wanted it hard and fast. Whatever Lance wanted, he'd give him. Even his life if he asked for it. He'd come to space as a jaded teen, and found the love of his life had been right under his nose.

After his third orgasm Lance was boneless against him. Even his purring had quietened with exhaustion. Lowering his leg, Keith eyed the mess of hickeys and bite marks across Lance's shoulder... he might have slightly gone overboard. Snagging the closest blanket, he pulled it up to cover them both, before nuzzling Lance's shoulder  
"Let's get some rest baby"  
He expected Lance to sleepily agree, but his mate let out a soft sigh  
"K-Keith... I've got something to tell you"  
Finding Lance's hand, he interlaced their fingers, even though Lance tried to pull his hand away  
"But you're going to be mad"  
"You can tell me anything"  
"I... I did something really bad"  
"Shhh, it's ok. Take your time"  
"I... think I need help... I've been... I've been making myself vomit because I'm so fat"  
Tensing, Lance smelt like he waiting to be hit or something. Keith hated it   
"Baby, if that's what's been happening, then we'll work on it together. I'm sorry I didn't make you feel loved enough, or comfortable"  
"No... its me. I wasn't this big before and it's scary. My body keeps changing and I don't feel good about myself"  
"I think you're beautiful and I love your stomach baby. It's proof that you're carrying our pups. The pups we made. What could be more special or beautiful than that?"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. I'm so proud to be your mate. To be your alpha"  
"I... I've been trying to do better, but every time I see it, I just feel ugly. I don't want to hurt our pups"  
"Shhh, the pups are fine. Big and healthy, and beautiful like their mother"  
"I'm not beautiful. I'm scared. What if they're omega's?"  
"I will love them all the same. I've always hated the way society looked at omegas. People should judge others by what they do, not who they are, and you're incredible. You're an omega, a Paladin and a mum to be. You've saved all of us, and you always try to put us first. You really are something else"

Spending the day, and the night curled up together, Keith did everything he could think of to show Lance how much he was loved. Hunk for his part left them food outside the door, with a small knock each time. That's whole they wound up spending a week doing nothing but having sex, eating and sleeping. Not once did Lance force himself to vomit, and had managed to put some weight back on by the end of it all.


	41. Chapter 41

Emerging from their week "alone", Lance felt himself begin to panic the moment they stepped out the room. He could smell the others, and his omega couldn't take it. Shrinking back against Keith, his alpha nuzzled his shoulder   
"It's ok baby. I'm here"  
"But... what if Hunk told them. I don't want them to be mad at me"  
"They won't be, and he wouldn't have. He only told me because I was having a meltdown over you"  
"I don't want them to be mad"  
"Lance, it'll all be ok. Besides, I'll make anyone who upsets you clean the castle from top to bottom on their own"  
"That's a bit mean"  
"That's the point. Now, we better go, or I'm going to take you right here up against the door"  
Lance let out a squeak as Keith's hands grabbed his arse. He'd been slicking like crazy, and no matter how many times they had sex, he was always horny  
"Keith!"  
"I can't help it. You're so sexy"  
Tugging on his ear lobe with his teeth, Keith nearly had him weak-kneed. Somehow the alpha knew all his sweet spots, even the ones he'd had no idea existed  
"Ok! Ok! Let's go... do I look alright?"  
"You look perfect"  
Rutting up against him, Keith was definitely in the mood, and Lance was sorely tempted to give in. But if he didn't go see his friends now, it would be even harder next time   
"You can't see my bra can you?"  
"No, but I want to"  
He'd picked up a couple when he'd gone clothes shopping at the Space Mall, but this was his first time actually wearing one. Keith had promised once they'd been and done the rounds, they could go down to training rooms and do a few rounds... provided he took it easy, and stuck to shooting.

Keith kept up his groping all the way up to the bridge. Having been locked away, his internal clock was way off, so he was relying on Keith's word that everyone would be there. Swatting Keith's hand away from his arse, he laughed as Keith let out a sigh  
"Silly alpha, you can't do that in front of the others"  
"I can. What are they going to do?"  
"Stage a mutiny?"  
"If they did, you'd be on my side right?"  
"Not if you don't stop touching me"  
"Then give me a kiss"

Stumbling through the door mid-kiss, Lance howled as Keith started tickling his sides  
"Noooo!"  
Looking up, he found everyone staring at them  
"Oh, hey guys. Don't help me or anything?"  
Leaning in Keith whispered in his ear   
"Mutiny"  
"Mercy!"  
With everyone watching, Keith finally took mercy on him, taking his hand to lead him across to the group  
"You two look happy"  
"It's Keith's fault. He thinks you're all planning a mutiny"  
"Maybe we are?"  
His smile faltered a little at Pidge's words, a brief flash of jealous flared before he could stop it. He hated this  
"If you are, I'm taking Lance hostage"  
"Well there goes our plans before they even begun. How are you two feeling?"  
"Good. We talked and stuff"  
Pidge made gagging motions, while Hunk shook his head at her  
"Sorry, we've all gone space crazy. You wouldn't think we'd run out of things to do"  
"Even hitting golf balls off the top of the castle got boring, and Hunk got tired of losing at video games"  
"Well we've only got a week until we get back to Earth, surely we can think of something to do"  
"I can think of something I want to do"  
Lance felt his face redden immediately   
"K-Keith!"  
"Pervert. I meant getting something to eat"  
"Sure you did. We've accepted that you two have done it, but we don't need to see it"  
"You're just jealous"  
"Guuuys!"  
"Sorry baby, Pidge started it"  
"I did not. Allura, I didn't start it, did I?"  
Giggling Allura shook her head  
"You're both as bad as each other"  
"Thanks"  
"Thanks"  
Both thanking Allura sarcastically, Lance couldn't help but laugh at their synchronicity  
"She's right. Anyway, can we eat? I have no idea what the time is"  
"It's afternoon. We're still 8 quintants out"  
"Does that mean food or not? Because I'm starving now"  
"It looks like you swallowed a watermelon as it is"  
Lance's eyes rushed to fill with tears, and Keith let out a warning growl as he gathered him close  
"Lance? I was just joking..."  
"He's perfect the way he is"  
"I didn't mean anything bad... he looks cute with his pregnant stomach"  
He didn't want to hear this. He couldn't hear this. Keith had spent the last week showering love and praise on his stomach, reassuring him he wasn't ugly or fat. All that work was undone in mere ticks   
"I want to go back to our room"  
"I thought you wanted to eat"  
"I'm fat"  
He knew he'd put weight back on, and he knew he was feeling much better from actually eating. Still, he wanted to stick his fingers back down his throat. Nuzzling his hair, Keith pressed kisses to the side of his head   
"You're perfect baby"  
"Is he alright?"  
Coming closer, Allura placed her hand on Lance's shoulder  
"Yeah. He's just a little tired. Nothing that a good meal won't fix"  
"I can help with that! I've been practicing making food from home. So there's cold pizza in the kitchen, as well as bean salad, and hot dogs from last night"  
"That sounds great Hunk. Lance, do you want me to carry you?"  
No. He wanted to walk on his own, but if Keith let him go, he'd probably end up running back to their room  
"Please"  
Tugging on his arse, Lance let himself be lifted. Keith really was deceptively strong.

 

*  
It was clear Pidge didn't know what she'd done wrong. Hovering awkwardly near Lance, the small alpha kept opening her mouth and closing it. Lance had made so much progress and he'd been so proud of him. He was still proud of him, even if trying to get him to eat was like trying to lead a horse to water. Maybe Pidge had a point. They'd been on the castle for two weeks straight, and even he could use a little fun...  
"Hey Coran, do you think you could stop the castle for a while?"  
In his lap, Lance's head shot up  
"You want to stop the castle?"  
"Well, I was thinking maybe taking the Lions out would be fun? It might delay our return to Earth by a few vargas, but we'd get off the castle for a bit"  
"I thought we were going to train?"  
"We can train too. Don't you want to pilot Red?"  
"I do!"  
"Then all that's left is for Coran to decide who he wants to ride with"  
Coran's eyes widened, and his left hand immediately went to the end of his moustache   
"You're all excellent Pilots... but if I had to pick one, I'd choose the Red Lion"  
Keith wasn't surprised by that at all, given how much Coran admired Alfor  
"Lance, are you alright with that?"  
"Sure. I mean, I am the best pilot out of everyone here"  
Looking up at him expectantly, Keith did as wanted   
"Yep. We'll head out as soon as we're done eating"

After movements of absence, sitting behind Black's controls again felt weird. He could feel his Lion slowly creeping into his brain   
"Hey Black. At lot's happened, so we're going out and having some fun. Sound good girl?"  
When did he start sounding so much like Lance? It wasn't a bad thing, he knew he'd been a much rougher and unapproachable alpha before Lance, so why did it leave him questioning himself?  
"Keith, come on! Let's go!"  
"I'm coming!"  
It really wasn't the best time or place to start examining his choices and decisions, especially so late in the game. He'd bonded with Lance, surely it was natural for his mate's personality to bleed into his.

Their lack of training showed, especially when Hunk accidentally crashed into Pidge. If the coalition could see them now... it was embarrassing. Circling Black around the others, he felt sorry so Coran as Lance twisted and twirled through the empty space  
"How does it feel to be back in your Lions?"  
"Like we need to get our act together"  
At least Allura agreed   
"Nah, we're just a little rusty!"  
Trust Lance to sound over the moon  
"That's the problem. If we came across Haggar right now, I doubt we'd stand a chance against her"  
"Lighten up Allura. Being on the castle for so long has made you all cranky"  
"And when was the last time you trained Lance. I think we could all benefit from training"  
"Or we could just keep flying around"  
"Lance..."  
"Guys, cut it out. Allura's right. We have become lazy. We're relying too much on our Lions to fight for us. When we get back, we'll begin training"  
"Now look what you've done"  
"If you feel that way, I'll race you back to the castle"  
"Oh, you know Coran and I are totally going to win!"  
"Last one back has to be the training dummy!"  
Whizzing past him, Lance and Allura were already off in their own little world   
"Pidge, Hunk, it's time we get back"  
"Already on our way"

Keith narrowly beat Hunk back, which want he was the "training dummy", the only problem with this was that as Lance was pregnant, he wanted his omega to avoid as much one on one combat practice as possible. And Lance being Lance, he didn't want to miss out. Holding the training sword in place of his broadsword, Lance was about as scary as flea when trying to stare down Hunk   
"Keith, do I really have to partner with him?"  
"What's the matter Hunk? Scared I'm going to beat you?!"  
"You're pregnant. You're not supposed to be charging into battle"  
"You're just chicken"  
Lunging, Lance brought down his training sword, which was parried easily by Hunk. On the defensive against Lance, Lance's moves were growing sloppy with over confidence  
"Come on Hunk!"  
"Nope. It's no good. I can't hit you"  
"Keith, please tell Hunk to train properly"  
"Or you could go practice your shooting"  
"I'm pregnant, not dying..."  
Lunging at Hunk again, the alpha blocked the sword, but Lance's momentum kept going. Smacking himself in the face with his rebounding sword, Lance then fell hard on his arse with a yelp  
"Lance!"  
Rushing over to his omega, Lance blinked up at him before bursting into tears   
"Lance... I didn't mean to..."  
Reaching for his friend, Keith snarled as he pulled Lance up to him   
"K-Keith?"  
Snarling again, he hefted Lance into his hold  
"Lance..."  
"It's... it's ok Hunk. It was my fault"  
With blood dribbling down his face, Lance looked down to his hands, seemingly confused as drops fell into his palms  
"Keith..."  
"Don't! Don't touch him. I can't control my alpha right now. Continue training without us"  
His voice was like poison as he spat the words at his friends. He knew Lance was at fault, but his alpha was freaking over the pups. Lance had made it past the 16 movements that he'd carried Shiro's for, and he knew it was a huge relief for his omega to have done so. If Lance lost them over some stupid training mishap... 

Carrying his mate back to their room, he sat Lance on the edge of their bed before heading into the bathroom to wet down a towel. Head injuries always bled an insane amount, so he hoped there wouldn't be much of a cut under all the blood. Returning to the bedroom, he found Lance rubbing his stomach   
"Baby?"  
"It's ok. I'm ok, the pups are just moving"  
"They're moving?"  
"Yeah. I guess I ruined training..."  
"Kind of. You were a bit over enthusiastic"  
"I didn't mean to be. It's just been so long that I couldn't help but get caught up in it"  
"Baby, you're pregnant. It's hard for all of us to attack you, especially when our instincts are to protect"  
"The Galra won't look at it like that. I'm just another enemy, pregnant or not"  
"I know, here, tilt your head back for me"  
Hissing as he wiped over the egg on Lance's forehead, his mate had been lucky. If the training sword had snapped, or struck a little lower, Lance probably would have lost his eye. Dabbing at the blood, he wondered if Pidge could set up a simulation just for Lance. One where the attackers would stop just before making contact with his omega  
"How bad is it?"  
"Not too bad. You're probably going to have a bit of a headache though"  
"Yeah, that's already set in. I know we're going back to Earth and all, but today in the Lions... it was kind of awful"  
"I thought you were the one telling Allura to lighten up"  
"That's because I don't like it when she gets upset... is it bad I hope we run into something to fight out here?"  
"I wouldn't say bad, but if we do run into Galra, it means they're on their way to Earth"  
Letting out a sigh, Lance pulled his hand away from his face   
"I think I want to get some sleep. You should go back to training"  
"Or I could stay right here"  
"Keith, you snapped at everyone. I'm fine and so are the pups, so go hang out with them for a bit, and bring me back something good to eat"  
Kissing Lance quickly, Keith supposed he was right   
"If you start vomiting or you're in any pain at all, I want you to call me right away"  
"You're worrying too much"  
"Lance"  
"Fine. Now go"  
Making shooing motions with his hands, Lance didn't stop until he paused to wave goodbye at the doorway. If he wasn't in any pain, he would probably be ok.

Returning to the training room, Allura, Hunk and Pidge all stopped to stare at him   
"Lance is alright. He's resting and I got kicked out"  
"So he..."  
"Just a bump on the head with a tiny cut. He's got a headache, and admits he overdid it"  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt him"  
Wrapping her arm around Hunk, Pidge nodded   
"We know. And at least you know how you upset him. I have no idea how I did"  
"With his pregnancy, he's finding things a little hard, especially his own body image. You might not have meant anything cruel by it, but he's super sensitive about his figure"  
"Oh! So that's what it was... I didn't mean to make him feel bad"  
"He knows. His emotions are just a bit of a mess. Anyway, we're here to train. I'll take over from Hunk, you all shouldn't have any problems attacking me"  
"Well Lance did propose a mutiny?"  
"I'd like to see you try"

With nothing much to do except train, that's all they did over the next 5 quintants. After breakfast was general fitness, and after lunch was combat practice. With Hunk and Pidge's blossoming romance... which was still technically friendship, Keith was more than happy to pair with Allura. Out of everyone else, she was the best at hand to hand, and the only one able to give him any kind of challenge. Which left Lance on his own. His mate would join them when they worked out in the morning, but disappeared to nap after lunch. Each time he'd smile and laugh it off, but Keith could tell how much it was hurting him.

 

*  
With each moving dobosh, they were growing closer to Earth. Lance was terrified. The reality of showing up on his parents door step pregnant, was all he could think about. Would the be happy to see him? Would they have missed him? Would his brothers and his sister have missed him? What would his parents think of Keith? He wasn't rich. He wasn't Cuban. He didn't have a long and proud family line. Keith was just... Keith. Placing his hand on his stomach, he winced at the pain in his side. He'd been stupid enough to reach for something and pulled a muscle... not that he wanted to admit it out loud, and it wasn't like Keith was around to take care of him. No. That wasn't fair. Keith took amazing care of him, he was just jealous everyone else got to train. While Keith hadn't told him he couldn't, it didn't feel like they wanted him there. So left to his own devices, all he had was his thoughts and anxieties to keep him company.

Having just showered, Lance darted through Keith's room and over to the wardrobe. He didn't like the idea of someone walking in on him with just a towel on, nor did he feel like having Keith tell him how beautiful and perfect he was. His mum would probably tell him he was fat or stupid... in her own way of course. "Lance, when are you going to stop dreaming so big? Dreams don't pay the bills". "Lance when are you going to bring home a good alpha?". "Lance, your cousin Luke just presented as an alpha, he's got a good job and a solid future...". "Lance, stop running through the streets like a cat in heat". Alright. She might not have said the last one, but she probably thought it. Dressing carefully, he sighed at the fact his stomach seemed to have grown again. The button on his jeans was barely holding on as it was, today it didn't even want to come anywhere near close to the button hole. He'd just about given up when the castle alarms began to blare. Quiznak. His pants would just have to wait.

Running into the bridge, he found he was the last to arrive   
"What happened?"  
"The long-range scanners picked up a Galra fleet. Allura was just about to open a wormhole to take us further away from Earth"  
"Are they working for Lotor or Haggar?"  
"We don't know yet. That's why we're jumping away from Earth"  
Moving to take his seat, he bit down a hiss as his side protested.

After appearing from the wormhole it took less than a vargas for the Galra fleet to appear  
"Coran, has there been any kind of communication attempt made?"  
"No. I tried hailing them, but I'm not getting a reply at all"  
"Is it contact Lotor?"  
"I've tried that too"  
It felt wrong to Lance. The Galra would love nothing more than to rub their impending deaths in their faces, and Lotor would play the "you didn't tell me where you were going card". It felt like a trap  
"Pidge, we're recording all of this, right?"  
"We sure are. Why?"  
"Doesn't it feel off? Like they are waiting for us to make the first move?"  
"They could just be contacting Lotor and asking for orders"  
"Or they could be waiting for us to fire and use that to end the alliance"  
"Lotor wants peace as much as we do"  
"Does he? He wants to open the rift thingy so the Galra can farm unlimited amounts of quintessence, and he needs Voltron for that. But wasn't that what caused all the Galra problems to begin with? Their reliance on quintessence? What happens when he gets what he wants from us? If he got with Haggar and now they know how to open it without us, we're screwed"  
"Lotor wouldn't betray us like that"  
"Allura, she's his mother"  
"Lotor killed Zarkon"  
"To take the throne and because he didn't want to lose his own head. Something just feels hinky"  
"Lance, stick to what you're good at, and try to keep not thinking"  
Did Pidge have to word it like that?

"Greetings Paladins of Voltron. My name is Krel'dak, our emperor Lotor has asked that I offer our services in any way you see fit"  
"See Lance. It's alright, he's part of the alliance"  
"Or it's all be rouse"  
"Greetings Krel'dak. Thank you very much for your kind offer, but we are merely out here collecting data on the outer laying colonies, and require no assistance at this time"  
"I must insist"  
"Please convey our thanks to Lotor, but as I said, we are only out here for data collection"  
"As you wish"  
Ending the transmission, Lance studied Allura. If she believed in Lotor, why did she just lie like there was no tomorrow about their real reason for being out here  
"Once they've left, we'll wormhole out of here. Pidge, when we come out, you'll need to activate the camouflage device. In a way, our friend there just shot himself in the foot. He's on record saying he works for Lotor, so if he fires on us, it'll be as good as Lotor firing on us"  
"You can't mean to use it against Lotor?"  
"I can if he tries to say we betrayed him by coming out here"  
"Lotor is our friend"  
"Then who put that thing in Lance's head? And why does he have memories of Lotor touching him?!"  
"Lotor did what?!"  
Thanks Keith. If the ground could swallow him, that would be appreciated  
"I didn't say they were memories. I've just been having bad dreams"  
"Lance, Lotor would never attack you"  
"That's what you said about Shiro"  
Clamping his hand to his mouth, he couldn't take back the words now they were out there  
"Lotor isn't Shiro"  
"I know that!"  
"Then why accuse him of something so horrendous! I can't believe you, Lance. Not everyone you meet wants to or has attacked you"  
"I never accused him! I can't stop my dreams or nightmares!"  
"Dude, Lotor of all people?"  
Glaring at Hunk, he rose from his seat  
"It was a dream! It was a stupid vivid dream where Lotor wanted to know how I got pregnant and why my body was different to all of yours. That's it! I'm going to go chill in Red. Call me if you need me"  
Why did Keith have to open his big mouth? It was like him dobbing him in about Keith's nightmare. He wouldn't do that.

Sitting in Red, Lance was fuming. He'd expected to start crying again as that seemed to be his default mood setting, but instead all he felt was angry. Angry and annoyed to no end. He needed someone to vent to, someone who would actually agree with him that Keith was a jerk. Opening up his wrist communicator, he went about calling through to Krolia, praying the Galra woman was available and that he'd actually done things right. Why did Altean tech have to have so many options in Altean? Why couldn't it be in Spanish? Or even English? Feeling like a bit of a fool, he glared down at the device until finally. Finally Krolia answered  
"Lance?"  
"Your son is a jerk. A big fat blabber mouth of a jerk!"  
Sighing softly, Krolia then yawned  
"Did I wake you?"  
"You sure did. It's alright though. What did Keith do this time?"  
"He told everyone about the dream I had. Basically it was Lotor touching me up because he wanted to know why I saw so different from the others. He made it sound like it actually happened and Allura got all upset. I'm so mad at him! And, we have some stupid Galra tag-a-long! Do you know a Galra by the name of Krel'dick?"  
"I'm pretty sure it's Krel'dak"  
"I don't know, he seems like a total dick"  
"He's not one I'm familiar with, but I would advise you to be careful. There's something going on within the alliance, and we don't know where Haggar is"  
"He reckons he told Lotor that we're out here, and Lotor told him to help us. I think it's a load of quiznak, but no one will listen to me"  
"How about this. Give me half a varga to do a little research and I'll get back to you as soon as I can"  
"You believe me?"  
"Of course I do. Now leave it to me"  
"Thanks Krolia"  
Ending the transmission, Lance let out a sigh, leaning back in Red's seat as he did  
"Well Kelance and Laneith, what do you two make of it? Is mummy being stupid again?"  
Rubbing his stomach, he sighed again   
"I don't know what you're trying to say, but I'm just going to assume you're on my side"

Half a varga took forever to pass, and when Krolia finally called him back the call quality was horrible  
"Krolia, please tell me I didn't make an idiot of myself?"  
"You didn't. Zarkon sentenced Krel'dak to patrol the outer edges, just beyond the empires boarders due to his incompetence. We haven't been able to find anything else out, but he did mess up big, and apparently he held a grudge over it all. Be very careful Lance"  
"Thanks Krolia. I'll let them know"  
"I'm glad I could help. Say hi to my jerk son for me"  
"Will do!"  
See. He wasn't being stupid at all. Opening communications with the bridge, Coran gave him the funniest look to date   
"Lance?!"  
"I just talked to Krolia. She says Krel'dak isn't to be trusted. Zarkon sent him out here for messing up hugely and he's got a chip on his shoulder over it"  
"You went and told mum?"  
Keith sounded pissed  
"I was talking to her about something else and it came up!"  
"Whatever. It doesn't change the situation. We're still going to wait here and make it look like we're actually mapping"  
"Then shouldn't we be moving and stuff? You know, to look like we're actually busy?"  
"We've got it under control"  
"Quiznak! You're such a jerk! Don't blame me when he starts firing!"  
Ending the communication, Lance was even madder than when he'd called Krolia. Being made to feel a fool by your mate stung more than words could say  
"Red, do you feel like going for a fly? Someone has to make this cover story look good, so it may as well be me"  
Smiling at the warm response he got, Lance took the controls in his  
"My alpha might be a jerk and an idiot, but I'm going to do the best job I can to support him. To support all of them"

Flying away from the castle and the Galra, Lance fixed his sights on a distant star  
"It's like dot to dot. We just have to go from one to the next"  
Doing just that, he ignored the fact that Galra hadn't moved. Pausing from time to time, he spent the better part of three Vargas flying around, and would have been out longer if he hadn't needed to pee. Turning Red towards home, he watched as another Galra ship appeared beside Krel'dick's. Wasting no time, it began firing at the castle  
"Red!"  
Rumbling in response, Red nimbly made her way towards the fight, only for Lance to pull back on the controls. If he fired, he could be falling into the very trap he tried to avoid.

"Lance! What are you doing? We need to help?!"  
Jerked out of his thoughts, Lance realised it was Pidge who'd just called him  
"Guys, this doesn't seem right..."  
"You're not still going on about that"  
"If they're rogue Galra, why didn't they fire at Krel'dak? He's not helping us either"  
"That doesn't matter, we'll deal with the fallout after"  
"I don't think Lotor is going to accept a nice little puppy with a bow for an apology!"  
"Lance get your head in the game!"  
"Coran, you're recording all of this right?"  
"I sure am!"  
"Fine. I want it on record that I think this is a bad idea"

Dodging and twirling through the blasts and fighter jets, Lance activated his Bayard, slicing through jet after jet like they were made of nothing. Though he couldn't say his heart was really in it  
"It's time to form Voltron"  
Watching Galra cannons firing, Lance pulled back, circling up to become on with the others. Before Voltron had time to raise its shield they were hit by a blast. The feeling of electricity filled his body as they all cried out in pain  
"Shield!"  
Slowly the burn left his body, but it left his stomach aching, and warmth spread across his lap. It was mortifying to realise he'd wet himself, and it made him want to punch Keith. 

Taking another blast, Voltron's sword finally found its target. As the ship exploded behind him, they disbanded to clean up the last of the Galra fighters. Sometime during the battle Krel'dak had disappeared. At least that wanker was finally gone  
"Good job guys. Let's get back to the castle"

 

*  
Ignoring everyone and everything Lance stormed through the castle. His stomach hurt, his pants were soaked and he still wanted to punch Keith. He couldn't risk telling Keith that taking those blasts had hurt him, his mate would want him to step down as a Paladin, and that was not happening. Heading to the room that was housing all extra his stuff, he made a beeline straight for the shower, only pausing to kick off his boots and strip off his jacket. His pants needed to be rinsed anyway. He was a grown up, he shouldn't be wetting his pants and if any of the team found out... he'd never live it down. Hearing the castle alarms starting again, he cursed the Galra. Couldn't he even shower in peace? Screw it. He deserved a hot shower, the others could hold the fort down until he finally got up there.

Walking out of the bathroom, and swaddled up in his bathrobe, Lance stopped short at the sight of Keith standing there  
"Didn't you hear the alarms?"  
"I was showering"  
"Well we need to hurry, more Galra have appeared"  
His stomach clenched at the idea of taking another blast. He knew his pups were strong, but it couldn't be good for them   
"Just let me get changed and grab my stuff"  
Not bothering to rush, he kind of enjoyed the way it got under Keith's skin. His alpha first sighing, then starting to tap his foot  
"Lance, we need to go"  
"I know that. I can't move as fast as I used to thanks to these pups. Do you want me to slip or fall?"  
"No"  
"Then give me a few more doboshes!"  
There it was again. The urge to punch Keith. Dressing carefully, Lance looked around the room  
"Let's go already"  
"Hold on"  
Backtracking to the bathroom, he grabbed a couple of towels out  
"What do you need those for?"  
"None of your business"  
"Lance"  
"Don't brother Keith. You didn't want to listen to me before, so why start now"  
"That's not fair"  
"No, what's not fair is telling everyone about my dream. I have enough problems with telling what was a dream and what was reality. I don't need to feel like Lotor also took his best shot at me in reality"  
"I just thought..."  
"No, you didn't. All of this has felt wrong to me since the start, but you never listen"  
"All of what? Us?"  
Did Keith just... growling, Lance shoved past him  
"You should be able to work that out for yourself"

Jogging after him, Keith caught him by the arm  
"Lance, all of what? You know I love you and I know you love me..."  
"God! You just don't get it! You're the one who made it about us! The sexy Black Paladin, and his omega bitch!"  
Oh no. He needed to shut up, but his mouth didn't listen  
"I was raped. I was raped and beaten and nearly strangled to death. I was hit for looking at anyone the wrong way and if I said something wrong Shiro would stick things other than his dick in me. I tried to keep it together for everyone else, and none of you noticed until Shiro went after you. Hell, we even found out that not-Shiro had been sneaking into my room while you were sleeping next to me! I know for sure he attacked me twice, but I can't tell what's a dream! You knew all of this! The first time we had sex I was still pregnant with Shiro's pups! You made me trust you! And now you can't trust me at all! You're the one person in the whole universe who should trust me, but you don't! I was talking about how things with Krel'dak didn't seem right, but you took it upon yourself to think I meant us! All I want is to forget, and then you throw it in everyone's faces that I'm still having nightmares even though all this happened movements ago! If you don't want to be with me than just tell me that, don't make me feel insignificant or worthless because I'm through with it!"

"Lance..."

Turning around, Lance found Pidge and Hunk standing there. His friends eyes were wide, and their scents pained  
"I've had it! I always tried not to make you worry, and all I ever did was mess it up! Maybe when we get back to Earth, I should just stay there and you can find yourself a new Red Paladin!"  
Why couldn't he shut up? He could hear himself and even he hated how he sounded. Reaching out for him, Keith looked angry. Pushed too far by his own anger, Lance threw a right hook at his alpha, smacking him firmly in the cheek  
"I don't want to see you. I'll have these pups by myself. I'd rather that than mate who says he loves and trusts me, but doesn't listen to me"  
"God! I do fucking love you!"  
"But you don't trust me!"  
"I do!"  
"Then why didn't you listen to me! I told you this all feels off!"  
"I can't just act on what I feel! There's more than just at stake here!"  
"I know that!"  
"Guys. Sorry to interrupt, but big scary Galra ships?"  
Taking a deep breath he forced himself not to snap at Hunk   
"Ok. Let's get this done, but after that, I want to be left alone"

Perhaps because of the chaos in his heart and thoughts, when they tried to form Voltron, they failed to come together. Lance bitterly wished he could go back in time and unsay everything he'd said. His stomach hurt, and being forced to fight in individual lions meant they battle seemed to drag out forever. The only positive was that he didn't wet himself this time, though he could still smell pee inside Red. Everything had been so much easier before he fell pregnant or knew he was. No. Everything had been so much easier before he'd run out of stupid suppressants.

 

*  
Keith felt lost. Like part of him had been torn away by Lance's words and salt dumped on the open wound. He did trust Lance, but he also knew how emotional he was. Hearing his mate spill his bottled up feelings made him question why they were even together, and he didn't like that. Instead of returning Black to her usual hangar, Keith touched her down beside Red. Lance was still inside Red... did he plan on staying there? Personally Keith would have loved to destroy Krel'dak and then pretend it never happened, but he couldn't act like that, in case of back up or other Galra forces in the area. He couldn't risk Earth or upsetting Lotor when they weren't there to protect everyone. Why couldn't Lance see that?

Leaving Black, Keith let himself into Red. Curled up in his chair, Lance had his forehead resting over his crossed arms   
"If you've come to fight, I don't think I can hear it"  
"No baby. I just came to see how you were"  
"Hurt. Embarrassed. Angry"  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you think I didn't trust you. If it was up to me, we would have destroyed Krel'dak, but we're so close to Earth baby. I didn't want to pull them into a fight they aren't ready for, and I can risk upsetting Lotor while we aren't there. It sucks, but sometimes you have to swallow down what you want"  
"You made me sound stupid"  
Sighing softly, Keith moved to crouch down in front of Lance   
"Baby I'm the stupid one. I upset the one person who never gave up on me. You're my everything Lance"  
"Well your everything sucks"  
"You suck quiet well, but I don't think that's what you're talking about"  
"I hate you"  
"I know baby. I hate me too. Let's get out of here"  
"I don't think I can walk"  
"Did something happen?"  
"My stomach hurts"  
"Ok baby, just stay calm"  
Reaching up, Keith undid Lance's jacket, before pushing his shirt up. Placing his hands carefully on the swell, he wasn't sure what he was doing, only that he wanted to comfort Lance   
"What kind of a pain is it?"  
"Throbbing..."  
"Like hungry or like you've been hit?"  
"Just... just throbbing"  
"Ok baby, let's get you back to bed. If it still hurts in a few vargas, I'll take you up to be scanned"  
"Pods are faster"  
"What?"  
"Pods are faster. They heal me and the pups... just so you know..."  
"So you want to go in a pod?"  
"No... I don't know. This could be normal for all I know. I don't know anything about being pregnant"  
"I know, but we'll be at Earth soon, when we get there, we can go talk to a real doctor, and we can get books and stuff, and stuff for the pups"  
"Really?"  
"Of course baby. We'll probably have to go to the Galaxy Garrison, but I planned for us to do all that before heading back, and we have to find Atlantis"  
"I'm scared of going home"  
"I thought you loved your family"  
"I do, but... I feel like I'm going to disappoint them all"  
"Baby, you could never disappoint anyone"  
Reaching out for him, Lance let himself be lifted   
"Do I want to know why there's a towel on your chair?"  
"I wet myself"  
Burying his face against Keith's neck, Lance sucked in a shaky breath  
"Ok baby. It happens when you've got two big babies pressing down on your bladder"  
"It's embarrassing"  
"You used to be embarrassed each time you slicked..."  
"What's that mean?"  
"It means it doesn't bother me. Your body is changing and you can't help that"  
"I'm sorry I hit you"  
"Don't be. It was kind of hot"  
Groaning at him Lance shook his head  
"You're really weird"  
"That's ok. If it means I have you, then that's alright with me"  
"But what does that say about my sense of taste in alpha's?"  
"That there's plenty of room for improvement"


	42. Chapter 42

Earth... it was so close he could taste it. Even though they were currently only just passing Saturn. Standing in the bridge, Lance's face was practically smooshed against the glass window. He wanted to see Earth so badly, and he didn't care if the others teased him about it. Jumping as Keith wrapped his arms around him, he was jealous of his mate  
"I know you and Allura get to go ahead to announce our arrival, but why can't I come? I promise I'll stay in Black"  
"Because we don't know what kind of reaction we're coming home too. We didn't see Haggar out there, even though we know for sure she's looking for Atlantis. Also, there's been nothing from the Galaxy Garrison"  
"But it's Earth Keith!"  
"I know baby. Coran is going to leave the castle in the shadow of Mars when we get close enough, and then Allura and I will head out"  
"Then can't I take Red out? Please?"  
"Lance, you don't know that it's safe. What if something happens to you or the pups?"  
"I'll be in Red!"  
Whining softly, he hated that he knew Keith was right   
"We could take him with us? He can let Coran and the others know when it's safe to come?"  
"Yep! Please!?"  
Giving Keith the best puppy dog eyes he could, he stared at his alpha until he let out a long sigh   
"Fine, but you stay in Black"  
"Thank you!"  
Grabbing Keith's face, Lance pressed hard kissed to his mates lips between telling him how much he loved him  
"Ok, ok. Enough you two. We don't need the first thing Iverson seeing being you two kissing"  
Poking his tongue out, Lance leant around Keith   
"Like I didn't see you kissing Hunk last night!"  
Allura let out a gasp as Pidge turned beet red  
"How? What? How?"  
"I was hungry and looking for food! It about time you two got together!"  
Pouting Pidge pushed the tips of her pointer fingers together   
"He only just asked me out"  
"Who cares! It's awesome!"  
"You didn't tell me this"  
Pulling back, Lance smiled at Keith   
"That's because I was waiting for the right time... do you think we have time before reach Earth?"  
"We should reach Earth within the next 20 doboshes"  
"Its minutes Pidge! Earth has seconds and minutes and hours and days and weeks and months and years!"  
"No need to yell baby. But no, shame though. I would love to take you right up against the window"  
"We could give them a real show"  
"That's it. Keith, go stand on the opposite of the bridge! Lance, you stay there, and I want both of you think about how you're traumatising us all"  
Leaning in, Keith tugged at his earlobe  
"Do you think she's serious?"  
"We can just take green and leave her up here if she is"  
"Don't you even think about touching my Lion"  
"I'm sorry Pidge! I'm just so excited! I miss the rain and the waves and the sun and... everything!"  
"You miss being told off by Iverson?"  
"Ok... no, but I'm just really excited. I can't wait to show Allura around, and go shopping for baby things with Keith!"  
"We don't get to go shopping for the pups?"  
Lance's smile faded a little  
"Umm. I appreciate the thought, but this something I want to do with Keith... I don't even know if I can carry these little guys to full term or if they're going to be ok..."  
"What Lance is trying to say is you're all limited to one small gift. We want to buy the majority of it ourselves. You guys are going to get plenty of opportunities to spoil the pups, so just let us do this. Right baby?"  
"Yeah... I need to do this for myself"  
"Awww... question. Does one stuffed toy count as one gift?"  
"Yes"  
"Sweet!"  
Lance had the feeling that Keith should have specified a size limit, because he wouldn't put it past Pidge to buy a bear big enough to take up the whole room  
"Thanks for understand guys"  
Moving his hands to his stomach, he felt the bubbles he took to mean the pups were moving. Smiling, he hummed as Keith's hands came to rest on his   
"Everything ok?"  
"Yeah, our pups are moving. I think they can't wait either"  
"In that case, we should head down to Black"

 

*  
Sitting on Keith's lap, Lance was a bundle of squirming excitement as Earth filled his field of vision. The blues of the ocean and the green-brown of the contents filled him an insane amount of happiness and Pride  
"Allura, this is Earth!"  
"Baby, I get you excited you are, but you don't need to yell"  
"I can't help it! We're finally back here!"  
"Lance..."  
"It's fine Keith, Earth certainly does look very beautiful"  
"It is. Hey, we should probably try calling the Galaxy Garrison..."  
"I would if you'd just sit still for a moment"  
"I'm not even moving that much"  
Keith raised an eyebrow at him  
"Ok. I'm sorry"  
Trying to sit as still as possible, Lance found himself playing with the edge of his jacket. Iverson would probably be a dick over how he, Hunk and Pidge left  
"This is Iverson of Earth's Galaxy Garrison, Identify yourself"  
"Wow. He hasn't changed a bit!"  
"Be quiet Lance. This is Keith and Lance of the Voltron Paladins, and Her Royal Highness, Princess Allura of Altea"  
Lance swore he heard Iverson cursing both him and Keith before the man opened the video channel. Grinning Lance waved at the crank Commander   
"Did you miss us?"  
"It's a fine mess of trouble you left us in. We thought you were dead until Commander Holt showed up raving like a lunatic"  
"So he made it safely! Sweet! Anyway, we need to land, but we don't want to be arrested. We kind of need to stop an evil witch from destroying the Galaxy"  
"Lance, be quiet. Commander Iverson, we have Pidge, Hunk and another foreign dignitary waiting for the word it's safe to approach. It concerns a matter of intergalactic importance"  
"You better get down here then. I've already dispatched pilots to guide you in"  
"There's not much point, we can be down there before they even take off"  
"Lance, try not to be a pain in the arse"  
"I can't help it. He never liked me"  
"He is still on the screen"  
Ducking his head, Lance resisted the have to poke his tongue out. Iverson might be important down on Earth, but he was a tiny fish in a huge bowl. Opening his wrist communicator, he opened a line back to the castle   
"Guys, Iverson said it's safe to come in"  
"Did you tell him we have a castle?"  
"Oh. Nope. Iverson, we've got 5 flying Lions and a castle"  
If the man had rolled his eyes any harder he would have fallen off his chair   
"How about you guys just come down in green and leave the castle in orbit?"  
"You're enjoying this aren't you?"  
Nodding quickly, Lance pressed a kiss to Keith's cheek, knowing Iverson would probably have a heart attack over it. The two biggest trouble makers of the Galaxy Garrison had shacked up together   
"Yep. Let's go show them what Black to do"  
"If you mean let's go show them how I land Black, without pissing Iverson off further, than I'm already on it"

It seemed less than a heartbeat before they were landing close to where Shiro crashed all those months ago. It was pretty much the only space big enough for Black and Green to stand without risking crushing anything. Despite promising to stay on Black, the moments she opened her mouth, Lance grabbed Allura's hand and took off running down the ramp   
"Lance, slow down!"  
"Sorry Allura, I've just missed all this so much!"  
"She's a princess remember. She's supposed to be poised and graceful"  
"She's a beautiful arse-kicking princess who's been trapped in space with us for over a year now"  
"Lance, Keith is right. I do have some image to maintain"  
Shifting her shape, Lance realised Allura's pilot outfit had shifted into a beautiful blue and white dress. Holding her head high, she shone brightly in front of him  
"I forgot you could do that"  
In comparison to Allura and even Keith, Lance suddenly felt quite average. There he was, pregnant and carrying on like an idiot. Standing together, they waited for the ship Iverson was in to pull up just short of them. Climbing from ship, his old Commander seemed just as imposing as he remembered  
"So what's this about a castle, a princess and flying cats? Sounds like a load of nonsense to me"  
"I'm Princess Allura of Altea. I can assure you that it's all correct, and the castle mentioned does indeed exist"  
"What the bloody hell is that?"  
Flying Green down, Pidge touched down next to Black, and Commander Holt finally appeared from behind Iverson  
"Keith! Lance! Get..."  
His words were cut short by rough hands pulling him backwards. Suddenly something felt very wrong. Opening back up his communication feed to Pidge, he hoped she take the hint to stay there   
"I'm afraid I'll be taking you into custody now boys. We've heard all about you, your Lions, your castle and Allura from Commander Holt, and we have more than few questions for each of you"  
"Keith..."  
"It's alright. If he's acting like this, Haggar can't have appeared yet"

Walking out the ship, several stupidly large and armed alpha's moved forward. After not seeing a human gun in so long, Lance was brought up short. Raising his hands, it was better to do as they said than risk the pups being hurt. Grabbing his left arm, the alpha damn near broke it as he twisted it up and behind Lance's back  
"Oi! Be careful with him, he's pregnant!"  
"Who knows what with"  
"With my pups!"  
Keith's eyes flashed as he tried to get to him, bringing his rifle down on the back of Keith's neck, the alpha that had been restraining his mate knocked him out cold without a second thought. This wasn't at all what he thought their homecoming would be like. He hadn't expected a huge parade, but he had expected those at the Galaxy Garrison would listen given Earth was in danger.

 

*  
Locked away in his cell, Keith stalked back and forth like a wild animal. His head was throbbing like crazy, and while the others were there, Lance was not. This was a terrible idea. They should have just shown up, looked for Atlantis, and left  
"Keith, I'm sure he's alright. I doubt Iverson would hurt a pregnant omega"  
Growling at Hunk, he didn't want to hear it. He wanted Lance and he wanted him right now.

Left alone all night, he was the only one of the team that wasn't hauled off for questioning. No doubt Iverson was getting back at him for letting Lance speak his mind. The cold morning rays were slowly peaking through the bars of his cell when they door finally creaked open again  
"On your feet"  
"Where's Lance"  
"Not here"  
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me how he is"  
"He's currently undergoing his own interrogation"  
Interrogation. He knew Iverson wasn't stupid... but he was certainly acting like it right now. Dragging his feet as he walked, he didn't intend to make this easy. Lead through to an interrogation room, he was cuffed to the centre of the table like he some kind of common criminal, his alpha was about to flip it's lid, but then the door on the other side of the room was opened and Lance was lead in  
"Lance!"  
"Keith!"  
Struggling to get to him, Lance was elbowed cruelly in the stomach by the alpha at his side, the omega whining immediately as he hunched over  
"Leave him alone!"  
Stumbling over, Lance was pushed down into the chair next to Keith's, before his hands were cuffed to the able like the alpha's   
"Baby, you ok?"  
"No... Keith, they did something"  
"What do you mean they did something?"  
"To the pups... they did all kinds of tests. They reckon I'm 24 weeks along... and that I'm lying about it all. They said the pups were an unknown entity, and that they had to run tests on them... it hurts"  
"Shhh, I'm here now. Have you seen the others?"  
"No... I heard them talking about the lions and the castle. They couldn't get in"  
"If Iverson hadn't been such a dick about it all, we would have taken him back up there by now. It seems like they didn't believe Commander Holt either"  
"What are we going to do if Haggar shows up?"  
"Find a way to break out of here and then stop her"  
"How are we supposed to do that?"  
"We still have bonds with our Lions"  
"But they took all our stuff"  
"Lance, it'll be ok baby"  
"I hope so, because this is totally ruining Earth for me"

"Are you two finished?"  
Coming into the interrogation room, Iverson had ditched his alpha muscle and Keith was confident he could take the alpha if he could just somehow find a way to get free  
"Iverson. It's been a while"  
"You too Keith. Who would have thought you and Lance would end up together"  
"Space is crazy like that. How's Earth treating you these days?"  
"Thanks to the mess you all left me in, I've been demoted"  
"Can't say that it's a surprise. You did try to strap Shiro down to send him off to be experimented on. No wonder he wasn't interested in coming back here"  
"Shiro was the lone survivor of the Pluto mission. After being missing so long, is it any wonder we'd take precautions"  
"Like this?"  
"Yes. You've all been branded deserters, and who knows what kind of military secrets you've spread across the Galaxy"  
"We don't need to spread them. Earth is completely primitive in comparison. Our Lions that we fly are over 10,000 years old. At the moment we're on a mission to prevent Earth along with the rest of the Galaxy from being destroyed"  
"I heard all about your mission to find Atlantis. If it's as full of advanced weaponry as Pidge seems to think, why hasn't it been found before now?"  
"Because we aren't Altean. Only Princess Allura can operate Altean technology"  
"Then why is this Haggar after it?"  
"Because she's Altean, but she's a bad guy. She helped enslave and torture millions of innocent people, and she'd obsessed with gaining more power. It's our job as Voltron Paladins to stop her"  
Whining, Lance wriggled in his seat   
"Lance?"  
"It hurts..."  
"Can't you do something about our cuffs? He's in pain"  
"We don't know what he's carrying. They're mostly human, but we did detect foreign DNA"  
"That's because he's pregnant with my pups and I'm only half human"  
"Half human?"  
"Yes. My mother is Galra. She was sent here to investigate Earth, rather than destroying it, she chose to leave. Please, he needs help"  
"I can't release the cuffs, I do have people I answer to, and I'd be my head if I did"  
"Look we came to Earth to protect it, if you don't let us go, you won't stand a chance against Haggar"  
"The decision isn't mine to make"  
"So you'd rather keep your cushy job than protect Earth!"  
"Keith... calm down"  
"How am I supposed to calm down? You could be miscarrying our pups and he's to blame! You were so happy to be coming back to Earth and so far they've treated us like we're here to destroy it!"  
"Keith, can you blame them? They're scared. No one had any idea of what was really out there. Even we had no idea when we became Paladins. Iverson, I know you never liked me, but this is bigger than all of us. Let us do what we came here to do and then we'll leave"  
Iverson seemed to be having some kind of internal debate. The vein near his temple bulging like it was about to burst. Sliding his hand up and down his forearm, he shook his head  
"It's not up to me, but I'll be damned if I let Earth be destroyed. Truthfully we knew something was out there, and the Pluto expedition only confirmed that. I can't release you, but if I happened to lock you with the others and you happened to escape..."  
Keith felt a tiny spark of hope catch light deep down in his stomach  
"Lance, do you think you can walk?"  
"I'm going to have to, aren't I?"  
Walking over to the door, Iverson let two bulky alpha's in. Both of which were less than gentle as they forced them on to their feet. Swaying badly, Lance seemed to be fading fast. They needed to get him into a healing pod as soon as possible.

Lead through the Garrison base, it was like they were being used an example of what happened when you didn't play by the law. Cadets and instructors alike all stopped to watch them, while Keith could only grind his teeth. They only had to make it to the others, then back to the Lions. Earth simply lacked the power to stand against them, though the Lions would probably be under guard. Even with his thoughts jumping from one to another, it didn't distract him from Lance in the slightest. His mates pained scent now so strong that even their alpha entourage seemed to be responding. Their pace has slowed and they'd moved slightly away from Lance, giving him some space to breathe  
"Just a little further baby"  
"You. No talking"  
Glaring at the alpha, Keith wished he had his blade, he'd happily stab the alpha without a second thought... and everyone else who had touched Lance and their pups.

"Lance, Keith!"  
Rushing to grab the bars of the cell their friends were confined in, Pidge looked beside herself as they were lead in   
"You can't keep us locked up like this! You're all in danger!"  
"You're the one in danger if you don't shut your mouth. You two, in"  
Opening the first cell door, the second opened as it closed behind them. That way their friends couldn't rush to their aid  
"Hands"  
Presenting their hands, their cuffs were undone, and Keith was finally able to take Lance in his arms. Lifting his omega up with practiced ease, he carried Lance to sad excuse of a bench, before laying him down like he was made of glass  
"Baby, it's ok. I'm here"  
"What happened to him?"  
"They decided it would be fun to do all kinds of tests on him and the pups. Allura, can you sit him up so his heads in your lap"  
"Iverson..."  
Quiznak. He'd forgotten. Spinning around, he saw a small set of keys laying just beyond the bars. Rushing over, he snatched them up before they could be missed  
"Keith?"  
"Where's Coran?"  
"When Lance opened a channel with us, we heard what was happening. We told him to wait in the Green Lion as we came down"  
"Good. That makes things easier. Sorry, can you and Hunk look the other way. I need to examine Lance"  
Whining softly, Lance reached out for him  
"I don't want to lose them"  
"And you're not going to baby, but I do need to make sure you're not bleeding or anything"  
Biting his lip, Lance nodded. With Lance staring into Allura's eyes, Keith went about undoing Lance's pants. He'd barely slid them over his mates hips when Lance let out a long gravelly whine  
"Shhh baby, it's ok"  
"It hurts"  
"I know baby, I know, can you lift your hips a little for me?"  
Lifting them the barest of amounts, he had to appreciate the fact that Lance even tried, and with a little bit of wiggling, he finally got them down enough to examine his mate. The insides of Lance's thighs were heavily bruised, and three small puncture wounds were in the crease of his right thigh  
"Ok baby. Just hold still"  
The moment his fingers ran across his lovers opening, Lance let out a sob. Pulling them back he found blood and slick on the tips. Everyone on this fucking base could die for all he cared  
"Shhh baby, all done"  
"The pups?"  
"Just a little bit of slick. Here, let's get your pants done back up"  
Telling Lance the truth wasn't going to change anything, and he was barely keeping it together as it was. Pulling Lance's pants back up, his fingers ghosted over Lance's swell. It seemed like his mates whole stomach was bruised, and there were more needle marks near his belly button. Fucking alpha scum. He hadn't expected them to stoop that low. Especially when invasive tests were pretty much nonexistent these days. This is was them punishing Lance for his second dynamic  
"K-Keith"  
"I'm here baby"  
Kneeling next to Lance, his mate immediately wrapped his arms around him   
"Shhh, I've got you and we're all getting out of here"  
"How are we supposed to do that?"  
"You guys can look now, he's decent"  
Coming over to Lance, Hunk squatted down on Keith's left, while Pidge squatted down on his right   
"Iverson gave us the way keys to the cell. He doesn't want Earth destroyed, but he also can't help us. We need to get our gear back and get back to the lion. Pidge, can you feel Green?"  
"About the same as usual"  
"Good. Allura, do you think you can transform your shape?"  
"What are you planning?"  
"Allura and I are the best at combat, so we'll retrieve our belongings. Allura, you need to look like those men who brought us in here. You'll be escorting me. Pidge, where would they take our things?"  
"Probably to the science division"  
"Alright. Now, you and Hunk have to get Lance out of here. Get him straight to the castle and into a pod"  
"No! Don't leave me!"  
"I'm not leaving you baby. You've got drugs in your system and the pups don't like it, so we need to get you healed up"  
"But what about you and Allura? How will you get out?"  
"Black. We only have to worry about you three sneaking out ahead of us"  
"We can't go through the bars on the windows, there's sensors, and then there's the fence around the perimeter"  
"Uh Pidge, you do remember Lance used to sneak off base all the time, right? Who do you think got roped along with him?"  
"Hunk, you know a way out?"  
"I can think of one or two"  
"Good. Lance, I'll be there as soon as I can be"  
"I'm so scared. I didn't want to be touched... but they said it didn't matter what I wanted"  
"Hunk and Pidge are going to be with you, and you know they won't let anything happen"  
Leaning down to kiss Lance's soft lips, Keith prayed he was doing the right thing.

Helping to more-or-less tie Lance to Hunk's back, it was the easiest way for Hunk to keep his hands free, though Lance's stomach really wasn't going to love it. For his part, Lance was nearly completely out of it from whatever was in his system, and the whimpers falling from his lips were barely audible  
"We'll go first. Allura, you know what to right?"  
"Look big and imposing"  
"Pretty much. Don't worry if anyone says anything I'll mouth off and you'll hit me"  
"You know, Earth is nowhere as nice as I thought it would be"  
"Earth's nice, it's just the people here who suck. Good luck guys"

Holding his hands together to make it seem like they were cuffed, they were covered by his jacket as Allura "lead" him through the base. With his head hung, he played every bit the weak prisoner as he guided Allura with small nudges towards the science division. Things were going fine until they hit two alpha's standing near the doors would that would them down to the science division  
"What's he doing here? He's supposed to be in his cell with the other deserters"  
"Didn't you hear? I'm only half human, I bet you didn't even realise"  
"I know you bring trouble wherever you go. I don't know what kind of trouble you're trying to pull us all into right now, but we've got no space for you here"  
Getting with the program, Allura cleared her throat  
"Due to his half Galra DNA, he's being brought down for testing, I'm under orders to take him right there"  
"Iverson's gotta be covering his arse. There was a time when I respected him, but not anymore"  
"How do you think I feel, I'm playing babysitter to all of them"  
"What did you do to land that role?"  
"I threw up in the simulator thanks to some know it all pilot"  
Laughing at Allura, the alpha's parted, even going as far to swipe their door keycard for her  
"Go on then. Can't have you wasting time, they'll probably think you're off throwing up. What an idiot"  
Darting through the doors before they could change their minds, Keith let out a sigh of relief as they closed behind them  
"Was that alright?"  
"That was more than alright"  
"I must admit it was kind of fun"  
"I was worried to begin with, but you're a natural. Right. Now we just need to find out things and get the quiznak out of here"  
"You mean we need to get back to Lance"  
"Yeah"  
"Why didn't you tell him the truth?"  
"Because it wouldn't have done him any good..."  
"He's lucky to have someone who cares for him like you do"  
"It's Lance. He's an idiot, but a loveable one"  
"That he is. I hope the others are alright"  
"Hunk will protect them both, and I'm sure they still have friends here. We just need to concentrate on what we're doing"

Ducking into the first room that opened, Keith waited a moment to get his bearings. Science wasn't his strong points, and he hadn't been down here since his orientation  
"Look at all this stuff"  
"None of its going to be any help. We need a distraction if we're going to get to our weapons"  
Moving over to the storage cupboards, he rifled through all the basic supplies in them. Plastic. Why did everything have to be made from plastic?  
"Keith, hurry up"  
"I'm trying. But there's not a lot to work with"  
Moving onto the next cupboard, it was mostly medical supplies, but he did find bags of saline... hearing the handle of the door creak, Allura pressed herself up against the wall, while Keith dashed to the other side of it. Walking into the room completely unaware, the woman had no idea what hit her as Keith clamped a hand over her mouth, before putting her into a sleep hold. Guiding her unconscious body down, he patted her down for her keycard  
"Is she alright?"  
"Yeah, she'll wake up in a couple of vargas"  
"Or hours. We are on Earth remember"  
How could he forget? Finding her unarmed, he rolled her into the recovery position and threw the keycard over to Allura   
"This rooms a bust. But we should be able to get into the air conditioning duct through the ceiling"  
"We're not going to keep roleplaying?"  
"Not right now. Here, I'll boost you up"

Crawling through the air ducts here was way worse than the Galra and the castle ones combined. There were rats, and cockroaches and spiders... and it was plain gross, not to mention he was dripping with sweat. After crawling around lost for the better part of an va-hour, they finally found what they were looking for. Lined neatly in draws along the bench space, all their gear had been divided up by colour. What a bunch of quiznaks  
"Allura, wait here. I need to drop down now, and I don't know what kind of disturbance it'll create"  
Allura wrinkled her nose, her face covered in dust and cobwebs   
"Ok, but be quick. There's something crawling up my leg"  
Yeah... he resisted the urge to tell her it was probably a spider. Pounding down on the grate, he really wished he'd lifted one of scalpels from the medical supplies to use as a screwdriver, but finally the grate curved enough for him to get his fingers in the gap, and pull it out. Quality Earth building right there  
"Ok. See you soon"

Dropping down, he winced at the smack his feet made against the floor, and the smarting sensation that burnt his feet. Boots. Boots first and then the rest of his gear. Creeping along, his heart was racing, and each noise had him jumping until he finally reached their gear. Changing quickly, he let out a sigh of relief. He was now ready to fight his way out... if needed  
"Allura, it's clear"  
Dropping down almost silently, Allura gave him a smirk  
"Alright, I could have been quieter. Here's your Bayard, and I've got the others stuff too"  
Which meant it was all shoved into his jacket and he was hoping none of it fell out  
"You ready? We can't just shoot them, so we'll have to use our shi..."  
Above him came a deafening boom, and the lights of the room they were in flickered  
"What was that?"  
"No idea, but it's time to go"

With all the commotion going on outside, the number of people they were forced to take out was drastically limited. Reaching the main level of the complex, he used his Bayard to cut a hole big enough for them to escape through  
"Keith! Look!"  
Grabbing his arm, Allura pointed up at the Galra ship over the Garrison. Pilots had already been scrambled, but were making no defence   
"Black, if you can hear me, we really need a lift!"  
Helping Allura down to the shipping container beside the building, it seemed like Black wasn't listening   
"We're going to need to make a run for it"  
"Pidge and Hunk will be here soon..."  
"Allura, it's just us right now. See that jeep over there, that's where we're going"  
"What's a jeep?"  
"Never mind, let's go"  
Pulling her along, the Galra blasts landed all around them, looking up, he finally saw Pidge joining in the fight. They'd gotten out. Good. Lance would be alright  
"Get in!"  
Confused as to what to do, Allura hopped over the side of the door of the jeep as Keith threw himself into the driver's seat  
"What is this thing?"  
"It's a car. Grab hold the frame"  
Sliding the stolen keycard in the slot where the key would usually go, the jeep started  
"Yes! Right. Time to get to Black!"

"Keith! This is fun!"  
"I'm glad you're having a good time!"  
"I am! This is amazing!"  
For having not driven in over a year, he wasn't too bad. It helped that the jeep was an automatic instead of a manual, and that no one way paying attention to them, finally, the Galra actually had a use. Hooking it, he fishtailed before nearly over correcting but Allura was screaming so loud she didn't seem to realise it wasn't intentional   
"Hunk's above us"  
"At least they got out. Look, there's Black"  
A temporary fence line had been erected around Black, but they didn't see anyone present. He hoped that meant the others hadn't had to fight their way out. And by others, he meant Lance. Instead of trying to find the opening for the fence, Keith plowed straight into it, temporarily winded as his chest hit the steering wheel. Coming to as stop, still caught in the fence, the alpha jumped from the jeep  
"Black, open up. We've gotta go!"  
Lowering her mouth, his Lion let out a roar  
"Oh, so now you decide you want to fight. Where were you when we needed you"  
Staggering up behind him, Allura was panting heavily   
"Back to the castle first. I need to get to my lion"  
"Already on it"

Dropping Allura at the Blue Lions bay, Keith forced himself not to ask Coran how Lance was. He didn't want to hear his mate had lost their pups and if he didn't ask, he could pretend everything was fine. Flying back to the Galra ship, he frowned as Hunk easily sliced through the side of it  
"Guys! What's happening?"  
"We don't know. We only just got to the castle when it appeared"  
"I don't think this Haggar"  
"Pidge?"  
"If it was Haggar, she wouldn't have let herself be hit like this!"  
"Whoever it is, we've got to stop them before anyone else gets hurt!"  
"Right!"

Without Lance they couldn't form Voltron, but having four moving targets, the Galra couldn't keep up. Disabling their cannons, Coran hit the ship with the finishing blow. Iverson, and whoever he answered too was going to have a hell of a time explaining what just happened  
"Guys, fall back to the castle, Coran, activate cloaking once we're on"  
"By my whiskers I'll have it done"  
Pausing to look at the exploding ship, Keith shook his head. Let them deal with it, Lance was more important.


	43. Chapter 43

Propped up against what seemed to be every pillow on the ship, Lance couldn't stop touching his stomach. With the castle cloaked, they were now searching for Altlantis, while "hiding" in plain sight from Earth. For a welcome home, it'd definitely sucked, and by the sounds of it he'd missed all the action... thanks to the fact he'd nearly miscarried the pups. That's why he couldn't stop touching his stomach. He'd nearly lost them because of his desire to come home... and because Earth sucked when it came to their treatment of male omega's that may or may not be pregnant with alien babies  
"Lance?"  
Blinking up at him, Lance smiled down at Keith. His alpha had fallen asleep with his head in his lap, so Lance had left in sleeping   
"Hey. Have a good nap?"  
"Yeah, but the wake up was even better. How are you feeling?"  
"I'm alright. The pups are alright"  
Nuzzling his stomach, Keith let out a sigh  
"I don't think I can ever forgive them"  
"I know. You've told me that about a zillion times"  
"I'm sorry. It just makes me so mad"  
"I know it does, but you managed to get everyone out"  
"But what if I hadn't"  
Sliding his left hand off his stomach, Lance rubbed Keith's cheek  
"You did and that's the main thing. Now we just need to find Atlantis"  
Lance didn't dare ask if he'd get to see his family. Hunk and Pidge had gotten to go down to see hers, but that was because of the fact her father never got up pass on their messages, and she could cloak her lion  
"I'm sorry this Earth trip hasn't gone to plan"  
Keith had said that nearly just as many times as he'd cursed the Galaxy Garrison  
"It's not your fault. But if you really want to make it up to me, you could let me take a walk"  
"Lance, you need to rest"  
"Keith, I love you, but I feel like I'm becoming one with this bed. I've been here since I woke up, and the only time I've been allowed up is to pee"  
He hadn't even been allowed to shower standing up. His mate had found a chair, and made him sit in it while he showered  
"I just want to make sure you're really alright"  
"I am. I promise. Besides, the bridge is just as safe as being down here"  
"Ok, just let me get up"  
Snuggling into his stomach, Keith pressed kisses to his swell  
"Keith, that's not getting up"  
"I know. I don't want to move"  
"Look, I'll sit in your lap and I'll behave, but I don't want to stay in bed any longer"  
"Can I carry you?"  
"Will it get me out of bed?"  
"Yes"  
"Good, because I need to pee before we head up"

"Hey Allura. Hey Coran. Guess who's finally allowed out of bed?!"  
"Lance! It's wonderful to see you up. How are you feeling?"  
"Like I was about a tick from becoming one with the bed"  
Walking over to his seat, Keith sank down, not letting him even try to walk by himself   
"Any word from Hunk and Pidge?"  
"They landed without any issues, and will be gone for a few more vargas... hours"  
The whine that came from the back of his throat betrayed him  
"Lance..."  
"No. I get it. I'm under ship arrest... it's just not fair. Earth is right there"  
"Look, it's not like you aren't going to get to go down there, but you're still recovering. Don't think I didn't see how much blood was in your pants"  
"But Coran said I was ok. Right Coran?"  
"Yes. His scans checked out completely, and whatever he was given is no longer in his system"  
"See... besides, I was really looking forward to going shopping with you"  
"I know baby, me too. Have you guys found any leads on Atlantis?"  
"We've been reading through your Earth records, but there are so many stories"  
"Yeah. Earth's good for a read. I thought Pidge was working on a scanner"  
"She is, but to use it we need to deactivate the cloak around the castle, so she wants to get everything else out of the way first"  
"That makes sense. I can't believe your first trip to Earth has sucked this badly"  
"It wasn't so bad, Keith took me for a ride in something called a Jepp"  
"She means a jeep, we borrowed one to get to Black"  
"Oh, sounds exciting"  
He couldn't even remember how they'd gotten back to the castle, and no one wanted to him how long he'd been stuck in the healing pod, or rather, Keith had pretty much chased everyone away from their room so he hadn't been able to ask  
"Baby, do you want to go back to bed?"  
Swatting Keith's hands away from his stomach, Lance scowled at his alpha  
"I just got up. At least let me stay up here until Pidge and Hunk come back"  
"Lance, are you sure ready to be up?"  
Not Allura too...  
"Guys, yes, I started miscarrying, but I'm fine now. I don't want to keep thinking about how close I came to losing them. I just want to be up here, and forget about what happened"  
"I didn't mean..."  
"I know you mean well, but you can't just keep me in bed. Besides, if I can't be down there, you can at least let me look"  
"Alright, but if you feel sick or sleepy or anything..."  
"I'll tell you. Now stop stressing. All of you stop stressing"

 

*  
When Pidge and Hunk finally returned, Lance was even more jealous. Carrying boxes of shopping into the bridge, both beamed happily at him  
"Lance, you're up! How are you? How do you feel? Are the pups alright?"  
"Hey bud, it's nice to see you up and moving"  
"Hey guys, I'm fine. It looks like you had fun?"  
"Yep! Mum took us shopping for like everything. This is just the cold stuff, Greens like full, and I got to get all my stuff I left at home!"  
"And Commander Holt is finally being taken seriously now. He's been given a full pardon, and Pidge's mum's being flown out to see him"  
"That's awesome. I guess having a random Galra ship attack Earth came in handy after all"  
"You didn't tell him?"  
"Didn't tell me what?"  
Sighing, Keith finally let him climb from his lap  
"Tell me what?"  
"It was Krel'dak. He followed us out here, Coran managed to pick up a transmission before we destroyed the ship"  
"So I was right! He was a dick"  
"Lance..."  
"Nope. I was right. You owe me an apology"  
"Lance, I'm not going to apologise for doing what I thought was right at the time"  
"You just can't stand that I was right"  
Rolling his eyes, Keith climbed from his seat, his mate walking towards Pidge and Hunk  
"So what's for dinner?"  
"Chinese! Actually, we have a whole heap of different takeout from all over the world. Well, Hunk and I are going to take this to the kitchen! God, I forgot how much I missed Earth! Allura, you have to come with us tomorrow"  
They got to go tomorrow and he got to what? Sit in bed? Feeling his eyes filling with tears, Lance padded across the bridge   
"Lance?"  
"I'm just going to the bathroom. You don't need to follow me Keith"  
"Alright. We'll be in the dining room getting dinner organised, right guys?"  
"Yep. Hey, can you grab this other box for me?"  
"Pidge, I told you I'd carry it if it was too heavy"  
"It's not heavy, it's awkward, besides Keith's got it now"  
"You got ice cream!"  
"Keith, I didn't think you'd like ice cream"  
"How can you not?"  
"What's ice cream?"  
"You've had the space version, but this is the good stuff. I even got Lance's favourite, banana"  
No. He liked strawberry. Hunk used to know that.

Leaving the others, Lance wrapped his arms around himself as he wandered through the castle. He knew he was supposed to be happy for his friends. Especially for Pidge, her father and mother would finally be reunited. But it sucked. Everything sucked. If he wasn't fat and ugly and pregnant, he'd probably have been allowed to go with the others. He'd been the happiest about coming back home, and now he was the only one who wouldn't get to go. Heading down to his room, instead of the he shared with Keith, he pulled all his clothes out, and piled them into a nest. It wasn't the greatest of nests, but it'd do.

 

*  
After over year of space food, the spread in front of them was kind of amazing. Pidge and Hunk had gone a little crazy, and there was food there even he hadn't seen before  
"Alright! Let's dig in! Allura, you have to try the lemon chicken and the fried rice"  
"Which ones are those?"  
"Here, give me your plate. Coran, I think you'll like the green curry and steam rice"  
"No, he's more Italian. Give him some of the lasagne and the spinach and ricotta cannelloni"  
"You think? I suppose we got enough"  
"I suppose you're right. We've got heaps of frozen meals too, and I've downloaded all sorts of new recipes that we can try. We can have like theme nights. What do you want Keith?"  
"Do we have pizza?"  
"Of course we have pizza. Pepperoni or supreme?"  
"Both"

It wasn't until everyone was seated that Keith noticed Lance hadn't come back. His mate had said he was just going to the bathroom, but surely it didn't take this long   
"Guys, I'm going to go find Lance"  
"Lance will be fine. He said he was going to the bathroom"  
"I wish he could have come with us. Mum would have loved to meet him"  
"You told her we'd come back tomorrow, maybe he can come then"  
"But that was for dinner... oh, you're all invited to dinner tomorrow. Do you think Lance will be up for it?"  
"Maybe. He keeps saying he's ok, but he was in the pod for three days"  
"I would love to meet your mother Pidge. Do you take after her?"  
Snorting at Allura, Hunk waved the spring roll in his hand about   
"No, she's more like her father"  
"You're only saying that because she told you you should be double encrypting everything"  
"Single is fine"  
"No it's not"  
"Pidge, you're wrong. You're usually right, but this time you're not. Keith, hurry up and eat. You know Lance is going to devour everything when he comes up"  
"I suppose so..."  
Telling himself he'd give his mate 10 more minutes, Keith went about piling slices of pizza on his plate.

Wanting to try everything, it turned into a four-way eating competition between Pidge, Coran, Allura and Hunk. Pidge bowed out first, followed by Coran, but Allura was still going strong. Cheering the pair on, Keith looked to Lance's empty seat  
"I think I'm going to find Lance..."  
"If Lance wanted to come back up he would. He probably got sleepy and is having a nap. Besides, Allura's about to loooose to Hunk"  
"Allura won't lose! Our pride as Altean's is resting on it"  
"No, I really should go check on him... he had goo for breakfast"  
"It was porridge, not goo"  
"Whatever it was, it wasn't from Earth"  
Rising from his seat, the others pulled a face at him  
"You're going to miss seeing who wins"  
"Between that and an upset mate, I'll take not upsetting Lance"  
"It's your loss. Come on Hunk! There's only two spring rolls left and they've got your name on them!"  
Eyeing the table, there really wasn't much of anything left. It was only now he felt like an arse. He should have put something aside for Lance, now his mate would be going without, while he was happily full from pizza and prawn crackers.

Lance wasn't in their room, but the corridor still held his scent. He'd stuffed up. Lance was upset and he'd been more interested in actual food. Continuing down the hall, he pressed down on the door pad for Lance's second room with a heavy sigh. He had no idea what he was supposed to say. Entering the room, all the lights were off, except for the small lights above the bed. Lance was curled up in a pile of clothes, crying quietly   
"Lance"  
"Go away"  
"You never came to dinner"  
"And you didn't even realise"  
"Pidge thought you might napping. You've been up all day"  
"So if Pidge told you to jump off a cliff, would you?"  
"Baby"  
"No. I bet you all had a good laugh at me. The stupid fat omega who can't even go to Earth"  
"Baby"  
"Stop it. Just go away Keith"  
"Lance, you're not being fair. We were all just excited..."  
"Excited about getting to go down to Earth. I know. I heard. Whatever. It doesn't matter anyway. Just go find Atlantis and go have fun on Earth without me"

Leaving Lance alone, Keith jogged back up to the dining room. Allura and Hunk had finished their competition, with Hunk winning by the seems of it. Watching him walk in, Pidge frowned at him   
"I thought you were going to find Lance"  
"And by the smell of it, he did. What did you do now?"  
"I didn't do it. Lance is pretty upset over this whole Earth thing"  
"He seemed alright before"  
"Then why did I find him in his second bedroom, crying in a nest made from clothes?"  
"Because he's pregnant. I've seen him cry because he dropped a bean. He doesn't even like them"  
"Come on Pidge you're not that stupid. He was the most excited out of all of us to come back here. But so far, all that's happened is that he was taken into custody and given drugs that lead to him nearly miscarrying"  
His friends smiled faded  
"What are we supposed to do? I already told mum we're going for dinner tomorrow"  
"Coran, I'm going to give you a set or coordinates, and we're going to set the castle down there"  
"We're going to land? I thought we were supposed to be getting all these personal visits out the way so we could look for Atlantis"  
"Well that hasn't been happening has it?"  
Snapping at Pidge, Hunk growled at him  
"You're the one who told us to go"  
"I didn't tell you to rub it in Lance's face"  
"Look, I did get him some banana ice cream, why don't you take that down to him?"  
Keith couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was Lance, who'd go out of his way for all of them... and in one trip to Earth...  
"You know what? I don't care if the garrison finds us. I'm taking Black, and I'm taking Lance"  
"Keith..."  
"No. I stuffed up. Coran, once the castles landed, start searching for Atlantis immediately. Until then, Lance and I will be off ship, and don't want to be contacted until it's done"

Stopping to change into more Earth acceptable clothes, Keith rummaged through their combined wardrobe until he found both his and Lance's board shorts. His mate missed the beach, so that would be their first stop. Nearly forgetting towels, he was forced to backtrack, before heading to round up Lance. With how much crying his mate had done, Lance had cried himself to sleep. Kneeling on the bed, he lifted him into his hold, not even waking as he lifted him out the nest.

 

*  
Waking to what felt like warmth surrounding his body, Lance blinked sleepily, before letting out a gasp. In front of him was the ocean. It felt like if he just reached out, his fingers would touch it. Above him the sky was dusky pink, orange and purple  
"You awake?"  
Looking to his left, he found he was propped up against Keith with a blanket around their shoulders... and his alpha wasn't wearing a shirt  
"What? What is this?"  
"I thought you'd recognise the ocean"  
"But... I didn't think I was allowed to come down here"  
"You're the one who was most looking forward to Earth, it wouldn't be fair if you didn't. Do you feel like swimming or breakfast first?"  
"You got food?"  
"They're cold now, but I did pick us up some burgers. I'm really sorry I let myself get carried away"  
"But... what? I don't understand... where are the others?"  
"They're on the castle. I sent them to wait where we found Blue. It's just you and me baby"  
"But the Galaxy Garrison"  
"Can go jump. You deserve some happy memories, and I've told the others to leave us alone until they've found Atlantis"  
"Shouldn't we be there?"  
"We don't need to be there until we actually find it, or another Galra ship shows up"  
"Do you mean it?"  
"Yes. Now, I have fries and milkshakes too. I hope you don't mind they're strawberry"  
"Strawberry is the best flavour"  
"I thought you liked banana"  
"Pidge likes banana. Hunk used to know strawberry was my favourite"  
"I like chocolate"  
"I thought you'd be more a vanilla person, I know you don't love sweets"  
"It's not like I hate them, hang on"  
Reaching over, Keith produced the bag of food, and then his milkshake  
"It's kind of defrosted, but it should be alright"  
"I don't mind. I'm sorry I let my jealousy get to me. It just really sucks that I can't do things because I'm pregnant"  
"And I didn't help. Anyway, eat up"

The burger tasted amazing, even the cold fries and melted shake were amazing. Everything was amazing. He was on the beach. On Earth. With Keith. Watching the sunrise. Eating burgers. And no one else was around. Wiping his eyes, he sniffled softly  
"Lance?"  
"I'm just... I'm really happy. This feels like a dream, and I don't want it to be"  
"I promise it's not"  
"Thank you"

After their burgers, instead of going swimming, Lance pulled Keith down on top of him. Taking the initiative, he wrapped his legs around his alpha, as he took Keith's face in his hands, and gently kissed his mate the best his stomach would allow, until the weird angle finally got too hard to hold. Taking over, Keith's hands undid the drawstring and Velcro of his board shorts, freeing his already half hard erection  
"Lance, this isn't going to hurt you is it?"  
"I'm fine, I'm more than fine"  
"Ok baby. Let me know if you need or want to stop"

Trailing his hands down Lance's exposed stomach, Keith peppered a trail right down to pubes, before nuzzling at the spot near his hip. It took him a moment to realise it was the spot where Krolia had accidentally hit him. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since then, and not 10 or so movements. Moaning as Keith's lips sank down around his erection, he grabbed at Keith's hair, not completely sure what to do with his hands. He wanted to touch Keith, to make Keith feel good, instead of having his alpha being the one doing the touching nine times out of ten  
"Keith, I want to touch you..."  
Pulling off with a wet pop, his alpha smiled down at him  
"What do you want to do?"  
"I want to taste you"  
"Ok baby... whatever you want"  
Slipping out from between his legs, Keith stripped his boxers off before crawling over the top of him. The first time he'd tried to give his mate a blow job, he'd broken down because all he could think of was Shiro forcing him to suck and swallow. Since then, they'd tried a handful more times, and though he'd made his alpha cum, it usually turned to sex half way through. Positioning himself over him, Keith went back to what he was doing, leaving Lance to slowly slide his own lips around Keith's erection. Moaning and rocking, there could have been a thousand people on the beach watching and he wouldn't have noticed. Everything Keith was doing was driving him crazy, and the way his mate was rocking into his mouth made him feel sexy and confident. Continuing to work at Keith's erection, his alpha threw his head back as he came with no warning, spilling his salty seed into Lance's mouth until he found he couldn't swallow it all down. Sliding his lips off Keith, his alpha's semen pulsed onto his lips and chest  
"Shit baby... I need to catch my breath"  
Swallowing down what he could, Lance used his finger to wipe up spent semen, before licking it clean. After catching his breath, Keith then proceeded to give him the best blow job he'd ever had.

Spooning up together on the blanket beneath them, Keith helped readjust his board shorts before pulling the other blanket over them   
"Mmmm. This has to be the best wake up ever"  
"Yeah, it hasn't been bad at all"  
"Rude"  
"I'm joking. Here, get some rest before we go swimming"  
"Keith, there's something that's been on my mind"  
"And what's that?"  
"They said I was already 24 weeks... but I'm only 19 movements... I know the pups are big and I can feel them moving, but are they too big?"  
"Baby. I wouldn't put much stock in what you were told. They probably just wanted to scare you"  
"Do you think so?"  
"Yeah. I don't think we have anything to worry about"  
"That's not what you said before"  
"I was being a jerk. My omega tells me I'm good at that"  
"He'd be right. But I also know for a fact, he loves you, even when you're being a jerk and he's being a jealous idiot"  
"He does that, but he's actually kind of adorable, so it's alright"  
"You're not supposed to say that"  
"Too bad. Get some sleep before I end up claiming you all over again"  
"Mmm... sex sounds really good, but so does napping"  
"You know. I'm really proud of you. You've made so much progress"  
Biting his lip, Lance didn't want to ruin the moment by telling Keith he'd made himself vomit while they'd all been having dinner. Everything had gotten the best of him, and he'd done it without really thinking about it. Snuggling back against Keith, he let himself fall asleep.

 

*  
Waking to the sound of seagulls and the smell of salt in the air, he found Lance wasn't in his arms... where he was supposed to be. Pushing himself up, he looked to the ocean, immediately finding Lance swimming. Catching sight of him, his omega waved and shouted out something. Not being able to hear, Keith went to step forward, only for his board shorts to fall down around his ankles. Deciding that he really didn't need his board shorts, Keith jogged down to water, before diving under the small breaking waves. Emerging, he shook his hair, before grinning at Lance   
"This feels amazing"  
"Yeah. Though I'm not too sure about wearing no board shorts"  
"Why? You'll warm me back up"  
Doggy paddling closer, Lance wrapped his arms around him  
"You're freezing!"  
"That's because I only just got in. How long have you been in?"  
"A little while. Can you believe no ones showed up? This place is amazing"  
"I'm kind of happy they haven't. I'm half expecting Coran to pop his head up and tell me my "bobby dazzler" is showing again"  
"Oh my god! I forgot all about that"  
"I haven't. Though seeing you like this, he's definitely woken up again"  
"Keith!"  
"I can't help it. You have the most amazing smile, and you're sexy as all quiznak"  
Taking Lance by the hips, Keith pulled his mate up so Lance was forced to wrap his legs around him   
"Mmm, much better"  
"How are you supposed to swim?"  
"I'm good. Besides, we came here so you could have some fun"  
"I don't want to be the only one having fun"  
Rocking his hips slightly, Lance smirked at him  
"Really?"  
"Yep. I had to wait for you to wake up, and let's face it, I'm like always horny for you"  
"You asked for it"  
"I know"

After an almost embarrassingly fast doggy styled quickie, Keith remained knotted in Lance as he moved to once again spoon with his omega. Purring softly, Lance took his hand in his. The pair content to just lay like that until Keith's knot finally deflated   
"Are you up for another round, or do you want to go swimming again?"  
"No. I was thinking, do you think we could go to that shack you were using?"  
"Why do you want to go there?"  
"You're my mate. I want to know everything there is to know about you"  
"I don't see why not"  
"Good... cause I'm also really hungry"  
"You just wanted food all along"  
"Yep. The last thing I had was a protein shake"  
"You kiss your mother with that mouth?"  
"Maybe, but I'd rather be kissing you"

 

*  
Setting up a home base of sorts at his old shack, Lance helped him load up everything, even the stuff he didn't particularly want. His mate insisted that Earth was too far to just swing by, and then pretty much bossed him into packing. Looking at all the limited data he'd on Voltron, he realised how cocksure he'd thought he was when he'd headed into space  
"Everything alright?"  
"Yep. I was just thinking how unprepared I was when we headed out"  
"No one was prepared. You were this brooding alpha who didn't even know how to smile and laugh, and I was convinced you hated me. Shiro was this hero who'd gone missing and then magically showed up with a Galra arm. Hunk was... Hunk, untrained in the ways of alien foods, now he's a master. Pidge didn't care about anything other than finding her family"  
"What about you?"  
"I was living a lie, trying stop anyone from ever finding out I was an omega. Trying to keep up with everyone. Trying to make them all like me. Trying to be there for everyone and be what they wanted me to be. I thought I was happy like that, but you're what makes me happy"  
"I wish you didn't think so little of yourself"  
"The same goes for you. You're always trying to take on more than you can handle"  
"That's because you're backing me up, right?"  
"Mhmm, I'm backing you up so much that once we're done here, I want for go shopping for baby things"  
"Smooth"  
"I know. I was thinking we could go shopping for baby things and then head back to the castle"  
"I thought you were sick of the castle"  
"I am. But the others haven't contacted us, and we still need to find Atlantis"  
"And we need to stop in and see your mum"  
Lance immediately tensed, his scent souring enough that Keith wrinkled his nose. He'd stepped on a land mine without knowing it   
"I thought you wanted to see them?"  
"I do... I really do. But I don't think they'll love me like they used to"  
"Why?"  
"Because I'm pregnant"  
"And you're bonded. And you're a Paladin. And you're amazing"  
"My family can be a bit old school. They'd never understand what I see in you"  
"Baby, I'm sure they'll just be happy to see you. If they aren't, we'll grab your stuff and get the quiznak out of there"  
"They probably gave my things to my brothers"  
"Then we'll just visit. We won't ask for your things. I know you're nervous, but I'll be there"  
"I can't go in what I'm wearing"  
As far as Keith was concerned, there wasn't anything wrong with the oversized shirt and track pants his mate was wearing  
"You look fine"  
"I have to look better than fine"  
"Then we'll pick you up something to wear on the way"  
"What are you going to do? Park black in the carpark and hope you don't get a ticket?"  
"I did the other night"  
"You what?"  
"How else was I going to get food. They don't have a Lion sized McDonald's drive through"  
Snorting, Lance couldn't even imagine it. He had the mental image of Keith pressing a bottom to alarm Black like one would with a car... the gloom that had come with the idea of going home started to ebb away  
"You'll be ok... and I kind of want to meet your family. You've met my mum"  
"That's because your mum's amazing. My families normal... just normal"  
"Your mum must be amazing too, she gave birth to you after all"  
"Keith. Black Paladin and the worlds cheesiest alpha..."  
"Only when it comes to you"

 

*  
Keith's wrist communicator indicated he had half a dozen new messages from the castle, but he wasn't in the mood to check them. Even if they'd spent the most perfect day at the beach, followed by a bonfire in front of his old shack, and an insane night with a very horny omega, he still felt like he hadn't made things up to Lance. After all, his mate had been crushed by the idea of being the only one not allowed to come down to Earth. Though Lance had jumped to that conclusion on his own, none of them had exactly alleviated his pain. Flying over America, he picked a smaller town to set Black down. Almost all stores were open 24 hours, and with it being might, there were less people they'd have to deal with. Nuzzling Lance, neck he wished his mate didn't smell so unsure about all of this  
"Lance, I have money. Dad left me money, and we did get our cadet wages. Living out in the middle of nowhere didn't eat through all that much"  
"I know... I was just thinking how you and Shiro were so close. I mean, isn't that why you started scanning space? In an attempt to find him"  
"We weren't that close... we became closer in space than we ever were before"  
"You miss him don't you? The real Shiro?"  
"Yes and no. Part of me will never forgive him for what he did to you"  
"He wasn't himself... and you said I've gotten better"  
"You have baby. You used to have so many nightmares. You used to scream and hurt yourself trying to get him off. I know you have episodes, and I know you can't control them, but I'm so proud of the progress you've made"  
Hanging his head, Lance seemed to curl in on himself   
"Baby?"  
"I did something stupid"  
"What?"  
"I was so jealous and insecure about not getting to come down here... and I did it before I even realised I was..."  
"You made yourself vomit again?"  
"Yes... I didn't want to tell you, because everything has been so perfect"  
"You had a little set back. After what you went through, I think you're entitled to freak out"  
He didn't know what he'd told Keith about what they'd done to him, but he knew he'd been in bad shape  
"I... I was feeling so fat and ugly, and like if I wasn't pregnant, you wouldn't care if I came down here or not... I hated our pups..."  
"Baby, I know you don't really hate them. I see you talking to your belly when you think no ones looking. I didn't really want anyone going down to begin with, but Pidge's mum had no idea what was going on. So I told them to go. It wasn't like I was never going to let you down here, I just... I wanted you to be safe"  
"I feel like an idiot"  
"You are"  
"Jerk"  
"Mhmm. Are you ready?"  
"Barefoot and pregnant, what could go wrong?"

 

*  
"Keith! There are sooooo many people!"  
Laughing, Lance seemed to light up, his mates were wide as he surveyed the brightly coloured lights and stores. Like with the Space Mall, they'd headed up to the top floor, with the intention of working their way down. The two big departments stores they intended on doing most of their shopping in we're on the ground level, so they were starting with more boutique shopping  
"Keith! Doughnuts! Can we get doughnuts?! Real doughnuts with cinnamon and sugar!"  
"Sure baby, just stop pulling me towards them"  
Pouting at him, Keith couldn't resist leaning in and stealing a kiss   
"Whaaa..."  
"What are you screaming for, I've kissed you plenty of times"  
"But we're in public!"  
"So?"  
"Do it again?"  
Laughing to himself, Keith leant in and kiss his mate  
"Happy?"  
"Yeah. Doughnuts?"  
"Yes baby, you can buy as many as you want"  
"Wait, don't you like doughnuts?"  
"I didn't say that, but I know better than to offer you a bite of mine, you'll eat the whole thing"  
"That's because I'm hungry from growing your children"  
"I know. Do you want another shake?"  
Walking over to the small kiosk, Lance's enthusiasm had the cashier looking like she doubted his sanity  
"Sorry, we don't get into town much. Can I grab..."  
"Can I please have a bubblegum milkshake and half a dozen cinnamon doughnuts"  
The cashier looked to him  
"Yeah, that and I'll grab a coke and two cinnamon doughnuts"  
"You're only getting two?"  
"For now"  
"That's $23.75"  
"Earth prices are awesome"  
"Lance, you're scaring her. She's from Earth remember"  
"Oh! Sorry! I forgot not everyone has been in space"  
"Baby, you're only making it worse"  
Keith paid the woman before, pulling Lance back from the counter, his mates attention was already on something else  
"What are you looking at?"  
"Everything!"  
"We have all night"  
"I know, there's just so much to do!"  
"You know, it's just the two of us. Wanna redo our Space Mall date here? You don't even have to dress up as a girl"  
"Really"  
"Only if you want to"  
"Yes!"  
Jumping into his arms, Lance wrapped his legs around his waist as he smashed his lips into Keith's. He hadn't expected his mate to move so fast, but he definitely wasn't complaining  
"Uh, sirs. Your orders ready"  
Pulling back, Lance threw his arms up  
"I love Earth!"

From doughnuts they moved onto window shopping. Lance practically inhaled all 6 of his doughnuts, before insisting they hold hands. His mate's hands were sticky with cinnamon and sugar, and Lance didn't even seem to notice. Finishing his own doughnuts, he gave Lance the last bite   
"Mmm. Thank you"  
"You've got sugar on your lips"  
"Wanna lick it off for me?"  
"I want to do more than lick it off"  
"You'll have to wait until we're back in Black for that... you're really loud when we have sex"  
"What's wrong with letting them hear?"  
"Keith!"  
"Come here"  
Leading Lance through to the bathroom, it was completely empty as they slipped into the first cubicle. Pushing Lance back against the door, he managed to slide the lock into place while claiming Lance's lips. Grinding against him, Lance mewed into his mouth. Breaking the kiss, Keith raised an eyebrow  
"Now who's being loud?"  
"If you're going to make fun of me, you can just get off"  
"Getting off was kind of the plan... turn around for me"

With his hands against the wall, Lance had the bottom of his shirt stuffed in his mouth to muffle his moans. Slamming into his mate, Keith was still kind of amazed they were having sex in such a public place... the excitement and thrill of possibly being caught had his heart racing, and his orgasm hitting before he was ready. He'd intended to pull out before his knot formed, but it was too late for that. Letting out a cry, the shirt slipped from Lance's mouth as he came down the stall door. Quiznak... someone would have to clean that up... Why was he even thinking about that? Guiding Lance back, Keith sank down on to the toilet, before wrapping his arms around Lance's swollen belly  
"Well that happened..."  
"Yeah, it did... quiznak... I'm hungry again"  
"I didn't fill you up enough?"  
Rocking his hips, Lance purred as his head dropped back against his shoulder   
"You filled me up alright, and knocked me up too"  
"Damn right I did. Have I told you how much I love you stomach?"  
"Only a few hundred times"  
"Well, I do. I never thought I'd have a kink, but it drives me wild"  
"I've noticed. Not that I'm complaining... do you think this place has a book shop?"  
"I didn't know you knew how to read"  
"Ha ha. I want to get some books and some books for when the pups get bigger"  
"I'm sure they do. I wouldn't mind picking up a couple either"  
"And movies, and games..."  
"Yeah baby, and we can have anything you want for breakfast"  
"You always take such good care of me, but I don't know how to take care of you"  
"Baby, you literally gave me CPR all the way up to the pod's. I'm pretty sure that counts as taking care of me"  
"No... I mean... like an omega should. I can cook... kind of, and I can clean but that's about it"  
"That's because we live in space, on an insane floating castle. One day we'll settle down, and have a home of our own, and then I'll let you run around and take care of me and the kids while I watch TV"  
"Ha ha... fine. I get your point"  
"Good"

With them both cleaned up, and the door at Lance's insistence, they slipped from the bathroom like they hadn't been in there for the last half hour. With his arm firmly around Lance's waist, they wandered through the mall, slowly making their way down to the second level, where Lance finally found his bookshop  
"There's a few titles I want to have a look for"  
"Ok, should I grab a basket?"  
"Probably a good idea. I'll meet you in the kids section"  
"Ok"  
Giving him a quick kiss, Lance grabbed a basket and disappeared into the store. Finding the travel section, he tried to appear as casual as possible as he ambled over there. He knew maybe 5 words of Spanish, and given his mate was Cuban, he figured he should probably change that. Finding a Spanish to English dictionary, he snatched it off the shelf before anyone noticed him... not that anyone was around to. Lance was wandering around the store in his own world. Back tracking, he picked up a few novels that caught his eyes, and a couple of books on world history, their pups would probably be growing up on the castle, so Keith wanted to make sure they knew where the came from. Making his way over to Lance, his mate had already put a rather large looking baby book in, it seemed to be made for male omega's, so hopefully it would be of some help  
"What did you find?"  
"I'm looking at these, they're fairytales, but we grew up with different ones"  
"As long as there's a happy ending, does it matter?"  
"Probably not. Which ones do you know?"  
"I haven't got a clue... why don't we just buy like a boxset? And get a few of the picture books?"  
"Do you think one day they'll make a picture book about us?"  
"Maybe. I hope they draw me taller"  
"You want to be taller?"  
"No, but the heroes are always strong and tall"  
"I think you're fine the way you are, oh my god! It's Spot!"  
"Spot?"  
"Spot the dog!"  
He had no idea who Spot was, but Lance grabbed one of each of the books the store carried  
"When we were kids learning English, we got all the crappy used books from other schools. Spot was my favourite, but some stupid alpha scribbled over the pages with red texta"  
"How do you know it was an alpha?"  
"I don't. It just seemed a dick move"

When the basket got too heavy, Keith lifted it from Lance's hold  
"Anything else?"  
"Not that I can think of"  
"Alright, do you want to take a seat out the front? I can smell the tiredness on you"  
"Yeah. I think maybe after this we should just head down to the department store... I'm starting to get really tired"  
"I'll be there as soon as I've payed"  
Leaving his side, Lance seemed to stumble as he made his way out the store. Carrying the basket over to the counter, he placed it down, before starting to stack the books so they could all be scanned. Coming across a Korean to English dictionary, he smiled to himself. Sometimes it was crazy how much alike they were.

 

*  
Lance was exhausted, but he didn't want to go home. Shopping with Keith was so much more fun than he'd expected, and being able to show off their relationship without having to worry felt amazing. Whenever they visited a new planet, they had to be professional, but here, no one cared. Walking through the department store, anything he looked at Keith wanted to buy him. It was sweet, but also frustrating as he didn't have any money of his own. He had a bank account, but he didn't have his cards or anything, and if he accessed it, he Galaxy Garrison would be tipped off. It sucked, and it hurt, but he was lucky enough to be on Earth with his mate so he was going to make the most of it.

After stocking up on an insane amount of clothes, both for his pregnancy and for after, they moved into the baby section, where his omega side went into overdrive. Everything was so cute and tiny, that he found himself crying because it was all too cute. Gathering him against him, he could tell Keith was trying not to laugh as he sobbed out about how adorable everything was. When his tears finally subsided, he wiped his face and looked into Keith's eyes  
"I'm sorry"  
"It's ok. Now, we need don't know what you're having, so what do we get?"  
"I think... it doesn't matter if a boy wears a onesie with flowers on it"  
"So if we like it, we'll just put it in?"  
"Yeah... maybe anything they don't fit or stuff... we can give to the rebels and others?"  
"Yeah. I like that. Ok, don't hold back"  
"But I don't have money"  
"I do. You don't have to worry about that"  
Sniffling, he nodded and looked past Keith   
"We need cots and nappies and blankets..."  
"I realised, that's why we have two trolleys"  
"You think of everything, don't you?"  
"Maybe... I really just want to do this right"  
"So do I. Do you think we're going to be good parents?"  
"Of course we will be"

Keith was more into this than he thought he'd be. Shopping for the future, they pretty much had no idea what they were putting in at the end. The big-ticket items like cots and prams had to be collected from the service desk, or rather, you took the ticket to the service desk, paid and then collected from the back loading dock. Choosing two plain white cots, Lance snorted as he looked towards the car seats  
"What is it?"  
"I was just thinking about how you'd go about making a car seat for the Lions... did that make sense?"  
Running the sentence through his mind, he still wasn't sure  
"I get what you mean, but I don't think we're going to find one here... are you happy with these cots?"  
"Yeah, they also convert to toddler beds"  
"Oh, nice. I didn't realise"  
"Well, we don't know when we'll be back..."  
"That's true. Hopefully, it won't take too long. Let's go look at movies and that, and then we'll go pay"  
"Keith, how are we going to get everything up on black?"  
"We'll work it out"  
"Ok..."

Paying for everything, Lance nearly had a panic attack as Keith handed over half the cash they had. Aside from the cots, they'd picked up some cheap bookcases and storage cubes... as well as a ridiculous amount of blankets and cushions. Apparently once he got further along, his instincts to nest would get stronger... or so the old woman in the bedding section had said. So their two trolleys turned into six... and then he'd thought about Allura. He didn't know if Pidge was taking her shopping, but given all she'd done to help him cope, so he'd gone a little crazy buying clothes and accessories for her too. By the end of it, he was asleep on his feet, which left Keith running backwards and forth loading up Black on his own. His alpha leaving him sitting near the department store while he got everything organised. Just outside the glass doors, the sun was rising, and bringing their date to an end with it  
"Baby?"  
Jumping as he realised Keith was staring down at him, Lance let out a loud yawn  
"I'm sorry. I was nearly asleep"  
"Black's loaded up. Do you know what you want for breakfast?"  
"Food"  
"I figured that much. I think there's a cafe open just on the outside of the mall"  
"Ok, can you help me up?"  
Looping his arm around him, Keith pulled him up to him  
"Don't worry, you can sleep on Black"  
"Yeah... I'm going to need a nap before we go..."  
"I wouldn't dream of taking you home looking so exhausted. I don't want your parents thinking I don't take care of you"  
"You're the only one who does... even I can't take care of myself properly"  
"We must be doing something right, we're both still around"  
"That's because we're stubborn"  
He had no idea what he was saying  
"You're stubborn. I nearly thought I'd have to give up on courting you"  
"I'm glad you didn't. Now feed me"


	44. Chapter 44

"Lance, you look fine"  
"I told you I have to look perfect"  
"You look perfect"  
"You just said I look fine. Which is it?"  
"You look perfectly fine"  
"Argh! That's it. I'm not going"  
Throwing his hands in the air, Lance threw himself down into the pile of blankets they'd been using as a makeshift bed. His mate had woken from his nap snippy and stressing out, his mood had only gone downhill since  
"Baby..."  
"I know. I know I'm probably being stupid and overreacting, but... everything has to be perfect"  
"Lance, they're not going to care. They're just going to be happy to see you"  
"Yeah, 'cause having your pregnant son just show up on your doorstep screams happiness"  
"I'd be pretty happy"  
Shooting him a scathing glare, Lance grabbed his pillow and curled around it  
"I'm so stupid"  
"You're not stupid, and we're already over Cuban airspace, so we'll be touching down as soon as you're ready"  
"Why aren't you worried? You're meeting your mate's parents for the first time after knocking their son up with twins"  
"I'm pretty nervous, but it'll be ok because I'll be there with you"  
"I'm a horrible mate... I haven't been thinking about how you'd feel at all..."  
"You're not a horrible mate. You're perfect and you look perfect. Come on, I'll let you sit in my lap while I find somewhere to land"  
Reaching out to him, Lance didn't make any other attempts to move, not that Keith was complaining about it as he crossed over and lifted Lance up easily   
"I really... I just want to cling to you"  
"It's a good thing you're already in my arms than"  
"No matter what my family says, I love you"  
"And I love you, so show me where to land"

Landing on a beach, everyone in the immediate area stared at Black. It kind of felt nice to stare down at them because there was no doubt in Keith's mind that at least one of them would know Lance, and would have made his life a living hell. Tugging at his shirt, Lance sighed  
"Baby, you look perfect. Let's go meet your family"  
"I think I'm going to be sick"  
"That's because you're so nervous. Once you see your mum, it's all going to be fine"  
"Don't you get sick of telling me that?"  
"No, and I'll keep telling you that as often as you need to hear it"

Walking down the ramp from Black's mouth, the crowd in front of them were already taking photos of them  
"I bet they were expecting some great big hulking aliens, not two humans"  
"Well you're kind of an alien"  
"You know, we should have brought Allura. She could have turned into some huge Altean beast"  
"We don't want to scare them"  
"But it would have been funny. Now, which way do we go?"  
"It's a bit of a walk"  
"That's fine, I'll get to see where you grew up"  
"It's not that exciting"  
"This coming from the omega who's talked nonstop about Earth"  
"Don't tease me"  
"I do so with love"  
"You better love me"  
Stepping down onto the beach, Keith was tempted to yell "Boo!" at the kids staring up at them with wide eyes, instead he held his tongue, not wanting to risk it somehow getting back to Lance's family. Parting so they could walk through, Keith confidently held Lance's hands  
"They're much better at welcomes than the Garrison was"  
"Yeah. We don't really get lots of space traffic around here"  
"Baby, no one on Earth's seen anything like Black before"  
"She's not going to hurt anyone, right?"  
"Of course not. I've got my Bayard and I've got yours. So just relax"

With all technological breakthroughs that came with space exploration, there wasn't a city on Earth that hadn't benefited from it, yet Lance's hometown had managed to maintain its aged facades and cobbled streets. Walking slowly through the streets, he could almost picture Lance running around them as a kid, and almost every building Lance had some kind of story for. Rounding the last corner before Lance's house, they smacked squarely into two kids... or teens, they were around that awkward age where ones not quite sure. Bouncing back, Lance groaned as he shook his head  
"Lance?"  
"I'm ok... Marco, Louis! Does mami know you're running around town?!"  
"Lance!"  
"Big brother!"  
"Big brother?"  
"Keith, these two are Marco and Louis, my brothers. Marco give Keith back his Bayard"  
Patting his jacket, he found it was indeed missing. Handing it back, the kid named Marco laughed  
"I'm sorry Lance, he was just too easy"  
"Don't tease him. He's my mate"  
"No way! We have to tell mami! She's going to flip!"  
"I bet we can make it back before they do!"  
"Don't tell mami I'm coming. It's supposed to be a surprise"  
"It's not a surprise, they all say you arrived in a flying cat!"  
"Don't be stupid, cats don't fly"  
"Louis, don't call Marco stupid. Yes, we came in a huge flying cat"  
Letting out a whoop, Louis threw his hands in the air   
"I'm telling mami!"  
Taking off before Marco, Louis was easily beat by the slightly bigger kid   
"Sounds like they already know we're here"  
"Of course they do. Everyone around here knows your business before you do"  
Pouting sourly, Lance looked down at his stomach  
"They didn't hurt you, did they?"  
"No. I just hope no one told mami I was pregnant..."  
"I'm kind of shocked your brothers didn't say anything"  
"Of course they wouldn't. They'll be saving that for mami"  
"Baby, it'll be ok. Though your brothers got quick fingers"  
"Tell me about it. You can't have anything nice without him trying to lift it... oh great, mami's standing out the front... she doesn't look happy"  
"How can you tell?"  
"She's got her hands on her hips like she usually does before she starts yelling. I guess it's too late to turn back?"  
"I think so... we better go before she does start yelling"  
Letting go of his hand, Lance walked so stiffly he looked like a strong wind would topple him. Letting his mate go ahead of him, Lance came to a stop in front of his mother. He didn't know what he expected, but the short curvaceous woman wasn't it. With her dark skin the same colour as Lance's, her black hair flowed over her shoulders  
"Um... I'm back"  
"Lance my baby! Look at you, what have you done to yourself?!"  
"Mami..."  
"Don't mami me, you're off your suppressants... I can smell you"  
"Mami, of course, I'm off them... mami, this is Keith. Keith is my alpha and mate"  
Looking him up and down, Lance's mother launched into a torrent of Spanish before throwing her arms around Lance. Though 99% sure he wouldn't have liked what she'd said if he could understand, Lance still wrapped his arms around his mother, and as whispered something into the woman's ear. Pulling back, Keith found himself being examined by Lance's mother  
"You, you got my son pregnant?"  
"Uh, guilty as charged"  
"You think you can laugh because you're cute. I've met plenty of alphas like you"  
"Mami!"  
"We didn't let him go to space just so he could come home pregnant with some alpha in toe"  
"Mami, it's not like that. Keith and I are bonded, and he takes amazing care of me"  
"How can he take care of you when he looks like he can barely take care of himself. You're lucky your papa isn't home"  
"Mami..."  
Sighing deeply, the woman pulled her tea towel off her shoulder  
"You both better come in"

Lance's house had a warm feeling, with its brightly painted walls and its family photos hanging up. It was clear there was love in this house, but none of it seemed directed at Lance. Even if Lance was alright with it, he wasn't. Following the pair through the house, they were once again speaking Spanish, while Lance rubbed his stomach. Keith figured his mother probably wanted to know how far along the omega was and what he was having. Emerging on an outside veranda, Lance sank down on a bench seat that was connected to the far wall  
"Keith?"  
Patting the spot next to him, Keith forced himself to walk over and sink down next to Lance. With him between the omega and his mother, he figured his mate must want some kind of protection from the angry Cuban woman   
"We thought you dead. Your belongings were returned to us, with a letter saying you were missing in action"  
"I guess we kind of were. Mami, you should see it out there. We live in a castle, with a real princess, and we fight to save people"  
"You better start fighting to save your own arse before I kick it. Do you have any idea how worried we were? Not a word for all these months"  
"Mami, I couldn't. We were weeks away"  
"Past Pluto?"  
"So far past Pluto that Pluto didn't even register. None of our signals would have reached Earth"  
"Because you're living in a castle with an alien princess?"  
"Exactly. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. We're part of something called Voltron. We fight to save people being enslaved"  
"How can you be so foolish? You're pregnant. You, do you let him fight like this?"  
God. Lance could have at least told him the woman's name... he felt incredibly rude not introducing himself properly... even if Lance didn't seem to care  
"I don't "let" Lance. He might be an omega and my mate, but he's also my partner and there's no one else I'd rather have backing me up than him. He doesn't need my permission"  
"Then why is he pregnant? He was supposed to marry..."  
"Some rich and horny alpha. I know mami, but Keith, he's amazing. He looks after me, he looks after everyone. He leads Voltron, and he's everything I could ever want. I love him, mami"  
"You're too young to know love"  
"I know that when I ran out of suppressants, all it took was one look to know Keith was the one for me. Space hasn't been all fun and games, a lot of bad things have happened to me, but Keith accepts it all"  
From her tone, Keith guessed Lance's mother was scolding him, though he did hear the name "Veronica" mentioned. Looking past the angry Cuban woman, he caught sight of Marco and Louis watching them from the kitchen. Catching sight of them, Lance sighed  
"Marco, Louis, stop staring at Keith"  
"Lance, I'm talking to you"  
"I know Veronica is older than me, but that doesn't mean she has to have kids first. I'm already halfway through my pregnancy, it's two big healthy pups"  
"You have to realise I'm just worried..."  
"No. You're being controlling again. I know I disappointed you by being an omega, and I know you wanted me to marry into money, but I'm bonded to Keith"  
"You're just so young"  
"I know and I know there's so much I have to learn"  
"And you're ready to be a father?"  
"There's no way I'm walking out on him or our pups. I know it's going to be hard work, but we have a whole team of people to help us"  
"This princess?"  
"Her names Allura, mami. It's not just her. There's Hunk, and Pidge and Coran"  
"Hunk, how is Hunk?"  
So Hunk she liked?  
"He's good. He has this whole kitchen to himself and he loves it"  
"He also did love to eat. A proper man..."  
Not like Lance... or at least that was how it sounded   
"Mami, you know I tried to be perfect, but I'm not. In fact, I was so scared to come home because I was sure none of you would care that I was even gone"  
Sniffling, Lance covered his face. Wrapping his arms around him, Keith nuzzled into his neck  
"You're ok baby. It's ok"  
"It's not ok! I missed them all so much!"  
Looking up, Keith glared at Lance's mother, the woman sighing as she shook her head  
"Every night we prayed for your return and you come back pregnant like it's nothing. Of course, I'm worried"  
"Mami, I love Keith. Keith has never once hurt me, and he even saved me"  
"I guess it's too late to do anything about it anyway. All I ever wanted was a good life for you, a life where someone would protect and love you"  
"Keith does! You have no idea how much he does. I know suicide is a sin, but he saved me"  
Lance's mother looked alarmed, promptly dissolving into Spanish again, after a few moments of back and forth, the woman rose. Making her way around the large wooden table, she slid along the bench and gathered Lance into her arms, rocking him as she pressed kisses to his hair  
"My baby"  
"Mami"  
Moving into his mother's arms, Lance let out a long wail, leaving Keith not knowing what to do. 

Gradually Lance and his mother pulled apart   
"I'm not happy, but if you're happy then that's that. Wait while I get us something to eat"  
"Lance, did you seriously ask your mother for food?"  
"I'm hungry"  
"You're always hungry"  
"He'd pregnant with your pups, what do you expect?"  
"Sorry mami, it's kind of a joke between us"  
"Well, you can watch your brothers. Veronica will be home soon, no doubt she already knows you're back. Marco, Louis, get out the kitchen"  
Coming out to join them, the boys sank down on the other side of the table, both grinning mischievously  
"So you got our brother pregnant?"  
"Yep. He's having twins"  
"Is it true male omega's have to push them out the bums?"  
Smacking the pair upside the back of their heads, their mother scowled at them  
"I'm sorry, I did try to teach them manners"  
"Mami, don't be like that..."  
"Yeah. We're just worried about Lance"  
"No more questions like that about Lance. Keith, just ignore them if they get too annoying"  
"Mami!"  
Busting herself and disappearing into the kitchen, Keith felt awkward as hell as he stared at Lance's brothers  
"Did Lance tell you about the time he went himself at school? Or the time mum forgot to pick him up?"  
"Do you want me to tell Keith about how you wet the bed right up until you turned 11? Or how you..."  
"What about the time you went into heat at school?!"  
"Look, if you don't stop trying to mess with me and your brother, you won't get to go in the Lion with us"  
"You wouldn't let us anyway!"  
"Really? You probably wouldn't be able to handle it anyway, what do you think Lance?"  
"I think they'd give Hunk a run for his money, and you'll be cleaning vomit out of Black for the next phoeb"  
"Maybe we should have Coran bring the castle? It's impossible to get sick on the castle"  
"No, we don't want to force Allura to put up with these two"  
"That's true"  
"Though, you could probably call her and have her bring Blue down? Hunk knows the way here"  
"I can if you want me to?"  
"Yeah..."  
"Will you two stop ignoring us!"  
Laughing, they both looked to Louis. The kid looked like he'd just had his mind blown  
"Go ahead and call them"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah. I wanted her to meet mami anyway"  
"Ok baby, whatever you want"  
Marco opened his mouth to tease Lance about being called baby, but Keith silenced him with a glare. Opening his wrist communicator, he waited for Coran to finally answer  
"Keith! Lance, we've been trying to call"  
"Sorry Coran, we're in Cuba right now, visiting with Lance's family. We were wondering you guys want to come down and join us?"  
Pushing Coran out the way, Pidge filled the small screen  
"Is he alright? Are the pups alright?"  
"Yes, Lance is fine. Anyway, he wants to see you all, so pick which Lion you want to bring and lock onto Black's signal. She's parked on the beach and apparently, Hunk knows the way"  
"We'll bring a personal pod instead, that way we can just come back in Black"  
Looking to Lance, Lance nodded  
"Yeah. That's fine. We'll see you soon"  
Ending the transmission, Keith felt kind of smug. The kids had no idea what was coming.

 

*  
"Allura!"  
Somehow the small veranda had ended up packed. Lance had tried to introduce everyone to Keith, but once all the extended family had piled in, it's become chaos  
"Lance, oh my goodness is this all your family?"  
"Most of them. My father isn't here, or my big sister. Guys! This is Princess Allura and Coran!"  
"They're the aliens? Her skin is so pretty!"  
"You should see what she can do! Make space so she can sit!"  
After being scolded by his mother, it had taken telling her the truth about what happened with Shiro for his mother to realise that Keith really was a good alpha who did actually love him  
"Don't forget about us!"  
"Guys! Pidge and you all know Hunk! They're dating!"  
Most of his family and extended family knew Hunk, and they'd heard of Pidge, though they'd never met her... or him as he'd thought she was a boy. Given his brother's had been total shits, it felt good to have some backup. Keith had been right all along. He'd needed this more than he'd known.

"Lancey Lance! What's this I hear about you being pregnant?!"  
Going to jump up, he forgot all about his baby bump, smacking it on the table as he went to climb up. Yelping, his face burnt hotly  
"Jesus! That's some bump you've got there!"  
"Don't take the Lord's name in vain!"  
"Come on mami!"  
"Veronica!"  
Poking her tongue out, Veronica looked much more like Lance than their brothers did... apart from the piercings. Being the oldest, his mother hadn't been impressed that he'd bonded and talked pregnant before her. Pushing her way between Marco and Louis, his sister eyed Keith with clear interest  
"Veronica, this is my mate, Keith. Keith, this is Veronica. Paw's off Vee, we're bonded, and he'd the father of my pups"  
"But he's cute. He's all dark and mysterious"  
"He's nowhere as broody as he seems. You should see him and Lance together, they're so loved up that it's enough to make you sick!"  
"Oh, so you're over your crush on Jenny?"  
"Jenny was a friend!"  
"A friend who wrote like a hundred love letters too"  
"It was one. Not a hundred. Anyway, I'm with Keith now"  
"We'll see about that"  
"Vee!"  
"So did you mean to get my brother pregnant? Or did you bond with him because you did?"  
He was going to kill his family!  
"It might not have been on purpose, but I bonded with him because I love him"  
"Smooth save!"  
"Vee, leave Keith alone. Keith, you don't have to keep talking to her, she goes on and on an-..."  
Ducking the apple his sister threw at him, it didn't go missed by his mother   
"Veronica, stop picking on your brother! Lance, don't waste food!"  
"Mami!"  
"Don't mami, me!"  
"She doesn't yell at you"  
Pouting at Keith, his alpha snorted  
"I'm completely terrified of her"  
"Good. That's the smart approach. How long are you guys in town for?"  
"Just until later tonight, we're actually here for work"  
"You? Work? That's a laugh! I bet he doesn't do anything!"  
"Actually, he's second in command"  
"Then you're screwed. My brother's an idiot. A loveable, but still an idiot"  
"Nah, he's fine the way he is"  
Glowing under Keith's praise, Lance rested his head against Keith's shoulder. His alpha automatically wrapping his arm around him  
"You ok baby?"  
"Yeah. Just a little sleepy"  
"Do you want to take a nap?"  
"No. I'm ok"  
"Let me know if you change your mind"  
"I will"  
"Right. You two are making me sick. I need something to drink. Keith, do you drink?"  
"I'm fine. I have to fly us all back home"  
"You mean you just have to get on that big black cat thing and it does the rest, right?"  
"No. You actually pilot them. Keith's the best pilot we have"  
"I thought you were the best?"  
"No, I'm the best sharpshooter"  
"That you are"

Instead of having a formal dinner, his mother laid out a spread of all his favourite foods. At some point, she'd begun talking away with Allura, and Lance was proud to see them getting along so well. His space family and his blood family... he couldn't be happier to be surrounded by them all. So when the night began to wind down, a heavy sense of loss filled him, even though his family was joining them for the walk back to Black. Marco and Louis had taken Keith by the arms and dragged him off, leaving him to link arms with their mother and bring up the rear of the group  
"Your friends aren't what I expected"  
"Yeah, but they're fine the way they are. We're all close, so it's like having another family"  
"It's good. It's nice. I didn't think you'd ever find a place where you truly belonged"  
"It's not perfect all of the time, and there's still so much to be done, but I think as long as we're together, things will be alright"  
"I wish you'd consider staying. Two pups will be hard work"  
"I know, but Keith... I love him so much mum, and it's not like we intend to be away for so long next time"  
"Good, I want to meet my grandchildren in this lifetime"  
"You will. Thank you for understanding"  
"Just because I understand doesn't mean I love it"  
"Mami!"  
"You're my son... I can't help but worry, especially since with what you went through"  
"Things have gotten better, and Keith went through all of it with me. He loved me before it, and he stayed even knowing what had happened"  
"He's a good alpha... I didn't expect to like him like I do"  
"Mami!"  
"Don't yell!"  
"But coming from you, that's like a huuuuuge compliment"  
"Am I really that imposing?"  
"Honestly, yes. I was so scared about coming today. I thought you'd tell me to get an abortion"  
"Lance!"  
"Well, it's true..."  
"I won't deny it did pass through my mind, but I've seen how Keith looks at you. How they all look at you. They all clearly love you"  
"And I love them. Oh, you have to come up into Black. I want to show you what Keith got me"  
"I'm too old for such things"  
"Nonsense. He took me shopping for like everything we could ever need for the pups, and what we don't use, we'll give to the refugees"  
Humming, his mother rested her head against his arm as they made their way back to Black.

Because Keith was an awesome alpha, almost all his family and extended family got to climb aboard Black. Given the others had been in the Lions plenty of times before, Lance's private time with his mother was interrupted by Pidge and Hunk taking it upon themselves to go through almost everything they'd bought. He loved his friends, but he really just wanted to spend his last few moments with his mother alone. Taking one look at him, she kicked them all out  
"Mami..."  
"No, I know they're you're friends, but you shouldn't be getting so upset, not in your condition"  
"Mami, it's fine... but thanks. I know they mean well, but I wanted to go through all of this with you"  
"Lance, I don't think we have the time, what are your favourites?"  
Instantly Lance knew what he wanted to show her. Sliding bags of shopping out of the way, he found the books they'd purchased. Hissing as he tried to stand straight, his mother rushed to his side  
"I'm ok, mami... I just hurt my back a little"  
"You always go too far, come sit, and I'll find whatever it is"  
"It's fine, mami. The bag is right here"  
Grabbing the bag, his mother guided him to sit on the makeshift bed in the corner, before sitting across from him   
"Alright. Guess what I found"  
Upending the bag, all the Spot books he'd purchased fell from then  
"Spot! I'm surprised you remembered this!"  
"When I saw them, I had to have them. Keith bought me each of the ones they had"  
"Are they for you or the pups?"  
"Um... all three of us?"  
"Oh Lance, I will miss you, my baby"  
"I'll miss you too, mami. Here we are, trying to find Atlantis, but all I want to do is spend more time with you"  
"Lance, Atlantis is a fairytale"  
"Just like flying cats and magical castles. I wish you could see it all, mami"  
"I'm going to miss you so much"  
"Me too"  
Hugging his mother over the pile of Spot books, he didn't want to ever let her go  
"Lance, baby, we're back in Cuba..."  
"Thanks... mami..."  
"You stay here, you need your rest"  
"Thank you, mami"  
"Oh, my precious boy. Keith, you better keep him safe"  
"I will. Let me walk you down to the beach"  
"I'm old, but I'm not that old. You should get Lance back to this castle of yours. He's hurt his back and needs his rest"  
"Mami!"  
"Oh he did, did he? Thanks for letting me know"  
"Mami... no. You have no idea what you've just done! He's going to make me stay in bed"  
"There's no trouble in bed that you haven't already gotten into. I love you, and I'm so very proud of you"  
"I love you too, mami! And Veronica and Marco and Louis and papa!"  
Kissing him on the forehead, his mother wiped his tears away  
"We'll see each other soon"  
Nodding, he sniffled  
"Yeah! Next time, we'll bring the pups and Keith's mum..."  
"I'd like that"

Leaving him, Lance sobbed against his pillow. It was crazy how much a parents approval could really mean, and she'd accepted both him and Keith  
"Baby, I have to pilot Black, but is there anything you need?"  
"No... just take us home"  
"Ok. We'll be home real soon"  
Home... a home where they were always going to be in danger. He should be scared, but all he felt was exhausted and relieved... and somewhat renewed. They'd find Atlantis and bring an end to Haggar.


	45. Chapter 45

"How much did you guys buy!? This is insane!"  
"Pidge, if you're going to keep complaining, you can go away"  
"But there's sooooo much stuff!"  
"It's not all for Lance and the pups. There's some things in there that Lance picked up for Allura, and clothes and that for the rebel forces"  
"I know... Hunk, my arms feel like they're going to fall off"   
Biting down a sigh, Keith shook his head. After returning to the castle, he'd found that they'd already tracked down Atlantis, and that was why there had been so many missed calls. The Altean Alchemist's that had made their way out to Earth, had disguised the coordinates to the lost city in Earth's magnetic field... or something like that. Basically the signal rode on the magnetic waves, and could only be found by the castle. Pidge had explained it to him, but Keith's mind had been on Lance. After a year and a bit of adjusting to space food, Earth food hadn't been so kind. His mates body was now going through some kind of massive cleanse. Whatever it was, Lance had woken from his nap, walked up to the bridge, thrown up all over his feet and fainted rather spectacularly. Scaring the ever living quiznak out of all of them. Keith had to admit he did feel a little sick, but he hadn't eaten as much as Lance had, so it hadn't affected him quiet as badly. It sucked that Earth didn't seem to love Lance as much he loved it, but while his mate was sleeping it off, he was making the most of it and moving all he could from Black, into the three rooms closest to his, including Lance's storage room. If his mate was conscious, he'd insist on helping... even if Keith told him to rest or take it easy  
"Ok... why are there like a hundred pillows in here?"  
"So Lance can nest comfortably"  
"He can nest comfortably without them!"  
"Look, as his pregnancy progresses, his urge to nest will only grow. I'd rather him have too many pillows than too few. It's not like we can just swing by and visit Earth because he needs another one"  
"Ugh!"  
"And not all of them are for nesting. There's the lounge room and the games room to think about"  
"Fiiiiine. I still can't believe you bought so many movies and games and game consoles!"  
"Pidge, what part of "It's not like we can just swing by and visit Earth", didn't you get?"  
"There's this amazing thing where you can download what you want to play and watch"  
"Because a hard drive has never failed"  
"Thank you Hunk! At least you get it"  
Shrugging, Hunk walked past with one the crib boxes on his shoulder like it was nothing  
"Hunk, you're supposed to be on my side!"  
"And I usually am, but think about it... doesn't having all this around us make the place that much more interesting?"  
"We live on a flying castle. Interesting is an everyday occurrence!"  
"I'll remember that on the trip home then"  
Throwing him a filthy look, Pidge gathered up the bags of books they'd purchased   
"Seriously?"  
"It's the start of a library"  
"We already have one. God. Lance has you so whipped"  
There was nothing wrong with being whipped, but he hadn't bought all these things for the pair of them because he was. He liked spoiling Lance. It made him feel good, and he knew Lance didn't take any of it for granted. Ever since visiting her mum, everything Pidge did seemed to be getting under his skin way more than it should. It wasn't like he didn't like her, but he'd like it if she'd back off. Lifting up the closest bag, he realised that was the one bag he definitely didn't want the others finding. While Lance had been half napping in front of the department store, he'd picked up his mate a few small tokens, that he definitely didn't want the others to know about. They'd more then likely call them dumb or pointless as alphas usually gave their omegas gifts while courting, and not so much after bonding. He'd never been able to buy Lance proper courting gifts, so had splurged. Walking into Black's cockpit, he stashed the bag down in front of the pilots chair, only for the castle alarm to go off the moment it did. 

 

*  
Groaning, Lance tried to cover his head as the castle alarms blared. Thanks to having become accustomed to space food, the salts and sugars in Earth food had messed up his body and he was essentially poisoned by them. After collapsing, he'd been trying to sleep through as many of the symptoms as possible, though his stomach really hadn't gotten the message. He didn't regret any of it, instead, he just wished it tasted as good as it had going down when it came back up. Realising the obnoxious sound wasn't about to go away, he threw the pillow across the room, before crawling out bed and staggering to the wardrobe. Pants... he needed pants and a shirt. The struggle was real. His body was sticky from sweet, and he only just managed to pull a pair of sweats on before he was rushing to the bathroom to vomit. 

By the time he reached the bridge, Lance was freezing cold and the whole world was spinning. It was like a broken kaleidoscope, with all the pretty colours in the wrong places, and way too many black spots. Smacking his hand against the door pad, pain flared up his wrist as the door slowly slid open to reveal the others already there  
"Lance!"  
"I'm ok..."  
He was kind of sure Keith didn't hear him because he could barely hear himself. Jogging over to him, his mate looped his arm around his waist, supporting him over to his seat  
"Baby, what are you doing up?"  
"The alarm wouldn't stop"  
"Lance, the alarms have already been shut off"  
"I guess my ears are still ringing then"  
His poor attempt at a joke fell flat  
"I'm here now, just tell me what's happening"  
"It's Lotor"  
"Of course it is... why?"  
"Why is it Lotor? Or why has Lotor set off the ship alarms?"  
"Which ever one means I don't have to think"  
His head hurt... like a lot. Even talking made him want to vomit  
"He must have followed us. After Krel'dak followed us, we set the alarm to go off if any Galra ships entered the solar system"  
"So he's the clingy type. Who would have known?"  
"Yes well, we would have preferred it if he hadn't found Earth"  
"I know what you mean, that fucker put something in my head"  
Clamping his hand over his mouth, he couldn't believe how easily that had slipped out   
"In any case, the Galaxy Garrison needs to be notified, and we need to invite Lotor onboard"  
"You want to invite him onboard?"  
"If he's with us, he's not down there causing trouble"  
"And what if he has Haggar with him?"  
"Then we'll just use whatever we find at Atlantis to defeat him"  
Lance squinted as he looked at Keith  
"You found it?"  
"More like it found us. You'll never guess where"  
"The North Pole"   
"Spoil sport"  
He hadn't even really been trying. He's just taken a wild stab because Keith was a blurry white and red blob kind of like Santa. Groaning, he hunched forwards in his chair   
"He's not going to throw up again is he?"  
"Lance?"  
"Guys, give him a second"  
"I'm just saying, last time was kind of impressive. He's set the bar pretty high"  
Whining, he wanted Pidge's shrill voice to go away  
"Lance, you're no good to anyone like this. You need to rest. We already know that the pod didn't really help"  
It hadn't thanks to the fact he still had Earth food in his stomach when he'd gone in. It would probably work now, but he really didn't feel like going all the way down to the pod room  
"Keith, I don't think I can walk"  
"Then you shouldn't have come all the way up here"  
"How could I not? You can't form Voltron without Red, and no one told me what was going on"  
"Pidge, you and Hunk contact Iverson. Let him know not to fire at Lotor. Allura, you contact Lotor and let him know to join us up near the Arctic circle. I don't want him to know about Atlantis just yet, and if he wants to know why we came back to Earth, tell him it's because Shiro decided to leave Voltron"  
Lifting him from his seat, Lance scrunched his eyes closed as his head throbbed. It felt like he'd left his stomach behind and he wasn't completely confident they were going to make back to their quarters without him throwing up.

Instead of them heading back to their quarters Keith carried him into the medical bay, laying him down on the closest bed before cupping his face   
"You're burning up pretty badly. Pidge and Hunk managed to get hold of a whole heap of medical supplies, so I'm going to set up an IV line before you get dehydrated further   
"I don't supposed they have anything for a headache and nausea"  
"Probably, but I have no idea what they'd be called"  
They'd all had basic first aid training, including the use of fusion packs and how to run an IV, though Lance didn't particularly love needles, he knew he had to get fluids in or the pups would be at risk  
"Now, you might feel a sharp pinch, but that's just the cannula"  
"Mmmm, I could get behind the idea of you playing doctor"  
"I couldn't. I hate needles, and I hate having to put a line in"  
Feeling the tiny prick, Lance snorted  
"That wasn't too bad. You know, one time I had to go to hospital for blood tests, they put this cannula in and they didn't do it properly, so there was blood running out of it... it was completely gross"  
Why was he talking? Oh. Right. Keith didn't like needles. Even feeling like quiznak, he still wanted his mate to feel better  
"Ok. All done. Now stay put until I come and check on you"  
"I really don't think I'm going anywhere, but can you leave a bucket next to the bed?"  
"You're still vomiting?"  
"Yeah. Why has Earth forsaken me?"  
"I don't know baby"  
Leaving his side again, Keith returned to kiss him on the forehead  
"The bucket's right here, so if you need to vomit, just lean over the side"  
"Thank you"  
"Why are you thanking me? I'm the reason you got sick"  
"No. You gave me the most magical few days down on Earth. I don't regret anything we did"  
"I love you"  
"I love you too, now go boss Lotor around"  
"I wish. Call me if you need me?"  
"I'm fine, go already"

 

*  
Watching Lotor's ship touch down, Keith was kind of surprised as two of the three minions they'd returned came out ahead of Lotor himself. Wearing a wide smile, the man walked straight up to them like he didn't have a care in the world   
"Lotor! What an unexpected pleasure. What brings you all the way out here?"  
"We had reports of a Galra ship being destroyed, and a distress call was received from this planet"  
Keeping his mouth shut, he looked to Allura   
"Yes, the first destruction was caused by a Galra ship firing on us, the second was caused by a Commander Krel'dak. He instigated the initial confrontation, before following us to Earth, and firing on its people"  
"You have my sincerest apologies. There are still many things I don't know about ruling the empire"  
"We understand. The Galra empire is vast, and you are not to blame for those who do not want peace"  
Taking Allura's hands in his, Lotor nodded   
"Thank you for understanding. Might I enquire as to what planet this is?"  
The bastard already knew, so why test them like this  
"It's Earth. Shiro, our Black Paladin, stepped down from his position. With the risk of rogue factions finding Earth ever increasing, he felt his services were best used here"  
"That's a deep shame. I take it that means it is not possible to speak with him?"  
"Currently, no. We were going to head back soon, but we detected your ship incoming, and thought perhaps we should meet somewhere a little more private"  
"Is there a problem with this world?"  
"No, no problem, but until very recently Earth had no idea that the Galra even existed, and Krel'dak shot any chance of diplomacy right down. For now, this is safer"  
"Is that why Lance isn't present? He wasn't harmed was he?"  
Hearing his mates name come so easily from Lotor's mouth made him want to punch it  
"Lance is fine. He's sleeping at the moment"  
"Good. Let us head inside the castle. I never imagined Earth could be so cold"

Following them into the bridge, Keith cursed Coran. The blinking red spot that indicated Atlantis was all but screaming at them as they walked in  
"What is that?"  
"We're not completely sure. It came up after we reached Earth"  
"And you were going to ignore it?"  
"We were debating what to do. If it's a threat to Earth and the rest of the universe, we need to destroy it... but if we aren't careful, we could all end up in serious trouble"  
"Then it's a good thing I arrived when I did. If it's registering on the sensors, then it must be of importance. I'll back you up to the fullest of my capabilities"  
"Like I said, we were still deciding, and we won't be making any choices until Lance has woken up from his nap"  
"I imagine the strain of being pregnant must be quite hard on him"  
"He's taking it as well as can be expected..."  
Actually, it was more than likely the main reason he still got out of bed and put a brave face on. As much as Keith wanted to take all the credit for getting Lance back on his feet, passing the first two pups had seriously broken something in his mate, and now their two pups were filling that space  
"Keith, perhaps you'd like to go check on Lance? Hunk here makes the most amazing Earth cuisine, after all the talk, I must admit, I'm anxious to try what Earthling's call "Hot Dogs""  
Allura and a hot dog? He couldn't picture it, but he hadn't pictured Allura being in an eating contest either  
"Yeah. I might just do that. If he's awake, we'll meet you in the dining room"

Taking the opening he'd been given, Keith headed back to the medical bay. Lance had rolled over since he'd left, but he hadn't vomited so that was a win. Checking the saline bag, he realised he hadn't put it on a slow drip, instead, it was running directly into Lance's bloodstream, and was nearly empty because of it  
"Keith?"  
Blinking sleepily at him, Keith smiled down at Lance, his mate was already reaching for his hand  
"How are you feeling?"  
"Better... I don't feel as feverish"  
"That's good. Lotor's on the castle, and thanks to Coran, he's coming to Atlantis with us"  
"That means I have to get up"  
"We aren't going anywhere until you've rested"  
"Keith, Lotor isn't going to want to wait because my stomach decided to make me sick. Please, I'll be ok as long as I take it easy"  
"I thought you'd be looking for any excuse not to see Lotor"  
"I don't want to, but I don't want to not be there if something happens. I don't feel as feverish and my head isn't pounding so badly either"  
"You still look pale"  
"How about this. If I need to vomit, I'll vomit on him"  
"Baby..."  
"Please? I want to be useful and feel normal again"  
"Fine. But if you even look like you're about to faint, I will be pulling you out of there"  
"Best alpha ever"  
"I better be. Now hold still so I can take this cannula out"

 

*  
Lance was still a little shaky, but keeping an arm around his omegas waist helped to keep them both grounded as the stood in the knee-deep snow. They'd arrived at the coordinates, but so far nothing had appeared or seemed out of place   
"Pi..."  
"I swear to god if you ask me one more time if this is the right place, I'll set Hunk onto you"  
"Maybe it's voice-activated?"  
"Voice activated?"  
"I don't know, I'm just thinking out loud here. Allura, why don't you try saying something?"  
"What am I supposed to say?"  
"Just say who you are?"  
"My name is Princess Allura of Altea and in the name of Voltron, I request you reveal yourself"  
For the longest moment there was silence as the wind ripped around them, but slowly the ground beneath them began to tremble. Watching the massive temple in front of them rising out the snow, Keith wondered why he was so amazed by it  
"Alright, Allura! Who do we think that huge guy holding that sphere is?"  
"Atlas? It would be wouldn't it?"  
"I'm surprised you know that Lance!"  
"It was the first thing that came to mind. Anyway, as much as I love standing here looking at big men with big... globes, can we get inside? I'm freezing!"

The size of the structure was just mind-blowing. The statue of what was to be presumed Atlas was easily as big as Voltron. Behind that, the building had a very Ancient Greek feel, with its marble columns, and steps  
"Do we just go in?"  
"I don't see why not?"  
During this time, Lotor was unusually quiet, but looking to Allura, the man let out a low gasp  
"Your marks are showing"  
Touching her cheek, Allura looked just as surprised, despite knowing this place was Altean  
"This must be Altea! But how?!"  
Allura was getting way too good at this acting thing  
"If it's Altean, perhaps it contains more secrets, like those of Oriande?"  
"I still don't see why I had to come with you"  
Going to run his finger of his moustache in his trade mark style, when he got to the end, the tip of it snapped off as he pinched it  
"Never mind that. Let's go"

The entrance corridor that had been black for as far as the eye could see, came to life as they stepped in, and they all jumped as the door slid firmly closed behind them. Striding back to it, Lotor pounded on it with his fist   
"I don't think that's going to work. Allura, what do you feel?"  
"I feel like I'm being drawn to the centre of the room"  
"We'll back you up"  
Stepping down onto the shimmering blue carpet, a voice rang out from somewhere above them  
"Greetings Princess Allura, and Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe, of Altea. We welcome you to Atlantis. The last great repository of our people"  
Another voice picked up from where the first ended  
"Forced to flee our home Altea, we took solace in the knowledge that one day you would awaken and come to this place"  
And a third   
"You have slept for over 10,000 years. It is time for you to reclaim the knowledge of Altea that runs through your blood, and comes with your royal blood"  
And a forth? Seriously? Could one person not remember the script or something?  
"But this knowledge is a heavy burden. All wisdom is. That is why you Coran has slept beside you all this time, and why you alone carry the mantle of Voltron"  
And fifth. It wasn't even funny anymore  
"Welcome Paladin's of Voltron, those who's courage knows no bounds. For each of you, here you will find yourself tested in ways you couldn't ever imagine. Survive these tests and prove your worth as both Allura's charge and her guard"  
Lotor apparently didn't like being left out. Marching forward, the Galra made it just past Allura   
"There is one amongst you who carries the blood of Honerva, the one tainted by her magic. We cannot permit our secrets to be used in the very war we came here seeking refuge from. Yet you are not the sins or your mother or your father. Survive your tests and prove yourself an ally, or be damned for all eternity"  
So far Keith was definitely enjoying voice number six, even more so when Lotor disappeared right in front of him  
"I like this place, it takes the trash out for you"  
Laughing at Lance's words, Allura turned to shoot them a glare   
"Your tasks await beyond the doorways. May you be successful and may the secrets of Atlantis prove not to hard to bare"  
Yeah. No. Voice six was definitely the best  
"So what do we do now?"  
"The door behind us is sealed, we need to find a way to move forwards"  
As if activated by Allura's words, the end hall began to glow. Black, red, green and then yellow, with a space in the middle where blue would be... if Allura wasn't the blue Paladin. If Earth was this advanced, they probably would have blown themselves up by now.

"So we just go through the doors?"  
Having crossed the deceptively long space, they were all standing in front of their corresponding doors. Eyeing his, Keith wasn't exactly sure what to do  
"Lance, any ideas?"  
"I feel like I need to activate my Bayard"  
Nodding, Lance did just that. The red Altean broadsword seemed lost against the red glow of the door. Holding the sword up, Lance placed it flush against the door. There was a moment of white light before Lance disappeared and the door he'd been in front of seemed to turn to stone  
"Lance!"  
"He's gone... I think we should all follow his lead..."


	46. Chapter 46

Opening his eyes, Lance blinked in confusion. Since when was he on a Galra ship? How did he get there and where were the others?  
"Lance! Come on, we've got to move!"  
Spinning around he found himself staring at his friends  
"Oh right. Sorry guys"  
"I swear to god the only reason we keep you around is because we don't have a replacement for you"  
"Yeah. Why couldn't Shiro still be here?"  
"He calls himself a sharpshooter? He can't even pee straight!"  
"I wonder if Hunk will make us milkshakes"  
"God look at him. A worthless omega. I've bonded with him for now, but as soon as we get back Earth, I'll find a real omega. One that doesn't kill its alphas pups"  
Looking down, he found his stomach as flat, dead flat. No huge swell, just smoothness  
"There he goes again"  
"I know Shiro raped him, but he was probably asking for it"  
"I wonder if I could get Shiro in bed with us. I've seen him take Lance before and it was fucking hot. Two knots might split him... that would be hot too... he's such a cum slut"  
Blinking as tears formed in his eyes, he some how knew they were all thinking about him. Their lips weren't moving, so it had to be what they thought... all this time he'd been right and they only found him a burden. Even Keith didn't love him  
"Hurry up already. Don't tell me I'm going to have to hold him again. It was bad enough when he pushed out those deformed pups of his. Shiro was really lucky that Lance killed them. I wouldn't want to have kids with some thing like him"  
No. He didn't want to hear this. He just. He had to get off the ship... 

Bringing up the back of the group, two sentries appeared in front of him. Shooting them down, it seemed like the moment they fell three were there to take their place, and when those three fell, it became four. Turning around to look at the others, he found himself alone in the corridor. Quiznak. Ok. Ok. Just because they all hate you doesn't mean you hate them. You love them... or do you? Why was he friends with them anyway? Hunk... Hunk had Pidge now, and Pidge didn't play as many games with him as she used to. He wasn't smart enough to keep up with them. Allura was just nice to everyone and Coran got lonely easily... and Keith. His heart ached. Keith was his world. The foundation of his heart... but... how did that even happen? He'd been brutalised by Shiro, in nearly every conceivable way. He was dirty and he was broken, and he was messed up inside, and Keith saw all of that. Did he only care about him because he'd seen that? Was he planning on doing the same thing? Waiting with kisses and promises until the pups were out of him and he could beat the shit out him? He'd been so lost and so vulnerable, that he'd grabbed Keith's hand. His only lifeline in the sinking ship that his life had become... Did he actually love Keith? Or had Keith been convenient to cling too... the first time they'd had sex, he'd thrown himself at alpha because everything hurt so badly, and just wanted to not feel anything. He thought he loved the alpha, but what if it was all lies? He couldn't have pups with Keith... not when Keith didn't love him.

Firing at the ever-increasing waves of sentries, Lance found himself being pushed back further and further  
"Lance! What are you doing?! Quit messing around!"  
Spinning around, he found himself staring at the group, not a single sentry in sight  
"Great. He probably had another episode. Let's just leave him behind? We can come back and get his Bayard once he's dead... maybe Lotor can pilot Red? I don't like him, but I like him more than Lance"  
He wanted to scream. He wanted to throw back everything he'd ever done for them in their faces, but his words died as a Galra soldier appeared behind Keith, before he even realised it, he hurled Pidge and Allura out the way, throwing himself between Keith and the Galra as he fired. Taking the shot, pain flooded his body. Screaming, he fell to the floor while Hunk shot the Galra dead. Shaking and shivering, he could feel his blood pooling underneath him  
"Allura!"  
Turning to face the princess, he found Allura on the floor. Rushing to crowd around her, no one gave him the slightest bit of attention  
"We've got to get her back to the ship"  
"What about Lance?"  
"Take his Bayard, he's as good as dead. Hunk, you tow Red back"  
Walking over, Hunk rolled him with his foot before taking the Bayard from his hand  
"Sorry buddy, at least you'll be dead soon"

Sobbing and spasming, death didn't come quickly. Haunted by his friend's comments and lack of concern, all he had was his thoughts and his tears. He'd been so stupid. Stupid Lance. Flirting with everyone and anyone to make himself feel better. Desperately wanting to be wanted and to do the best he could for everyone. He was so tired. So tired of it all. Giving up, he let his world go black.

 

*  
Sucking in a deep breath, Lance realised he wasn't dead... nor was he on the Galra ship  
"Lance? Baby, you ok?"  
Looking to his left, Lance's heart began to race. Why was he in bed with Shiro? Scrambling backwards, he tried to pull the blankets with him  
"Lance?"  
"What... what is this? Where's Keith?"  
Sighing softly, Shiro reached out for him  
"Baby, Keith died remember?"  
"No! No, he didn't!"  
Placing his hands down, he found his stomach smooth  
"The pups!"  
"Baby... you lost them. We've been trying for the last two years, but you haven't been able to conceive. The doctors said you might never be able to"  
"Stop lying!"  
"I'm not..."  
"You are! You raped me! You tortured me!"  
"Lance, I never touched you until after Keith's death"  
"Liar!"  
"Lance, it was a nightmare. You're ok..."  
He didn't feel ok. He was completely terrified. His heart was racing so fast that he was sure it would burst  
"Lance, it's ok. Here, come here!"  
"Don't touch me!"  
Shrieking at Shiro, he darted off the bed  
"This is wrong! This is all wrong! I need Keith!"  
"Lance, don't you remember?"  
"Remember what?!"  
"Keith abandoned you after you lost the pups. He left you here and went back to Blade of Marmora. He and Krolia died..."  
Not Keith... not Krolia. No... sinking down, he clutched at his head. Keith wouldn't. He... he wouldn't... above him, the castle alarm started ringing, echoing through his head and scattering his thoughts further  
"Lance..."  
"I... I..."  
"It's ok baby. Come on, let's get you up to the bridge"

With an arm around his waist, Lance was tense as he walked beside Shiro. He didn't know what was happening. He didn't know why it felt so nice to be touched by Shiro, even though his mind screamed at him it was wrong. Keith was his mate... but Keith was dead. He'd left him behind like everyone else did. Entering the bridge, his eyes widened. Lotor and Allura were hunched over something, while Coran was now sporting an eyepatch  
"Shiro! Lance..."  
Jogging over to them, Lotor wrapped his arms around both of them, before kissing them both. A horrible feeling filled Lance. He swore he knew those lips  
"Lance? Are you ok baby?"  
Why was Lotor calling him baby? What kind of hell was this?  
"Lotor, he had another nightmare, he doesn't remember us yet"  
"Oh, baby..."  
Looking down at him lovingly, a cold shiver ran up Lance's spine. If Lotor was calling him baby... then he and Shiro and Lotor? The thought brought vomit to his mouth, swallowing hard, he tried to back away. This wasn't right   
"Lotor, what's going on?"  
"We've been invaded. Galra forces entered through Black's hangar, and are making their way here"  
Wasn't the empire under Lotor's control? Had he set them up? Hugging himself, he stumbled back until Lotor grabbed his arm  
"Lance, you can't leave the bridge it's not safe for you"  
"Don't touch me!"  
Snapping at Lotor, it clearly wasn't the first time he'd done so. Letting him go, the man looked to Shiro   
"Make sure you protect him"  
"You know I will"  
Kissing Lotor, Shiro seemed to put every part of him into the kiss. It made Lance burn with something akin to jealousy, which only served to make feel even more nauseous. 

Jumping as the door to the bridge exploded behind him, Shiro grabbed him close, hurling them both out the way as Galra soldiers stormed in. Amidst the sea of purple blast, Hunk, Pidge and Coran fell. All while he couldn't do anything. Feeling for his Bayard, he realised he was weaponless  
"Lance, stay down"  
"No! I have to help them"  
"Baby, you're not a Paladin anymore, Lotor and I will take care of this"  
He wasn't a Paladin? They'd taken Red away from him. Pressing a hard kiss to his lips, Shiro launched himself into battle. Half feral, the alpha slaughtered all those he could, while Lotor backed him up. Tearing his eyes away from the bodies of Pidge and Hunk, he found Allura. She was still alive.

Running across the room, Lance slid down in front of Allura, pushing his hands to her bleeding stomach in an attempt to make it stop  
"Allura! You're..."  
"Lance it's ok. I'll be ok, you need to get out of here"  
"I can't. Not without you"  
"Look out!"  
Lotor's cry rang out, and Lance found himself falling sideways. Despite the blood gushing from her stomach, Allura had pushed him out the way of another blast. Crumpling backwards, he body slumped and her cold lifeless eyes stared right through him. He was useless! All he did was hold everyone back! Why couldn't he be better? Be like the others! Looking back, to Shiro and Lotor, they were back to back as they tried to shoot there way out. The waves of Galra soldiers kept streaming in... the Shiro took a hit. Spinning around, Lotor caught the alpha, guiding him to the floor. With two cold deliberate shots, both of them were just gone.

Screaming Lance curled into a ball, he wanted this to stop! He wanted to wake up! He wanted it all to end! Finally. Finally, the Galra grabbed him. Forcing his head up, Lance's eyes widened. Keith. His alpha had grown to almost be a whole other person, but his eyes...   
"K-Keith!"  
Hot pain seared through his stomach, blood filled his mouth and he couldn't understand   
"With this the Voltron Paladin's are dead! Glory to the Galra!"  
Leaning in, Keith delivered the last blow  
"How does it feel to be betrayed by the one you love?"  
Raising his foot, Keith pushed lightly, sending him sprawling back  
"Dispose of them all! No, better yet! We'll put the on display as a warning to all those who don't head the word of Empress Haggar!"

 

*  
Waking for the third time Lance was sure he was going insane. He couldn't make sense of anything. He didn't know what was going on or where he was or how he got there. Groaning as he pushed himself up, he heard a small snore from beside him. Keith. Keith was there... thank god. Shaking his mate, Keith let out a small sigh  
"What is it?"  
"I... I had a nightmare"  
"Come here"  
Raising his arm, Keith rolled back so Lance could slide up against him. Nuzzling up to him, Keith pressed kisses to his shoulder  
"It was just a dream"  
"It didn't feel like it"  
"The doctor told you might have some crazy dreams again, like you did with the twins"  
With the twins? What? Gasping, his attention was taken away by the feeling of being firmly kicked from the inside  
"Baby?"  
"It's kicking..."  
"Does it hurt?"  
"No..."  
"Then it's alright. Go back to sleep, I have work tonight"  
Wait... this wasn't right either... where were they? Trying to remember to breathe, he pushed himself back up  
"Lance?"  
"I need to use the bathroom"  
"You know where it is"  
It wasn't until Lance had slid from the bed and made his way into the hallway that he found he was home. He was in Cuba... waddling through to the kitchen, he found his mother making fresh orange juice   
"Lance, my baby. How do you feel?"  
"Tired... and confused"  
"Yes, I suppose. You always get so confused around this time of year"  
"I do..."  
"Come, sweetheart, sit. You'll have a good breakfast before we go"  
"We are we going?"  
His mother sighed softly, before sinking to sit. Patting the chair next to him, Lance waddled over to sit in it  
"Oh, baby. You really cannot remember?"  
"Mami..."  
"You and you're friends came to Earth, do you remember?"  
"I... it's all mixed up"  
"You were searching for a place called Atlantis"  
"That's right! I have to go!"  
Going to rise, his mother pulled him back down  
"Lance my love, you are no longer a Voltron Paladin"  
"What?! Why?"  
"There was an accident. You nearly died..."  
"No mami! I'm here..."  
"You were in a coma... Both your babies were born stillborn"  
"Mami..."  
"Lance my love. You know I would never hurt you with cruel lies"  
"But Keith?"  
"He stayed, he stayed here with you while the others left"  
"He wouldn't. Being a Paladin is everything to him"  
"The Paladin's as you know them were destroyed. Earth cadets now work with them... you and Keith, you decided it was time to place your Bayards down and now Keith works with your papa on the trawlers"  
"I... mami..."  
"Try not to cry, my love. You're so close to giving birth, go rest today and I will bring your breakfast up"  
"Thank you mami"  
"My omega son..."

Returning to the bedroom, via the bathroom, Lance didn't realise something was wrong until he was cocooned back in Keith's arms. His mother didn't know about Bayard's, nor did she like to refer to him as her "omega son". This didn't feel right... and if everything she said happened, why couldn't he remember any of it. Even after being in a coma, he should remember something? Anything? Fatigued from his short lap of the house, his hands slid to his gravid stomach. He was huge... he'd thought himself big with the twins... but this... closing his eyes to block out the sight, he let out a shaky breath. If this was all a dream, all he had to do was fall asleep and wake up again...


	47. Chapter 47

Opening his eyes Keith found himself staring out of Black, with no memories of how he got there. Watching Red and Blue fire on the Galra ship in front of him, he rushed to push forward on Black's control   
"Keith!"  
"Sorry! I zoned out for a moment! Let's form Voltron!"  
"We were just blown apart! We need to do something about Haggar! Her powers are too much!"  
They'd already form Voltron? And Haggar had attacked!? Quiznak! He needed to get his head in the game. Firing at the Galra fighter jets, Keith weaved his way towards the ship  
"Keith! You can't get close!"  
If he couldn't get close how was he supposed to fight? Watching the cannon charge up, he fired on it, not his shot hitting some kind of barrier as he did. Right. Shield's were up, they needed to find a way around them   
"Allura!"  
The Galra cannon fired. Though Lance tried to knock Blue from the side, the blast hit the Lion squarely in the face, sending Allura spinning backwards, completely out of control   
"Allura!"  
"I can't get Blue to move!"  
"I'm coming, Allura"  
"Lance..."  
Trying to correct his own Lion, it was Hunk who swooped in to catch Blue's tail in Yellow's teeth  
"Hunk!"  
"I've got you! Guy's we're in trouble, it's charging again"  
"Fall back! We need to regroup!"  
"We can't just fall back!"  
"Lance, we need to regroup!"  
"I'm not falling back!"  
"Neither am I!"  
Why did Lance and Allura always have to be so stubborn!? Pushing Black as hard as he could, he looped her around so he was facing the rest of them   
"Keith!"  
"Watch out!"

The shot that hit him felt like a million volts were coursing through his body. He swore he smelt flesh burning as sparks shot from his eyes. Howling in agony, he felt Black leaving his mind. No. They needed to fight! She should leave him! He needed to protect Allura and Lance! He needed to protect his mate and their pups!  
"Keith!"  
Screaming his name, Lance sounded so distraught that his alpha growled in response. His mate... why was he so sad?! Still spasming from the shot, the second had him falling to the floor, convulsing as the energy tore through his body. It felt like every single molecule that made him were being forcefully torn apart and rebuilt. His mouth hung open in an endless silent scream  
"Keith! Keith! Answer me!"  
He wanted to call to Lance. He wanted to lie and tell his mate he was alright, but his muscles had seized, and he was now completely locked in place like a statue. Was this it? Was this how he died? He didn't want to die. He wanted to be with Lance. He wanted to cradle his pups, watch them grow. He wanted to spend every morning waking up with Lance by his side. If he could just do that, then everything they'd ever gone through would be worth it  
"Allura!"  
"I'm going to get Keith!"  
"You can't! His Lions still pulsing with quintessence!"  
"I can't leave him!"  
"I'll go!"  
"Lance, you can't! You can't risk yourself and your pups!"  
"I... I can't leave him! If he's going to die, then I'm going to die with him!"  
"Lance!"  
Feeling something hit Black, his world span as his Lion flipped, and he landed back against the floor with a solid thud  
"Lance!"  
Allura screamed his mate's name in such a way all the blood in his body turned to ice. Not Lance. Anyone but Lance! He had... he had to move! 

Growling and huffing, his eyes narrowed as his alphas rage filled him, turning him feral. He needed to get to Lance! It took all his strength to move his fingers, but surely and slowly it happened. Clawing at the floor, he tried to drag himself forwards. Black spots danced with grey as the world swam. Lance's name played over and over in his mind as he prayed for his mate's safety. Why had Black left him? Something else smacked into Black, sending him sliding back the precious few centimetres he'd crawled  
"Allura!"  
"Pidge, get out of here!"  
"We can't leave you!"  
"Hunk, take Pidge and get back to the ship! You have to survive!"  
"No! Allura!"  
Somewhere outside there was an explosion and an emptiness gripped his heart. He didn't know how he knew, but for reason, his connection with Lance had just been cut. His mate... his mate was gone. Howling, he screamed right up until the final moment... before sparks filled his body again and everything finally turned to black.

 

*  
"Keith! Keith, can you hear me?!"  
A throbbing in the base of his skull had him groaning. He knew that voice, but... it couldn't be... opening his eyes, his whole world was blurry  
"Shiro?"  
"Come on Keith, you need to get up!"  
"What are you doing here?"  
"What do you mean, what am I doing here?"  
"You..."  
He what? Why didn't anything in his head make sense? He felt strong arms pulling him up, but his body felt like a dead weight  
"What happened?"  
"You were captured. We came to get you"  
"Who? What? Lance, where's Lance?"  
"Who's Lance?"  
"Lance, my mate!"  
Pushing Shiro away from him, Keith stumbled, smacking hard into a ridiculously solid wall  
"Shiro, you've got to get out of there!"  
"I've got Keith, we're on our way back now!"  
"Good! Hurry"  
"Shiro, what's going on? Where's Lance?"  
"Keith, I don't know who Lance is. You were on a Blade of Marmora mission when you went missing"  
"No... you were the one missing!"  
"The Galra have messed with your head. We need to go"  
Lifting him off his feet, Keith bounced limply against Shiro's chest. Shiro smelt so warm and inviting. His skin so soft and his heartbeat so strong. Why did this all feel so familiar?

"I've got Keith. Fall back"  
"Allura's still coming!"  
"We have to go back!"  
Was that Coran? What was he doing here?  
"Allura?"  
"Keith, I need you to get yourself to Black. I have to go back for Allura""  
"Put me down! I'll help..."  
"You're in no condition to help"  
"But..."  
"I know it's hard, and I know she's your mate, but I will find her"  
What?! Hell no. Allura was pretty, but Lance... he was stunning... or at least to Keith he was  
"Lance..."  
"Keith, there is no Lance!"  
"Yes, there is! What have you done with him?!"  
Snarling, he tried to force his way out of Shiro's hold, resulting in him falling face first to the floor  
"We don't have time for you to be losing your shit right now! We're at war for Earth, so get your head out of your arse and get to Black!"  
Watching Shiro's boots moving away from him, Keith forced himself to roll over. Hadn't he just been in battle with Haggar? What was happening? What had happened since Earth? They went to Earth... to find something. It was so tantalisingly close, but the more the tried to think about it, the faster the memory slipped away like sand through his fingers. Something. Something was wrong.

While lost in his own head, Keith hadn't heard the approaching footsteps, but he certainly felt the effects when a large hand grabbed him by the hair. Growling and kicking, all he succeeded in doing was causing the Galra pulling him along to laugh  
"Pathetic little Red Paladin. Earth and all its splendours will belong to our Great Lord and Ruler Lotor!"  
Lotor! He should have listened to Lance! He should have followed his gut and gutted the man when he'd had the chance!

Dumped on the floor, a hard boot found his ribs as he was kicked over  
"We have the Red Paladin!"  
"Excellent. We now have all 5 Lions..."  
What? Opening his eyes, he found Allura, Coran, Pidge, Hunk and Shiro all kneeling on the floor. Behind each of them was a sentry with its gun firmly up against the back of his friend's heads  
"Keith!"  
"Guys..."  
Groaning, he tried to curl in on himself, he was pretty sure they'd broken his ribs, but he doubted the bastards would care   
"You have a decision to make. Your five friends, or the life of your mate. Who will die?"  
Lance... he wanted to kill Lance? No. Lance wasn't here. It... Shiro said it was Allura? He'd never thought of her like that  
"Keith! You have to choose me! You Paladin's are more important than I am!"  
"No!"  
"No, Allura!"  
Powering up their weapons, Keith swallowed hard. He didn't know what to do...  
"Choose me! Let them go!"  
"That wasn't one of the options!"  
One moment Hunk was kneeling, the next he was just... dead. His mates best friend. He'd killed him  
"Now, will it be another one of your friends or will it be your mate?"  
"Keith, please! Choose me!"  
"Allura..."  
He didn't realise he'd said the word out loud. The looks of betrayal and horror of his friends were branded into his brain. With a cold smile, Lotor rose from his throne. Walking over to Allura and the others, he laughed happily  
"Look at him. How does it feel to be betrayed by the one you love?"  
"I forgive you, Keith. Be happy"  
Firing, Allura slumped forward  
"Coward!"  
"How could you!"  
"Traitor!"  
"Galra scum!"  
Each of his friends fell silent as their lives were cut short. He'd done this. He'd killed everyone... and for a mate that didn't exist in everyone else's minds... what had he done?  
"Kill him. Dispose of him with the others. Perhaps my mother will have a use for their corpses"  
Hanging his head, he felt a Galra gun being pressed against his hair. He did this. He deserved this. He'd never been fit to be leader of Voltron, and his overconfidence... this was the price he paid. He welcomed death.

 

*  
Waking up a third time, Keith sucked in a deep and desperate breath. Something was definitely wrong here. First, he'd been on Black, then he'd been in front of Lotor... now he was... he was in a bath? As he slowly regained his senses, he realised the castle alarms were blaring. His instincts told him to run. To see what was happening, but he forced them down. He needed to think. They'd... they'd gone to Earth. They'd gone to Earth then... then they'd done something. They were searching for something. Lance... Lance his mate... his pregnant mate... his heart throbbed at the thought of him. Why wasn't he here? Where was he? Was he alright? No. Wait. He needed to work this all out first. What had happened the first time? The first time they were fighting Haggar... Haggar... Lance had tried to save him... his muscles cramped at the memories of helplessness and the despair he'd felt as his bond with Lance was broken... Lance had died. Allura... Allura had been there... did she survive? Wait... this... at... at what? It was on the tip of his tongue and his alphas anger flared over not being able to remember it.

Allura... this was all to do with Allura. That's all it came back to. Allura was the key to all of this. She'd died, and then they'd died... and then she'd died again... and then what? Allura... he had to find her. He didn't know why he just... it felt right. Like a little voice in his head was telling him that he was on the right track... ok. Ok. Allura. He had a plan  
"Keith!"  
Lance?! What?! Scrambling out the bath, water sloshed across the floor  
"Lance!"  
"Keith! Help me!"

Stumbling out the bathroom, Lance was on their bed, beneath him the sheets were red, and the scent of blood in the room had the alpha gagging  
"Lance!"  
"Keith... they're coming!"  
Throwing his head back, Lance screamed, his hands on his stomach as he did  
"Baby..."  
"It hurts! Some things wrong"  
Climbing onto their bed, his eyes widened. There was just too much blood  
"Baby... baby, you're going to be ok"  
Shit... he needed to get to Allura. He needed to get to everyone else and he needed someone to turn the damn castle alarm off... but Lance... 

Sliding his hands up Lance's thighs, Keith tried to keep calm. His mate was in labour, but Lance was right, something was definitely wrong  
"Keith... it hurts..."  
"I know.... I'm here"  
Crooning softly, he tried to rein his own scent back in. He couldn't go scaring Lance...  
"Baby, don't push. Let me see"  
"No! It's too soon!"  
"Shhh, ok... shhh..."  
Spreading his legs, Keith slid his hand between Lance's legs, Quiznak... their child... their child was right there...  
"Baby, you need to push!"  
"I can't!"  
"You can!"

Behind them, the door slid open. Snarling, Keith looked over his shoulder, watching Galra spill into their room  
"Lance!"  
Crying out his mate's name, Allura was smacked with the butt of a Galra gun. This. This couldn't be happening   
"Keith!"  
Screaming his name, blood and fluid gushed against Keith's hand. What was he supposed to do?!  
"Get in there!"  
Lotor? Was that Lotor? What was he doing there?  
As Hunk, Pidge and Coran were forced into the room, behind Allura, Keith's eyes widened a Shiro appeared at Lotor's side  
"Step away from him"  
"What..."  
Striding over, Shiro grabbed him by the shoulder, pulling him back and away from Lance, and shoving him into the hold of a waiting Galra soldier. Crying out in pain, Lance half tried to cover himself, while at the same time, trying to birth their pup  
"Shiro, take over. We can't have our pups touched by his filthy hands"  
"You keep away from him!"  
"Keith!"  
Smirking, Shiro moved to take his place between Lance's legs  
"No! Stay away!"  
"Come now Lance, you were so accepting of us"

Keith was seeing absolute red. His heart felt like it was racing, but he could hear the constant and heavy thud in his ears. He couldn't let this happen. He had to find a way. Allura... god. He needed Lance to stop screaming. He needed to think. What... what did he need to do?  
"Shiro?"  
"The head's out"  
"I told you we should have just cut him open"  
"And risk our pups?"  
"You humans are so sentimental! It makes you weak! Emotions have no place here"  
Finally snapping, Keith span, sweeping the legs of the Galra as he snatched up the gun. Aiming at Lotor, he snarled  
"Get the fuck away from Lance!"  
"Do you really think you can pull the trigger before I kill them all"  
"I only need to kill you"  
Firing at Lotor, all hell broke out around him. Surging up, his friends tried to fight. Leaving his place between Lance's legs, Shiro snarled. He stood no chance against Shiro when he went feral. Grabbing Allura, Shiro held his own weapon to her throat  
"Allura or Lance"  
"What?"  
"Allura or Lance. He's going to die. Carrying two pups was too much for him. Either I kill him now, or I kill Allura"  
"K-Keith"  
Sobbing his name, Lance tried to raise his hand towards him. This wasn't fair  
"Save Lance"  
"Keith..."  
He'd never... he'd never thought Shiro would do this... he... he needed...   
"Allura. I choose Allura"  
Their friends screamed at him, while Shiro smirked, pushing Allura into him, the princess slapped him  
"How could you?!"  
"You can't... you can't be replaced. I give my life to protect you"  
Throwing his arms around Allura, Keith span them around, taking the full blast Shiro fired  
"Lance... I'm sorry"


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 17 new chapters posted. If you hit here and don't know how far you should go back, you want to start at 31

"Keith"  
Spinning around Keith found Pidge, Allura and Coran staring at him. He'd half expected to be in the same colossal entry room he'd been in before whatever the hell had happened, but instead, they were in a completely different space... just what the hell was Allura wearing? Adorned with jewels from head to tow, she was every bit the regal princess she was born to be. Behind her, Coran too was decked from head to tow, though most noticeable was large cuff upon his wrist  
"What the quiznak happened?"  
As if answering, a disembodied voice boomed from above... what did that make 8?  
"You have been found worthy Black Paladin of Voltron. May the lessons you learned see you through the tough times ahead"  
What lessons? That losing Lance was unbearable? He already knew that... yet despite what he'd been through, he'd never felt so refreshed. It was like... like he was connected to something so much bigger than he could describe  
"You will find new power within your Bayard and within your self. Use this well, and protect those in need as you take your rightful place beside Queen Allura. The last of the pureblooded Altean's"  
Queen Allura... Allura definitely looked the part... she seemed to have blossomed since he'd last seen her  
"Keith?"  
"Where are the others?"  
"Still completing their trials..."  
Nodding, he felt incredibly small as he made his way over to where his friends stood. Lifelike statues lined the space, all of which seemed like they were watching him while holding their breaths  
"Queen Allura. You look like you've been through your own trials"  
"I have... Lance was right, his joke about Earthling's holding Altean blood. The Altean's came here to search refuge from Zarkon's rule. They knew one day Coran and I would awaken, so they came as far as they could. All of this... this was left for us. These were my mother's robes..."  
"Did she..."  
"She didn't leave me a recording, but my father did. He knew about this place. He sent them in secret, the last of the Altean's, who became one with the people of Earth..."  
"It's kind of like they knew one day we'd come along"  
Despite her even tone, Pidge was shaking slightly  
"Pidge, how many trials did it take for you to figure out the answer?"  
"Too many"  
He'd never particularly felt the need to hug Pidge, or not to the extent he did now. Gathering her up against him, he felt his own tears forming  
"I never want to go through that again"  
"I know how you feel... Lance... he died... and then..."  
"Me too..."  
Sinking down with their arms around each other, neither Coran or Allura seemed to know what to do. He'd chosen Allura's life over Lance's. Lance's his mate. The mother of his pups... he'd abandoned him when he'd reached out to him  
"Do you think..."  
"Lance and Hunk will get through this"  
"At what cost?"  
"I don't know..."  
He had a million and one questions for both Allura and Coran, but none of them needed to be asked just now.

 

*  
Hunk was the next to join them. The alpha shaking like a leaf as he came to their side, and sank down beside Pidge. He had no idea how many hours they'd all suffered through the trials, but it was more than enough to leave him feeling angry. They were out there fighting every day, yet here they were, forced to relive their worst nightmares. Forced to sacrifice themselves and those they loved to protect Allura. Allura wouldn't want that... or maybe she would now? She's gone through her own trials...

"Come on Lance!"  
Keith's anger had turned to concern as the minutes ticked by. He didn't particularly care if Lotor failed, but Lance... being a Paladin was everything to him...  
"Keith, Lance will be just fine"  
"No offence Allura, but you have no idea what we had to go through"  
"Keith..."  
"No! I... he tried to save me and he died. I felt the bond between us break and I couldn't move! I couldn't go to him! And then... when was giving birth, I had to deny him. I had to choose for him to die! Oh, and if that wasn't bad enough, I was in a reality where Allura was my mate, and Lance had never existed! He's got more skeletons in his closet then all of us combined!"  
Running his hands through his hair, he wanted to howl  
"It was my mum... and then my dad... I had to choose between them... I realised on the second trial, but..."  
Hanging her head, Pidge just seemed to slump  
"I don't know how many Galra I had to kill. They just kept coming. I had to protect you all, and then my family... I don't know how many I went through... but you all kept dying and I couldn't do anything. Lance even lost his pups because of me... I didn't even think to work with everyone else..."  
Wrapping her arms around Hunk, Pidge hid her face  
"One your companions has failed his trials. He will be returned to the outside world"  
"Who?! Who is it? Is it Lance!?"  
Stupid voices! Couldn't they just talk normally and give them actual answers instead of this quiznakking bullshit?  
"Answer me!"  
"Keith..."  
Laying her hand on his arm, a warmth filled him as he looked into Allura's eyes  
"Lance will find a way"  
"How? He doesn't... he doesn't know what he needs to do!"  
"Because this is Lance"  
"But he knows you'd never ask us to sacrifice our lives for you!"  
He wanted to hit something or throw it! Anything just to get rid of the anger and frustration!  
"That may be so, but Lance would sacrifice himself in a heartbeat for any of us"  
"Yeah, you know thinking isn't his strong point. He's more likely to come across the answer by trial and error"  
"Or he's trapped because of what he's been through!"  
"Keith..."  
"I can't. I can't do this. I need to get out of here..."  
Looking around for an exit, he didn't find one  
"There's no way out. We need to wait for either Lance or Lotor appear"  
"Atlantis was left for you! Can't you do something!?"  
"I can... but he will complete his trial. I believe in him"  
Snarling, he bared his teeth at Allura  
"If anything happens to him, I will never, ever forgive you!"

 

*  
He was so tired. He didn't know what to do or how to make it stop. Over and over he'd lost everyone. Nothing he did ever worked. Curled in a ball, he waited for the darkness to come. When the darkness came, he'd be somewhere else. Somewhere else where he was useless again. As it was. He had no idea where he was, he'd tried climbing the walls, clawing at the walls, scratching at the walls, but nothing changed. He... he was just so tired and empty. He thought he'd be relieved to have his body back, to be able to look straight down and see is feet, but all he wanted was to see his stupidly large baby bump again. How many times has Shiro and Lotor taken him? How many times had he been tortured? How long had he been trapped in here? God. He was so tired.

He must have fallen asleep. This time he was somewhere completely different. A room glowing bright white, a whiteness that stretched as far as he could see. Too tired to move, he sank down  
"Red Paladin. Will you give up?"  
"What's the point of even trying?"  
"You do not wish to see your friends?"  
Whoever was talking, they were jerks  
"Of course I do. But... everything I do is never right. All I want is to protect them, but I can't protect everyone on my own"  
"Rise Red Paladin"  
"Why? So I can fail my friends again?"  
"You have more potential inside of you than you could ever understand"  
"You mean I'm more screwed up than I could ever understand!"  
He swore the person connected to the voice wanted to sigh at him. Oh well. He might as well fail this test too. Rising to his feet, he looked around  
"What am I supposed to do?"  
"Whatever you want"  
"Great, well I'd like to wake up and go back to the others, 'k thanks, bye!"  
The floor beneath him fell away, and he was plunged feet first into an impossibly dark chasm. So what? Was he just going to fall to his death?  
"Let it be known Red Paladin that not all problems in this world can be solved by throwing yourself at them"  
"Then what am I supposed to do? I just want my friends and those I love to be safe"  
"Even if it means ending your own life?"  
"If it means they're happy and safe..."  
The plummeting feeling turned into something else. As if supported his feet finally landed on the solid floor  
"Wait! I know you!"

"Lance. You hold the sword of the Red Paladin, our place was never to lead, but to support those who did"  
"But you're the king!"  
"I was the king, but before that, I was just a man..."  
"Then you have to know what's been going on! Honerva is still alive! She destroyed Oriande and is coming for Atlantis"  
"And you will stop her, you will find a way"  
"How?! Even you couldn't prevent Altea being destroyed"  
"Altea is not a place, but it's people"  
"Well, its people are gone!"  
"The mind may not remember, but the blood does. The blood of my people beats within all of you"  
God. He was just so tired... too tired to think  
"I just. I just want to protect people. I want to create a place where there are no wars. No suffering. Where my kids and everyone else's don't have to worry about not waking up in the morning... I'm not as smart as Pidge or Hunk... or Allura or Coran. I'm not as strong as them either... but... I still want to do everything I can. I want to stand by the others as their equal"

Quiznak. He was crying. Why was he crying?

"The road you travel will not be easy. You've already suffered so much, but to those who have lost so much, the taste of peace is all that much sweeter"  
"You... you have no idea..."  
Giving him a sad half-smile, Alfor reached out his hand, his fingers caressing Lance's cheek like a parent would a child  
"I just want to be a Paladin..."  
"Then you shall return to your friends"  
"But I failed my trials... I couldn't save them"  
"The trials were designed to test all that the Paladin's hold dearest. You were the only one who came this far. You're never ending spirit brought you to this final point. You are far more knowledgeable and capable than you believe. There may come a time when you have to part from your friends, but for now, you have earned your place along the rest of them. You have a brave heart and a love for all. Don't ever lose that love"  
Easy for him to say. He'd lived and died. Lance had barely lived and yet he'd welcome death.

A warm glow filled the omega, and all kinds of images flashed before his eyes. People and places from a time long before his own. Before he could stop to question what he was seeing, he was no longer alone in the dark  
"King Alfor!"

 

*  
Keith's breath caught as a bright light filled the centre of the room they were all trapped in. Shielding his eyes, he could make out the figure of a man, a red sword in one hand, and billowing cape behind him  
"King Alfor!"  
No... no that wasn't King Alfor. As Coran and the others knelt, Keith pushed his way through  
"Keith!"  
"It's Lance!"  
As the light behind Lance faded away, his mate was left standing there in a completely new set of armour, but the most significant change was to Lance's face. Glowing just below his eyes, were two white marks like Allura's. Lance has Altean marks? It made no sense. Stepping forward, Keith was almost too afraid to touch his mate, but then, in true Lance style, his mate's knees gave out and he was sent falling into Keith's arms. The brilliant armour faded away, as did Lance's sword, cape and markings. His mate looking so frail and vulnerable in his hold. Atlantis hadn't been worth this, and who knew how long it would take for their psychological scars to fade  
"Is he alright?!"  
"I don't know..."

"Paladins of Voltron, serve our Queen well as you reclaim this universe and usher in a new era of peace"

Nope. He was not going to miss this place. Not at all. If he could, he'd blow the whole place up  
"Queen Allura..."  
"It's just a title. I'm still the same Allura"  
"The same Allura, but look at that dress"  
"There's more. Atlantis is designed to join the castle"  
"So we go from a floating castle to a floating castle with land?"  
"Honestly, we aren't sure"  
"How can you not be sure"  
"Everything I learnt, I'm still processing it all. I think Lance also learnt something along the line"  
"Yeah, that Atlantis sucks"  
"Keith!"  
Pidge sounded outraged  
"Come on! We all had to watch everyone we love die. He... he smells pained, and I can only imagine how many trials he went through. And the pups..."  
Keith's voice shook. The images of Lance labouring filled his mind. Shiro and Lotor... no. These were his pups. Not Shiro's. Not Lotor's, his  
"I don't know about you guys, but I think we could all use a little team time"  
"Yeah, Hunk. I think Lance is going to need it"


	49. Chapter 49

Lotor was pissed. The half Galra was waiting for them beside the castle as they made their way back. For Keith, he wanted nothing more than to kill Lotor. He'd touched Lance. Even if it hadn't been real, the man has dared touch what was his. Not hiding his disgust and anger, Keith swept inside the castle. Lance came first. Lance always came first  
"What happened, is he alright?"  
"Not now!"  
Lotor could go jump  
"Pidge, Hunk, gather up as many blankets and pillows as you can. Coran, Allura, food. As much you can carry. I know he's going to want Earth food, and whatever happened back there seems to have cleared it from his system. We'll meet in the bridge, it's the biggest space for laying out blankets and nests"  
"On it!"  
Pidge whispered something to Hunk, but didn't voice whatever it was with the rest of the group. Carrying Lance up to the bridge, he settled down in his chair, his omega still sleeping against him  
"Baby..."  
Shaking Lance's shoulder, his mate grumbled in his sleep before trying to shove him away  
"Lance..."  
"No... Shiro... no more"  
He wasn't going through screaming nightmares again  
"Lance, baby! Wake up!"  
"What is wrong with him?"  
"Nothing's wrong with him, I just need him to wake up"  
"Why not strike him?"  
"I don't know how the Galra go about waking people, but that's not how we do it here. Now, Lance, I really need you to wake up baby"  
Groaning, Lance tried to nuzzle into his chest  
"Sleeepy"  
"I know baby, and you can go to sleep in a little bit, but I need to make sure you're ok"  
"I'm fine, now lemme sleep"  
"Perhaps you should let him sleep?"  
Seriously? Lotor was lucky he was even allowed in the same room as Lance  
"Look, I know you want to know what happened, but Lance is my omega. He is my mate and he's pregnant with my children. Right now, you need to wait until I've made sure that whatever he went through hasn't affected him in some way"  
"And just what did you go through?"  
"We had to watch everyone die over and over"  
Lotor let out a quiet "oh" before finally backing off  
"Keith..."

Finally opening his eyes and looking at him, Lance gave him a sleepy smile  
"Hey"  
"Hey. You scared us"  
"Sorry... are we back in the castle?"  
"Yeah baby. We got out of there, all of us"  
"Good. That's good... I think I met Allura's dad... but I'm so sleepy"  
"It's ok, I just needed to know you were alright"  
"I'm fine... the pups are kicking again... but I'm fine. Can I go back to sleep"  
"Yeah baby. I'll be right here when you wake up"  
"Mmm"  
Letting his head drop back against Keith's shoulder, Lance pretty much fell right back to sleep. Whatever he'd been through hadn't scared him enough not to sleep. That was something... and it was better thinking that than Lance was simply too emotionally and physically worn out not to.

It took Pidge and Hunk forever to finally appear with the blankets and pillows he'd asked for, but Keith soon figured out why. Pidge had grabbed her own bedding, and that of Hunk, while Hunk had grabbed his and Lance's. Setting up a basic bed for them, Keith nodded his thanks before moving to lay Lance down on it. Even asleep Lance reached straight for Keith's pillow, before curling into it the best his stomach would allow. Building a nest around his mate, they'd have to rebuild it when Lance woke, but for now it would be fine  
"He's alright, I got him to wake up and tell me he was, before letting him go back to sleep"

"Lance is strong. I wasn't expecting him to make it out the trials and seem so normal"  
Setting up their own nest, Pidge and Hunk we about a metre away from him and Lance off to the left, while Allura and Coran didn't want to be left out, setting up the saddest excuse of a nest just next to them, forming a triangular shape and leaving Lotor looking lost  
"Lotor, perhaps you'd like to sit with us?"  
Despite eyeing the floor like it was... unworthy of him, Lotor sank down onto the blankets Allura, Coran and the mice were currently on  
"So we bought food, but we don't know what everything is"  
"I'm sure it'll be fine. Most importantly, we need to figure out just what the hell we all experienced"  
"Yes, I must admit I was not expecting to be tested in such a manner"  
"You guys were tested in Oriande, right?"  
"Yes. The white guardian tiger would only share its secrets with those prepared to die"  
"What is it with Altean's and death"  
Crawling forward, Hunk snagged the bag of chocolate chip cookies Pidge had been eyeing off  
"Hunk!"  
"What? You didn't want cookies?"  
"No, not that... you make it sound like that's all Altean's cared about"  
"Well we all just watched everyone die over and over"  
"Did we? What did Lance see? Was he the same?"  
"I think so. He said he met King Alfor"  
"He saw my father?"  
"Yeah. It makes sense though... he did look like Alfor with the cape and sword, even Coran thought it was him"  
"But why Lance?"  
"Maybe he failed his trials?"  
"Then why did get cool armour and a cape?"  
"And Altean marks"  
"Lance has Altean marks?!"  
Lotor's voice temporarily silenced them and Keith wished he'd taken the time to tell the others not to mention it   
"Yes, like Allura's they were whitish green and glowing"  
"Well Allura did say that the Altean's built that place when they had to flee from Zarkon. No offence, but that's probably why you failed Lotor. You are his son"  
"By blood alone. Zarkon was no loving father"  
"But he had to be at one point, otherwise you never would have been born"  
Lotor's eyes flashed dangerously at Pidge's words  
"What? I'm just saying. And Zarkon was like a good guy before that rift thing opened"  
"Yes, he was King Alfor's closet friend"  
Stroking Lance's hair, Keith couldn't imagine turning traitor to them all, not like Zarkon had  
"Allura, what trial did you have to go through?"  
"I had to prove I was willing to leave you all behind to bring peace to the universe"  
"And Coran?"  
Coran twiddled his thumbs  
"I didn't go through a trial"  
It was probably for the best  
"Then what happened to you?"  
"Everything went white, and then Allura appeared. After that, we were teleported into another room"  
"It was a throne room, with a hologram of my father. The Altean's came to Earth to escape Zarkon. They shared their knowledge and customs with the people of Earth, marrying Earthlings. As our people died, Atlantis was forgotten and lost to time"  
"You know, I thought Lance was stupid for mentioning Atlantis before, but he actually figured it out phoebes before the rest of us"  
"He does have his moments, doesn't he?"  
"I wonder if your pups will have Galra or Altean markings?"  
"Lance said before he'd love for them to have marks like Allura's, but we'll still love them either way, or even if they have no marks at all"  
"How many movements is he now? It seems like he's been pregnant forever"  
"He's 21... I think. On each they told him he was closer to 24 weeks..."  
"Well, Galra pups are big..."  
"And Earth has no clue when it comes to the Galra"  
During their banter, Lotor's scowl only grew, catching Allura's eye, he jerked his head slightly in Lotor's direction   
"Lotor, what's wrong?"  
"I keep wondering why I failed..."  
"Did you save everyone?"  
"I tried to... but with every war, there are sacrifices..."  
"We all had to save Allura"  
"I didn't... well I did, but I had to work with everyone else to do it"  
"Do you think they like know? I mean, Hunk, you would go above and beyond to save someone, including self implosion. For me, I had to do it alone, maybe because I rely on the team?"  
"I don't know, you're plenty independent. Keith?"  
"I worked it out after the third time. I was sitting in the bath, trying to make sense of everything. Allura and Lance died the first time. Then you all died the first time, after I gave Allura up... because she asked me to... and the third time, Lance was in labour. I had to choose between him and saving Allura"  
"So we were all tested on our weaknesses. Hunk working alone. Me relying on the team. You and Lance. Allura and her relying on us... so what would Lance's weakness be?"  
"Keith?"  
"Lance would try and find a way to save all of us, even if it meant sacrificing himself. We all know that"  
"Do you think he was so long because he kept trying to work as a team and by himself? Like the trial couldn't make up its mind because he'd do whatever he could?"  
"This Lance. His thoughts are literally food, sleep, Keith and pups... and then the rest of us"  
"Hunk, you know that's not fair"  
"I'm just saying..."  
"You forget sex... sometimes he gets that smell. Or he remembers"  
"He remembers what?"  
Lotor's question came fast, too fast for Keith's liking  
"Just stuff. Anyway. Allura, what else did you get from there?"  
"My mother's robes, and her blade"  
"You didn't tell us about that"  
"Because I didn't remember. It's odd, I feel so refreshed, but I'm still trying to process everything I've learnt. You've all gained blessings, so it'll be interesting to see what your Bayard's and lions can do now"  
"What does your wrist band do Coran?"  
Waving his arm, Coran looked smug as he pushed on the centre of the cuff... only for nothing to happen   
"I don't actually know yet... we'll um, we'll have to see"  
"Maybe it stops you getting the slipperies?"  
"Don't get out hopes up Pidge"  
"Those slipperies saved our arses"  
"Keith, don't try and deny it, we were all disgusted by the mucus"  
Never again. If Coran ever can down with slipperies again, he was definitely taking Lance off planet. No one should have to see that, let alone be covered by it.

"So what do we do now?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"We came all this way, and we did what we needed to do... so do we just go now?"  
"Well this was never a permanent thing... what about you Lotor?"  
"I'll leave when you do"  
"Then we should leave sooner rather than later"  
"Lance will be pissed if he doesn't get to say goodbye to Earth"  
He could just picture his mate running out into the freezing cold and screaming goodbye to earth without thinking about taking any precautions against the cold, but at the same time, he knew Pidge was right. Lance would never forgive him if he didn't get to watch Earth as they left"  
"The morning then. Coran, make sure the ship defences are in place. Just because the Galaxy Garrisons been busy, doesn't mean they won't come for us, and the longer we stay, the more we risk a fight"  
"If it comes to a fight, you have our support"  
"We don't want to fight..."  
"So you'd rather turn tail?"  
"No. The people of Earth are scared, and when people are scared, they can do crazy things that they later regret. Decisions made in the heat of the moment aren't always the right ones"  
"I'll see to it straight away"  
"It's fine. Lotor won't be able to get out if we activate them now"  
"Then perhaps it's time I return to my own ship?"  
"Lotor, you're our guest. You don't need to leave so soon"  
"No. There will be things I need to attend to"  
"Then let me see you back to your ship. We are friends after all"  
"Alright"  
It really wasn't alright. Looking at Hunk and Pidge, the pair didn't seem to want tag along with Allura   
"I'll walk with you"  
Nodding happily, Allura rose. Keith followed her lead, though not happy at all over leaving Lance.

 

*  
Waking in Keith's arms, Lance's heart was racing. How did he know this was reality and not another trial? He didn't... no, he couldn't go through that again. Whining, he tried to free himself from Keith's firm hold. He needed to get up. He needed to move. Something would happen...   
"Lance?"  
Whining again, he tried harder to free himself as Allura crawled over to him  
"Lance, it's ok. We're back in the castle"  
"No... no... it's not safe!"  
"What's not safe? We're free from Atlantis. Do you not remember?"  
Allura was lying. This was a trick and Allura was lying. She had to be. Letting out a choked whimper, he finally got free of Keith's hold and stumbled as he tried to escape the nest he seemed to be in  
"Keith! Keith, wake up!"  
His eyes darted around the room, he couldn't think. He didn't want to be hurt again... but his friends. All his friends were there...  
"Lance?"  
"Keith I think Lance is having an episode"  
"Quiznak... Lance, baby?"  
"Go away! Go away!"  
Slipping on the blankets, he blindly ran towards the bridge doors  
"Lance!"  
"No! I'll be good... I'll be good"  
"Keith?"  
"Stay back, he's confused and scared. He just needs a minute to calm down"  
"Liar!"  
Covering his ears, he squatted down, whining at the pressure the pose placed on his bladder   
"Lance, baby, it's ok. You're safe"  
He didn't want to hear those words from Keith... Keith had... Keith had left him. He'd killed him. He'd taken his pups away. Flinching away as his mates arms wrapped around him, it felt so real, but so had everything else  
"Baby. It's ok"  
"No... you killed me..."  
"Baby, that's all over. It's over and you met Allura's father, remember?"  
Allura's father... he met... Alfor... Alfor that's right. Keith was right. It was all over. Letting out a choked sob, he sank against Keith  
"Keith?"  
"He's ok. We'll be right back"  
Lifting him, Lance hid his face, feeling like a fool for how he'd reacted. They were safe and it was all over  
"S-sorry"  
"It's ok. We all went through the same thing"  
That didn't make him feel any better at all.

Carrying him to the closest quarters, Keith lowered him to sit on the edge of the bed. Climbing up immediately, his alpha stared at him with concern   
"Bathroom"  
"Ok baby. Do you need help?"  
"No... just... just don't leave?"  
"I won't"  
Finishing as fast as he could in the bathroom, Keith was ready for him when he stumbled back in. Wrapping an arm around his waist, he helped him to sit again  
"Better?"  
"Yeah. I feel like an idiot. The others are probably laughing"  
"Lance, I promise you no one is laughing"  
"Really?"  
"Yep. We all went through the same thing. That's why we were all up in the bridge"  
"Those trials sucked"  
"Yeah they did. Do you want to talk about it?"  
"No... just. I'm so relieved it's over"  
"It is, you even got to meet King Alfor. None of us met him"  
"You didn't?"  
"Allura and Coran did, but we didn't. The trials played at our weaknesses. Pidge had to save Allura on her own. Hunk had to rely on us, and apparently I've been relying on the team without even realising it, because I had to abandon you to save Allura"  
Nuzzling his neck, Keith's scent filled with guilt and sadness. His mate was hurting hard over how everything had played out  
"Nothing I did worked. I tried. I tried saving everyone, even after they hurt me. I... couldn't do it. I couldn't finish my trials and then Alfor came for me. I was in this white room and the floor gave away. He said I was the only one who made it that far... Keith, I was so tired. I wanted to die, but even killing myself didn't end it. Then he came... he told me that we all have Altean blood, and he like... he gave me his blessing or something to keep being the Red Paladin and told me I was better than what I am... then I saw all this stuff. All these people I didn't know. It was like I was connected to them all... but I can't remember what else happened"  
"You showed up in the room we were all waiting in. Your Bayard was activated, so you had your red sword out, and you had new armour and a cape"  
"I don't remember that"  
"There's something else you need to know. You had Altean markings, just like Allura's. They're really faint now, but they were glowing off white"  
"Alfor did say we had Altean blood... I wonder why you guys didn't get them?"  
"I don't know? Maybe because we learned something different to you? Or maybe because of your connection with Red?"  
He had no idea, and he still couldn't calm down completely. Atlantis had been nothing like he'd expected, and it really did seem like Earth didn't want him there   
"Keith. When are we going?"  
"You mean from Earth?"  
"Yeah..."  
"We were waiting for you to wake up"  
"Can we go now?"  
"You don't want to stay a little longer?"  
"N-no... the only good thing about this whole trip has been you..."  
Dissolving into pitiful sobs, he never thought the time would come when he didn't want to be on Earth   
"Then we can go whenever you're ready"  
"Now... please. I..."  
"Alright, let's head up to the bridge. The others will want to see you. They've been worried"  
"I want to see them too"

Returning to the bridge, the blankets had been mostly packed away, except for where he and Keith had been sleeping. Not knowing that to say, Hunk was the first to move, his friend coming over and wrapping his arms around him. This soon developed into a group hug. They were alive. All of them. They were real and they'd missed him. The voices of self doubt were still there, still telling him they hated him and found him a nuisance, but he did his best to push them down  
"Guys! It's time to go!"  
Breaking apart, everyone nodded at Keith   
"Yeah. Let's go kick Haggar's arse!"  
With everything happening, he'd temporarily forgotten about her. She'd wanted Atlantis so badly, so where was she?

Taking off, he eyed Lotor's ship rising, but instead of moving straighter to, Coran guided the castle to rest over what he took to be Atlantis. With a loud mechanical whine, the world outside the castle turned a brilliant blue  
"Coran?!"  
"I don't know!"  
"Allura, what's going on?"  
"I think like with the Balmera, the ship is being restored... what incredible power"  
"Look, Allura's face is glowing!"  
"So is Lance's"  
"I don't feel anything..."  
He felt warm but that was probably because he was in Keith's arms  
"That's so unfair. I want cool markings too"  
"Trust Lance to get all the good stuff"  
As the mechanical whining slowly tapering off, as did the blue light and beneath them Atlantis crumbled into the snow. It was probably bad of him, but he really wasn't going to miss that place in the slightest  
"Lotor's requesting a video call?"  
"Put him on screen"  
Lotor's face filled the central screen above Coran's controls  
"Are you all alright?"  
"Yes. We don't know what it was, but it doesn't seem to have affected us"  
"It was quintessence. The same blue quintessence Voltron is compiled from, and the very quintessence my people need"  
"I don't think so Lotor. Coran, are you reading any residual traces?"  
"No, nothing is showing"  
"Then whatever was here has been trained. We must speed up our efforts to stabilise the rift, if we really intend to bring peace to the Galaxy"  
"We have to get off Earth first"  
Realising he was the one who'd actually spoken, Lance looked down to his stomach to hide his embarrassment   
"Lotor, your ship is probably much faster than ours. We will notify you once we have reached Olkarion, and we'll devise our strategy to finally open that rift"  
"Very well. I look forward to your safe arrival"  
"You too. Safe travels"  
Ending the conversation, Coran looked to Allura   
"I get the feeling he isn't too happen about what happened down in old Atlantis there"  
"I must admit that I too am worried, however, there is nothing we can do for now. Coran, set a course for Olkarion"


	50. Chapter 50

Keith was wondering if he was ever going to get to sleep again. Lance was fine during the day. After the trials, they'd all become closer, knowing just what it was actually like to lose each other. Pidge was more patient with Lance, Lance was trying harder to help around the castle, Hunk was being Hunk... basically, they were all getting on and during the day, that was fine. No his problems all started at night.

It hadn't taken long for Lance to start screaming in his sleep from nightmares, or his dreams would be so vivid and violent, he'd try and hurt himself in his sleep... and then had come Keith's personal favourite... sleep walking. And not just to the bathroom, or out into the hallway. Lance would just walk and walk and walk. If he hit a wall, his mate would just lay down and fall back to sleep on the spot. He was beginning to lose his mind and his patience. He didn't want to resort to putting Lance in a pod, but he was just so exhausted. The few hours of broken sleep he'd manage were filled with nightmares of his own, and it didn't help when he'd dream about losing Lance, only to wake up and find his mate gone. He knew Lance was embarrassed over it, and he knew he felt guilty, but how was Keith supposed to help him when he couldn't remember the last time he'd slept? And even with him trying his hardest to suppress his feelings, it was slowly driving a wedge between them.

Now a normal person might think that the easy solution would be to sleep through the day. He'd tried. He'd tried and failed. His internal body clock refused to let him sleep, and if he didn't check in with everyone else, they tended to neglect what they were supposed to be doing, in favour of video games. They were still at war. They still needed to train, yet every time he tried to organise it, something came up. The first time was the escape of the chickens. He didn't even know Hunk and Pidge had bought chicken on board... nor the cat they'd taken it upon themselves to get either. The cat or rather kitten would have most probably still been a secret he hadn't found it sleeping on Lance's stomach after his mate had wandered off. Naturally, Lance loved the thing, while the mice seemed to have taken up permanent residence on Allura's shoulders in an attempt to escape it. Yeah. He was over ship life. The sooner they got back to Olkarion, the better.

*  
"Lance?!"  
Hiding from everyone, Lance had taken it upon himself to start setting up what would be the twins nursery. By everyone, he was actually only really hiding from Keith. He loved his alpha, he truly did, and the first three days he'd pretty much clung to Keith like he was his lifeline, but this was now their second week on the way back to Olkarion and he was scared he was driving Keith to a mental breakdown. His mate couldn't sleep out of fear for him, and when night came he was too tired to even attempt staying awake. Placing down the side of the cot he'd been trying to figure out, he smiled as he felt the twins kick. Laneith seemed to like aiming for his ribs, while Kelance liked aiming for his bladder. Even though it wasn't painful, it did at times get annoying, especially when he'd just peed and Kelance would decide to use his bladder like a trampoline. Hearing Keith sigh from the other side of the door, Lance tried his hardest to keep his head. Placing his hand on the door pad, he tried not to look too guilty as the door slid back to reveal his sleep-deprived mate  
"Hey Keith, what's up?"  
"What are you doing?"  
"I was just doing some reading..."  
"You were working on the nursery again, weren't you?"  
Brushing past him, his hormones decided right now would be a great time to begin slicking like crazy  
"Lance, I thought we were going to do all this together"  
"And we were, but I know how tired you are, so I just wanted to get things kind of organised"  
"Organised? It's a mess in here! You've got the cot out of the box, but do you even know where the screws are?"  
"The screws are on the bed"  
"How is that supposed to help when you're putting it together"  
"I was looking to see how everything went together!"  
With tears in his eyes, there was no way he should be as aroused as he was  
"Just leave it alone"  
"Why can't I do this? Like it or not, they're going to be here before you even realise it"  
"What's that supposed to mean?!"  
"It means you never wanted kids to begin with! And you still don't! You haven't made any attempt to help me, and when I do try to do this, you start yelling at me!"  
"Of course I didn't want kids! I still don't know I do!"  
Keith's eyes widened at his own words  
"Quiznak Lance! I didn't mean it like that!"  
"If you don't want me then get out! You got me pregnant! You did! Or would you rather it be Shiro or Lotor!"  
"Lance!"  
"No. Get out!"

Storming into the bathroom, Lance lent heavily against the bathroom counter. He was slicking so badly he could feel it running down the backs of his legs, and his underwear was pretty much saturated. He hated this. He hated fighting with Keith, but this slicking business was just as bad. Tugging his pants down, he let them pool around his ankles. Quiznak he was horny. Keith had been careful not to touch him like that thanks to his nightmares, so he was definitely more than a little pent up. Yes he woke screaming most of the time, but he felt like part of the problem was that all he was feeling was their touch. He had no idea if he was over thinking it or not. Looking to his left, he watched the bathroom door slide open  
"Lance, I..."  
"Don't just stare at me"  
Gaping at him, Keith looked like was torn between jumping him and running away  
"Sorry. I'll just..."  
"Don't you dare leave me like this"  
"But your..."  
"I'm horny. So grow a pair"  
Did he really just? Growling, Keith strode towards him, before grabbing him roughly and forcing his lips against his. Fumbling to get Keith's pants undone, he moaned as his alphas hands moved to breasts  
"Fuck Keith..."  
"I want you so badly, baby"  
"Yes..."  
Finally getting Keith's pants undone, he slid back and up onto the counter, spreading his legs and exposing himself completely for Keith  
"Alpha..."  
Moving between his legs, Keith wasted no time pushing inside of him. Moaning as his head hit the mirror, he didn't about anything other than how good Keith felt inside of him. Without words his alpha slammed into him, filling the space with lewd wet sounds. He needed this. They both needed this. Video games only helped vent so much frustration, but this. Feeling the heat pooling in his stomach, his hand went to his throbbing erection. He needed to cum, jerking himself in time with Keith pounding against his sweet spot, he let out a strangled mew as he came across his shirt and hand  
"Shit, Lance!!"  
Groaning, Keith's knot popped, anchoring them together as Keith rocked through his own orgasm. Panting hard, his alpha raised his head to look at him  
"Quiznak"  
"Yeah..."  
"Another round?"  
"Yeah"  
Wrapping his arms around Keith's waist, his alpha carried him from the bathroom in some kind of a mad rush, and down to their room. Laying him down, the fact that Keith's knot hadn't deflated didn't stop his mate from rocking between his legs while they both tried to get his shirt off. The need and want was like he was in heat, his mind was foggy from all the pheromones pouring off of Keith. Finding traces of his cum on his swell, Keith began to lick and lap, causing shivers of pleasure  
"Lance"  
Nodding his consent, Keith began rocking harder drawing hungry mews from him. It'd been too long since he'd felt loved each time he was touched, and he couldn't get enough. Waiting until Keith could draw his half deflated knot from him, Lance flipped the both over, before beginning to ride Keith. With his alphas hands worked his bouncing breasts, he threw head back in pleasure as he came hard across Keith. Slumping slightly, his alpha flipped them back over, thrusting into him a handful of times before his knot popped again.

Laying limply beneath Keith, Lance could feel his slick and Keith's semen burning at the tearing they'd caused. Instead of feeling afraid, he just felt incredibly sated. He was full of Keith's pups, and his seed and the comfort of his alphas knot made him feel loved and protected. Only Keith could knot him, and touch him like this. Slumping across his stomach, Keith nuzzled his swell  
"Lance, I'm sorry for losing my head"  
"It's ok..."  
"No, it's not. I'm going crazy, and taking it out on you isn't fair"  
"You didn't take it out on me, you said you didn't want the pups"  
"I do. I want them I mean. It's just... it's scary. The trials fucked all of us up, and we're going to be parents soon and I don't even know how to be a parent... and..."  
"I'm not well"  
"I wouldn't put it like that"  
"I would. Keith, I think you know exactly what happened in those trials. What Lotor, Shiro and even you did to me... I want to forget it, but when you treat me like I'm made of glass, all I'm left feeling is then on my skin..."  
"I didn't..."  
"I know. I'm scared too. I'm scared I'm going to hurt myself in my sleep..."  
"Baby..."  
"I'm scared about being a mother. I'm scared about giving birth. I'm scared my children are going to hate me. I'm scared about how big I'm getting... I hate it! I don't want to be scared!"  
Awkwardly pulling him up, Keith did his best to hold him as he broke down. He was still horny as hell, but he couldn't stop sobbing his heart out against his alpha who was just as stressed as he was  
"I know. I know"  
"Keith, maybe you should just send me away"  
"What?"  
"Even if it's just so you can sleep. Please. I can't do this without you"  
"You want me to put you in a pod?"  
"I don't know anymore. It's alright when I'm awake, but I know you stay awake to watch over me. Even if it's just a few days"  
"Baby, I don't think I can... I don't think I can let you go"  
He was so sleepy, and Keith felt so nice and warm, but this was more important  
"Then let's go ahead in Black? We can sleep in Black... I can't leave Black"  
"We can sleep in Black, if it'll help, but we're staying on the castle"  
"Her doors are different. With these ones they're all second nature. Because I'm always in the cockpit, I never have to go into the cargo area, and I always have to look for the door pad. If you won't let me go in a pod, then can we maybe go there?"  
Keith hummed before nodding. His mate was exhausted. His eyes were red, and the bags beneath them painfully black  
"Ok baby. When my knot goes down, we'll go"  
"Thank you..."

*  
Keith wasn't sure this was going to work, but Lance had wanted to try, so they were sleeping in Black. He'd asked if Lance would prefer Red, but his mate didn't want to. He didn't say it, but Keith knew why Lance wanted to sleep on Black, his lion would able to feel his moods and read his thoughts, hopefully calming him enough to sleep. Or that was Lance's unspoken plan at any rate. Whatever it was, it was sweet how much Lance loved him, even though he'd put his foot in it big time. Thanks to Lotor's arrival, they still had a fair amount in Black, well more than he'd remembered. Making a beeline for the bags in the corner, Lance seemed to know exactly what they were as he pulled out even more pillows and blankets. Pidge might have been right. He might have overdone it, but he wasn't about to tell her that. Helping make their temporary nest us, Lance was definitely getting nestier? Was that the word he wanted? Whatever it was, his omega built up their nest floor with pillows and then the walls, before making sure there were nearly as many blankets and towels as their was pillows. He didn't even remember buying towels. He supposed they must of given the fact they were now in the nest lining  
"Ok, here, come curl up with me"  
Stripping naked, Lance definitely had a lusty look in his eyes, but after two hard and fast rounds earlier Keith just wanted sleep. Stripping his own clothes off, he climbed behind his omega and pulled Lance flush against him, before his mate pulled a blanket up to cover them  
"Thanks Keith"  
"Don't thank me yet, we have no idea if this will help"  
"I think it will"  
"I hope so. I love you Lance"  
"I love you, too"

The moment Keith's head hit the pillow properly, he was out. Completely dead to the world, and by some miracle, he actually managed to stay that way, and probably would have continued to sleep like the dead if he hadn't woken to the castle alarms  
"Lance?"  
"I'm here Keith. I'm just getting dressed"  
"Why are the alarms going off?"  
"I don't know. I only just woke up"  
Lance had only just woken up? So his mate had slept through... however long they'd been asleep? He would have been proud of this achievement if he didn't suddenly realise he was very much naked and probably had a crisis to attend to  
"Quiznak. You'd think the alarms wouldn't be as loud in Black"  
"I know. Crap. I left my Bayard in our room"  
"Hold on, we don't even know what's going on yet"

Still attempting to pull his pants up, Keith rushed into Black's head, pulling up his communications screen as he pulled Lance down into his lap. Appearing in front of them, he found their friends all staring at them  
"What's going on? Why are the alarms going off?"  
"Coran, turn the alarms off"  
"On it"  
"Guys..."  
"We were looking for you, and Pidge found you in Black. You haven't moved in the last 16 vargas"  
"Wait... there's no emergency?"  
"We thought you might be dead"  
"Pidge!"  
"No one can lay that still for 16 vargas. Just what were you guys doing?"  
Lance sighed, his mate rubbing his eyes as he yawned  
"You know how I've been sleep walking, well I don't know the door panels of Black like I do the castle, and because I can't sleep, Keith hasn't been able to sleep properly. We came down here so that we could both sleep"  
"You ran away so you could sleep"  
"Which we could still be doing if you hadn't activated the castle alarm! That's supposed to be for emergencies! You could have called us!"  
"We did"  
Keith wasn't amused, and Lance's scent soured at Pidge's words  
"Look. This isn't ok. Lance needs rest, and he needs me to rest. He broke down crying because he knows I'm not sleeping. I can't have him worrying about sleeping when he's 23 movements pregnant. And I won't have him being made fun of because he can't control his nightmares nor his sleep walking"  
Leaning in, Keith pressed a kiss to Lance's shoulder  
"Sorry baby. I'm just really quiznakked they did this"  
"I don't like the alarm..."  
"I know"  
"Guys... we're sorry. It was just supposed to be a joke"  
"I know that now, but what if something was happening and I ignored it because I thought it was you guys messing around. Now I'm going to sleep, so can you please give us some space"  
Ending the transmission, Lance started to cry in his lap  
"Baby?"  
"I... I need to pee"  
He was crying because he needed to pee? He couldn't imagine how embarrassing Lance found that  
"It's ok baby. We can go back to our quarters. Maybe take a shower and get something to eat?"  
"Please"  
"Alright up you get"  
Letting Lance raise himself, Keith's foot slipped as he went to follow. Reaching down, he found the white shopping bag containing the gift he'd bought Lance. With everything that had happened, he'd forgotten about it completely. Already making his way towards the ramp leading from Black's mouth, Keith took the opportunity to hide the bag down his shirt, before jogging over and taking Lance by the arm. The last thing they needed was for him to fall.

*  
Keith was in love. He was in love with Lance's changing body. After 16 hours of sleep, he realised how much of a dick he'd been, and was determined to do better. Standing under the running water, his lips found Lance's as his hands roamed across his swell. It wasn't anything sexual, thought it was definitely heading that way. He'd said something unforgivable to Lance and now he wanted to reassure his mate that he did love him and that he did want their pups  
"Keith, you're paying more attention to my belly than the rest of me"  
"I can't help it. I'm so sorry I said I didn't want kids, that was real Galra move"  
"You're lucky I was horny or I would have probably have killed you"  
"I would have deserved it. You know, I really didn't think sleeping in Black would help"  
"I did. I think I might spend some time in Red today. I miss her so much, and feel like I've really neglected her lately"  
"We still need to plan our payback for that wake up"  
"Yeah. That's was mean. My heart was racing and for a moment I thought we were back in the trials"  
"How did you know you weren't?"  
"None of my trials happened in Black. Red and Blue, but not Black"  
So that's why Lance could sleep so well? It had to be. He knew his mate had been through trials in the castle, but Black was a safe place for him  
"You know, we still have 8 more days until we reach Olkarion, why don't we just sleep in Black until then?"  
"Mmmm that would nice. We can be as loud as we want"  
"I was thinking more you'd feel safer, but if you want to be loud, I think I can help with that"  
Grinding against Lance's hip, his omega howled with laughter... not quite what he was aiming for  
"Lance?"  
"I was just... never mind, you better take me to bed. I'm getting sleepy again"  
"I'll take you alright"  
Quiznak he was so lucky to have Lance...  
"Keith... do you think we can maybe do that thing again?"  
"What thing?"  
"Like on the beach... I kind of want to taste you"  
Groaning, his penis twitched with definite interest  
"Right. Bed. Now"  
Sweeping Lance into his arms, he didn't bother turning off the shower, he wanted his mate and he wanted him now.

*  
In Lance's mind their prank was a little cruel, but after what they'd pulled, payback was definitely in order. Sitting in Keith's lap, he'd been rubbing his stomach all morning, letting out small hisses now then... mostly then, because being in Keith's arms felt so nice and warm  
"Lance, are you alright?"  
"I've had pains all morning"  
"You didn't tell me that"  
"I knew you'd worry"  
"Of course I'm going to worry! You need a scan, where's Coran?"  
"Coran!"  
Calling for Coran, he and Pidge popped their heads up from behind his control panel  
"What is it?"  
"It's Lance, he's having pains"  
Groaning, Lance pitched forward, spilling water over his crotch as he did  
"Keith!"  
"Right, scan. Right now"  
Groaning, he let Keith lift him. Playing his part brilliantly  
"Lance, I think you..."  
"Why are my pants wet? Keith... it hurts!"  
"Shhh it's ok baby"

Making sure to keep groaning, Keith hushed and crooned softly like he really was in pain. Laying him down on the examination bed, his mate propped him up in his lap  
"Allura, Pidge, can you help get his jacket off"  
Rushing in, Lance had to fight not to laugh. Undoing his jacket to reveal his stomach, both women looked positively pissed. With two smiley faces drawn on his belly, Keith had very carefully written "Pranks aren't funny" over the top of his swell  
"This was a prank!? This isn't funny!"  
"We think it is"  
Laughing, Lance pushed himself up so he could high five Keith  
"I can't believe you two!"  
"No, I can't believe you'd wake Keith up after how tired and cranky he was. You have now been pranked by Klance"  
Running into the room, Coran looked ready for action  
"Don't bother Coran. It was all a joke"  
Pidge crossed her arms, her scent flaring with enough anger to have Lance whining in discomfort  
"Pidge"  
"No! This isn't funny!"  
"I..."  
"Come on Pidge!"  
"I was really worried!"  
"I'm fine. My scent doesn't even smell hurt"  
"I thought you were losing the pups or in labour!"  
Wow... he hadn't meant to upset Pidge this much. They'd been getting along so good lately...  
"Look, I didn't mean to upset you. Coran, you can go ahead and do a scan"  
"I thought you were joking"  
"We were, but we're here anyway"  
"You guys suck"  
"We know... come on Aunty Pidge, take a look at your nephews"  
"Nephews?"  
"Yeah. I don't know, I feel like their boys, but they'll probably come out and be like surprise!"  
"Baby, are you sure?"  
"Am I sure what?"  
"That you want a scan?"  
"Yeah. It's not like it'll hurt them"  
"Ok... go ahead Coran"

His pups were big. Yes, his stomach was bigger, but on the screen, they looked huge. Their tiny hands and feet looked fully formed, and both were moving like they were putting on a show  
"Wow... Lance, how far along are you supposed to be?"  
"Umm 22 or 23 movements. I don't really remember"  
"They look much further along than that"  
Lance's breath hitched  
"No... no..."  
"Breathe baby. Mum said they'd be big"  
"But... on Earth"  
"What about Earth?"  
"They told him he was lying when he said he was 19 movements. They said he looked about 24 weeks"  
"So if they're 5 weeks ahead of schedule... that means there's less than..."  
Whining, Lance really didn't want to hear it. His pups couldn't be. There couldn't be something wrong with them. Not now. Not this late...  
"Baby, just breathe. They're ok. Right Coran"  
"Yep! Perfectly healthy. Have you thought of names? Coran the fourth... and Coran the fifth?"  
"Coran, we love you and all, but we aren't naming our pups after you"  
"Then perhaps Alfor?"  
Shaking his head, Lance slid his hands to his stomach. He'd been reading his pregnancy book, and found twins tended come earlier... which meant they'd be here sooner rather than later. Nothing was organised. Not the nursery. Not his nest. They hadn't even talked about the birth  
"Breathe"  
"How can I!? Nothing is ready! Nothing! I can't! I can't do this!"  
Jumping off the bed, Lance strode across the medical bay and out of it.

"Lance, wait up"  
Shaking his head, Lance kept up his fast pace as Keith chased up to him. Without the weight and awkwardness of carrying their two pups, his mate caught up easily  
"Lance..."  
Taking a gulp, Lance's body shook as he turned to his mate. His eyes filled with tears about to roll down his cheeks  
"Keith... what do we do? I don't know what to do. Nothing's ready"  
"I know... what can I do?"  
"What?"  
"What can I do. Today, you can boss me around as much as you want, anything you want"  
"I... the nursery... our pups don't even have somewhere to sleep"  
They weren't even here yet and he was already a terrible mother  
"So the cots. We'll set the cots up"  
"I don't know how"  
"Luckily you have me. We'll work it out together"  
"How are you so calm? I hate it! I hate feeling like I'm the only one freaking out"  
"I'm freaking out too you know... I've just been so cranky lately, that my anger's been getting the best of me. But we'll get through this..."  
"I don't want to be alone"  
"I'm not going anywhere"  
"You don't know that! How am I supposed to raise two pups?"  
"I do know that. Please baby, I hate seeing you cry"  
"That's all I do. I was crying because I needed to pee..."  
"Then let's make them happy tears, we'll do the cots, and we can put together some of the other furniture too"  
Lance sniffled  
"I want muffin..."  
"You want a muffin?"  
"Nooo. Muffin! Pidge reckons she's calling her Six because we have the other 5 lions, but I think she should be called muffin because she's a murder muffin with claws"  
"I don't know where she is, here, let's head down to the nursery and then I'll look for muffin"  
"Thank you"  
Mumbling, Lance swore Keith said "Don't thank me yet"

*  
Italian. French. German. Mandarin and possibly Japanese? Out of all the languages they could have picked, the instructions for the cots weren't in any they knew. Playing with Muffin, Lance was no help. He'd wanted to get Lance a pet... but with everything on their plate, he just hasn't gotten there. So there was Muffin. The floof looked a soot ball, with evil green eyes, but Lance was completely smitten by the kitten  
"Baby, can you throw me the hammer"  
"The hammer?"  
"Yeah. I think I'm just going to Lance it"  
Frowning down at him, his mate lifted Muffin onto his shoulder  
"Lance it?"  
"Yeah, poke at it and hope it works"  
"Keith, I'm not having our pups sleeping in unsafe beds!"  
"I know baby... I was joking"  
"Well, it's not funny. Do you actually need the hammer?"  
"Yeah"  
"Muffin, do you know where the hammer is?"  
"Lance, she's a cat"  
"She's a kitten, and she's smart"  
Spinning around, Lance shook his head  
"Nope. I forgot. What do you want?"  
Rolling his eyes, Keith climbed up  
"The hammer"  
Crossing over, Keith snatched the hammer up from the bed. He was pretty sure he wasn't supposed to need a hammer, buuuuut there was no way he was telling Lance that. He thought this would be an easy way to calm his mate, but after a vargas and a half, all he'd done was manage to screw the base battons in place. Lance had been picking which bedding he wanted to make the cots up with when he'd come in with Muffin, but the moment he saw the kitten, he went all clucky on the tiny kitten, carrying her all over the place while pressing kisses to her face and nuzzling her fat little tummy. Keith had no doubt that with a dad like Hunk, the cat was never going to go wanting when it came to food  
"Lance, why don't you put Muffin down, for now, I need you to hold this for me"  
"Can't I hold her and the side of the cot"  
"You can, but I'm not to blame if the cot ends up crooked"  
Sighing dramatically, Lance padded over to the bed, placing Muffin down with another exaggerated sigh  
"Fine! Though, you are kind of hot"  
"Kind of?"  
"You're doing this thing where you're scrunching up your forehead as you concentrate, and it's making me horny"  
Raising an eyebrow, Keith resisted the urge to remind his mate that everything made him horny  
"How about once we get these cribs made, we practice making pups all over again"  
"I have to birth these two first"  
"Which means we should get in as much practice as we can"  
"Fiiiiiine. But both cots have to be done properly. No sex until then. I mean like properly. With bedding and all"  
Keith's hopes for a quickie after putting the cots together went out the window. Lance would take vargas to pick the bedding for each of cot, and would probably change his mind at least a hundred times. Quiznak. Lance was lucky he loved him.

Deciding he was temporarily done, Lance walked back over to Muffin, his omega letting out a loud sob almost as soon as he reached the bed  
"Lance?"  
"Muffin... she peed on the blankets I wanted to use for the cot!"  
"It's ok baby"  
"It's not ok! It has to be perfect!"  
"We can wash them..."  
They actually should probably wash the blankets anyway...  
"It's not the same!"  
Lifting Muffin up, Lance held her out  
"Lance"  
"Can you take her away?"  
"Lance, she didn't know what she was doing wrong"  
"I know!"  
Jumping up, Keith hurried over to take Muffin  
"I've got her"  
"Take her back to Hunk or Pidge..."  
"Ok, I'll be right back"

Taking Muffin back up to Hunk, he sighed at the evil creature in his arms  
"You did a good job upsetting him. Out of the whole room, you chose those blankets"  
Biting at his fingers Muffin had no idea the trouble she'd caused  
"You are kind of cute... but you're going back to your parents now, and I'd stay away from my omega. I don't want to have to get jealous over you"  
Opening the kitchen doorway, he finally felt like he understood where Pidge was coming from. With her legs around Hunk's waist, the two were engaged in a very heavy making out session  
"Really guys?!"  
Jumping, Hunk blushed bright red as he moved away from Pidge  
"K-Keith! What are you doing here?"  
"Returning the kitten. It peed and made Lance cry"  
Climbing off the bench, Pidge rushed over to take Muffin back  
"Six! Did you do that?!"  
Six. Right. Muffin was Six or Six was Muffin...  
"She did. Right on the blankets, he wanted to make the cot up with"  
"Aw... I'm sure she didn't mean it"  
"Yeah, Lance knows that, but he's stressing over things not being ready"  
"Well that prank was not the right way to go about telling us that"  
Keith sighed  
"Look, do you really think I would have ignored Lance hissing and groaning like this"  
"No"  
"Good. Now keep this murder Muffin away from our quarters"  
"She's not a murder Muffin!"  
"She is too. I bet she'll be moving on from blankets to stealing socks next"  
"She would not. Hunk, tell him"  
"Sorry Pidge, she's already been stealing socks"  
Feeling smug, Keith left the pair. Cots. Right. Two cots and an upset omega... what could go wrong?

*  
With Keith gone from the room, Lance was left unsupervised which, more often than not, some how always lead to chaos. Having placed the blankets Muffin had peed on in the bathroom, he'd looked around the nursery and realised that there was nowhere near enough room. He wanted his pups to have a big room, somewhere they could run around and grow in... and maybe somewhere for future pups...

Which lead to possibly the stupidest idea he'd ever had.

Heading into the quarters he shared with Keith, Lance had to hunt around to find his Bayard. He'd never tried cutting through the castle walls before, but what could go wrong? It would either work or it wouldn't. Activating his Bayard, he wasn't prepared for the surge of energy he felt as he did. His broadsword felt completely different, and was significantly longer than he remembered it... which is how Keith's desk ended up cut in half purely by accident... a very awesome accident! This is should work! 

Rushing back to the nursery, Lance kicked away the stuff against the wall he'd decided had to go, before striking the wall as hard as he could. This was just ridiculous! Even though there was a slight reverberation each time he cut into the wall, it didn't slow him down. Clearing the top half, because he didn't have to bend to do that, he realised he was making a hell of a mess... and there were a fair few exposed pipes and wires... but that didn't matter to him. Moving down, he cut further until his movement was prevented by his stomach. Pulling back, he grinned happily  
"Lance! What did you do?"  
Spinning around, Lance held his sword up  
"This thing's insane!"  
"You're insane! What do you think you're doing?!"  
"Making more space?"  
Why didn't Keith look happy? Stepping into the room, his alpha growled  
"Deactivate your Bayard"  
"But..."  
"Now!"  
Deactivating it, he didn't know what he'd done wrong... he thought Keith wouldn't mind  
"I can't believe this mess! Did you even realise?"  
Beginning to rush around, Keith threw everything he could onto the bed. It was only then that Lance noticed his feet were wet... exposed water... Quiznak  
"Keith, get out!"  
Grabbing his mate, he hauled him out the room, but still energised the throw was too hard, his mate smacked hard against the castle corridor wall. Landing in an unmoving heap  
"Keith!"  
No. He hadn't meant to. He... he just wanted to make the room bigger. Trying to lift Keith, the increase in power he'd felt chose that particular moment to desert him. Come on. He should be able to do this! Keith carried him around all the time like it was nothing!  
"Keith..."  
Hissing as he strained his back, he sank back down and cradled Keith against him. He needed help... but he couldn't leave Keith. Sliding his hand down Keith's arm, he'd actually been trying to take his mates hand when he felt Keith's communicator. That would do. Opening a communication channel, Coran peered up at him  
"Lance?"  
"Help! We need help, I hurt Keith and he's not waking up"  
Sobbing into the communicator, he felt like a total fool  
"Lance, where are you?"  
"At the nursery!"  
"We'll be right now"  
"Thank you!"

Sobbing and rocking as he cradled Keith against him, his omega was screaming at him over his stupidity. He should have just talked to Keith... Keith might have figured a way to make more space... or... maybe there was an even better room they could have used?  
"Please... please wake up..."  
Distress flowed thick and fast, filling the corridor so thickly he could taste it on his tongue  
"Keith, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! Please. I'll never be stupid again"

"Lance! Keith?!"  
Rushing over to him, Pidge pulled him away from Keith as Hunk lifted his unconscious mate  
"What happened?!"  
"I... I hurt him! I didn't mean to!"  
"Hunk, get him into a pod. Lance, you need to tell us what happened"  
"What does it matter what happened?! I hurt him! I'm a bad omega... I never deserved him!"  
He... he was going to vomit. He couldn't vomit on Pidge! Half turning, he staggered into the corridor wall before throwing up down it  
"Hunk, take him and go. Lance, I'll grab something to clean this up"  
"No! Don't go in the nursery! There's water and power..."  
Pausing, Pidge was confused, but her hand resumed its descent towards the door pad  
"Don't!"  
Screaming at her, he stumbled forward, grabbing her as his knees gave out. Pulled down by his weight, he held her desperately so she wouldn't open the door  
"Pidge?"  
"Help me get him up, Coran. He's not making any sense"  
"Don't open the door!"  
"Lance..."  
"No!"  
"Do you think he's having an episode?"  
"Maybe. Perhaps we should get him into a pod? He said he hurt Keith"  
Too upset to get his words out, Lance was pulled from Pidge and lifted easily by Coran. For a thin old guy, he was much stronger than Lance expected. Whining for Keith, his stomach started to ache and his back screamed in protest. He'd just wanted to make a little more space, so how did it turn out like this?

*  
Keith was more than slightly shocked to find himself waking up in a healing pod, and that was only compounded by the fact Lance was still inside the one next to him. Stumbling out, his hand went to the side of his head, feeling crusted blood matted through his hair as he did. What the? Oh... Lance. Groaning at both the effort of stepping out the pod and at his mate's stupidity, he shook his head. What the quiznak had Lance been thinking?  
"Keith! You're awake? How are you feeling?"  
"I'm ok Allura. Where is everyone?"  
"Trying to fix the wall Lance destroyed... it was Lance, wasn't it?"  
"Yeah... why's he in a pod? Did he get hurt?"  
"No. He had another episode, and with you in the pod, we didn't want him hurting himself or destroying any more of the ship"  
"He wasn't trying to destroy the ship... he just wanted to make the nursery bigger"  
Allura's eyes widened  
"Pidge and Coran both said he was deeply distressed and making no sense"  
"He told me when I caught him... did you say the others are in the nursery?"  
"Cutting through the wall, he exposed many wires and pipes. Pidge said the whole room was live?"  
"It means if you stepped inside you would have been electrocuted. Are she and Hunk ok?"  
"As far as I know. We didn't want you to be alone when you woke"  
"I appreciate it Allura"  
Even though he'd just come from the pod, his head was throbbing and his blood pressure was sky high. Lance needed anchoring when he had an episode, not shutting away. He wanted to get his mate out, but he couldn't do that if Pidge and Hunk were mad at him  
"We should probably head down and check on what's happening"

Stepping into the nursery, Pidge and Hunk were both staring at the wall Lance had mostly destroyed  
"How bad is it?"  
Sighing Pidge put her hands on her hips. The castle and all its technical mysteries were her babies  
"What was Lance thinking?! How did he even manage this?"  
"His Bayard. He cut through the wall because he wanted to make the nursery bigger"  
"He could have talked to us! Do you have any idea how many vargas it's going to take to replumb and rewire everything? Not to mention we had to clean up the wall he chopped to bits and everything that was floating in all the water we lost"  
Pidge was pissed  
"Look. After the trials, we all had nightmares, that's why we spent those three quintants up in the bridge, but this! This isn't acceptable! He can't be allowed to destroy the ship as he pleases"  
"He wasn't trying to destroy the ship"  
"No. He's never trying to do anything!"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means I love Lance, but I don't love the mess he makes! This is our home too!"  
"How does him wanting to take out one wall ruin that? Yes, he went about it completely the wrong, but he did have a point. These quarters are tiny, and with everything in place, we would barely have space"  
"Then maybe he shouldn't be having the pups on the ship"  
Pidge's eyes widened at her own words  
"I don't mean it like that... but what happens when they're born? He thinks he can be a Paladin and have pups..."  
"We haven't really talked about it"  
Mostly because in his mind, he'd seen them all chipping in to raise them. They all had their own talents, and yes there would be times they'd all have to go into battle, there would be times when they didn't. Lance excelled in sharpshooting, which meant he'd go on missions where a sharp shooter was required, but he was horrible at hand to hand, so could sit those kind of missions out  
"Maybe we should"  
"Pidge, Lance loves being a Paladin"  
"He also loves you and loves his pups. We know. Whenever we hang out, it always comes back to you or the pups. It gets repetitive"  
"Are you serious?!"  
"Not to mention he hurt you! You were unconscious and your brain was bleeding... or does that not count?"  
"He didn't mean to. He was trying to get me out the room because he realised he'd cut through the plumbing and electrical"  
"He didn't mean to, but he nearly killed you!"  
"So you shut him in a pod!"  
"What else could we do? I don't like it either, but... I refuse to watch anyone else die all over again!"  
"Pidge, Keith, that's enough"  
Rubbing his face, Keith didn't know what to say. He knew exactly where Pidge came from, but Lance didn't mean anything bad by this. He'd just wanted to make a better room for their pups  
"Look, what's the closest ally planet to us right now?"  
"Why?"  
"Because I want to set the castle down. We are only a movement away from Olkarion, would it be better to wait and have them help, or set it down and do whatever repairs we can before continuing"  
"We can do the repairs in space"  
"But you can't take a break and go off castle"  
"Take a break from what? We've done like nothing"  
"I tried to get you guys to come train with me, but you wanted to play video games"  
"Because we knew you'd rather spend your time Lance"  
Sometimes he forgot how feisty Pidge could get...  
"No. Yes, but we are a team. It's not team Klance and team Punk. It's team Voltron!"  
Looking to Hunk, he knew whatever Hunk said next would be the deciding factor  
"I think we could all use a little off ship time"  
"Then it's settled. Coran... Where's Coran?"  
"He's probably playing with Six"  
"Coran would know which planet is most acceptable. Once we land, I'm ordering you all to go off planet. Take your Lions, and take a break from the castle"  
"You're ordering us?"  
"I am. Lance bossed me into sleeping in Black and she was what I needed to straighten myself out, and actually get some real rest. So yes. Sometimes you need to be bossed into doing something, to see how much you need it"  
Taking Hunk's hand, Pidge pulled Hunk from the room, leaving him alone with Allura.

Walking over to the wall, Keith sighed as he looked at the capped pipes and wires  
"I'm sorry Allura"  
"It's alright. I understand where Lance was coming from"  
"That's the problem, I understand where Pidge is coming from too. It was a stupid thing to do, but he seriously didn't mean anything bad by it"  
"Personally, even I feel like the castle is stuffy and out dated. Seeing Lance's home, it makes me miss all the bright colours"  
"So you're not mad at him?"  
"No, and I'm sure Pidge will calm down"  
"She's right though. Lance's stomach is getting bigger. The pups are getting bigger and that scares the quiznak out of me. He thinks he can go into battle and be pregnant and be a mum. And I don't want to ruin that for him..."  
"But something has to change"  
"I might just be being selfish, but that time we spent living in down in the house. We were so happy, and he was safe"  
"You want him to step down as a Paladin?"  
"Not immediately. But once we've helped Lotor, then yes. Even if it's just until the pups are born. I can't tell him that though because he's so stubborn"  
"He is rather. What will you do? If Lance steps down?"  
"Lance wouldn't let me step down, even if I wanted to. I know I wouldn't want to leave him, it hurts to leave him now as it is, but I think I can if it means he'll be safe"  
"Relationships certainly are complicated"  
"Yeah. Sometimes I wonder if letting him keep the pups was the wrong call. He's so tired and they've grown so much. We're at war. We need to be focusing so much more on that. If that makes any sense"  
"I think I know what you mean. I've missed training with everyone"  
"So have I. We all have our own lives, and the trials brought us closer, but we haven't even tried to use our new powers. Lance's sword can cut through walls like it's nothing, and he got tremendous power when it's active, but we know Bayard's feed on our energy. We should be working on building our stamina with our new weapons"  
"I don't think Pidge and Hunk will see it like that"  
"That's because I told them to go off ship. Allura, do you think we could do some off ship training? Would you be alright with something like that? It would be more like running and problem solving?"  
"That sounds like fun!"  
"And we can practice hand to hand outside for a change"  
"I don't know about the others, but I'm interested"  
"I'd also like to have Coran participate"  
"Within reason"  
Nodding at Allura. He liked the fire he saw in her eyes. Now that was decided and Allura wasn't mad, he just had to deal with Lance... his mate wouldn't be happy about missing out on training, so he'd have to find something for Lance to shoot. The broadsword definitely wasn't coming out again any


	51. Chapter 51

Olkarion. Finally. Finally they were back, and Lance was excited. Everyone had become so nice to him that it was almost sickening... The omega wished they'd make their minds up. If they were going to be mad, then they should just be mad, and not rushing to do things for him. If he wanted something to eat, he could get it himself. If he wanted to go to the training room, he was going to be perfectly alright shooting things on his own. If he wanted to shower, he didn't need Keith training into the bathroom behind him. The alpha even followed him in when he needed to pee. All this niceness confused him, so he was more than happy to get back Olkarion and back to being a Paladin, and what do you know, they hadn't even been back a vargas when Ryner was calling through to let them know an emergency had erupted on one of the coalition planets. Naturally he was concerned for the inhabitants of the planet, but hell yes he was looking forward to getting back to work... 

Leaving Coran and the castle at Olkarion, the five of them took their lions. The planet was only a varga or so away, but the flight felt so much longer thanks to Red's never ending probing. She seemed worried about something, but Lance had no idea what. He was fine. He was fat, and his breasts ached almost all the time, but he was fine, as were his pups. So there really wasn't any reason for her to be so on edge. It left him both annoyed and confused to the point of anxious. Watching the small dot of a planet come into focus, his eyes widened. Molten lava was spewing from possibly the biggest volcano he'd ever seen in his life  
"Now that's something. Allura, see if you can use your ice to slow the lava. Pidge, you and Hunk search for survivors in the outer areas while Lance and I head to the main village"  
Acknowledging Keith's orders, the other three split off, leaving he and Keith to fly down to the small area that hadn't been covered it. It seemed like they'd tried to escape, but their ship had sunk in lava, and the molten remains were folding in on themselves. Pushing Red, he touched down before Keith, immediately opening Red's mouth to accept refugees  
"Get on!"  
Quiznak. This was bad. The smell of Sulfur was slowly filling Red, leaving him drooling as he tried not to throw up... of all the days to be caught in this, it had to be today. They were lucky... or perhaps it was too much of a consequence   
"We've found survivors, moving in to extract them"  
"Confirmed Pidge, be careful!"  
Climbing out his seat, Lance forced his way over to open the cargo doors, so he could clear some of the people from Red's head  
"Is this everyone?!"  
"Everyone else is on your Black Lion"  
"Keith, did you hear that?"  
"I did. We've got to go. Allura's ice is having no effect"  
"Everyone, get back in the cargo bay! We're getting out of here!"  
The takeoff wasn't the smoothest, lava had just reached Red's foot, and she practically screamed into his mind over it. Gasping at the sensation, he yanked on the controls, throwing her sideways   
"Lance?!"  
"I'm ok!"  
"Be careful! You have what's left of a whole race of people on board"  
"I know!"  
The smell... it was horrible. Aside from the rotten egg stench of Sulfur, there was the smell of burnt skin and clothes. It was too much for his stomach. Leaning over the side of his chair, he vomited violently. Inside of him, his pups were kicking like crazy  
"I'm so glad I'm not on Red"  
"Lance, you alright?"  
"It's fine. It just smells in here"  
"Have you tried cracking a window?"  
"Ha ha ha"

It took maybe half a varga before the door behind him slid open again. Walking into the cockpit, an older woman stared down at him   
"Ma'am, I'm afraid you're going to have wait with the others in the cargo hold"  
"What others?"  
Raising an eyebrow, he didn't find her joke very funny  
"The others from your planet"  
"They're all dead"  
"Guys, are you hearing this?"  
"She's traumatised, just stay on course. We're over halfway"  
"I'm sorry Ma'am, but I really do need you to head back with the others"  
The look she gave sent a shiver down his spine. She'd just told him they were all dead, but she looked like she wanted to throw her head back and laugh. Red, no matter what happens, I need you to get us back to Olkarion. The thought might have been provoked by how shit he felt, but he wasn't taking any chances  
"Here, let's get you back there"  
Rising from his seat, he placed his arm around the woman, trying to guide her back. God she stank. Even with everything else he could smell, her scent was a horrendous  
"You Paladins, you're the ones who stopped Zarkon right?"  
"That was his son Lotor, but we helped"  
"Then I won't regret doing this!"  
Feeling a sharp pinch on his neck, Lance's world went Black.

 

*  
Watching Red touch down, Keith frowned. Something seemed off about the lion, and Lance had ended their transmission. He assumed it was so his mate wouldn't be throwing up in front of all of them, but when he'd tried to raise on him on a private line, he still hadn't responded. Watching as Red's mouth opened, Lance was standing there, next to what seemed to be the same old woman who'd come into the cockpit earlier  
"Paladins. If you want your read Paladin to be spared, you will provide me with a ship"  
Was she serious?  
"Keith! What do we do?"  
"We can't let her take a ship"  
"She's in shock if we can just talk to her..."  
Snarling, Keith bared his teeth. Running down Black's mouth ramp, he activated his Bayard   
"Hand him over!"  
"Not until I get a ship. It would be such a shame if he fell"  
"What do you really want?!"  
"Lord Zarkon wouldn't fall to the likes of you! I will be welcomed by him once I reach the Galra headquarters! All it took was one small eruption to get off that miserable planet!"  
She what?   
"Keith, it's no good. I can't get a clear shot"  
"She's a Galra sympathiser! She's probably been waiting and searching for a way off that planet"  
"You're taking too long! Perhaps the Red Paladin means nothing to you?! In that case, let me do you the favour"  
Letting Lance go, his omega slumped, tumbling down the ramp limply, as the woman laughed. Seeing Red, Keith ran. She'd dare to hurt his mate and pups?! There was no way she was getting away with it.

Charging up the ramp, he wanted blood, and he didn't even need his Bayard for that. Feral with rage, he threw himself on her, forcing her to fall backwards. Despite her struggles and laughter, he had the last laugh. His teeth sinking into her throat, as he tore it open. Feeling her blood spilling across his teeth, he felt incredibly powerful. This was his right as Lance's mate. Once sure she was dead, he pulled out his knife, raising it to begin hacking her to pieces  
"Keith! That's enough"  
Snarling at Hunk, his mouth was covered in blood. It dripped from his chin and covered his chest  
"Keith. You need to calm down buddy. She's dead"  
"She hurt Lance"  
"Pidge and Allura are helping Lance. You should be too"  
"Not until I've torn her apart"  
"Buddy, we have refugees to think of. Now put down the knife"  
Letting it drop, he didn't need his knife to beat Hunk. Foolishly he charged the fellow alpha. Where the woman had fallen, Hunk didn't. Instead, Keith found himself flipped and slammed down against the floorc with Hunk's knee firmly against his back. Holy Quiznak. Hunk might be slow, but his throw downs were worse than Shiro's, and he saw stars as he tried to get back up  
"Keith, Lance needs you to calm down"  
"Don't talk to me about my omega!"  
"You killed the woman without even talking things through. I'd say you need to calm down before you see him"  
"She hurt him"  
"And you killed her. What about the other refugees?"  
Trying to get his alpha under control, he panted and spat the woman's blood out as he slowly came back down  
"Keith?"  
"Get off of me"  
"You still smell feral"  
"Because she went and hurt Lance. We need to check what happened to the refugees"

Walking into the cargo bay, they found one refugee dead, while the others cowered in the far corner  
"Keith, you might want to leave. I think you're scaring them"  
"What have they got to be scared of? She's dead"  
"And you're wearing her blood. Go find Pidge and send her up here"  
Biting down a growl, Keith stalked from Red. Glaring at the dead woman as he went. He knew he should regret it, but he didn't. Not when Lance was hurt.

"Pidge, Hunk needs your help"  
Finding Pidge talking to some other refugees, he took this to mean Lance must have been ok. He couldn't see her leaving him if he wasn't. Sighing deeply, she took him by the arm and lead him away from the group  
"Keith, you can't walk up to a group of scared people drenched in blood"  
"I know. Hunk just gave me the same lecture, before sending me to find you. She killed one of the refugees to keep the others in line, or that's how it looks. We don't know if there are any other Galra sympathisers, so be on your guard"  
"Unlike you, I won't be tearing out any throats with my teeth. Ryner was already on the castle with Coran, so she's taking a look at Lance. They should be up in the medical bay"  
Lance's favourite room. Yay  
"Was he conscious?"  
"No, but his arms around his stomach, even unconscious he was trying to protect the pups"  
"I should probably leave this to you, but I'll clean out Red once I know Lance and the pups are alright"  
"Good, because there's no way I'm cleaning up blood, vomit and a dead body"  
"I told you, I'll deal with it. Right now, I have to go find Lance before I go feral again"  
Waving him off, Keith started jogging as he headed into the castle.

Entering the medical bay, his racing heart finally began to settle. Lance was propped up on the examination bed, his left arm was in a sling, but his right hand was rubbing his stomach  
"Hey Keith. You just missed seeing Ryner and seeing the pups"  
"They're alright? Are you alright?"  
"Yeah. I'm a little bruised, and my wrist is sprained, but the pups are ok. A little unhappy, but ok. What about the refugees? And that woman"  
"She's dead. I lost my head when I saw you falling. As for the refugees, she killed one, but the others are alright"  
Lance's eyes teared up  
"She said they were all dead..."  
"No baby. Pidge and Hunk are dealing with them all. What happened on the planet?"  
"Oh... Red's foot touched the larva, and combined with the smell, I ended up puking"  
So they'd have to check for damage to Red... hopefully she was alright  
"Thanks for looking after him Coran. I might go ahead and take him back to our room"  
"Do you need assistance?"  
"No, I've got this. Why don't you go talk to the refugees? I'm sure you know a story or two that will help make them feel better"  
"Keith, they just lost their planet"  
"I know, but they're going to be scared and confused. I can't exactly go talk to them looking like this, and Coran is a natural born talker"  
"I think I know just the story!"  
"See. He's got this. Can you walk? I don't want to hurt you"  
"I think it's going to hurt either way"  
"Alright baby, let's get you back to our room"

 

*  
With Lance resting in their bed, Keith had binned his wrecked clothes. He'd had meetings all morning to discuss everything they'd missed, which had apparently been a lot. The rebels and refugees that had been here when they left were now relocated. There had been two rogue Galra attacks, and Lotor was coming in a 10 quintants to begin the mission to open up the rift, and Ryner's science team had already gone about repairing the nursery wall. It was gone... completely. Using different types of vines, the electrics and plumbing problems had been reconfigured, and a black band sealing it all away was the only remnants that remained. Once Lance was up to it, he'd show his mate. He'd probably insist he was alright, but Keith's heart couldn't take having his mate up and moving just yet... even after two quintants of resting. All he had left to do was check in with his mum and Kolivan... which should have been easy. So why was it each time he went to call his mother, he couldn't?

Returning to Lance, his mate gave him a sleepy smile as he patted the spot next to him  
"Come back to bed"  
Groaning, Keith dragged his feet over, making it seem like way too much effort, before sinking down on the edge of his bed. Starting to undo his boots, he felt Lance's arms snake around his waist as his omega nuzzled his back  
"I take it you missed me"  
"Mhmm, just a little bit. The pups have been moving nonstop"  
"Just like you"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"That you're never still when you're supposed to be"  
"I've been plenty still. I told you I was ok, but you didn't want me getting out of bed, so I haven't"  
"I know baby. Hey, have you talked to mum lately?"  
"Not for a little while. We should call her though. She's going to be shocked about how big I've gotten"  
Just thinking of Lance's stomach made his penis twitch. His mate was growing bigger by the day and he loved it. They couldn't even cuddle face to face in bed now with Lance's stomach being so big  
"Keith, I can smell you"  
"Sorry baby. I can't help it"  
"I'm not complaining... I'm slick as it is"  
"That's not playing fair"  
"Don't blame me. My underwear is completely soaked"  
"Lance..."  
"It's running down my thighs"  
Growling Keith turned and pinned Lance to the bed  
"You asked for it"  
Grinning mischievously, Lance nodded  
"I know I did, and I promise I'm not in pain, and I'll tell you if I need to stop"  
"Get on your hands and knees for me"  
His voice was unexpectedly husky as he released Lance. His mate doing as asked and quiznak it was hot. Lance's breasts were squashed against the mattress, while his stomach hung heavily. Taking a deep Keith tried to keep himself calm enough to strip down, and not ruin another uniform.

Climbing up behind Lance, Keith nuzzled his omegas covered arse, loving the sweet smell of slick and the way Lance groaned as he pushed back against his face  
"Alpha..."  
Hooking his thumbs, he pulled down Lance's boxers, momentarily hypnotised by the slick pouring from his mate. He needed to taste him. Pushing Lance's boxers down to his knees, Keith leant in and licked from Lance's balls up to his opening  
"Shiiiiiit Keith..."  
Oh yeah. He was going to enjoy this. Sliding his tongue into Lance's already loose ring, he started to fuck his mate with it, trying to drink down as much slick as possible  
"Keith..."  
Sliding his hands to grip Lance's arse cheeks, he massaged them as he continued to tongue his mate, conflicted over his need to knot Lance, and his desire to keep eating him out. Shit. He wished he was filming this  
"Please... I need your knot... I want to cum with your knot in me"  
Decision made. Slipping his tongue free, he ran it up Lance's arse, before pressing a kiss to the small of his mates back. Rutting forward, Lance mewed as his erection teased his opening. Snapping forward, Lance let out a gasp as he buried himself with one hard thrust. Moving his hand to Lance's stomach, he pulled his mate flush up against him, twisting slightly to kiss him, Lance stared him in the eyes  
"Dominate me"  
"Lance..."  
"I want you to... I want you to push my face against the bed and fuck me"  
Keith swallowed hard, not quite believing what he was hearing  
"Please..."  
"I don't want to hurt you"  
"You won't. I'll let you know if I need to stop"  
"Ok..."  
He wasn't convinced, but his alpha was completely on board with what Lance wanted. Taking a fist full of Lance's hair, he forced him back onto all fours, before pushing his face down. Pining Lance down with one hand, he used his other to work Lance's right breast as he built his rhythm. He didn't smell fear, and Lance was rocking his own hips trying to drive him deeper. Keeping Lance pinned, his growls and grunts grew desperate as he chased his orgasmic high  
"Keith... I'm going to cum"  
Growling, he pushed Lance harder against the bed, relishing the control he had. With his alphas ego well and truly inflated, his knot popped. Keeping Lance pinned, he rocked against him as his seed pumped into his mate, not letting Lance up until he finally stopped cumming. Pulling Lance sideways, he spooned up around his mate as Lance started to purr... well this was different. His mate had wanted it rough and was purring rather than crying. Moving his hand across Lance's stomach, it came to rest on the base of Lance's swell. He could feel the pups kicking like crazy. Part of him been avoiding touching Lance's stomach, as he didn't know how he'd react  
"I think that's Kelance. He's finally been giving my bladder a break"  
"Not even here and they're balls f energy"  
"Tell me about it. Twins usually come early too, so I'm probably only going to last another two phoebes before they come..."  
"Wow..."  
"I know right. Can you imagine how big in going to be at the end of this"  
"Big and full of my pups... I wish I could film you"  
"Nooo, I'm gross"  
"Baby, just feeling your stomach has me ready for another round... and my knot only just popped"  
"That's because you have weird taste. I need to take nap, can you stay?"  
"Yeah. I just have to call mum and Kolivan, but that can wait"  
"Can we call her together? I want to see her"  
"Yeah baby. Just get some sleep and then I'll clean you up, we'll have something to eat, and then we'll call her"  
"It's a plan... Team Klance for the win"

 

*  
Clinging to Keith, Lance was sitting in his mates lap. Three rounds of crazy good sex had left him drained in more ways than one, and the short walk from their quarters up to the kitchens left him exhausted. Curled into Keith as much as possible, he was enjoying letting his alpha feed him. He had no idea where the others were, but Keith was letting him eat Earth food, so he wasn't about to question it  
"Can we call mum now?"  
"I thought you were eating"  
"I am, but I'm starting to fall back to sleep, and I really want to see her"  
"I think that can be arranged"  
Taking off his wrist communicator, Keith placed it on the table in front of them, before tapping on it. Leaning back, they both waited... and waited... and waited   
"Do you think she's busy?"  
"She must be"  
"Maybe we should call Kolivan?"  
Keith groaned, clearly not wanting to  
"She might be with him..."  
Giving Keith the best puppy dog eyes he could, his alpha finally gave in. Unlike Krolia, Kolivan answered pretty much immediately   
"Keith. I've been expecting your call"  
"Hi Kolivan. I'm sorry, things have been chaos here. How are things there?"  
"Not good. Three of our members have gone missing... one of them being Krolia"  
Lance shot up, grabbing Keith's communicator he practically yelled into it  
"Krolia's missing?! When? How? What happened?! Why are we just finding this out now? What's going on?!"  
Lifting his communicator out of his hands, Keith stared down at it  
"Kolivan, what happened?"  
"Krolia is now 12 vargas overdue on her daily reports. We haven't heard from the other two members of her team and all attempts to contact them have failed"  
No... not Krolia... no... she couldn't. Keith needed her... he needed her... she promised she'd be ok...  
"Kolivan, I'll be there as soon as I can"  
Ending the transmission, Keith took his face in his hand  
"Lance..."  
"I know. Go. She's your mum. You have to go"  
"I won't be long, and I'll call in as soon as I know what's going on"  
"I'll let the others know"  
Trying to climb from Keith's lap, he didn't have the strength   
"Sorry. I'm stuck"  
"I have to change, so I'll help you back down. I want you to stay in our room. I know you want to help, but I need you safe"  
He wanted to protest, but the look on Keith's face stopped him  
"Alright"


	52. Chapter 52

Dressed in his old Blade of Marmora uniform, Keith strode through the halls of Kolivan's ship. He needed answers and only Kolivan could give him them. Not pausing to knock, the alpha let himself into the bridge and walked straight up to Kolivan   
"What the quiznak happened?"  
Looking slightly amused, or as amused as the man could pull off, Kolivan stood straighter   
"Krolia and 2 others infiltrated a rogue Galra base on the edge of Lotor's territory. Given the location, we felt it best not to inform you, as to not upset the current alliance with Lotor"  
The word alliance was spoken as if it left a bad taste in Kolivan's mouth. Keith couldn't blame him. He didn't like Lotor either   
"Their goal was a rather large shipment of quintessence, and the prevention of it being traded among the rogue forces, however Krolia came across something while she was in there. While the others dealt with securing the shipment, she was taking care of securing the information she'd discovered. That was the last time she touched in"  
"What was this information?"  
"The movements of Haggar"  
Keith gasped despite himself. They hadn't seen hide or hair of her, not even in their pursuit of Atlantis  
"It seems she had Lotor with her"  
"When was this?"  
"Approximately 4 movements ago"  
"She couldn't have. Lotor showed up on Earth. We killed one of his people, who attacked Earth. Commander Krel'dak"  
"That explains why we haven't been getting reports from that quadrant of the Galaxy. He had a tendency who attack anyone who came near his territory, and with him gone, our agents will be able to move much more freely"  
"He fired on Earth. Earth still refused to acknowledge Galra existence until he did. He sent the whole garrison into chaos"  
Kolivan gave a single nod. Would it kill him to show some emotion?  
"Show me where they went"  
Turning away from him, Kolivan pulled up the map of the star system they were currently in. Zooming out, he then zoomed in on the area Krolia was supposed to be in  
"She was on this moon base"  
"Send me the coordinates, and I'll go in"  
"We can't allow them to connect us with Voltron"  
"That's alright. I used a Galra fighter jet to get here"  
Crashing Galra ships definitely came in handy  
"Very well"  
There was a small beep as the coordinates came through. Mentally telling his mother to wait for him, he left Kolivan to whatever he was doing before he'd arrived.

Back in the fighter jet, Keith called through to the castle. Lance had promised to tell everyone, but his mate had been exhausted when he'd climbed into their bed. When Allura popped up on the screen, she seemed very confused  
"Keith, where are you?"  
"My mother's failed to report in during a mission. I'm going in. These are the coordinates. If you don't hear from me within the next 3 quintants, assume something's happened. Let Lance know too"  
"Your mother! Why didn't you tell us?"  
"Lance was going to, but he needs to rest. He's promised not to leave his room until I return, so can you please make sure he doesn't"  
"I can do that, but I don't know if he'll sit still. Especially if we need to retrieve you"  
"Allura, I have to go. Don't forget to let the others know to wait 3 days. We can't blow the Blade's cover so close to our mission with Lotor"  
"Understood. Be careful"  
"Will do"

 

*  
With security around the actual moon base being so tight, Keith had to park his fighter jet further away from the facilities than he would of liked. The fact the moon was covered in snow brought back memories he'd rather forget. He'd liked the snow well enough, but his mind now associated snow with Lance being hurt... both from Shiro taking him, and Atlantis fucking them all over. Trying his mother again, he got nothing. Right. He could do this. Just like he'd done time and time before. Get in. Get in the air shafts and get his mother.

Trudging across the snowy terrain, his alpha wasn't loving his slow progress. Prowling back and forth, it scolded him for not just shooting his way in... even though he was in a fighter jet and the base had at least half a dozen medium sized cannons. He would have been shot down before he'd even fired the first shot.

It was nearing sunrise as he finally drew level with the facility. Not the best time to be creeping around, when it would probably take vargas to locate his mother and the others. Ducking behind the nearest half wall, he still his breathing as sentry guards passed his location. He needed to keep a mental tally of the forces, just in case his friends showed up to save them. Waiting out the four sentries, he used through foot prints to sneak over to the shadow of the main structure. With smooth white walls, he found no signs of the vent entrances. He'd have to go up. Finding the most shadowed part of the wall, he used his Bayard and his Galra knife to climb. Stabbing into the wall, before climbing onto the blade and using it to push himself up. It was slow and tedious work, but he finally emerged on top of the structure. Keeping a low profile, he darted behind one of the huge turbines on top of the roof. These would feed into the air ducts, and was exactly what he needed to get inside the facility. The only issue was the fact the blades were razor sharp, and if he didn't time things right, he'd be vivisected, making all his efforts worthless. Cutting around the grate covering the turbine, he threw is over into the snow, where it promptly sank. Thank quiznak it was white and no one was going to be finding it anytime soon. Now for the turbine.

Watching the four blades spin slowly, Keith reactivated his Bayard. He couldn't stop the turbine spinning as it would trip an alarm, so he needed to make himself an opening. Thanks to power up they'd gotten in Atlantis, when he stabbed down into the turbine, the blade sliced through them cleanly, giving him barely enough space to drop down around the edges. He couldn't do anything about the noise the falling metal made, nor about the fact he could very well impale himself on the fallen pieces that he couldn't even see. Lowering himself down the edge, he let himself drop, feeling the barest of cuts across his hair. Great. Lance was probably going to tell him off. His mate seemed to like his hair long, it wasn't that long, but it had been long enough to pull into a bun. The cut would have opened up the back of his hood too. Hopefully Coran could fix it. The man was a master with a needle and thread, even trying his hand at making Lance a new uniform when his bump had made his old one too small. Thanks to his Bayard, Lance no longer needed Coran to see for him, so the man would probably love a new project.

Landing on one of the turbine blade tips, he was lucky it was flat against the shaft bottom. Even trying to slide it across with his boot had cut into the sole of it. He was making so many rookie mistakes. His heart and emotions were definitely controlling this mission, something Kolivan would absolutely loathe. Turning slowly in the damp dark space, he finally found the connection to the air ducts. Right. Time to save his mum.

Crawling through the vents, he found his patience wearing thin. The awkward angles and tight corners were definitely intentional, despite the space being too small for a fully grown Galra male to fit. With his pace reduced to that of a slug in salt, it felt like it was going to take all three quintants just to find his mother... and that wasn't taking into account the fact he was most certainly going to get lost. Lance wouldn't have even been able to make it through the turbine safely, let alone the ducts. The thought of his mate being stuck and all the complaints he'd make made him smile. He was so hopelessly in love with his omega. But if Lance ever got stuck in a place like this, he was 99 percent sure he'd laugh. Or want to laugh.

Making his way through the first level, he didn't find anything. Though his sentry count was now up to 34 and 7 Galra soldiers. He really didn't want to end up having to take them all on, so he'd been forced to stop more than once as patrol passed beneath him. Even with though he could only catch snippets of their conversations, there was absolutely no mention of Krolia or any outsider incursions... he wasn't sure if that was good or not. He could be climbing through here for nothing. He could have left his recovering mate for nothing. No. Lance would have hassled him over it until he'd done something, even if it meant flying out to Kolivan and finding out his mother had been there the whole time. His mate really did love his mum...

Dropping down to the next level, he held his breath from the thud his boots made as he did. Whoever designed this place was an idiot. Finding the second level ducts to be even smaller, he was reduced to crawling along on his stomach.

 

*  
It was on the third level he finally started getting somewhere. Crawling over empty cell after empty cell, he finally found the first missing Blade of Marmora member. Finally. Finally something was going right. Nearly dislocating his shoulder, Keith struggled to get out his Bayard, before activating it. The blade slicing through the duct easily as he made a square big enough to fall through. His landing less than graceful as he fell onto his chest, momentarily winding himself. Quiznak that hurt. Keeping his Bayard activated, he pushed himself up, keeping a low profile as he crept over to the chained Blade. The Galra's face was a bloody mess, but he stirred when Keith placed his hand on his shoulder. Holding his finger up to silence any questions, nodding to affirm he was there to rescue him, he went about cutting through the cuffs. Pointing to the hole in the ceiling, the Blade member nodded. Moving to boost him up and into the ducts, Keith than ran at the wall, jumping and it using his momentum to catch the edge and drag himself into the duct. Crawling away from the cell, they stopped over the second one  
"Do you know where the others are?"  
"We were separated upon Lotor's arrival"  
Lotor was here? Why would he be here? And if he was here why was his mother still a prisoner... oh... right, he'd kept them apart. Crap. Ok  
"We need to find and get out. You're in no condition to fight, so stay in the duct system"  
"Right"  
He should be happy to have some company, but he really wasn't. The Blade member behind him barely fitted, and scraped along the walls as they went. He couldn't leave him behind, but shit, would it kill him to try and keep it down. Hearing voices approaching, Keith stopped and pressed his chest against the duct   
"Everything has been prepared as per Haggar's orders sire"  
"Good. Make sure everything's organised for tomorrow"  
"Yes sir"  
"Hopefully taking those rats prisoner will draw out more of those conspiring against us"  
"The woman still refuses to talk"  
"Start with her fingers and work your way up. If she still refuses to speak, cut out her tongue"  
Grinding his teeth, he barely suppressed his growl. Like quiznak they were doing that to his mother. Even if he had to shoot Lotor, he was not letting that happen.

Finding the second missing Blade member, the Galra was at least able to walk and stand on his own. Boosting him into the duct, he jumped up and grabbed the man's hands, letting himself be pulled up  
"Keith..."  
"I'm going after Krolia. I need you to get him out the facility"  
"She's been held in the command centre of this base. It won't be easy"  
"Nothing ever is. Follow the ducts back and head upwards. I've cut the turbine blades, but it'll still be a tight squeeze"  
"Right"  
Lowering himself so he hanging, he waited for the two Blade members to begin crawling back the way he'd come, before pulling himself up. If Lotor dared to harm his mother, he was going raise hell.

 

*  
He heard his mother's screams before he reached the command centre. His mother was incredibly strong, so for her to be screaming, something had to be terribly wrong. Sliding to the edge of the duct grate, he couldn't see her, but he could smell her. She smelt pissed. Good. That was good. If she could still get mad, she hadn't given up. Preparing his Bayard, he cut through the duct, falling straight into the room. There was no time to think as the sentries started firing. Dodging and weaving, almost dancing, his way through, his eyes narrowed and he bared his teeth, letting his alpha control his actions. Feeling a blast clip his arm, it didn't slow him in the slightest. Moving between the sentries and the control panel, he caught sight of his mother slumped up against it. How dare they! How dare they touch his family! Letting out a howl, he launched himself forward, slicing through the two closest sentries  
"Keith!"  
Her cry came too late. A bolt of blue struck him, sending him flying backwards and over the console. Smacking his head, he tasted blood as he bit down on his tongue. He couldn't even move. Quiznak. Quiznak it all. Crawling forward, Krolia brought her cuffs down on the edge of his Bayard, slicing through and freeing her hands. Grabbing it, she cut her feet free  
"Keith, get up. We need to go"

Easier said than done, dragging him up, his mother took back the blade that had originally been hers  
"Keith..."  
"'m k..."  
"Good, now, how did you get in here?"  
"Bayard..."  
"Your Bayard?"  
Panting and growling, he pushed away from his mother, swaying as he tried to convince his knees to hold his weight. Thanks to the commotion they'd made, they were going to need to fight their way out  
"Keith..."  
"I'm fine... let's go"  
His mother clearly wanted to scold him, but it was going to have to wait.

While Krolia took point, Keith backed her up. Blood covered most of his mother's shirt and one sniff told him it was hers. This was bad they both needed to get into pods, and Lance would flip. Lance... if his mother didn't lecture him, his mate definitely would. As the door at the end of the hall slid open, his mother threw him against the wall as the soldiers started yelling, smacking his hand down on the door pad, he grabbed Krolia, pulling her back into the random room. Short-circuiting the panel with her knife, his mother let out a laugh  
"I must be getting old if I need my son to save me"  
"You must be getting old if you forget that you're supposed to escape after your missions done. I've already sent the others ahead"  
Smacking him on the back of the head, Keith stumbled forward   
"What was that for?"  
"For calling me old. It's only ok when I do it"  
Rolling his eyes, he really couldn't deal with his mother's sass right now. Behind them, the soldiers were working on getting the door open  
"We need to find a way out"  
Spinning round, there was nowhere to go  
"Quiznak! I am not having Lance yell at me for letting you get hurt"  
Krolia's face softened  
"How is he?"  
"Pregnant. Very pregnant. He honestly looks ready to drop"  
"How many movements is he?"  
"We can't remember, it's either 22 or 23"  
"Wow... I can't wait to see him"  
"Yeah. He's the reason we're here. He wanted you to come visit"  
Winking, his mother gripped her blade tighter   
"Well we can't keep him waiting"  
Giving a single nod, Keith darted to one side of the door as his mother moved to the other.

The moment the door burst inwards, they both started swinging. Both fighting for their lives and each others in equal measures. He wanted to see Lance so badly. He wanted to his mum and Lance whispering away conspiringly lost in their own little world. He couldn't die a dogs death here, and he wouldn't. Hacking and slashing, they cut through the Galra and sentries alike, not gaining any ground, but not losing any either... but their enemies never seemed to come to an end  
"Keith, we need to make a break for it"  
"I'll take lead"  
Charging into the hall, Keith kept moving, not stopping to check the enemies he cut down. Up, out, home. The three words played on a loop as they advanced until finally the way out was in sight.

Watching in what seemed to be slow motion, Lotor appeared in front of them. Raising his own blade, Lotor's eyes narrowed coldly... there was nothing but hate in them, he wasn't even putting on his usual airs of false politeness  
"I can't let you leave"  
"Well I can't let you capture us"  
Charging the half Galra, their blades sparked as the edges stuck. Even with the upgrade to his Bayard, it wasn't enough. Dimly aware of some kind of explosion, he snarled as he jumped back  
"Keith!"  
"Go"  
"I can't..."  
"Leave him to me! I'll be ready when the time comes"  
Making a break for it, his mother threw herself down, sliding along the edge of the hall and past Lotor. Watching her disappear from sight, he nodded  
"That's one"  
"Shame it won't be two"  
"I can honestly admit I never liked you. You might come across as nice and polite to Allura, but your smile never reached your eyes"  
"You human types with your "peace", you're all fools"  
"Well this fool is going to kick your arse"  
Oh god. He sounded just like Lance. Around him shook as more explosions broke out in a chain reaction. He hoped wherever they were, the Blade members had found a way out. He just needed to buy some time. Whatever happened to Lotor, he was sure the Galra had more than a few tricks up their sleeves... just like with Zarkon. He didn't need to kill Lotor, he just needed to stop him... even if his teeth were aching and he wanted to tear the man's throat out. Surging forward, Lotor attacked. Parrying the blow, he wasn't above fighting dirty, as Lotor glared down at him, he booted the man in the stomach with all he had, grunting, Lotor's eyes widened. Raising his sword, he swung down as Keith threw himself against the wall, taking a move from his mate, he swung up into Lotor's arm. Unlike with Shiro, Lotor's armour stopped him from severing the man's arm  
"I don't need both to kill you"  
"Give it your best shot"

Lotor was crazed. His speed unmatchable by Keith, leaving him barely able to parry angry blow after angry blow. Grunting and growling, the two went at it, both worse than feral alphas... they wanted to kill, they weren't feral trying to protect their mate or pack. They just wanted to kill. Even thoughts like "Lotor hurt Lance" or "Lotor attacked Lance" didn't enter his mind, instead all he heard was his panting and his racing heart  
"The Black Lion belongs with the Galra"  
Feeling the tip of Lotor's blade slice through his stomach, Keith howled in pain. His mum needed to hurry the quiznak up and do whatever she was intended to.

"Keith! Get down!"  
Dropping, shots flew over his head, forcing Lotor to scramble for cover. Dragging himself across the ground, each tug against his skin had him mentally screaming. Lance was going to be so pissed off... with him and his mother. Making it outside, the fighter jet seemed an impossible distance away  
"Keith!"  
Jumping out the jet, his mother ran to him, hauling him up so fast he vomited. Looking down he realised it wasn't vomit, but blood. Oh shit. He was really going to get it now. They were just about at the ship when he heard Lotor yelling, beside him, his mother stumbled forward, pulling him down with her. Lotor's blade had gone straight through her. No. This could not be happening. Fighting to keep conscious, he shoved his mother towards the arms reaching for her, his own strength fading before he could help himself.


	53. Chapter 53

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for comments. good, bad or just plain abuse... talk to me?

"Hello?! Can anyone hear me?!"  
Trying to swat the noise away, Lance didn't want to move. The pups hadn't stopped moving since Keith left, and to keep his nerves at bay, the omega had tried to sleep...  
"Hello?! We need help!"  
Help? He needed help? Try being pregnant, fat and tired. Wriggling across the bed, he felt around for this communicator  
"Please! I'm trying to contact Voltron!"  
Now they had his attention, making the effort he grabbed his communicator with a triumphant grunt  
"This is Lance! Voltron..."  
"We're in need of assistance..."  
There was some mumbling and a thud   
"L...Lance"  
"Krolia!"  
"Lance, Keith needs help... I've sent the coordinates"  
Groaning, it sounded like Krolia was in the same boat  
"What happened?"  
There was another groan before the original voice came back online  
"Please help... our fighter jets been hit"  
Tapping on his communicator, he found Krolia's message   
"We're on our way"  
"Thank you"

Still in his boxers and sports bra, Lance half ran the best he could to Red. Quiznak. He should have gotten dressed. Allura. Allura could bring him clothes. Opening his communicator, he called through to Allura   
"Lance?"  
"Allura, Keith and Krolia are hurt. I'm heading out in Red... but I forgot to get dressed"  
"Lance, no. I was told by Keith not to let you leave"  
"Allura, I called you for help not for you to scold me. I'm going"  
"Then I'm coming"  
"Fine. But bring clothes!"  
"You're staying in Red, I'll bring Pidge and Hunk with me"  
"Allura..."  
"No. You're not even supposed to be going"  
"We'll hurry up. I'm leaving"

Climbing into Red, the whole place smelt like vanilla... which he wasn't expecting at all, nor the feeling that Red was laughing at him. Yes, he was wearing a bra, he was barefoot and his stomach was hanging over his boxers... he was a mess. What was he doing?! He didn't even grab his Bayard... at least he'd called Allura  
"Lance?"  
"I'm here. Sending you the coordinates"  
"I don't suppose I can convince you to stay here"  
"I don't suppose I can convince you to raise two pups on your own with a dead mate"  
Clamping his hand over his mouth, he rushed to end the conversation before he said something worse. It only just hit him that Keith could actually die... he could be bleeding out... or it could be too late. He needed to get there! 

 

*  
Lance was sobbing as they approached the fighter jet. Missing one wing, it was amazing it hadn't blown. He knew he had to let Allura take the ship into her cargo bay, but he wished it was him. Flashing past him, Allura positioned herself over the Galra fighter, opening her cargo bay doors and taking the ship inside   
"Alright, Lance we've got them. Let's get back to the castle"  
"How are they?"  
"Pidge and Hunk it on it. Are you alright Lance?"  
"No... Allura..."  
"It's ok, let's just get them back to the castle"  
Hushing him gently, Lance nodded sadly, before turning Red towards home. 

With his anxieties getting the better of him, he fell behind Allura on the trip back. He couldn't stop himself from blaming himself. He'd wanted to talk to Krolia, and now Keith and Krolia were hurt. It was stupid. He hadn't hurt them and he'd told Keith to go, but that didn't stop him biting at his nails until they bled. He couldn't do this without Keith... without Krolia. What if Keith was permanently injured? What if they couldn't save them. Working himself right up, the pain in his stomach seemed to grow. He should have been there. He should have insisted on dropping Keith off or backing him up. He could have hung back in Red... he would have got there sooner if he had. Why was he so stupid? Half crash landing in Red's bay, his Lion scolded him. Red felt like the only one there for him, but he'd gone and made her mad. 

"Lance?"  
Jumping, he looked at Pidge with blurry eyes  
"H-how are they?"  
"Let's get you out of here"  
Oh no... if she wouldn't tell him... Was Keith dead then? Otherwise, why wouldn't she tell him? Letting out a mournful howl, he buried his face back in his hands  
"It's all my fault!"  
"Lance..."  
Wrapping her arms around him, he buried his face against Pidge's neck. He could smell Keith on her. His alpha had been in so much pain  
"I can't lose him! He can't be dead!"  
"Lance, come on..."  
"He can't be!"  
"Hunk, I need help"  
She must have been talking into her communicator as he couldn't smell his friend. Hushing and crooning softly, she still wouldn't tell him how there were.

"Lance, Buddy?"  
"He smells like he's in pain... do you think he knows?"  
"No, let me take him"  
"Ok, just be careful"  
Pulling him away from Pidge, Hunk lifted him like he was nothing. Immediately missing Pidge, he whined for the female alpha   
"I'm still here Lance. You're ok"  
He didn't care how he was  
"What do we do?"  
"We'll bring him to the pod room. Keith trusts Allura with him"  
"He should trust us..."  
"Pidge, he's pouring out his pheromones, calling for an alpha to comfort him. It's hard enough not to feel possessive of protective with his usual scent"  
"I know that... but it's not like we're going to do anything. It's Lance, he's like a brother... so that's just gross"  
"What I'm saying is, I don't want Keith getting the wrong idea and I don't think Lance is in his right mind"

Bundled up on Hunk's arms, he'd fallen silent by the time they reached the healing pods. He felt empty. Completely empty. Even seeing the blood across the pods didn't embolden a reaction. What was the point? He'd lost Keith and Krolia  
"Hunk! What were you thinking bringing him here?!"  
"Allura, he's in a bad way"  
"Of course he is..."  
Taking his face in her hands, Allura thumbs wiped away his tears  
"Lance?"  
It was too much effort to respond. Sliding one hand up, her palm came to rest against his forehead   
"He's clammy, I think he's in shock"  
"Wouldn't you be? There was so much blood..."  
"Hunk, that's enough. Lance, can you hear me?"  
"Should we put him in a pod?"  
"I think he needs to calm down"  
"What do we tell him? Keith's organs were barely still inside his body and Krolia is just as bad. We don't even know if they're going to make it"  
Between his legs grew warm and wet, but even that didn't rouse him  
"Ah Allura... please tell me that's pee, and not something else"  
"It seems to be... but I don't know. I've never been pregnant. Put him in a pod, and if he comes out in a varga or so, we'll know there was nothing to worry about"  
"I'll put him in the one next to Keith"

"Alright bud, I have no idea if you can hear me, but into the pod, you go"  
Lowering him, he had no strength to hold himself up. Letting his face hit the glass, all he could see was blood. His mate was covered in it from head to toe.

 

*  
It was only a few vargas before the glass on the pod slid away. Allura was by his side the instant it did  
"Lance!"  
"A-Allura..."  
Wrapping her arms around him, Allura rubbed his side   
"You gave me quite the scare"  
"I'm sorry... how.. how are they?"  
"They were barely alive when we got here, but they've only been in the pod for a few vargas now"  
"They're still alive"  
"Yes... how do you feel? You probably need to clean up"  
"Allura... I'm too scared to look at them... I'm a terrible mate"  
"No, no you're not. Keith would want you to rest. Don't worry, Coran is here, and Pidge and Hunk will take over from him in a little while. So I'll stay with you"  
"I thought he was dead"  
Allura sighed softly   
"You can't think like that. We need to believe him and Krolia"

Allura waited while he showered, embarrassed over the fact he'd been running around in his boxers and bra, and over the fact he'd wet himself. The only good thing was that his stomach didn't hurt anymore. Standing in the shower, his soapy hands slid over his stomach. Of all the times for the pups to be sleeping, it had to be now... when he really needed to feel them and know they were alright. Looking to the door, there was a soft knock  
"Lance, are you alright?"  
"Yeah, Allura. I'll be out in a dobosh"  
"I've got some clothes here for you"  
"Can you place them on the counter please?"  
Turning his back towards Allura, the Queen let herself in, letting out a small squeak before disappearing back into his room. He still had to remind himself that Allura was now Queen Allura, instead of Princess Allura. Turning off the taps, he took a deep breath. Right. Towel off. Pee. Get dressed. Probably pee again. And then be a good omega and stay put.

Walking back into the bedroom, Allura was sitting on the edge of the bed  
"How are you feeling?"  
"Fat and tired"  
"You're not fat"  
"Allura, do you not see this stomach"  
Giggling, she nodded  
"It is rather impressive"  
"I know right. These pups are lucky I love them"  
"Yes, they are. They're lucky to have you for a mother. Now, are you hungry?"  
His stomach let out a rumble, despite the fact he hadn't been feeling hungry   
"Excellent! I've been practising making sandwiches!"  
"Really? I'll have you know, I'm a bit of a pro at them"  
"Well, Hunk has been teaching me..."  
"That's it. I'm beat. I think we have a stash of food on Keith's desk"  
"Good. Now you get into bed and I'll make you something to eat"  
"I need to rearrange it first?"  
Allura frowned  
"What's wrong with it?"  
"I don't have my alpha, so I really need to make a nest, or I'm just going lay in bed and cry pretty much nonstop"  
"Oh... can I help?"  
"No, it's ok. I need to have everything how I'm seeing it my head"  
"I'll just make you food"  
"Thanks, Allura"

Carefully making his nest, he placed all Keith's things, well the things that smelt like Keith on what was his usual side of the bed. Though Allura didn't have much of scent, he didn't want it getting on Keith's things, especially when he had no idea how long it would take to heal his mate. He wanted to be there when Keith woke, but he was just too scared and didn't want to stress their pups. He'd never be able to look at Keith if he miscarried them due to stress. No. He had to put aside his own personal feelings and do what was right for them. Humming in appreciation of his small nest, he crawled up into it, before grabbing Keith's pillow  
"So what are you making?"  
"Sandwiches?"  
Allura looked at him as if confused   
"I know that much. What are you putting in them?"  
"I don't really know. I'm trying to copy what I made with Hunk, but you don't have everything I need"  
"That's because I probably ate it already..."  
He actually didn't even know what they had in here. He had stashes in both Red and Black, but the stash in here hadn't been topped up lately, and if it had been, it would have been done by Keith. Letting out a small whine, he covered his face with Keith's pillow, resisting the urge to scream as he did  
"Lance?"  
"I'm ok Allura. I just miss Keith"  
"I'm sure he'll be ok"  
"Yeah. That's what I need to keep telling myself. Right?"  
Allura was just about to answer when her communicator beeped  
"Sorry, it's Coran"  
"Go ahead"  
"I'll just be in the hall. Will you be alright?"  
"Allura, I'm not going anywhere. Go take the call"  
Walking from his room, he felt lonely the moment the door closed. How had he ever survived before Keith? Yes, he got along with everyone, but omegas were needy. They loved attention and physical contact. He didn't really love physical contact anymore unless it was from Keith, but still. He really wanted Allura to come back and hug him.

Allura didn't look happy when she came back in, unable to stop his thoughts going back to Keith, his eyes filled with tears as his stomach dropped  
"Oh, Lance. No. No Keith is still in the pod"  
Quiznak, he was so transparent   
"Then what...?"  
"The two Blade members that were with them said Lotor was at the facility. Keith was fighting Lotor when they were both injured. I don't understand"  
She sounded as sad and confused as he felt  
"Allura, grab the food. We both could use a hug right now"  
Doing as he said, Allura climbed up next to him. Looping his arm around her, she let out a sigh   
"I don't know what to do. He's supposed to be arriving next movement"  
Lance knew what he wanted to do, but saying it out loud would only make her feel worse   
"Maybe we watch and wait? I know you want peace, and I know you know I feel about Lotor, so we watch him and wait to see how things unfold"  
"It's so hard. His father destroyed Altea, and his mother opened the rift that led to all of this, but part of me still likes him"  
Oh. In that case, she really needed better taste in men  
"I don't know what to say. I still don't know how Keith and I make this between us work. Sometimes I really want to punch him, and then he does something or says something and..."  
He shrugged, trying to play it cool  
"Keith has mellowed a lot since you two became an item. I never thought I'd see that side of him"  
"And I've become fat, and pregnant, and pretty much a burden to the team..."  
"Lance..."  
"I know. It just feels like sometimes it was easier before I got pregnant. I didn't have to think about the fact I have two tiny humans inside me. Anyway, what I mean is, I'm terrible and I'm probably not the best for advice, but I feel like you should keep doing what you feel is right"  
"You always know what to say"  
"Really? Lately, it seems like I always know what not to. We should eat"

Allura's sandwiches consisted of peanut butter and cheese. It shouldn't have worked, but it totally did. Allura didn't seem as happy with the combination as he was. She only had half a sandwich in comparison to his four. Placing the plate down on the floor, Allura guided his head into her lap  
"You should try to get some sleep. I'll wake you up if anything happens"  
The heartburn he was currently experiencing pretty much meant he wasn't getting to sleep any time soon, but Allura needed time to think things through, so he played his part. Closing his eyes as she played with his hair.

 

*  
Lance tried. He really, really tried. But then everyone started checking up on him and he couldn't take it. He just needed a little space... after all, it was now Keith and Krolia's forth day in the pods, and he honestly didn't know how much more his heart could take. Even telling himself that Keith had once waited a phoeb and a half for him to wake didn't help. He just felt like a crappy mate for being too scared to see his alpha.

After letting Allura know that he was "just taking a walk and had his communicator with him, so yes she could contact him, but no she didn't need to worry", he slowly made his way from the castle. He didn't really have a destination in mind, so kept walking until he reached the village. Watching the kids play, his hand came to his stomach. Olkarion would be a good place to raise the pups. Sure it wasn't Earth, but it was probably the best planet after Earth. Smiling to himself, he continued his walk, making his way into the centre of the village before taking a seat. Closing his eyes, he lent back, soaking up the sunlight. There was nowhere near enough sunlight in space. Well, there probably was, but this felt heavenly.

"Lance?"  
Yawning as he sat up, he felt like an idiot as he noticed Ryner in front of him. He hadn't seen the woman since their return, well not for longer than a fleeting glance   
"Hello, Ryner. Sorry, I was just enjoying the sun"  
"No need to be sorry. I wasn't sure if it was you initially"  
"It's the stomach. I swear I get bigger every time I look at it"  
The edges of the old woman's lips twitched  
"You certainly have grown"  
"Yeah. I still have movements to go, but I feel like there's no way I can get any bigger"  
"Lance, do you have a moment to talk?"  
Weren't they already talking? No. He couldn't say that...  
"Sure. Do you want me to call the others?"  
"No, no. It's concerning your friend, Shiro"  
Lance's heart filled with dread and he struggled to keep his emotions at bay. They'd left Shiro here... like he was... well he wasn't technically the original Shiro, which was their friend, but he thought he had been  
"How is he?"  
"Confused. He still does not remember who he is, and he's become quite depressed"  
"He has?"  
"Yes. I know what was done to you was unfortunate, but perhaps you can speak to him?"  
"I don't know if I'm the right person..."  
"Out of all of you, he seems to care about you the most. There's no need to worry, no harm will come to you. You have my word"  
"I... alright"  
It wasn't like he was doing anything other than waiting for his alpha to wake up... and if Keith was awake, he'd probably lose his temper. So no time like the present  
"Excellent. Would now be suitable?"  
"Sure, just give me a moment. I'm not as fast as I used to be"  
Standing back, she let him struggle off the seat. Eyeing the bench, he mentally told it "to stay put" and "he'd be back". He could definitely do some solid napping there.

Following Ryner up and into the Olakrion command centre, he was left puffing by the time they came to a stop. Leaning against the wall, he eyed the old woman with jealousy as she seemed perfectly fine.  
"Lance?"  
"I'm fine. Just... give me a moment..."  
Great. He totally didn't need Ryner pitying him. Groaning, he forced himself to stand up straighter. He was the Red Paladin. Cool and charismatic... even for a whale. Nodding, Ryner began walking again. Nooooo. No more walking   
"Please make yourself comfortable, I shall get Shiro"  
Walking into the room, it didn't exactly reassure him he'd be safe. It was very plain, with just two vine chairs and a table. How was that supposed to keep him safe? Walking to the closest chair, he practically moaned as he sank into it. It was warm, and it seemed to mould around him, taking his weight off his aching feet. He instantly wanted one.

It took a few doboshes before Shiro walked in, his scent instantly sending alarms blaring in Lance's mind. He wanted to run, but swallowed down his feelings, forcing himself to look at Shiro's face, finding the alpha smiling   
"Lance!"  
"Shiro..."  
Sitting down in the chair opposite him, the vines wrapped around his one good arm. So that's what Ryner had meant   
"I'll leave you two to talk in private"  
Nodding to Ryner, the woman disappeared from the room, leaving him with Shiro. Ok. He could do this  
"I heard you were off-world until recently?"  
"Y-yes... we were on an extended mission"  
"How did it go? How is everyone?"  
"Good and they're alright..."  
Shiro's smile dropped  
"Lance, I'm not going to hurt you. I wish you wouldn't look so afraid. I know that your friend Shiro raped you and that I have too... I am so sorry"  
"I don't want to talk about that"  
"Please, believe me, I don't want to hurt you"  
"Shiro, stop talking about it"  
"Alright..."  
"Ryner said your memory hadn't returned"  
"No... all I remember is you and Haggar... Lance, you need to be careful. I remembered something when she had me chained up. It felt like she was draining my life"  
"We know she's got some kind of new power, but we haven't seen her"  
"She kept talking about Lotor. I don't know what she meant, but she's up to no good"  
"Shiro, relax. We know, and we know Lotor isn't up to anything good"  
"Lance, I never thanked you for coming for me. I know I hurt you, but I truly love you. I feel like I would do anything for you"  
Lance felt sick at his words  
"People don't rape people they love"  
"I watched your memories, and I have the memories of your Shiro. He wanted you so badly... even after you cured him of the infection, he was still thinking about you. He hated you being with Keith because he wanted you for his... I suppose there was no way that was ever going to happen"  
"Of course not! Each time he touched me made me feel sick! Each time he yelled at me I wanted to hurt myself! He raped me over and over, he tortured me mentally because he knew I was developing feelings for Keith! He got me pregnant and I... I killed those pups because they were his! I don't want to keep being forced to remember!"  
Growling, Shiro pulled against the vines restraining him. His scent filling with anger as he bared his teeth   
"He loved you!"  
"No. He used me and when he done with me he threw me aside. I always admired him! I was jealous of how well he got along with everyone, of how close he was with Keith! Keith is my alpha and my mate! He's the father of my pups"  
"I'm not saying he doesn't love you, but Shiro..."  
"You're not Shiro! I've been trying to defend you, but right now you have that look on your face, like before he'd punish me! I'm finally happy. I finally know what it's like to be happy and not to live in fear"  
Shiro slumped back  
"I still love you, Lance. Even pregnant to another alpha"  
"Then respect my decision. I have chosen Keith. I know you're lost and confused, but anger isn't the way. I can ask the others to visit you, but I can't. Maybe one day we can work towards being friends, but Keith will always be my alpha"  
Rising from the seat, he hurried from the room before he started crying. He didn't want Shiro's love, so why had he slicked. He knew deep down it wasn't related to Shiro because he was almost always slicking lately, but being so rattled the realisation wouldn't come to him until he was back in his nest, later that night. 

Walking straight into Ryner, he bounced back before registering what had happened  
"Ryner... sorry"  
"Did you talk?"  
"A little. The others should come see him"  
"Not you?"  
"I can't. Not now. I need to put myself and my pups first"  
Leaving before Ryner could reply, he made his way back to the castle. He needed Keith, but his mate wasn't awake... his nest. He needed his nest.


	54. Chapter 54

Groaning as the glass of the pod slid away, Keith's hand went straight to his stomach. He was alive... he... he hadn't expected that   
"Keith! Oh my god! You're awake!"  
"Keith, you took your sweet time"  
Abandoning the game of cards they'd been playing, both Pidge and Hunk rushed over to him  
"You scared the quiznak out of us!"  
"Dude, that was seriously not cool"  
"Sorry guys. Lotor got me. I thought I was... mum! How's Krolia?"  
Putting her hand on his shoulder, Pidge turned him towards the pod his mother was still in. Blood covered the inside of the pod and her unconscious form  
"She's still healing. We weren't sure who was going to wake first"  
"Is she?"  
"She was still alive when she went in. You both barely were. You said Lotor did this?"  
"Yeah. He was there and didn't want us leaving"  
"Are you sure it was him"  
"If not, he has a doppelgänger... wait, where's Lance?"  
"He's resting. He had a break down when you first came in, but Allura's been with him most of the time"  
It was good Lance was resting and all, but it also stung that his mate wasn't there when he woke. If it was Lance, he'd move heaven and Earth to be there with him  
"Anyway. Are you alright? How's your stomach?"  
Pulling up his shirt, it was healed like nothing had happened  
"We seriously thought you were going to die. Your organs were barely still in there"  
"I don't think I need to know. Are you guys alright watching over mum while I clean up? I don't want her seeing me like this"  
"Sure. We got so bored that Hunk decided he had to show me how badly he sucked at Fish"  
"I don't suck"  
"Pidge, Hunk can be brutal at fish. He's probably letting you win"  
Scratching the back of his head, Hunk didn't deny it  
"Hunk! How could you?"  
"You look so cute when you get excited"  
"That's it. This rounds for real. We've got this Keith. Go shower and say hi to Lance for us"

Walking through the castle, he tried to play out what he was going to say to Lance. He'd been a hair's width from death, even after being careful. He'd promised Lance last time that he wouldn't go dying again, and he'd nearly been proven a liar... and as for his mother... he had no idea how that was going to go over. Reaching their quarters he was almost nervous as he placed his hand on the door pad.

"Hey Keith, Lance is sleeping"  
That was obvious. His mate had his head in Allura's lap, and he couldn't have fallen asleep all that long ago thanks to the sad smell hanging in the room  
"Is he alright?"  
"Yes. He just missed you very much. He was too scared to come up and see you in case you were actually dead"  
Oh...   
"I'm alright. Completely healed now, though I'm going to take a shower and head back up to wait for mum to wake up"  
"I'll leave you two..."  
"Actually, would you mind staying with him? I don't know how much longer mum will take to heal"  
"You don't want to stay with him?"  
"He seems content sleeping, so it's fine. I'll see him later"  
Allura frowned  
"Keith..."  
"It's fine Allura. Now I know he's ok, I need to make sure my mother is. How long have we been in the pods?"  
"8 quintants. Lotor will not be arriving until next movement now. I told him we had a coalition thing"  
Because that wouldn't make Lotor even more suspicious? He probably knew they were alive and was planning just how to finish them off on a more permanent basis  
"Thanks Allura"  
"Oh Keith, another thing. Tomorrow Shiro will be visiting with us. His memory hasn't returned, so Ryner suggested perhaps he could talk with us all, to help him get his thoughts straightened out"  
"He's not going near Lance"  
"From what I understand, Lance already spoke with him"  
He did what? And who the hell had let him do that? Is that why Lance had better things to do than waiting for him to wake? No. He wasn't being fair. Lance was pregnant. He needed his rest, and he probably been having nightmares without him there. He needed to just calm down. Nodding at Allura, he strode through to the bathroom.

With his uneven hair pulled back into a bun, Keith returned to the pod room. In his absence, Coran had returned and he was now cleaning all the blood from his pod. There was way too much. How the quiznak had they kept him alive long enough to get him in there?  
"Keith! How are you feeling my boy?"  
"I'm alright Coran. Do you want me to take over cleaning?"  
"No, no. I can handle this. You should rest, you gave us all quite a scare"  
"So I've heard"  
"Are you sure you should be up here? Lance has been quite worried about you"  
"He's sleeping, and Allura's watching over him, so he'll be alright"  
Coran hummed, and Keith wanted to question the sound but thought better of it. He really didn't want to hear how much of he'd scared them again.

 

*  
Waking up alone, Lance flopped onto his back, rubbing his face as he did. His hair plastered to his forehead with sweat from the nightmare he'd been having, and the pups were going crazy. Quiznak... it was probably a good thing he was alone, he was so over people seeing him cry. Taking a few deep breaths, his eyes flew open. He could smell Keith. His mates scent was fresh, Keith was awake! But why wasn't he here then? Sniffingly, he manoeuvred himself slowly out his nest and into the bathroom. Being a small space, Keith's scent was much more concentrated. His mate was confused and hurt... he needed to find him.

Showering quickly, he didn't bother with a bra, or with underwear, dressing in a loose shirt and sweatpants. He needed to know what was going on. If something had happened to Krolia... hurrying up towards the pod room, he found Keith talking away with Pidge and Hunk like nothing was wrong, and Krolia was still in her pod. So it was him. Keith didn't want to see him. Unseen by the others, Lance let himself back out of the pod room, his omega just as hurt as he was. He'd tried to do what he thought Keith would want, but maybe staying away had been wrong? Continuing through the castle, he headed out to the terrace it rested on. If Keith didn't want to see him, he'd just have to stay away.

 

*  
"Hey, Allura!"  
Throwing her cards down, Pidge smiled as lent back. Having kicked their arses repeatedly, the female alpha must have gotten tired of winning. Looking over his shoulder, Keith watched Allura as she walked over almost nervously  
"Hello, Pidge. Keith, Hunk. What are you playing?"  
"It started as Snap and went to Fish... but these two are no fun to play with"  
"In other words, she keeps winning"  
"Is something wrong?"  
"Oh no. I'm sure it's nothing..."  
Rolling her eyes, Pidge sighed   
"If it's got you upset then it's not likely to be nothing"  
"Um. Well. I don't suppose you've seen Lance? I went to get him something to eat, but when I came back, he wasn't there"  
"He probably just went for a walk"  
"Yes, but I'm a little worried. He was tossing and turning in his sleep"  
"He's pregnant, he was probably just uncomfortable. He'll come back when he's hungry"  
Part of him wanted to go chase down Lance, but another part was being petty and stinging over his mate not checking up on him  
"Don't make him sound like a dog"  
"If Lance was a dog, he'd be the happiest doggo... and probably slobbery"  
"Guys, Lance isn't a dog"  
"We know that Keith. But he does come home for food. Anyway, shouldn't you be like freaking out?"  
"Freaking out over what?"  
"Let's see. Shiro's coming to visit tomorrow and Lance has wandered off..."  
"Lance is perfectly capable of taking a walk by himself"  
Frowning, Hunk placed his cards down  
"Dude. He's been really worried about you"  
"So you've said. If he wanted to see me, he could have come up here"  
"That's low man. You didn't see him when we brought you in. If you're not going to find him, I will"  
"I'm not leaving until mum wakes up"  
"Then I guess that's that"  
Rising to his feet, Hunk looked to Allura   
"Don't worry. I'll track him down"  
"I don't want to disturb him..."  
"It's fine. He's probably already on his way back"  
As Hunk walked away, both Allura and Pidge stared at him until Keith finally lowered his head.

 

*  
Sitting on the edge of the terrace, Lance was once again staring out over the trees. He had no idea what he was feeling, but he was definitely lonely. Why hadn't Keith woken him? It all came back to those words. Smelling Hunk before he saw him, Lance sighed. So much for being left alone   
"Hey Hunk"  
"Hey, Lance. Everything alright?"  
"Yeah. I just needed some air. What about you? I thought you were on pod duty with Pidge?"  
"Now Keith's awake, he's staying until Krolia wakes. Allura was pretty concerned"  
"Oh... I just felt like going for a walk. It's good that Keith's awake"  
"You don't sound very happy"  
Lowering himself down, Hunk sat further back from the ledge, unlike him with his legs hanging over  
"I'm fine. I already knew he'd woken up. He came in while I was sleeping and had a shower before leaving again"  
"So basically, you're mad at him"  
"Not mad... more like wondering what I did wrong. I tried to think like he would. I stayed away, I tried to rest and eat and Hunk, I couldn't stand seeing all that blood. I know I should have been there, but... I think I hurt him"  
"You're pregnant. I think you were allowed to sit this one out"  
"I'm pregnant? When did this happen?"  
Hunk groaned at his bad joke   
"Every time I thought about all that blood, the pups would go crazy. I'm over half way Hunk. I don't want to lose them now..."  
"I know. I'm on your side remember"  
"There shouldn't be sides. I don't know what to do?"  
"Well Krolia is still in the healing pod, and Pidge has been beating us all at cards, do you want to come lose spectacularly with me"  
"Won't Keith be mad?"  
"That's his problem. You're my best friend, I need support"  
"Alright. But you're going to need to help me up. I think I'm like stuck"  
"We can't have you stuck here. It's going to be one quiznak of a walk to come and feed you"  
"Not to mention giving birth here would kind of be impossible"  
Hunk wrinkled his nose at the word birth  
"Don't be like that. One day you and Pidge will have kids and you'll have to go through all this again"  
"Lance, I don't want to think about that... we haven't even done anything"  
Hunk's innocent blush was sweet. He'd had his innocence ripped from him, but Hunk was waiting for the time when it was right for both he and Pidge. It really was sweet. Helping him to his feet, Lance curled into Hunk's side the best he could  
"Thanks... I was... I was really lonely"  
"I've got you bud"

 

*  
Allura, Keith and Pidge were eating when they returned. A small pile of junk food wrappers sat beside them. All it took was one look for his stomach to start rumbling   
"Do you want junk food or do you want me to make you something?"  
"Cookie dough?"  
"I knew you were going to say that. Do you want to stay here or come with me?"  
"I'll stay... just don't take too long?"  
"Got it. Look, Allura's waving us over"  
"Keith shouldn't get too mad with Allura around"  
"Keith can go... be somewhere else if he's going to be cranky"  
"I don't think it works that way"  
"It's the thought that counts?"  
Snorting Lance shook his head  
"Just don't forget to bring back cookie dough"

With his heart in his throat, Lance crossed over to the group  
"Where'd Hunk go?"  
"He's grabbing more food. He said something about needing back up because Pidge keeps cheating at cards"  
"I am not cheating!"  
"Sure, sure"  
Sinking down beside Allura, Lance rested his head against her shoulder  
"Sorry if I worried you. I just went for a walk"  
"As long as you're alright"  
"I am. I might have been stuck if Hunk hadn't come along. This bump is insane"  
"Are they kicking?"  
"Like crazy. I can't remember, have you felt them or not?"  
"No. May I?"  
"Go for it. Maybe you can get them to settle. They've been bashing the quiznak out of me for quintants now"  
Allura let out a small squeal as she placed her hands on his stomach  
"Oh wow. This is amazing! Can you tell which one's which?"  
"If they're sticking to their sides, the one you've got your hands over is Laneith"  
Poking her head past Keith, Pidge looked confused  
"Laneith?"  
"Mhmm. Laneith and Kelance. They needed names. I mean I could have called them pup one and two or jelly bean, but yeah... we haven't actually picked out girl names though"  
"I think their perfectly fine names, for a boy or a girl"  
"I think Katie and Allura are nicer for girls"  
"I'm not naming them after their aunties, especially when they aren't even being named after their grandparents"  
"Keith, tell him"  
"Tell him what?"  
"That he can't call them Kelance and Laneith!"  
"They're growing inside of him. I think that pretty much means he can call them whatever he wants"  
Keith's almost disinterested tone caused his anger to flair. His alpha has said he liked the names and now he was making him feel stupid  
"Are you scared about giving birth?"  
"I'm terrified. I mean, it hurt the first dozen or so times"  
Pidge's eyes widened   
"In the trials... some of them were um... enlightening"  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up"  
"No, it's fine. I already know I'm going to have them on the castle, and I'll have to build a new nest for it..."  
Ugh. He didn't want to think how long it would take to get it perfect. He knew he wanted Keith there, and that was it. He didn't need any of them seeing him like that  
"You still have to set up the nursery though"  
"Yeah. I might do that tomorrow while Shiro's here"  
Keith let out a small growl. Whoops...  
"Are you sure you'll be alright with him here?"  
"It's not like I have to talk to him again. I already told him I don't want to see him, so it should be fine"  
"Well, if it gets too much let me know"  
"Thanks, Allura. Ryner said he's been struggling not knowing who he is"  
Allura nodded slowly, while Keith let out a huff   
"Keith?"  
"It's fine. It's decided. It's not like me saying no will change anything"  
"Why are you so mad?"  
"Who said I was mad?"  
"Let see. Was it fact you came back to our room and didn't even wake me up? Or was it because you've been acting all broody since I came in"  
"Or it could be the fact you didn't even both coming to see me when I was in the healing pod"  
"Of course not! I was trying to think like you! You would have got just as mad if I hadn't rested. Every time I thought of all that blood the pups would kick like crazy. I was trying to stay calm!"  
"Real calm. Like how you invited Allura into your nest"  
"What else could I do? You would have lost your head if I'd invited anyone else! I moved all your stuff to one side so it didn't lose its scent! It was the only think keeping me together"  
"Yet you managed to find time to visit Shiro!"  
"I was down in the village when Ryner came up to ask me to. He tried to tell me he loved and that Shiro had, but I made it very clear you're my alpha! Maybe I should have taken him up on his offer!"  
"Guys..."  
"No. Whatever. I'm going down to the nursery. If Keith decides to get over himself, that's where he can find me"  
Struggling up, his storming from the room was ruined by his stomach. Not only was it awkward to climb up because of it, but it rumbled loudly, reminding him he needed food. Waddling out the room, he nearly walked right into Hunk  
"Lance?"  
"Keith is a dick. Shiro's a dick! Why do you alpha's have to be... argh!"  
Throwing his hands in the air he had no words  
"I have your cookie dough"  
"Thank you Hunk! At least you're a decent alpha!"  
Taking the bowl, he smiled at the fact Hunk had made him extra dough   
"I'm probably not going to be great company, but do you want to come to the nursery with me? That's where I said I'd be if Keith decided to stop being a dick"  
"As long as you don't try and take on any walls"  
"Or desks"  
"You took on a desk?"  
"I cut Keith's desk in half and I don't think he's even noticed. It's still standing there, but there's like a hole in the middle of it"  
"That sword of yours is dangerous"  
"Tell me about. I'm all for new super powers, but Alfor was seriously over powered, and he couldn't even beat Zarkon. I just want to be strong enough to protect the people I love... do you know what I mean?"  
"I think we all feel that way, so you're not alone there. What happened with Keith?"  
"I don't even want to talk about it. First he was all mad over the names I've been using for the pups and then he's mad about Shiro coming to visit tomorrow. I already turned Shiro down. I told him Keith was my alpha and I love Keith, and that I didn't want to see him... but apparently that's not good enough. I don't understand why got so mad. I didn't even want to see Shiro in the first place, but Ryner has helped us out so much, and... it must really suck finding out you're not who you thought you were"  
"I think he just doesn't want you to get hurt again"  
"I know... I'm just... it sucks"  
"No matter what, we'll all protect you"  
"Thanks Hunk..."


	55. Chapter 55

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh Krolia, you soothe my soul!

After telling Hunk to stay sitting on the bed, Lance started pottering around in the nursery. The Olkarion scientists had done an amazing job fixing the mess he'd made and now the nursery felt so much bigger and homelier. He would have loved to paint the walls, but that was out of the question, so he had to content himself laying out the thick white rug they'd picked up for the nursery floor. After that came finishing off the cots, and making them up. In Laneith's cot he used the pastel green bedding and in Kelance's he used the soft purple bedding. Being super careful and triple checking that the mattress protectors and sheets were done right, they were both completed with the addition of a stuffed rabbit in the right corner. He'd probably change the bedding at least a dozen times before he birthed the pups, but for now his omega was sated by the sight. Finally. Finally things were coming together. Smiling shyly at Hunk, his friend smiled back  
"They look really nice Lance"  
"Thanks... I know I'll end up remaking them, but... I'm just really relieved their finally together"  
Hunk had provided constructive criticism, that had made the whole process faster. Now all they had to do was put the rest of the furniture together, but he should wait for Keith before he did that...   
"Hunk, I don't suppose you feel like helping me sort baby clothes? They all have to be washed and sorted, but I need to detag everything first"  
"Will Keith get mad?"  
"He shouldn't. I mean, there's still soooo much to set up in here, so that should make him feel manly enough"  
"In that case, bring it on"  
"Don't blame me when you see how much we bought. We got things for when they're born, and for like the first few years"  
"I remember seeing the bags..."  
"Keith had like money left from his father and from his Cadetship... so we went a little crazy"  
Crossing to grab up as many bags as he could carry, he brought them over to the bed  
"Some of them will be bedding, but you can leave that on the bed"  
"More bedding?"  
"Yeah. Apparently, my need to nest is only going to grow, and I picked up some things with... the birth in mind"  
"I don't need to think about that. I know we all went through the classes, but it's still amazing that you're actually going to be pushing out two humans"  
"I'm going to be so butt hurt..."  
Hunk snorted   
"In more ways than one. Have you and Keith talked about it?"  
"Not really. I know I want to have them in the castle in case anything goes wrong, and I know he's the only one I want in there with me. The trials um... taught me what it was like, but they weren't real life, so I have no idea"  
"Do you think anythings going to go wrong?"  
"Maybe. They're so big, much bigger than they should be. If I carry them full term, they might need to be cut out instead of a natural birth"  
Hunk paled alarmingly   
"Hunk?"  
"I don't think any of us are equipped for that"  
"I know. But if that's the case, Ryner will be able to help. I'm trying not to think about it because I don't want to stress the pups out"  
"How's that working out for you?"  
"It's not. With Keith in the pod, it was hard. I nearly made myself vomit again, but I stopped when I realised just what I was doing. There I go again. I'm so sick of being depressed. Talk to me about something else... like how's Muffin?"  
"Six is good. She's been under house arrest. I have no idea how she did it, but Coran found her trying to chase the chickens"  
"Awww that's my razor-clawed floof"  
"I thought you'd be on the side of the chickens?"  
"I am... but Muffin is so adorable. Here, start with this bag"

 

*  
Having copped an earful from Pidge and Allura, Keith wasn't in the best of moods, and it was only his stubborn alpha pride that kept him from heading down to the nursery and begging Lance to forgive him. They both could have handled things better... and he felt like an arsehole when Lance had snapped at him over Shiro. He'd never have thought his mate would bring up having sex with Shiro, even in a fight. The fact that he had told him just how out of line he'd been. Forced into a misery of his own making, all he could do was wait for his mother to wake.

It was almost exactly 12 hours after he'd exited the pod that his mother finally woke. Stepping out from the pod, she stretched as she let out a loud yawn, not seeming confused in the slightest   
"M-mum..."  
"Hey, Keith..."  
Scrambling up, he ran over to her, throwing his arms around her as he buried his face in her hair  
"Mum... I..."  
"I'm ok. Thanks to you. You saved me"  
"I thought you..."  
"No, I'm just fine. What about you?"  
"I'm healed. I thought my heart was going to explode... I was so scared I'd lost you"  
"I told you I wasn't going anywhere. Where's Lance?"  
"I made him mad"  
"Oh, Keith. I'm sure he's forgiven you by now"  
"He didn't come and see us at all when we were in the pods. If it was him, I wouldn't have left his side"  
"Honey, isn't it better he didn't? Neither of us were in a good way"  
"But... it's just... we never let anyone wake up alone and I was so scared I'd never see him again..."  
"Keith..."  
"I didn't want to die. I didn't want you to die. I want you and I want him... and I want both of you safe!"  
"Honey, it's ok. We are. Now all your friends are staring at me, so what do I say?"  
"Hello?"  
"Some help you are"  
Stroking his hair, his mother kissed his forehead  
"I didn't think this was how we'd go about meeting again. It seems I'm in your debt again"  
"It's quite alright. I'm just relieved we were able to reach you in time. The two Galra that were with you have already returned to Kolivan"  
"Excellent. No doubt he's heard of Lotor's betrayal by now"  
"So Lotor was there..."  
"Yes. He and the witch Haggar at one point. It seems she loves her son, though I did not think she was capable of love"  
So Lotor had gone running to his mum... or had Honerva gone running to him  
"Krolia, please don't think me rude, but are you certain it was Lotor? We know Haggar has the power to create clones, such as Shiro. Is it possible he was another clone?"  
"If it is, it's a troubling scenario. Everything about Lotor seemed perfect, but if he's a clone, and that close in mental and physical aspects, she could very well use him to send the Galra empire into chaos. Plus, what's to say she hasn't created clones of the team? We'll need to be even more on guard as we figure how to proceed"  
"Lotor will be arriving next week, we have a mission planned to bring unlimited quintessence into the empire, meaning there will be no more need for mining and enslavement or wars over it"  
"That may be the plan, but it does not mean that will be the outcome. I need to contact Kolivan, but first I need a shower"  
"You can use the one in my quarters. Lance will probably have some clothes that fit too"  
"Oh, that's right. How was Earth?"  
"We found Atlantis... and the Galaxy Garrison tried to give Lance a miscarriage, they also scared the hell out of him... how about I tell you on the way down?"  
"That sounds good. I hope you all don't mind"  
"Not at all, we're just happy you're awake"  
"Yep! Like Allura said, you're part of the family"  
Hunk just nodded, it wasn't like they really needed to include Krolia, but it was nice they did  
"Thanks, guys and thanks for watching over us and waiting for us to wake up. We'll probably stay down in my room until dinner..."  
"No worries. We'll see you both then"

Explaining everything took longer than expected. He was still going when they reached his room, and while rifled through Lance's things in search of clothes for his mother  
"I don't think I have a bra or underwear... unless you want to wear some of Lance's new things. They haven't even been worn"  
"Underwear will be fine, thank you. I thought Lance would be here?"  
"No. Well, he's probably still next door where Hunk left him. He's been working on the nursery"  
"You have a nursery?"  
"Dad left me money and I had some of my own... so we did a huge shop. We figured what we don't use and thy the pups out grow can be given to refugees and stuff"  
"That sounds wonderful... I can't wait to see it"  
"More like you can't wait to see Lance. Let me warn you now, his stomach is massive. I don't know how big he's supposed to be, but he looks like he's going to go into labour at any moment"  
"Well, Galra pups are big. You've made me even more curious. I'm going to take a quick shower, and then we'll go see him together"

Keith wasn't sure his mother even got wet. Well her hair was wet, so she had to have, but she was ridiculously fast in the shower. Dressed in Lance's clothes, they were a little big, but it wasn't too bad  
"I forgot how amazing the showers here were"  
"You could have stayed in for longer"  
"I couldn't stop thinking about my grandpups"  
"Of course not. Lance is fine and the pups are fine, as far as I know. He had a small incident when we got back, but I killed the woman who hurt him"  
"Keith..."  
"She was a Galra sympathiser, she killed one of her own people and thought she would be welcome into the Galra empire by Zarkon. Trust me, it's safer with her gone"  
"Alright, but I'm still worried"  
"Mum"  
"It's my job, now, where's Lance"  
Rolling his eyes, he led the way to the nursery.

Sitting on the floor, Lance was sorting baby clothes. The moment the door opened, his mates eyes widened  
"Krolia!"  
Trying to get up, he let out a groan   
"Oh my gosh! Look at you! Stay we're you are"  
Leaving his side, his mother immediately plonked herself down on the floor and wrapped her arms around Lance   
"Krolia! I missed you so much!"  
"I missed you too! You look amazing! How are my grandchildren?"  
"Kicking the hell out of me! I'm so happy you're awake. There was so much blood and I was so scared"  
"I'm alright. Your Altean technology healed me right up. Anyway, let me look at the bump!"  
Sliding his shirt up, Lance showed Krolia his bump. Keith was jealous. He'd expected this kind of reunion with Lance and probably would have had it if he hadn't put his foot in it   
"Oh, my. How far along are you?"  
"23 movements... but on Earth, they said I was about five weeks further along, so that makes it 28 movements... I don't know"  
"You look ready to pop. I can't imagine you'll be carrying much longer"  
"Don't say that. These little guys are staying in here as long as possible"  
"Of course they are. May I?"  
"Yeah. They're a little sluggish because I woke up not that long ago"  
His mother smiled broadly as her hands slid across his stomach   
"It really does feel like you'll be birthing them soon. They're both so big and healthy"  
"Krolia, don't go jinxing it. We still need to finish the nursery, and I need to make my nest. You should see all the blankets and pillows and cushions Keith got me"  
"This nursery is rather impressive"  
"You can't even tell I tried to cut down the wall with my Bayard. The Olkarions fixed it up so perfectly"  
"I did wonder why the room was so big"  
"A big room for two big pups... Quiznak... I'm crying... I'm just so happy to see you"  
"Keith, come get in on this hug. I have both my beautiful boys here!"  
Walking over, he squatted down next to his mother, immediately pulled into her hold. Brushing against Lance's stomach, his mate's warmth seemed to spread through him. He missed him. He was right there and he missed him  
"Keith, put your hands on Lance's stomach, the pups are moving like crazy now, they want in on cuddles too"  
"Is... is it alright?"  
"They're your pups too..."  
Placing her hands over his, his mother smiled  
"Two big healthy pups, and by the smell of it, they're alpha"  
"How can you possibly know that?"  
"The smell. Lance's scent naturally took on aspects of yours when you bonded, but he smells like alpha, and though it's close to your scent, it's very slightly different"  
"Oh..."  
"Lance?"  
"I'm just... thank god they aren't omega. I... I don't want them to ever go through what I did. All the hate and hurt and rejection and... I'm so relieved"  
"Lance, I can't be 100 percent certain"  
"I trust your nose Krolia. You knew I was pregnant before anyone else figured it out... I mean, Coran and Allura knew... but no one else smelt it"  
"I can also smell you're upset and you're hurt"  
"I can't hide anything from you"  
"Nope. Now, what's wrong? Can I help?"  
"I just pulled my back... and... I hurt Keith. I tried to stay away when you were in the pods, because I didn't want to stress too much and lose the pups. There was just so much blood and I have no idea how they even got you back here... Krolia... I was so scared"  
Releasing his hands, his mother took Lance's face into her hold as she wiped away his tears  
"You did what was best for the pups, and I know it must have been hard, but you did the right thing. Your condition is delicate right now, too much stress can be very bad for you"  
"I feel bad for not being there"  
"You don't need to feel bad, but sitting on this floor won't be helping your back. Let's get you up and onto the bed"  
"The beds kind of a mess. I was sorting baby clothes with Hunk, and planning my nest for when the times comes"  
"You're going to have them here?"  
"Yeah. In case anything goes wrong"  
"That's a wonderful idea. Have you chosen who's going to birth them?"  
"I... I um. In Atlantis we have to like live out different realities... so I know what to do... kind of. I mean, these realities came from our heads, but I know how to give birth now... if that makes any sense"  
"Not really. Keith and I got side tracked while he was explaining what happened"  
"Do you remember that Galra tech that traps you in your own memories until you go crazy? It was like that... a hit parade over every bad thing your mind could put you through... until you figure your way out. I didn't even figure out how to get out, but because I'm the Red Paladin, Allura's father helped me out. I think maybe I got a different kind of test, because he gave me his blessings and now I have really faint Altean marks"  
Leaning right in, Krolia tilted Lance's head  
"I can see them. That's quite something"  
"They glow when he activates his Bayard. We all got a bit of a power boost"  
"And we can all talk about it once we get Lance on to the bed and settled"

After getting Lance positioned and clearing space on the bed, his mother took over once again  
"Right. Why don't we get some of this furniture set up? Keith, you can tell me the rest of your adventure and Lance, it's your job to tell us where you want everything"  
"Their Keith's children too..."  
"But you're the one nesting. You're probably going to want things in certain positions, and a certain way thanks to your omega"  
"Kind of... I want the bookcase near the chair so I can read to them... but maybe we should go with what Keith thinks? We were supposed to be doing this together, but I made a mess of things and then I finished putting the cots together without him. I made Hunk sit on the bed while I did..."  
Even mad at him, Lance still insisted on trying to think about his feelings. He didn't deserve his mate  
"I'm sure mum and I can work this flatpack furniture out... what are you going to do?"  
"Can I have the books we bought? I want to make sure all the price tags are off of them"  
"Sure. Let me just grab them"  
"You two are so cute. I'm so happy you're talking"  
"Muuuum!"  
"Don't mum me. Let me enjoy this"  
"Fine, but tone it down a little"  
"Never"

With the more than occasional interruption from Lance, they worked away on the nursery. They'd wanted to do it together, alone, but having his mum there really seemed to help with Lance. His mate was happy to talk away with Krolia, even telling her about his meeting with Shiro, and how Shiro had repeatedly declared his love for him. Keith couldn't help but feel Lance was bringing all this up because of how he'd reacted in the pod room, and with his mother there, she would be able to keep the peace. He was disgusted that Shiro had feelings for his mate, but he understood the situation better now, and that Lance was worried about the person not-Shiro was before he became Shiro. When tomorrow came, he'd greet Shiro with the others, while Krolia stayed with Lance. She'd definitely keep him safe, and definitely wouldn't let Shiro violate the nursery.

"I think it's dinner time"  
Pausing in the middle of sorting out the posters for the nursery wall, Keith looked up at his mate   
"Is it dinner time or are you hungry?"  
"Tired and hungry. I can barely keep my eyes open"  
"Then it's definitely dinner time. Let's head up to the dining room, if we're early, you can take a nap"  
"Mmm, a nap sounds so good. I'd kill for a massage, a facial and 12 vargas of uninterrupted sleep... having to pee all the time sucks"  
"It'll only get worse. No one warns you about it when you fall pregnant"  
"No one warns you about a lot of things. I was expecting stretch marks, but they're so red and angry looking... I hate looking at my stomach because of them"  
"Lance, you look amazing"  
"I wish I felt amazing. Any chance you can help me up? I really need to use the bathroom before we go"  
"I'll help him. You're still recovering"  
Jogging over to Lance, he took his mates hand, pulling him up before kissing his temple. Lance looked a little shocked, before leaving him standing there  
"Don't worry, he's definitely not going to be mad at you the moment you're alone"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means you have a rubbish sense of smell if you can't tell your mates horny"  
"Mum!"  
"You think I want to smell him? His body is calling out to be touched by you. I'm definitely going to be sleeping in his old room tonight because I do not need to hear you two"  
"Do you get a kick out of teasing me like this?"  
"You're only just noticing? Omega's need a lot of love and support, not just emotionally. Lance is definitely more on the sensitive side of being an omega, so I'm surprised he even let you come find me"  
"He loves you"  
"What's not to love?"  
Huffing, Keith crossed his arms  
"You look so much like your father, and I know you're going to make a wonderful dad in your own right"  
"I don't know about that. The first time I felt the pups move, I ran away because it all suddenly got so real"  
"It was bound to happen sooner or later. At least you're back now, so I'll be able to visit more often"  
"You could just move back in. You can still carry out your Blade missions"  
"That all depends on what Kolivan says"  
"I know Lance would for you to stay, so would I"  
"I'll definitely be around more as Lance's due date approaches. I wouldn't miss that for anything"

"I heard my name"  
Waddling out of the bathroom, Lance looked asleep on his feet  
"I was just saying how I intend to be around for the birth"  
"Mmm. As long as you don't go stealing my pups"  
"I wouldn't dream of it. But I might want extra long cuddles"  
"Another set of hands would help... I have no idea how Keith is going to go with nappies"  
"He really doesn't seem the type"  
"Aren't they the ones who always surprise you?"  
"Yes! Are you alright to walk, or would you like some support"  
"I can walk, but I wouldn't say no to a hug. I missed you so badly, and after seeing my own mother again..."  
Looping her arm around Lance, Krolia pulled him tight   
"Let's get you fed, and I would love to see any recent scans you have of these little guys"  
"There should be one from when I got pushed down the ramp. Coran wanted to put me in a pod, but all I had was bruising and a sprained wrist"  
"You're very lucky"  
"I didn't feel so at the time... oh, I had a concussion too... that was probably the worst bit"  
"I'm here now, and I'll protect you"  
"You know, Hunk said the same thing to me before. It's sweet and all, but I really wish I could protect myself"  
"If the time came, I'm sure you could. Come on Keith, let's go feed your adorable mate"


	56. Chapter 56

Waking up with a soaked lap and in a rather large wet spot, Keith's first thought was that Lance had wet himself. Despite his mother teasing him about Lance being horny, they'd gone to sleep and that was that. Well, Lance had fallen asleep during dinner and would have face planted into his food if his mother hadn't caught him in time. After that, he'd carried Lance down to their quarters, before stripping them both down and climbing into bed behind him. Letting out a small yawn, it was when he breathed in that Lance's scent hit him like a brick to the face. His mate smelt like he was in heat... he hadn't expected that... his already hard erection throbbed, and his mind was filling with the need to breed Lance, despite him already being pregnant. This couldn't be happening. Not today of all days. No. Wait. Lance. He needed to make sure Lance was alright before anything else. Rolling his mate onto his back, Lance let out a long needy whine, his mates hand was already on his spent erection. Shit that was hot. Come on brain. Keep it together just a little longer  
"Lance, baby?"  
Whining again, Lance's hand slid down between his legs  
"Baby, you need to wake up"  
"Alpha..."  
At least he got a proper reply... of sorts  
"Lance!"  
Moaning, Lance rocked his hips as his eyes fluttered open. His mates cheeks were tinged pink and his lips were slightly parted, whining, his eyes shot wide, making him look in equal parts confused and aroused  
"Baby?"  
"Keith... what... I feel like I'm in heat..."  
"You smell like it too. The beds soaked with slick... does it hurt?"  
"No... but... it's throbbing so badly... why?"  
"I don't know. Maybe because your hormones are all over the place?"  
"Keith... I can't... I can't think..."  
Moaning his name, Lance let his legs fall open. Yeah that was the end of the conversation. He needed to knot the quiznak it of Lance. Ignoring how especially wet it was under his mate, he climbed carefully between Lance's legs, pulling Lance's hand out the way. His mate was so wet and so loose, that pushing in he didn't even have to prep him. With his brain acting on the impulse to breed, and given he'd probably been hard for a while before he woke, Lance came on his first thrust, while he came on his 5th, continuing to rock through his orgasm, his hands went to Lance's stomach as he looked over it and down at his mate  
"Baby?"  
"Better..."  
"Good. Can you think?"  
"Better than before. That was quick"  
"Sorry. Your scents telling my brain to breed you, even now I want to flip you over and knot you into oblivion"  
"Please don't... or at least let me use the bathroom first... why do I feel like I'm in heat?"  
"Like I said, hormones maybe? What does it feel like to you, other than being in heat"  
"Like even though you just knotted me, it's not enough. I can't control my smell or try to rein it in, and I really need you start moving again because I'm already losing the ability to think again"  
"I'm knotted..."  
"It's ok. I'm so wet you won't hurt me... just... I need it"  
Keith was like 90 percent sure knotting didn't work like that, but Lance was already wriggling his hips as he panted. This wasn't the wake up he was expecting, but he wasn't going to complain, not when had such a beautiful mate beneath him.

Continuing to rock and grind against each, Lance only seemed hungry for more. Thanks to his mates needs, they'd ended having sex in the bathroom... over the toilet because he couldn't pull out and Lance needed to pee... again in the shower, three times more in their bed and now even asleep, Lance was rocking against him. Mate had drifted in and out of sleep after they made it back to bed, but he'd been told very clearly not to pull out. He wasn't sure of it counted as two rounds, because he hadn't pulled out since they got into the shower, or to count the rounds by the number of times he'd knotted his mate. Like Lance, he was definitely feeling it now, even if he was made to breed his mate, 6 times in probably as many vargas had him almost boneless, it was literally his alpha that kept him trying to fill Lance. Burying his face against Lance's shoulder, he closed his eyes. He needed sleep and to be at least semi-human today.

*  
When Lance roused the next time, his scent was still out of control, but his thoughts weren't. Helping his mate from their bed, he settled Lance in the shower while he went about stripping their bed. It was a complete and total disgrace, and his mate had seemed to wet the bed at some stage, not that Lance needed to know about it. As long as there wasn't any blood on their bedding, his mate didn't need to think it was anything but slick and cum. Pulling off the sheets and mattress protector, he was kind of proud he'd thought to pick a few up. He'd grabbed a couple with the birth in mind, so the fluids wouldn't soak into the mattress if Lance wanted to birth the pups in their room or the nursery, but then Lance had mentioned how slick he was, so it had seemed a good idea the last time he made the bed. Remaking the bed, he grabbed out new sheets. All of their sheets were messed up in some way, and he didn't want Lance having to sleep in his own mess. It wasn't fair that he had to experience what seemed to be a heat while pregnant, but thinking about it, Lance had had similar experiences way back in his first trimester, like little mini day heats  
"Keith!"  
"Coming!"

Returning to the bathroom, Lance looked miserable his eyes full of tears as he sniffled  
"Baby, what's wrong?"  
"I can't cum... it hurts"  
"Probably because we didn't exactly hold back. What do you want, my mouth, fingers or sex?"  
"I don't know... just make it stop. I'm so tired"  
"I know baby"  
Kneeling down in front of Lance, he took his mates erection in his mouth as he spread Lance's legs wide and slipped his fingers inside his mate. Still full of cum and slick, it all but ran down his hand as he gently rubbed at Lance's sweet spot, essentially milking Lance's orgasm. When his omega finally came, only the smallest dribble of cum landed on his tongue and Lance let out a huge sob. Pulling back, he rinsed his hands under the running water before taking Lance's face in them  
"Baby?"  
"I want to sleep"  
"I know. I made up the bed all nice"  
"Keith... can you make sure no one comes near our room today? Even mum and Allura... I'm scared"  
"Baby, you have nothing to be scared over"  
"I'm scared I'm going to do something stupid because when it hits, I can't even think... I'm so tired..."  
"I know baby, don't worry. I'll dry you down, and then you can rest. I'll make sure no one comes anywhere near here"  
"Thank you"  
Reaching out, Keith lifted Lance into his hold. Despite being exhausted, Lance was still pumping out the same sweet scent like his body was in over drive. He really should get him something to eat, but he doubted Lance would even try to eat unless he force fed him.

Drying his mate, he placed his pillow in Lance's arms. It was too late to try and get some more sleep, and he had to leave him no matter how much he wanted to stay. Tucking him in, he placed a kiss on Lance's forehead  
"You get some rest baby. I'll be back as soon as I can"  
"Keith... I love you"  
"I love you too"

*  
Having showered and scrubbed himself red, Keith dressed and headed up to the dining room. Walking into the room, both Pidge and Hunk covered their faces  
"Keith! Haven't you heard of showering"  
"Get out! You stink!"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
He was clean... his hair was still wet...  
"You smell like Lance!"  
"You're stinking this whole place out!"  
"I can't help it! I've showered!"  
"Yeah, showered in Lance's scent! Hunk, go take to the medical bay. There should be something there you can use to cover that smell"  
His alpha didn't like the idea of losing his mates scent, but for Pidge and Hunk to react the way they had, Lance's scent must have been even more potent than he'd thought. Trailing after Hunk, he found himself growing more and more on edge. Hunk was an alpha... Lance was a vulnerable omega and his mind was making leaps on its own. His scent had clearly affected both Hunk and Pidge, and with Shiro coming... Letting out a snarl, Hunk stopped in his tracks  
"Keith, you ok?"  
"No. Yes. Let's just get this done with. I don't want Shiro smelling Lance"  
"Yeah... that's probably a smart idea. He smells like he's in heat..."  
"Well he had similar experiences in his first trimester... but right now, he can't even control himself even after being knotted. He doesn't want anyone going near our room until it passes"  
"I can see why. Maybe we can find something to help with his scent too. Pidge's mum gave us a huge box of medical supplies, she has some friend that was a doctor and when Pidge explained we have Lance and he's pregnant, she started piling all sorts of things in"  
"I suppose that's something..."

Rummaging through the draws, it was Hunk who found the scent cancelling sprays. Though designed for alphas, he covered himself from head to toe in it  
"Better?"  
"I can still smell him, but it's a little better"  
"It's going to have to do, I've nearly emptied the whole can. Here..."  
Spraying Hunk down, the alpha sighed at him  
"I wasn't the problem"  
"You were setting my alpha on edge, and I don't want to wind up losing it and hurting you when you've done nothing"  
"Then we should spray Pidge down too.  
"And Shiro, but I don't know how we'd go about doing that without tipping him off that it's because of Lance"  
"We'll just keep him away from there, it's not like he has any reason to go anywhere near your quarters"  
"I wish I could send mum down to be with him, but he doesn't even want that"  
"Maybe she can stay in the hall? She won't be with him, but he won't be alone either"  
"I'll ask her. Has she been up yet?"  
"Not yet. She'll probably be there when we get back"  
"I hope so. I didn't even walk her back to Lance's old room"  
"That's because Lance was asleep. I think you're forgiven"  
"By him or Krolia?"  
"Both, either?"

As Hunk predicated, Krolia was waiting for them when they arrived back. His mother wrinkling her nose as he walked in  
"It can't still be that bad?"  
"I can still smell him, but not quite as bad as before"  
"You're lucky. Keith, did you even shower this morning?"  
"Yes! Twice. And I'm covered in scent canceller spray stuff"  
"I can't imagine how bad it must be in your room, or how Lance is... he smells like he's in heat"  
"He kind of is. Back before I knew he was pregnant it happened a couple of times, but today was especially bad. He can't even think, and he's so exhausted. And before anyone asks, he doesn't want anyone going near our room at all"  
"Like we're going to be that stupid"  
"That includes Shiro. Also, I need you all to spray yourselves down. The last thing we need is Shiro smelling Lance and starting something"  
Reaching out, Pidge took a can of spray from him  
"Do Allura and Krolia need to spray themselves too?"  
"It's probably best. I've already snarled at Hunk"  
"And he was growling on the walk to the medical bay"  
"I was? I thought I managed to keep them down"  
"Nope. Let's just finish breakfast, before Shiro get here"  
"But he's not really Shiro..."  
"He thought he was, and it's too hard to say, not-Shiro Shiro"  
"That's true. Maybe we should just call him something else"  
"Guys, can we just eat? I don't need to be even more on edge"  
He was tired of thinking about Shiro, he was just plain tired and wanted to go back to Lance  
"How are we even supposed to act? He's not our friend"  
"For a short time he was, and he didn't know any differently as he has Shiro's memories. All we can do is try our best, no ones expecting him to suddenly remember anything, but Ryner is concerned his mental state might not be improving as he has no support..."  
"Just keep him away from Lance. He's probably like this because of how stressed he is"  
"We get it. Lance is a no go. We won't even mention him and Shiro asks, we'll just say he's off-world or something. Now stop thinking and start eating"

*  
Standing behind the others, Keith looked Shiro up and down. He really did look their friend, even his smile was the same  
"Hey, guys..."  
"Hello Shiro... um, is Shiro ok?"  
"If you don't mind. I still don't know who I am, and all I have are his memories... right now, I feel like running up and hugging all of you, and asking a hundred questions about what you've been up to"  
"Well we have all day, we can take things as they come"  
This was awkward as hell, and Shiro was dripping alpha pheromones. He already wanted to punch him in the face, even if he only had an arm and a half  
"Thanks for having me. Is Lance not here?"  
"No, he's off-world right now"  
"Oh... I was hoping to apologise for the other day. I accidentally upset him, and I've been thinking about it pretty much nonstop since"  
"He's fine. You don't need to be thinking about him"  
Elbowing him, Pidge shook her head  
"I would still like to apologise to him..."  
"Never mind that for now, shall we head inside"

Keith tried to keep his temper and his tongue. But it was hard. Laughing and joking with the others, they all really seemed to have missed him, despite what he'd done to Lance. His alpha wanted nothing more than to call Shiro out on all he'd done to Lance, and get to the bottom of just how many times Shiro had attacked Lance, and how many times he'd told his mate it was just a dream. He could never forgive himself for not listening, for just dismissing it as Lance being mentally ill... but at the same time, he found he really missed Shiro. The real Shiro. The Shiro he'd train with, and the Shiro Lance had trusted. They'd used to be so close, and though he was closer to the rest of the team, he didn't feel like he had the same kind of friendship with them. It almost felt like they were Lance's friends, and his through that. He didn't like this at all. He'd half forgotten the real Shiro was out there somewhere. Yes the real Shiro had hurt Lance, but he didn't doubt for a moment he'd be out there searching for him if their roles had been reversed. Once they got through all this mess with Lotor, he'd resume his search for Shiro. It fell on his shoulders as the leader of Voltron. 

Starting with the bridge, they made their way down. Stopping off at both Pidge's and Hunk's quarters, where Muffin joined them... for all of 30ticks. She hissed as Shiro the moment he went to pat her, before swiping at his hand. Her tiny razor claws drawing blood from the alpha. There was something dark that flashed over Shiro's features, causing the hairs on the back of Keith's neck to stand on end, but in the next moment, it was gone. There was something so familiar in that expression, and he realised it reminded him of Lotor, he wanted to kick Shiro off the ship. It wasn't until they bumped into Krolia that he realised Shiro had guided them all down to his quarters. Lance's smell had filled the whole hallway, and while Pidge and Hunk shifted uncomfortably as they pinched their noses, the effect on Shiro was clear. His pheromones flared and the alpha let out a low growl as his hand moved to rearrange himself  
"Hello, Shiro. It's nice to see you up and moving"  
"Thank you... how are you finding living in the castle?"  
"It's alright. I've got both my sons and grandpups on the way, plus everyone here is so nice"  
"You must be stoked over the pups"  
"I am. My son bonded with such an amazing omega. He's very lucky to have Lance and Lance loves him so much. It's what every mother wants for their children. A loving alpha, and for them to find a place where they belong"  
Yes! Go, mum! Unlike him, she didn't have to hold back, and her passive-aggressive words were like a slap in the face to Shiro. Blinking a couple of times, he finally nodded  
"Yes, I suppose so. It must be getting late, so I should probably head back..."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah. I'd... I'd really like to see you all again if you don't mind"  
"I'm sure we can come to some kind of arrangement. Hunk's been trying all sorts of lovely new recipes, perhaps we could have dinner, tonight even if that suits you"  
"That would be nice"  
"We'll walk you out"  
Why was Allura inviting him back? Watching the group move away from his room, he didn't bother following. He didn't need to be there... they probably wouldn't even notice he wasn't. Taking the few steps to close the gap, he wrapped his arms around his mother  
"Thanks for that. I was about ready to hit him"  
"I noticed. Before you ask, I haven't checked on Lance. With his smell this thick, I didn't dare open the door"  
"It's probably best you didn't. He'd be so embarrassed if you caught him in the middle of something"  
"He really is such a sweet kid. You go check on him, and I'll see about organising something for you both to eat... before you growl, I won't come in, I'll knock and leave it just outside the door"  
"Are you sure? We haven't spent much time together since you woke and I feel like I should be the one looking after you"  
"I'm fine"  
"We thought Pidge was fine, but she was filled with shrapnel. Shiro's coming to dinner tonight, so after dinner can we take you to be scanned? Lance will probably want to stay in our room, and I don't want to mention it in front of him"  
"If it'll make you feel better, then I can't say no"  
"Thanks, mum. I'll see you tonight"  
"Don't forget to shower before you come up"  
"I won't"

*  
Lance was wriggling in his "sleep" when he walked into their room. The omega's scent really was extreme, like the sex they'd had that morning hadn't helped his mate at all. Stripping down, he poured Lance a glass of water before sitting on the edge of their bed. His mate was probably severely dehydrated by now  
"Baby, can you wake up for me now?"  
"Keith, it's hot"  
"I know baby, but I'm back now. I need you to drink this for me"  
Groaning as he opened his eyes, Lance covered them with one hand as Keith helped him up to sit  
"Baby?"  
"My head hurts"  
"Yeah, you're probably dehydrated. I want you to drink all of this"  
"I don't know if I can. I feel so gross"  
"This will help. Do you feel like you're still in heat?"  
"Kind of. My whole body won't calm down, and I'm just so exhausted. I don't even know if I'm making sense"  
"I can understand you just fine. If you finish this, I'll take care of you"  
"Mmm, thanks. Can you hold the glass, my laps already soaked and I don't need it wetter"  
At least Lance was attempting humour. Doing as requested, he held the glass so Lance could drain it. His mate flopping back with a groan once he was done. Placing the glass on the floor, Keith then climbed up to spoon into Lance's side  
"I thought you were taking care of me"  
"I am, but I really want to cuddle you too"  
"I'm literally gushing slick and tasting my own scent... and you want to cuddle"  
"I'm well aware of how needy this perfect body of yours is, and we have a few vargas, so I don't want to rush it"  
"Vargas?"  
"Mmmm, Allura invited Shiro for dinner"  
"It's a good thing I'm not going... but I want to be selfish and ask you not to either"  
Coaxing Lance onto his side, he placed his hand on Lance's swell as he nuzzled his mate's neck  
"I'm sorry baby"  
"Then show me"

Taking it slowly, and thoroughly angering his alpha in the process, he alternated between thrusting into to Lance and just holding him. Even when Lance started letting out frustrated groans, he still peppered kisses to his mates back and shoulders. He was the only one who got to have Lance like this, and he'd been so stupid for being jealous over Lance and Shiro. His mate loved him. Wanted him. Not Shiro. Finally knotting Lance, his mate shuddered as he whimpered, having cum for the umpteenth time that day. His mate was probably exceptionally tender down there, his orgasm would have hurt. Feeling around for a blanket, he caught the edges and pulled it over him  
"Just rest baby. I've got you"  
"Will you hold my hand? I'm scared"  
"Why are you, scared baby?"  
"Because I can smell traces of Shiro's scent... it's stupid, but... I can"  
"Here, give me your hand. I'm not letting it go"  
"You'll have to eventually"  
"Nope. I'll glue them together"  
"But how will I fly Red?"  
Snorting, he pressed a kiss just behind Lance's ear, as their hands came to rest against Lance's stomach  
"I love you baby"  
"I love you too"

As promised his mother dropped their food off with a soft knock, which he snarled at despite himself. When Lance had woken up, he'd clawed at his arms and tried to force his knot out, thinking he was Shiro. It'd taken him nearly half a varga to calm Lance, and get him into the bathroom so he could clean up Lance's blood from tearing himself on his knot. After that, they'd both showered and Keith had just settled Lance in his lap when his mother had knocked. Laying quietly in his arms, his mate kept his face hidden against Keith's neck and cheek, crying softly as he did. The food his mother had brought down now sat abandoned where Lance's pillow usually sat. Even if the Omega couldn't eat right now, at least he wouldn't have to go far when he finally did. Rubbing his mate's stomach, he was limp against him. Lance was so tired, and though he wanted to be mounted again, Keith didn't want to risk hurting his love further. So they stayed like that until Allura called on his communicator to let them know it was dinner time. Helping Lance to reposition himself, his mate kept his towel between his legs, though it probably wouldn't long before it was soaked with slick. He had no idea what he was going to do if this mini-heat didn't break by tomorrow. Lance' body just couldn't keep up with it, and he'd definitely have to remember to bring down a saline bag to help with Lance's dehydration.

Heading up to the dining room, he found Shiro hadn't arrived. Pidge and Hunk both rolled their eyes when he sat  
"Did you shower?"  
"Yeah. He's still in heat or whatever this is"  
"How's he holding up?"  
"He's not. He panicked over Shiro's smell and being so pregnant his body can't handle the stress. I'm going to run an IV line when I get back down there. Where's Shiro?"  
"He's running slightly late. Ryner called me to let me know"  
"What do we all think? We were talking about Honerva's powers yesterday, is it possible that he was never anyone else?"  
"How would she have gotten her hands on him?"  
"Maybe when he was captured before?"  
"If she had him that long, why did she wait to let him loose?"  
"He disappeared from Black... do you think it has something to do with his fight with Zarkon?"  
"There was that time we were all in that mental Voltron mind space. Lance did say something about Shiro trying to talk to him"  
"You know what would really quiznak it all up, if Shiro was really Shiro. If Haggar made him believe he wasn't, and then he was. Quintessence can have a number of effects on the body"  
"Mum, that's not even funny"  
"I'm not being funny. I was just thinking out loud. What if Shiro can't remember being someone else, because he never was. If he was battling with Zarkon, and his physical body disappeared, maybe it was pulled back into Zarkon, or with Zarkon..."  
"That's not how Voltron works"  
"We don't know how Voltron really works. It's not even from this reality"  
Keith took a sip from his glass of juice, none of them had been served alcohol, which was probably due to Lance's state  
"I was thinking that once we've opened this rift and brought peace, we should track down Shiro. The original Shiro, or try harder to find out just what happened to him. What do you guys think?"  
"Talking with not-Shiro, I kind of miss him. Our Shiro. He was like a big brother to all of us and I know all that stuff went down with Lance, but before that he was our friend. And he was a hero in our household. I grew up hearing all about him... Matt misses him too"  
"Matt's your brother, right Pidge?"  
"Yep! My big brother, I haven't even been able to see him since we got back. He's been so busy with the rebels"  
"I'm sure he misses you too. Now, I've heard all about what happened with Lance and Keith on Earth, but I'd love to hear more about what else happened"

After excitedly filling his mother in on her and Hunk's adventures and the adoption of Mu-Six, Shiro still hadn't arrived. It left him thoroughly annoyed. He could have been down with Lance still. Scowling at the food in front of him, he didn't tell hungry in the slightest. He wanted to get back to Lance and he wanted his mother scanned to make sure nothing was wrong with her.

"Sorry I'm late"  
Walking into the dining room, Shiro flashed a smile as he took his seat. The alphas almost casual and laid back attitude served to grate on Keith's nerves further  
"Is Ryner not with you?"  
"She didn't want to intrude"  
That meant Shiro had been unsupervised... his alpha didn't like that one bit  
"Nonsense, the more the merrier"  
"I'll let her know when I get back. This all looks amazing. Hunk, you've done an amazing job, like usual"  
"It was nothing"  
"If I didn't know better, I'd think we were back on Earth and not on Olkarion"  
"Now Shiro's here, we can eat right?"  
"Yep! Dig in, I made plenty and there's extra in the kitchen"  
Passing the various bowls and plates around the table, his mother frowned as she took the plate of potatoes from Shiro  
"Is something the matter?"  
"No, I was just thinking you smell like Lance"  
Shiro coughed as if choking on his own saliva  
"I don't see how I could. You said he was off-world, and I went straight from Ryner's custody to the castle"  
"Krolia, I'm sure it's just trace residue. There's Lance's smell all over the place, and Keith's clothes are full of it given they are living together"  
"Perhaps. It is rather hard to smell anything but him. I hope he's alright"  
"I'm sure he's fine. If the smells still bothering you tomorrow, I'll just wash everything"  
"You might just have to wash everything anyway"  
"Is he really alright? He is very pregnant"  
"He's fine. There's no way Keith would let him out of his sight if he wasn't"  
"That's very true. It's hard for me to understand, but Shiro was very much in love with him. He was jealous that Lance wanted Keith and not him"  
Placing his knife and fork down, Keith glared at Shiro  
"That's enough. Shiro isn't here to defend himself or explain himself, so you have no right bringing up his feelings for my mate. Lance said when he went off suppressants it only took one look to know I was destined to be his alpha and I feel the same. He's my omega. My mate and he's having my pups"  
"Keith, I didn't mean..."  
"I don't care what you meant. Thanks to you he..."  
"Thanks to me, he what?"  
"It doesn't matter now. I just don't want to hear about Shiro's feelings, thoughts or memories when he's not here"  
Letting out a sigh, Shiro reached for his drink  
"I'm sorry. I didn't think. Shiro is all I know how to be. I know it must make all of you uncomfortable, but I hope one day we can be friends..."  
Smiling Allura nodded, trying to defuse the situation  
"Of course, and we'll support you the best we can. It can't be easy, both dealing with those memories and your memories of Haggar"  
Or not. Go Allura. They'd all wanted to ask, but she'd done so so casually  
"Haggar. I remember waking up strapped to a table, and they kept pumping quintessence into me. I guess that's how she kept tabs on what we were doing, some kind of link with my bionic arm"  
"I wish I could have studied it..."  
"Pidge!"  
"Well, I do. That thing was amazing. I wish I'd seen how they connected it"  
"I think it was with quintessence. I'm pretty sure they used to it accelerate healing around the wound site"  
"Accelerated healing. I'd thought of that, but shouldn't there have been more physical side effects? You seem pretty normal, or Shiro did..."  
"Shiro didn't have white in his hair when he went into space, nor the scar across his nose"  
"So the white hair is from accelerated cell growth and again. What if that's what Haggar did? What if she taps into life essence and causes rapid ageing. We all felt something draining out of ourselves... what if we're all now older than we think we are"  
"Pidge, you've been watching too many movies again. Now pass me the corn please"  
"I was just thinking out loud. They'd been doing experiments on using DNA for data storage before we left. Maybe she's developed some kind of genetic memory? What if she took a tiny bit of Shiro's DNA..."  
"Pidge. I'm hungry, I just want to eat and not think until I have"  
Passing Hunk the corn, Pidge mumbled to herself under her breath. Whatever it was, it was too quiet for him to hear but he was sure she'd be sulking about being told she letting her imagination get the better of her  
"I can't really say for sure, but quintessence is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and I would strongly suggest you should try and get your hands on some. If you can unlock the secrets, then maybe you can find a way to get your friend back and put me back to how I used to be"  
"I'll keep that in mind"  
So Shiro wanted to go back to whoever he was before... that was something. Something finally going right, they just needed to find out how to make it happen, and preferably sooner rather than later.

When dinner finished Shiro asked him to walk him out. Out of everyone, he'd been the only one asked and he had a fair idea why before the alpha even opened his mouth. Lance. That's all it could be. Shiro waited until they were a fair distance from the dining room before finally stopping to look down on him  
"Keith, about Lance... he's not off world. So why did you lie?"  
"What's to say I'm lying?"  
"You smell strongly of him"  
"So what if I do. He's my omega"  
"Do you love him?"  
What kind of question was that?  
"Of course I love him"  
"Shiro loved him too. That's why he went after him... even if I have Shiro's memories, I know I'm not him, but I still have all these feelings for Lance"  
Must. Not. Punch. Shiro.  
"They haven't changed since I was taken off the ship if anything they've only grown stronger. I love him. I'm in love with him, and I think maybe he loves me too"  
"You're delusional. He's scared of you. He has nightmares and panic attacks and episodes because of what you did to him. How many times did you rape him?"  
"5 or 6... but... that was the other me. I love him, I love him and I want him to be happy"  
5 or 6?! Twice was bad enough. Snarling, Keith bared his teeth  
"Stay the fuck away from Lance. You have no right to love him, and he doesn't need your twisted love. He's my mate, pregnant with my pups, and he's the centre of my world. He gets more than enough love from me and the team, hell, pretty much everyone loves him. He doesn't need your twisted form of love"  
"Then why did he let me between his legs? Why did he moan sweetly for me, even though he's bonded with you?"  
Keith finally snapped. Letting out a roar, he smashed Shiro's face with a left hook. How dare he! He didn't care that Shiro only had one arm. In fact, that made it easier when it came to disposing of the pieces. He wanted him dead  
"Keith!"  
Driving his knee into Shiro's crotch, he tried to bite Shiro's neck as he hunched down. Missing his mark his teeth sank into the alpha's shoulder, tearing skin and flesh as he was hauled backwards  
"Keith!"  
"I'm going to fucking kill him!"  
With both Hunk and Allura struggling to hold him back, he was forced to watch as Shiro pulled himself up to his full height  
"I love Lance. Even pregnant with your pups, I still love him. I don't know much about who I am, but I love him so much I feel like I would do anything to make him happy"  
"Shiro, it's best you leave now"  
Taking his "love", Shiro turned, leaving a stream of angry and upset pheromones in his wake. As a third set of arms came out of nowhere and looped around his waist, he knew instantly that it was his mum  
"I've got him. You two can let go"  
Not completely sure, both Hunk and Allura hovered way too close as he turned in his mother's hold, shakily wrapping his arms around her as he did. It was then he saw Pidge standing down there hall... so they'd all followed, well, except for Coran  
"Mum"  
"I know. I heard. Shiro will not be setting foot in this castle again, or I will slaughter him"  
"Krolia..."  
"No. Both my sons are deeply distressed. He may be your friend, but visit him off the castle and away from them. Keith's scent screams bloodlust. He was prepared to kill Shiro. At least for the remainder of Lance's pregnancy, keep him away. Alphas are very possessive of their mates and pups, triply so when their mate is pregnant with pups. It's amazing he still allows all of you so close to Lance and shows how much his alpha must trust you to do so"  
"Mum, that's enough. Can we please go do your scan now? Coran will scan you while I clean up"  
"Krolia needs a scan?"  
"After what happened with Pidge, I'm making it mandatory that after explosions or stabbings, we be scanned to make sure there are no bits of debris or anything left inside"  
"That's probably for the best. Krolia, you're ok with this, right?"  
"If it helps reassure Keith that I'm alright, then that's all there is"  
"It doesn't hurt, it just makes whatever area being scanned feel warm"  
"I told her I'd show her the last scan of the pups too"  
"If Lance wasn't in his not-heat heat, we could have called him up"  
"No. Lance isn't to know about this. He's so happy mums back, and I don't want to give him something else to be depressed over if something's wrong"  
"Keith, I'm fine. We should get you cleaned up though. You really have to stop going for the neck"  
"Where am I supposed to go for? His ankles?"  
Groaning, his mother changed her hold on him, slinging her arm over his shoulder  
"Yes. Like a little yapping dog"  
"Can you imagine Keith as a dog..."  
"No. We are not having this conversation again"  
"It was about Lance last time"  
"I don't care. We don't even have a dog. We have a cat, a cow and chickens, all of which start with a "c" there are no dogs"  
It was then that Allura made thing worse  
"Wouldn't he want the "d" then? "D" for dog?"  
Pidge erupted into giggles, while Hunk turned bright red, leaving him to explain it  
"Allura, that means something completely different on Earth. There it's "D" for dick"  
Allura's blush was just as impressive as Hunk's. clearly flustered and with no idea what to say, she shook her head  
"I... I... I didn't know"  
"Now you do"


	57. Chapter 57

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to leave this chapter short as its so fluffy. I love Klangst, but I love cuddly Keith too...
> 
> Thoughts?

Lance's mini-heat lasted for just the day, but thoroughly exhausted, he woke the following morning with no want to move. Keith had come back from dinner upset, and the best way to soothe his mate had been crawling into his lap and riding him the best his body allowed. After that, Keith had insisted on showering, his alpha massaging his aching body until he was a drooling purring mess. Returning to bed, Keith had placed an IV line his left arm, while curling up into his right side and burying his face against Lance's neck. Something was definitely up with his mate, but he was too tired to ask. Now he was comfortably spooned into Keith, trying to ignore that he needed to pee. Quiznak. Nope. He had to get up.

Rushing to finish up in the bathroom, he came back to find Keith awake, his mate looking thoroughly miserable. Reaching out for him, Keith wrapped his arms around him the moment he climbed back into their warm bed  
"What's wrong?"  
"Nothing... I just want to hold you"  
"Keith, I can tell something's wrong"  
"I just want to hold you"  
Nuzzling the back of his neck, Keith let out a sigh   
"I love you so much, you and the pups"  
Lance's heart skipped a beat, there was something Keith wasn't telling him. Rolling himself over the best he could, he had to settle for laying on his back as the tried to reach for Keith's face  
"Keith, what's wrong?"  
"Nothing... I just really love you"  
"Alpha, you're terrible at lying. You were upset last night, but I was too out of it to ask why now you look like you're about to cry and I can't stand you being so sad. Talk to me?"  
Repositioning then so Keith was now laying on his arm with his head on Lance's shoulder, his alpha let out another sigh   
"I didn't want to make you worry"  
"Well, I am. I know I make you worry and stress, but we're mates and I want to be there for you like you are for me and our pups"  
Keith nodded, closing his eyes as if resigning himself   
"You know how Pidge was healed, but still had shrapnel inside of her?"  
No...  
"Mums the same. I asked to get scanned, because I didn't want her heading back into battle and getting hurt because we didn't do a good enough job. When Lotor stabbed her, his blade chipped or something else happened and some how some metal has ended up near her heart. We haven't talked to Ryner, but I don't know if we can risk having it taken out... if her heart stops, it might not start again"  
Silent tears ran down Keith's face as Lance pulled him as close as he could  
"Mums strong. She wouldn't let something like this get the best of her"  
"I know... I just can't lose her"  
"We won't lose her. There's probably no place better in the universe for her to be. And Ryner's surgeons helped Pidge with no problems at all"  
Trying to keep his own tears back, he wanted Krolia there with them. Now she was in their lives, he couldn't imagine not having her around. Trying to nuzzle Keith's forehead, he kissed it gently, wishing he could pull Keith up so he was laying along his chest, like his mate did for him, despite how much he must weigh   
"I love you, and I love Krolia. She's going to be ok"  
"Thanks baby... I'm sorry for making you worry"  
"I wouldn't have forgiven you if you hadn't told me about that"  
"I wasn't going to, but after seeing Shiro yesterday and listening to how much he loved you, and then mum... and you being out of it, it was just a bit much"  
"Ugh. Was Shiro at it again? Is that why you came back after you left last night?"  
"I didn't come back"  
"Oh... I thought you did... it smelt like Shiro for a moment, but my head's so messed up that I don't know. Do you want to get up and see mum? Or do you want to stay in bed, having cuddles... the pups are moving right now"  
"Can I cuddle your stomach?"  
Keith was being so completely adorable, his omega wanted to scream at his mate's cuteness   
"Go for it. The pups will probably love knowing their daddy is right there"  
Shimmying down his side, Keith nuzzled his stomach   
"You're so amazing. Our pups are growing inside of you"  
"Yes, because being fat and tired and peeing outrageous amounts make me amazing!"  
"I hate it when you talk like that. I think you're beautiful"  
"I know. I'm just impatient. I want to meet them already, but the longer they stay in there, the better it is for them"  
"Mmmm. Do you think they can hear us?"  
"I think so"  
"Hey, babies. I'm your daddy and I feel like an idiot talking to your mum's stomach like this, but I want to tell I can't wait to meet you"  
Looking up at him Keith huffed  
"I feel stupid"  
"I think it's sweet. I hope they look like you"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Two little mini-Keith's with mini-mullets"  
"Leave the mullet alone"  
"It's grown out, so I suppose it's not really a mullet anymore"  
"I need to get it cut. It got cut when I was rescuing mum, so it's all uneven now"  
"Oooh, can I cut it?"  
"Is it safe to let you cut it?"  
"I've never cut hair before, but it should be easy if all I'm doing is like trimming it"  
"You didn't let me cut your hair. You went and got it done at the space mall"  
Lance rolled his eyes  
"You're still mad about that?"  
"Not really. I was disappointed at the time"  
"I'm sorry. It'll need trimming again soon..."  
"I'll do yours and you can do mine"  
"Deal... Keith, would you be disappointed if the pups came out looking more Galra than human?"  
"How could I be disappointed? We made them, they're me and you. No matter what they look like, I'm going to love them"  
"And they're going to love their daddy"  
"I hope so. I'm still not sure how good of a dad I'm going to be"  
"You'll probably be a better dad than I am a mum. Like I'll be the one saying no, and you'll be the one saying yes to everything they want. You always say yes to me... who would have thought my mate would be this lenient and adorable"  
"I'm not adorable. Alphas aren't adorable"  
"You are, and you're sexy, and gorgeous, and funny, and you take such good care of me. I love you so much"  
"I'm not that good of a mate"  
"Yes you are. You're everything I could ever want"  
Tearing up, Lance wished he wasn't so big. He wanted kisses from his mate. Letting out a soft whine, he placed his hand on Keith's head  
"What is it?"  
"I want to kiss you, but my stomach's in the way"  
"Mmmm, I think that can be arranged"

Naturally kisses weren't enough for the pair, moving between his legs, Keith kisses his inner thighs, as his hands roamed over his swell, slowly sliding his way up, Keith moved to massage his breast. Moaning, Lance was at his mates mercy as Keith showered him with kisses and little nips, before finally taking him into his mouth. Threading his fingers into Lance's hair, he rocked into his mate's mouth. Letting the waves of pleasure fill him. It always felt so amazingly intimate when Keith blew him, even more so than sex. Drinking him dry, Keith pulled back with a wet pop   
"How was that?"  
"Amazing. Now how about I make you feel good too?"  
"Oh, I'm enjoying myself plenty as it is"  
Ducking his head back between his legs, Keith ran his tongue down Lance's inner thigh before starting to lap at his slick opening. Letting Keith do as he pleased, his mate finally pulled back with a grin, Lance's slick dribbled down his chin as he licked his lips  
"I want you"  
"It took you long enough"  
"Shut up. There was no need to waste the meal in front me"  
"Oh, I'm a meal now?"  
"I could eat you all day"  
Lance moaned at his mate's words, even if he'd just cum, he was already half hard again  
"Let me know if it hurts"  
"I'll be fine, but you might have to help me shower again"  
"I can do that"

 

*  
After showering and dressing, Lance has his arms around Keith as they cuddled on the edge of the bed. They really should leave the room, but Keith was still a little emotional, and Lance loved holding him  
"I have something for you. I picked it up on Earth, but the perfect moment never came up to give it to you"  
"You didn't have to get me anything else"  
"I didn't do it because I had to. I did it because I wanted to. Now close your eyes"  
Sliding from his hold, Lance peaked as Keith crossed to his desk  
"I said "close your eyes""  
"But..."  
"Lance"  
"Fine!"  
Closing his eyes wasn't enough  
"Now cover them"  
"I already can't see as it is"  
"I don't trust you not to peak"  
"Keith..."  
"Lance"  
"Fine! But I feel like an idiot"  
"That's because you are"  
"That's not nice"  
Huffing, he pouted the best he could. There was a slight scrape as Keith opened the desk draw, before footsteps and a kiss was pressed to his lips  
"Keith!"  
"I couldn't help it. You can open your eyes now"  
In Keith's hands was a white bag  
"What is this?"  
"Take it and open it"

Inside the white bag was an array of skin care products, all high quality, as well as three long rectangular jewellery boxes, a small square box and an even smaller square box  
"What's all this?!"  
"I know alphas give gifts when courting and I know we're already bonded, but when I saw them... I just wanted to spoil you"  
"You spoilt me way too much as it was! I don't even know what to open first"  
"Well two of the rectangle boxes are actually for the pups, for when they're older"  
"Ok, let's open them first"  
Taking the first box, he set the bag down next to him. Popping it open, inside was a white gold charm bracelet with the letters "K" and "L" already hanging from it  
"I know you're calling the pups Kelance and Laneith... and you know, Keith and Lance... it's stupid"  
"No. It's beautiful. I almost don't want to wear it because I don't want anything happening to it"  
"It's not stupid?"  
"No. Not at all. I love it. You said the other two were for the pups?"  
"Yeah..."  
Inside the other two boxes were matching gold chains with pendants. One some black gem, and the other red. They were both so perfect   
"I love them. They're perfect"  
He was almost crazily happy. Keith had spent so much on him, more than he deserved, or felt he deserved. Taking the boxes from him, Keith placed them beside him  
"Open the bigger square next"  
"Ok"  
Inside the box was a Christmas bauble. The filigree work spelling out "Pup's first Christmas"  
"This is adorable! We have to celebrate Christmas now!"  
"Maybe not right this minute. It's not December yet"  
"It isn't? Honestly, I don't even know what month it is back on Earth"  
"September I think"  
"Only September. It feels sooo much later than that"  
"That means three more phoebes and we'll be able to hang it on our Christmas tree"  
"The pups will be here by then..."  
"Yeah. We just have to get through the next couple of movements and then we'll be able to relax and wait for the pups to be born"  
"You make it sound like I don't have to push them out"  
"I'll be there with you when you do"  
"You better be. Now what's in the last box"  
"That one's..."  
Hold on. Keith was blushing?! This he had to see. Opening the box, his eyes widened   
"Keith!"  
"You don't need to yell"  
"But... it's... I want to wear it"  
Taking the ring from the box, Lance giggled as his mate slid it onto his ring finger   
"I know we're not married, at least not on Earth, but we're bonded... so I thought maybe... whatever..."  
"I would give you a one for your proposal technique, but if I could marry you right now, I would"  
"I felt like a total quiznak buying it"  
"Why? Were you scared I'd say no?"  
Teasing Keith in a sing-song voice, he lent in to kiss his mate  
"Best alpha ever"  
"You make it so easy to love you... most of the time"  
"If I wasn't pregnant, I'd kick your arse for that"  
"No you wouldn't"  
"Probably not. I still can't you bought me all of this"  
"You're worth every dollar"

Before Lance could come back with another witty reply, there was a light knock on the door  
"Who's that?"  
"No idea"  
"Come in!"  
As the door opened, Krolia was revealed. Smiling she walked in like everything was alright, she had two plates stacked with pancakes in her hold  
"We missed you at breakfast"  
"Is it that late already!?"  
"When you didn't show up, I was worried Lance was still in heat"  
"No, actually, Keith and I just kind of got married"  
"You what?"  
"He's over exaggerating. I didn't get to buy him courting gifts, so I picked a few things up on Earth"  
"A few things? He spoilt me rotten..."  
Holding his hand out, he showed Krolia his new ruby and diamond ring. He didn't care if they were real or not, it was gorgeous, and perfect and... perfect   
"Very nice. It looks great on you"  
"That's enough showing off Lance, thanks for breakfast mum. Come join us"  
"Is it safe?"  
"Mum!"  
Rolling her eyes, she handed the plates over before opting to sit on Lance's other side  
"So what else have you been doing this morning?"  
"Nothing much, just talking and talking to the pups. Um... Keith told me about your scan. I'm really sorry you got hurt mum"  
"It's just a little piece of metal. It'll take more than that to keep me down"  
"I know you probably want to get back to your missions, but you can stay a while longer right? I've missed having you around so much"  
"Yes, I'll be staying for a while. Coran helped me contact Kolivan this morning and he's told me to keep eyes on Lotor for the time being. So I guess you could say my mission is to stay and annoy you two for the foreseeable future"  
"Yes! That's awesome! Today is awesome! Pancakes are awesome!"

 

*  
It was nice to see Lance being so happy. The whole morning had been nice and almost dream like. He'd finally been able to give Lance the courting gifts he'd purchased and his mate was now as "married" to him as they could get, and cuddling against his mate's stomach had felt so nice. He didn't want to leave their room, he didn't want to people, and now his mum was there he didn't see the point in leaving anyway  
"So what's the plan for today?"  
"We don't have any, right Keith?"  
"I was thinking we could just spend the day in here, you're still recovering from yesterday, and I don't want to see anyone else"  
"No offence, but what am I going to do? Watch you two be all loved up?"  
"She's right... oh, we could watch movies. Krolia, did you have a favourite movie when you were on Earth?"  
"Not really... Keith's father tried to show me a couple, but we don't have movies out here"  
"Then you're in for a treat. Keith, do you want to watch movies with me and mum? I'll let you cuddle up to my stomach again"  
"I wish I could have seen that"  
"Keith was so cute, he loves our pups so much"  
"I am here you know"  
"We know, you're still cute"  
"Lance is right. You are rather adorable"  
"Mum!"  
"What? It's true. I gave birth to a beautiful boy, who grew into an incredible man"  
"Yeah... anyway, is that a yes to movies in the games room?"  
"How am I supposed to say no to the two of you?"  
"You're not"

A varga later, the three of them were settled in the games room. Lance had insisted on leaving their communicators in their room, and just having the day to themselves. Laying with his head against Keith's chest and his stomach on his leg, Lance was happily working his way through a large block of chocolate and bag of popcorn, while the three of them watched Jurassic Park, which according to Lance was a classic. Honestly, he wasn't paying much intention, instead all his focus was on Lance and his adorable reactions every time something "scary" happened. He'd gone to bed miserable and angry, even taking it out Lance when they'd had sex, but his mate managed to change all that by just being there, and reassuring him it would all be alright. He even knew not to fawn over his mother, and that it would wound her pride to be treated any differently than normal. Getting hit on the forehead by a piece of popcorn he looked down to see Lance grinning up at him  
"What was that for?"  
"For not paying attention"  
"What am I not paying attention to?"  
"I said I needed to go to the bathroom, but you didn't move... and you have that look on your face like you're thinking too hard"  
"I was just thinking how much I love you"  
"Well, that isn't going to help me get to the bathroom. Krolia, guard my popcorn"  
His mum let out a low laugh   
"I don't know if that's a good idea"  
"Keith, alpha, mate... can you guard my popcorn for me while I'm gone?"  
"Do you really think I stand a chance against mum if she wants some?"  
"No... I suppose not. Just don't eat it all, it's the perfect amount of salty to the chocolate"  
Climbing clumsily off the bed, Lance rubbed his lower back as he disappeared into the bathroom. Waiting for the door to close, his mum then snagged the bag of popcorn   
"This is nice, though I'm not too sure about the choice in movie"  
"Like Lance said "it's a classic""  
"Mhmm. Did you let him choose because you're completely whipped, or because you're sorry about something?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"You didn't want him to worry, but you still told him about my scan results"  
"I was wondering when that was going to come up. I was upset about it all... and what can I say. He's my mate and he adores you"  
Coming back into the games room, Lance yawned as he climbed back onto the bed  
"Oi! Who's been at my popcorn?!"  
"Both of us"  
"Traitor. Krolia make space, I'm using your lap to nap"  
"I thought you wanted to watch this"  
"I did, but now I'm sleepy"  
Laying his head on Krolia leg, Lance let out a small sigh  
"I missed you so much"  
"I missed you too, now get some sleep"  
"Don't eat my popcorn while I'm sleeping"  
"We will"  
"You're so mean"  
"Just a little"  
"Today's been so good. After yesterday, this is exactly what I needed. I love you guys"  
"We love you too"  
It only took doboshes for Lance to fall fast to sleep, leaving them watching the end of the movie... drowned out by Lance's snores.

 

*  
"Guys! Why didn't you invite us?!"  
Hushing Pidge, both he and his mother glared at their friends as they all piled into the games room  
"Oops. Lance is sleeping guys"  
Mumbling from his position on Krolia's lap, Lance yawned out the start of his sentence  
"Lance was sleeping until you woke him up. What are you all doing here?"  
"We tried to call you but we got no reply, so we scanned the castle"  
"We were having a family day, just escaping from the world for a bit"  
"And letting Lance recover from yesterday"  
"At least his smell has"  
"And he doesn't look like he's in heat"  
Whining, Lance pushed himself up to sit, before climbing across the bed  
"Where are you going?"  
"To the bathroom. You guys can stay if you want, but I want to lay in Keith's lap and be next to Krolia. Also, Keith is picking the movie and the popcorns off limits"  
Pidge let out a dramatic sigh as she flopped down on the floor, while Muffin squeakily meowed her protest  
"He's bossy, isn't he?"  
"Yep, but you heard him. Mum, make some space, and we're watching Indiana Jones"  
"Seriously? Those movies are sooooo old"  
"We're watching the Earth classics. So after this is Jaws"  
"It goes from bad to worse"  
"Hey, no one asked you to crash our movie marathon"  
"I'm just saying"  
"Nope. This is Lance's day, so what he says go"  
"How does that work?!"  
"Because I'm tired and I'm pregnant, and I really needed to spend some time with Keith and mum"  
With his mum moving to the right, Keith crawled to sit next to her, before spreading his legs so Lance could climb up   
"Lance! What's that on your hand?"  
Grabbing his mates hands, Pidge's eyes widened to a comical size as she ignored the uncomfortable position Lance was now in   
"It's a ring"  
"It's more than a ring"  
"It was a gift from Keith. We're in space and can't exactly get married properly, so we got married this morning before mum brought us breakfast, now let my hand go because this position is making me need to pee again despite the fact I just went to the toilet"  
Keith was rather impressed Lance managed to get all of that out in one breath. Releasing Lance's hand, the alpha smiled   
"You two are so loved up, but you could have invited us"  
And never live down him getting emotional in front of them. That was a no  
"We just had a really good morning in bed and the time was right"  
"We don't need to know about your sex life, yesterday was bad enough"  
"Pidge, not everything has to do with sex. Just because you love someone and are mated to them, doesn't mean you always want to have sex. Cuddling and kissing feels nice too"  
Kissing Lance's cheek, Keith nodded against him   
"Yeah. But you're so beautiful baby, I can't help but want to touch you all the time"  
"Ew... don't want to think about it"  
"You're the one who brought it up, so you can deal with the consequences"  
Placing his hands over Keith's, Lance let out a low hum. Both pups were squirming and kicking like crazy, making him swell with pride  
"Congratulations Lance and congratulations Keith. You both deserve to be happy"  
"Thanks Allura, you know, you're one of the reasons I'm so happy now. You helped me out so much"  
"I'm not sure that I did much"  
"You really did. You were there when I needed you. It really means a lot"  
Sniffling, Lance tried to hide his face against his cheek  
"Don't I get a thanks? I supply you with the cookie dough"  
"Of course you do. You all do. I'm really happy right now... even with mum being hurt, I'm so happy she's here"  
"It's ok baby, you don't need to cry"  
"I can't help it! I'm even happy that Coran has a ginger moustache. My hormones are a mess, just ignore me and put the movie on"  
Placing Six up on the bed, the tiny kitten determinedly made her way up to Lance's stomach before settling down on it  
"That would be such a cute photo"  
"We don't need a photo, I think she just loves the fact I run even warmer now I'm pregnant. Can we watch the movie now? I don't want to talk about me anymore"  
"Sure, but I'm choosing the next one"  
"Just press play on this one already"  
"I'm getting there. Where's the snacks?"  
"In the corner..."  
"That's too far away..."  
Their family time had been interrupted by their "extended" family, but it was nice. And as the introductionary scenes began to play, Keith had to resist the urge to quote everything line by line. There was something about these movies that always made him feel better... but he'd never admit that out loud.


	58. Chapter 58

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A somewhat small chapter as we'll be entering the rift soon and I want to rewatch the episodes pertaining to the rift before plunging down into there...
> 
> Yes, amazingly enough I like to keep things slightly canon... like all this happens in the background while canon stuffs happening.

With Lotor arriving tomorrow, everyone was working hard on making sure the castle was clean from top to bottom. Everyone except Lance and Krolia. Lance because his back was sore and Krolia because of the piece of metal by her heart. Ryner's surgeons could remove it, but couldn't guarantee nothing would go wrong, or that his mother's heart wouldn't be damaged during the procedure. This resulted in his mother opting to hold off having the surgery until after the pups were born. With the help of yet another Olkarion vine, there was now a seed pod like capsule around the shard of metal, preventing it from cutting into his mother should it move. It was a bandaid solution at best, but she desperately wanted to meet her grandpups, so Keith had supported her decision. Now she and Lance were currently in the training room, while Lance was doing some stretches his baby book had advised in relation to lower back pain. Having started at the bottom of the castle for a change, Pidge and Hunk had taken care of Kaltenecker and the chickens, while the rest of them swept and cleaned the halls. At some point spiders had made their way on board, which lead to too many cobwebs to count. It would be nice if they could like shrink the castle down. They really didn't have a need for so many empty rooms, and it was wasting their limited power supply as it was... or maybe he was just thinking that way because he was completely over cleaning. It didn't even help to distract him from the fact that the man who'd tried to kill both him and his mother was coming tomorrow and they'd both have to hold their tongues... even though his mother wouldn't actually be greeting Lotor with the rest of them. She'd be hiding out in her room until after they arrived Daibazaal airspace. Once they left in their Lions she'd move up to the bridge to begin her support role at Coran's side. If he didn't know any better he'd say that Coran was quite smitten by his mother. The man was always touching and playing with moustache whenever he was near her, and always seemed to have a story to "impress" her with. For Keith, the idea of having Coran for a stepfather was too scary to even joke about. Sure he liked and even admired Coran, and he'd been such an amazing help with Lance, but the man was definitely... kooky. Though by now he really couldn't picture Coran as anything else. His zest for life was annoying, but none of them would change him.

When lunch finally rolled around Keith was filthy from head to toe. His muscles ached and he longed for a hot shower, but his pride as an alpha wouldn't allow him to take a break from cleaning until the others did. He'd much rather be fighting Galra than sweeping, but cleaning had shown him he really needed to double his training efforts. The idea of being a dad had softened him too much. He couldn't just run around tearing the throats out of people who hurt Lance... ignoring the pain in his arms, he resumed sweeping the corridor, telling himself this was training of another kind.

Having grown tired of sweeping the halls, or more to the point his arms felt like they going to fall off, Keith made his way up to the training room. Letting himself in, he snorted at the sight. Lance was sitting on the floor with his knees spread, trying to escape Krolia's hold  
"Keith! Help!"  
"Do I want to know what's going on here?"  
"It started with your mum helping me stretch, but now she's insisting I rest"  
"He smells tired"  
"That's because I am. We were only going to do stretches... but that turned into us using the training simulator... and things went downhill from there"  
"You let him train?"  
"I was just shooting things, now I need to pee and she won't let me up"  
"You didn't say you needed to use the bathroom"  
"That's because you attacked me before I could"  
"Mum, let him up"  
Finally letting Lance go, his omega tried to sit up but got nowhere fast, scowling at him, Lance didn't stop until Keith finally walked over and helped him up  
"I think you like seeing me struggle"  
"Maybe just a little. Do you need help?"  
"I'll be fine"  
Watching his mate waddle off out of sight, Keith then turned his attention to his mother  
"Was he alright?"  
"He was fine. I didn't push him too hard, we just did the first few levels on repeat"  
"And you?"  
"I didn't even break a sweat"  
"You know that isn't what I meant"  
"I know, but I'm fine, and I'm not changing my mind"  
"I wasn't telling you to. I was just worried about both of you"  
"Well, you don't need to be. How was cleaning?"  
"Don't even start. I told myself I wasn't going to stop until the others did, but I have no idea if they're still going or not"  
"So you came up here to clean the training room, such a good son"  
"You could have done it"  
"I wouldn't bother to be honest. It's fine as it is"  
"So do think Lance will be alright for the mission? We'll all be in our Lions, but that doesn't mean it won't be draining"  
"He should be. He was fine during training, but I didn't let him do any physical fighting"  
"I'm sure he loved that"  
"He knows better than to argue with me. I wish I could do more than just watch, I do not trust Lotor"  
"I don't either, I don't even want him in the castle, but we can only wait and see how it plays out"  
His mother frowned as she hummed  
"What?"  
"I wish we could just kill Lotor. It would be so easy"  
"Maybe this trip will? I don't know. Are you done in here?"  
"Planning on using me as your excuse to stop cleaning?"  
"You and Lance"  
"Well, that's alright then, as long as it's not just me."  
Ignoring the dig in her voice, Keith nodded  
"Lance is probably starving by now, let's go hunt him down and then get him fed. After that, I'm taking possibly the longest shower of my life"  
"As long as you get plenty of rest before tomorrow"  
"Yes mum"

*  
So resting went right out the window. Lance was horny and couldn't keep his hands off of him. Both of them were thoroughly sated and thoroughly exhausted by the time it was time to face the day. While Lance didn't have to be there to greet Lotor, his mate insisted on not letting being stuck waiting on his own, so after making sure his mate was showered, dressed and fed, Keith had a firm hold on Lance's hand as Lotor's ship touched down  
"Is it bad I want to shoot him already?"  
"Why do you want to shoot him? I'm the one he nearly killed... I should be the one who wants to shoot him"  
"He nearly made our pup's fatherless, and I nearly lost two of my family members because he's a lying dick"  
Squeezing his hand as he seethed out the words, if Lance was clearly pregnant his mate would have made a very convincing alpha. His hatred just poured off of him so easily  
"Alright guys, don't forget, we don't know if it was him for sure. I managed to cut his arm, but I'm sure the Galra would probably have a way to erase scars. I don't want anyone alone with him if you can help it. Especially you Lance, I'm not saying you can't handle yourself, but you're pregnant and if I had a choice, I wouldn't be letting you participate in this mission"  
Letting his hand go, Lance glared at him  
"I can't believe you!"  
"Lance, maybe Keith's right"  
Shifting his glare to Pidge, the female alpha held her hands up like she was surrendering  
"It's just... you're pregnant after all. Even a small fall could cause complications"  
"You think I don't know that? I'll be in Red. I know how to do my job, so you won't have to worry about me messing up your precious mission just because Keith knocked me up!"  
When Hunk went to place his hand on Lance's shoulder, the omega slapped it away  
"Lotor's coming"

Beaming as he walked across the landing bay, Lotor didn't seemed shocked it surprised by the fact that Keith was perfectly alright. It was like he already knew, or like what had happened back on the snow base hadn't even happened  
"Greetings Lotor, it's been too long"  
"That it has Allura, though the time has finally come for us to make this dream of peace a reality"  
"That is has. Coran is waiting on the bridge for us, shall we all head up?"  
"That sounds wonderful. I would love to hear about the adventures you've had since returning"  
"It's been mostly meetings and preparing for the future. Peace. It seems like a dream"  
"It won't be a dream for that much longer"  
Laughing lightly, Allura nodded  
"Yes. This time tomorrow our preparations will all be complete"  
"And quintessence will be freely available to all"  
With Lotor and Allura leading them through the castle, Keith was torn between staying close to Allura in case Lotor tried something and staying close to Lance in case he needed help. Casting a glance to his mate, he found Lance still looking clearly pissed at him. No. It was probably better to give Lance a little space. If he pushed too hard he ran the risk of his mate losing his cool and exploding. Looking to Hunk, Hunk nodded, slowing his pace casually so he was walking beside Lance.

"Coran. How marvellous to see you again"  
"And you Lotor. How goes the empire?"  
"Tiring honestly. Who knew there would be so many meetings and documents to sight"  
"Ah the perks of being a king... and emperor even"  
"Yes. Sometimes I wish my own staff were as competent as you"  
Lotor was being way too nice, and even Coran looked uncomfortable at his praise  
"Yes. Well. The castle is ready to go whenever everyone else is. We're fully energised and the teladuv has never been cleaner"  
"I personally watched over the installation of our own teladuv over Daibaazal, all that is needed is the final calculations to pinpoint the exact point within the rift we shall be jumping into"  
"Hunk and I have finished those, we just need to substitute in the frequency of the energy waves given off by the rift, but that should only take a few doboshes"  
"Excellent. Shall we proceed then?"  
"Indeed"

With Lance giving everyone the cold shoulder, the journey out to Daibazaal was relatively quiet. Each of them more than likely wondering just what they'd encounter one they entered the rift. Alfor had entered in the past, tricked by Zarkon, and he'd realised the mistake he'd made by doing so... so what's to say they weren't going to make a greater mistake? What if they opened the rift, only to cause one or both realities to blow up, or what if both realities couldn't exist connected and they merged together? What if a new kind of enemy was unleashed into their reality? One that was worse than Zarkon? It might be true Voltron only existed because of this other reality rift, but what if it's powers for good became corrupted? What happened then? There were so many what-ifs but they'd come too far to turn back... not that that thought was comforting.

Coming out of the wormhole, everyone in the room gasped. Surrounding the rift were 3 massive ships, at least a dozen slightly smaller ones and what seemed to be hundreds of sensors. Every aspect of the site was being monitored, and there was more than enough firepower to blow the castle out of the sky  
"Do not worry. They are all loyal to me"  
"It's not that, it's just so impressive"  
With the teladuv floating over Daibazaal, two small ships were on both sides of it, to guide it into its final resting place  
"Pidge, how close do you need to be to complete your calculations?"  
"Here's fine"  
Already pulling up her screens, Pidge would no doubt be accumulating and analysing every spec of data she was receiving  
"I've set it to automatically fill in the variables and run the possible scenarios. We'll have the precise coordinates once it's done"  
"You are very talented"  
"It's nothing"  
Across the room from her, Lance climbed from his seat  
"Lance, is everything alright?"  
Taking a deep breath, it was like he was keeping from snapping at Lotor  
"It's fine. I'm just going to the bathroom"  
"It must be hard to be pregnant and in so much danger. Do you not worry for your children?"  
"Of course I do, but being a Paladin means I need to think about everyone, not just my pups!"  
His mate's sharp tone caused Lotor to narrow his eyes  
"Lance..."  
"It's fine. I might just head down to my room. None of you need me until it's time to move out anyway"  
"Will you be joining us for dinner?"  
"No. I'll eat later. Bye guys"  
This wasn't fair. He wanted to follow his mate and make sure he was alright... and get away from Lotor. The only problem was that Lance had a reason to, while he didn't. If they both left, it would be impolite. Lance could get away with it because he was pregnant. Watching Lotor watch his mate, he didn't like the way Lotor's eyes didn't leave him until the door slid into place. It was like Lance was the sheep and Lotor the wolf. He had his eyes set on the omega and was waiting for the time when he was away from the flock before moving for the kill  
"I did not mean to upset him"  
Placing her hand on Lotor's arm, Allura gave a half smile  
"It's not your fault. Even I find myself upsetting him from to time"  
"I find that hard to believe"  
"It's true. It's his hormones from the pregnancy. Try not to take it personally"  
Adding her opinion, Pidge looked at him. He didn't want to be taking Lotor's side over Lance's, even if he was only playing nice  
"He'll be fine"  
"Perhaps you should go check on him?"  
"No. He's fine. Now, what else do we need to do before opening the rift?"  
"We have scientists on the ground making sure everything remains stable and mining has been suspended"  
"So we're left to wait"  
"For now"  
Great. Just quiznakking great.

*  
The lack of sleep was hitting Lance hard. He didn't regret spending the night with Keith lavishing love on to every inch of his body, especially his baby bump, but quiznak... he could barely keep his eyes open now. Wandering down to Red instead of back to his quarters, he figured it would be less effort for when the time came to head out, and it also meant he could spend a few more doboshes napping. Smiling up at Red, she opened her mouth for him  
"Hey, girl. I need a nap, but I'm happy to see you"  
Struggling up the ramp, Red closed her mouth slowly as he did  
"I don't know if you're trying to help me or I'm just taking too long, but thanks"  
Feeling her warm tendrils probing at his mind, it was almost like she was trying to hug him  
"I love you too... don't forget to wake me up if the others call"  
Despite the fact Red was a precision instrument, he wasn't embarrassed to admit he had fully stocked and loved it. Beside his pilot's chair was a thick blue blanket, and in the cargo hold, there was food, bedding, clothes, a change of uniform, even baby things. He'd definitely been much hornier after his mini heat thing, and his omega was making mental nests out of like everything. Even when Krolia was helping him stretch yesterday, he kept eyeing the training room and wondering where he could set up a nest. Curling up in his chair, he placed his hands on his stomach. Even if being pregnant was harder worker than he'd expected, and despite all his grumbling and ups and downs, he loved feeling the pups... when they weren't bashing him from the inside. He loved knowing they were so close all the time, and that by some miracle he was still pregnant. After tomorrow, he'd be free to hide away with Keith and his stomach until the birth.

*  
Frowning at the lack of Lance on their room, the last thing he wanted to do was go chase down his wayward mate, but with no idea what was going to happen later that day, he wasn't going to risk not spending the last of their time together. Gathering up a few things, he opened up his communicator calling through to Lance. His first call went unanswered, but as he went to try again, his mate called him  
"Keith? Is it time to go?"  
"No, we have a few vargas and I want to spend them with you. Where are you?"  
"'ed..."  
Yawning out what Keith assumed to mean Red, he nodded to himself  
"Ok baby, I'll be there soon. Is there anything you want?"  
"I'm feeling nesty... blankets?"  
"You have blankets there"  
"I want other ones and food"  
He already had food in the bundle he'd made... so blankets  
"Ok baby. I'll be there soon"  
"'ove you"  
"Love you too"

Keith didn't know what blankets Lance wanted, so he grabbed a couple from their room and couple from the nursery, before heading down to Red. With her mouth already down, he smiled to himself, mentally betting that Lance would have already fallen back to sleep. Sure enough, Lance was snoring as he stepped into the cockpit. He really was adorable. Walking past his mate Keith headed into the cargo bay, the alpha quietly pleased with himself as he made up a nest for the two of them. Setting up the food he'd grabbed, he nodded to himself. There were 4 vargas before they'd make their way over to Daibazaal, and even if Lance slept the whole time, there was no one else he'd rather be with right now.

"Baby..."  
Groaning Lance reached out to him without opening his eyes. He was lucky he was an alpha, or he wouldn't trust himself to carry Lance around. Lifting him up against his chest, Lance immediately nuzzled against his chest as his mates left hand grabbed his shirt  
"I've got you"  
"Mmm... drop me and I'll hurt you"  
"I won't drop you"  
"I know"  
Lance's voice was low and sleepy, yet somehow filled with love. Pressing a kiss to his mate's forehead, he carried him through the cargo bay, before awkwardly lowering him down into the nest. Snuggling into the blankets, Lance let out a purr  
"You ok down there?"  
"It's so comfy... come down here?"  
Keith didn't need asking twice. Climbing in next to Lance, his mate immediately moved so his head was on Keith's shoulder and his swollen stomach was partially over Keith's flat one  
"Is it time for the mission?"  
"Not yet baby. I wanted to spend some more time with you before we have to head out"  
"Mmm. I missed you. I'm sorry for snapping before"  
"It's fine. I probably could have been a little gentler about it"  
"You're just worried"  
"Yeah. Lance, can I ask you to do something for me?"  
"It depends on what it is?"  
"If things go wrong... if something happens and we're forced back into our Lions, I want you to make getting out your top priority. Leave helping or rescuing to the others"  
"Keith..."  
"I know what you're going to say, but Lance... having you is the most amazing thing. Having you as my mate and seeing you so pregnant with the pups I put inside you... I couldn't be prouder. You're my world, and I don't want to lose you or our pups. I want to be there to watch them grow and I want to be there when they're born. I want to hold you and wake up with you and grow old with you. So if something happens I need you to get out of there"  
"I can't lose you"  
"And you won't. No matter what happens, I'll find my way back to you. I promise"  
"I don't know if I can... you... you're the best thing that ever happened to me. I've always... I've always felt like I never belonged or I was just in the way... but you still love me. I don't deserve you and I... I don't want to live if you're not here"  
Keith's blood turned cold, he didn't doubt for a second that Lance would do something stupid if he died  
"Baby... you have to live. You have to be a mum to our pups"  
Sliding his hand across Lance's stomach, he felt the pups moving. They had to live and so did Lance  
"I can't do this without you. I can't be a mum without you. You've died. You were nearly killed by Lotor. I can't lose you. Don't make me remember what that felt like"  
"I'm sorry"  
Lance nuzzled into his neck, kissing the spot as he did  
"I'm so tired, but I don't want to sleep"  
"Neither do I, but you need the rest"  
"If you're not sleeping, I'm not either. I don't care what we do, but I don't want to waste our time together"  
"I know we're bonded, but can I mark you again?"  
"I think I'd like that..."  
"You think?"  
"Shocking isn't it?"  
"Just a little"  
Propping himself up, Keith stared down at Lance lovingly, brushing his mates hair back from his face before kissing him softly  
"You really are beautiful"  
"Do you maybe... want to cuddle my stomach?"  
"Just your stomach?"  
"I want our pups to know how much their daddy loves them"  
"Ok baby, let me just reposition myself"

Despite Keith telling to him to sit up, Lance picked at the food he'd brought down, while Keith laid with his on Lance's stomach. Each time he felt one of the pups kicking near his face, he'd press a kiss to his mates stomach. In a few more movements they'd finally be here, after phoebes of worries and anxieties. He was going to miss Lance's pregnant stomach, but he was even more excited over the prospect of meeting their pups. He couldn't help wonder if they'd look like Lance, or more like himself? Maybe even Krolia? How would the birth be for Lance? His mate would probably be so tired, and if the pups came early they'd have to be rushed to the healing pods... maybe even Lance would need to be too? It would hurt. He had no doubt about that, even if omega's were made for birthing and breeding, he still had to push out a baby through a tiny hole. Every time he and Lance has sex, his mate was always warm and tight around him. It was just incredible that a baby would come out of there. Pressing another kiss to Lance's stomach, he closed his eyes and let out a content growl of sorts. He supposed it was the alpha's version of an omega's purr, whatever it was, he was stupidly happy as he let his mind wander to the kind of life they'd have. When they got back to Olkarion, he'd ask Ryner if they could use another house. Lance would no doubt love being able to soak in a bath, and they'd be alone in their own little bubble. Everyone he used to know would think him foolish if they could see how placid he'd become. He didn't care though. He had the most precious and perfect omega in existence.

When Lance finished eating Keith forced himself to sit up  
"Is something wrong?"  
"No. I just want to hold the rest of you"  
"Can you help me get up?"  
"What for?"  
"I kind of have to use the bathroom"  
"I'll carry you"  
"Keith, I just need to use the bathroom"  
"And I don't want you getting hurt or straining your back. We have no idea what we're walking into"  
"Red will protect me. I know she will"  
"I know she will too, but I don't think I'll stop worrying until we've finished our mission and you're safely back in bed with me"  
"I like the sound of that. I... I kind of hoped that once we were done out here, you and I could spend some time alone. While it's just the two of us and we don't have to chase the pups around"  
"I was thinking the same thing. We could get a house on Olkarion again. You could take baths, long baths and we could just be together for a bit"  
Helping Lance to stand, he went to lift Lance, but his mate shook his head  
"Laying down and eating wasn't the greatest plan. I think I just threw up in my mouth"  
"Is there anything I can do?"  
"Nothing seems to help with the heartburn, so no. But it's ok. I know it's all worth it when I feel our pups move"

Departure time came all too soon for the pair. Wanting to spend the last few ticks together, Lance flew Keith around to the Black Lion. He didn't know how it happened, but Lotor would be riding in Blue for the trip into the rift, despite having his own craft made, and he hated the feeling that had settled in the base of his stomach. Something deep inside him was telling him that something was wrong. That they really shouldn't be doing this... but it was way too late to back out now.


	59. Chapter 59

Flying Black down to Daibazaal, Keith could definitely feel how much she missed her old home. It was how he imaged Lance felt about Earth before he'd gotten to go back, but unlike his mate, Black would never get to see Daibazaal teaming with life again. The whole place was a tragic graveyard and a permanent marker of huge mistake  
"Alright, what do we need to do?"  
"Our scientists have cleared the area and our cannons are primed for the moment rift opens"  
"Pidge, do you have the exactly coordinates of the rift"  
"Keith, I've already sent them through to everyone. Didn't you notice?"  
"Sorry. I was with Lance until the very last moment"  
"Don't blame me. I was sleeping until you came"  
"Guys. Ewww"  
"We weren't doing anything like that. Quiznak. We were just cuddling and stuff"  
"You'd all be surprised over how cuddly Keith is"  
"We've seen more than enough"  
Rolling his eyes, Keith wanted to smack Pidge upside the back of the head, but had a better idea   
"Hey Lance?"  
"What?"  
"I love you"  
"I love you too, Keith"  
In the background Pidge was making retching noises  
"Are they always like this?"  
Lotor sounded unamused, which only made Keith feel better  
"Sometimes, though not usually while on a mission"  
"Guys, what do we do now?"  
Keith hadn't even realised they were in place, but they must be if Hunk was asking what came next   
"Allura?"  
"I feel like we should form Voltron. Then we need to use the sword to split the rift. Like our father's did"  
"You feel?"  
"I can't quite explain it, but that's what something inside of me is telling me to do"  
"Then that's what we shall do"  
"Guy's are we sure we're doing the right thing?"  
"Lance it's a little late to back out now"  
"I'm just thinking out loud"  
"Well stop it. Leave the thinking to Allura"  
Huffing to himself, Lance didn't sound happy   
"Leave him alone, he's allowed to be worried. I'm worried too. I guess it's time to form Voltron"

Even with Voltron formed, Keith didn't feel any better about what they were about to do  
"Lance, sword"  
"On it"  
Watching the blue light turn into Voltron's blade, his breath caught. They were really going to do this. Things could go so horribly wrong... and he hadn't even said goodbye to his mum. He was a horrible son...  
"Keith?"  
"Sorry. I was just thinking. On my mark. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1"  
The reverberation was felt by all them, the rift first trying to push them apart, leaving them all screaming with the effort to keep the blade steady, before a new sensation filled them. It was like Voltron was being sucked down into the brilliant yellow light below them, but at the same time, it really didn't want them there  
"Guys! We've got company!"  
"Lotor, get your ships on them. We can't move the sword until the rift's opened further"  
"Ignore them"  
"We can't ignore them!"  
"Lance, keep your head in the game"  
"My head is in the game! But they're coming too fast. We need to pull back!"  
"No! We've come this far, it's just a little further!"  
"Keith!"  
"Lotor's right. We need to open the rift. We need to bring peace to the universe!"  
As the black creatures spewed forth from the rift, they seemed to tear it open as they went, forcing Voltron's blade down and expanding its area of it affect. Bit by bit, the rift finally allowed them access.

 

*  
Since opening the rift, the pain in Lance's stomach had only grown. Something was wrong. He could feel it. It was like his whole body was one huge cramp... and his stomach was the focus of it all. The backlash from driving the sword into the rift had only made things worse, but he didn't dare mention it. Not when one wrong move right now could spell the end of their universe... and not when they couldn't abort the mission  
"How much further?"  
"We need to make it wide enough for Voltron to move inside the rift"  
"Are you sure Allura?"  
"Yes..."  
"Guys not to sound like an alarmist, but that black stuff's coming at us!"  
Looking up from his stomach, the black entity from the rift was swirling all around them. This couldn't be good  
"Put everything you have into opening the rift!"  
Lance already was putting everything he had into this... how was he supposed to give anything more? Slumping forward in his seat, warm wetness began to form across his arse. Crying silent tears, he let out a scream as the black entity encompassed them completely  
"Keith!"  
"I'm on it. We need to pull back"  
"No! The rift comes first!"  
"Lotor..."  
"We need the quintessence! We can not pull back!"  
"How can we fight like this?! We should regroup"  
"Allura, what do you think we should do?"  
"We can't stop. Once we get through the light, our goal will be within reach!"  
Or they could just admit this was a terrible plan and go home... but that wasn't going to happen. With silent tears, he felt incredibly powerless  
"Coran? Coran, can you hear us?"  
"I'm here"  
"Fire at the black stuff around us. Voltron can take it"  
"You want me to fire at you?"  
"At the black around us"  
"What about you?!"  
"We'll be fine. Now do it!"

The castles first strike went straight through the blackness, hitting them and sending the feeling of electricity through all of them  
"Coran, fire again!"  
The feeling of Voltron's sword slicing through rift stalled altogether   
"What's happening?!"  
"It's the black entity! It's surrounded you completely and new Galra ship had just appeared!"  
"This is ridiculous! We can't fight like this! Pull back!"  
"Keith!"  
"No. We can reenter once this is taken care of!"  
"Guys... ge-..."  
Coran's voice was cut off  
"Coran! Coran can you hear us?!"  
"Keith, what's going on?"  
"I can't contact the castle"  
"We need to pull back! We need to check on Coran!"  
"Allura"  
"I won't let anything happen to him!"  
"Coran can hold his own!"  
How could Lotor be so cruel? Coran was family to Allura. Her last true connection to her home and everything she'd lost  
"We can't do anything about this until we get this, whatever this off of us!"

"Enough!"  
Roaring the word, Keith silenced them all  
"We're going to clear this black stuff, and then we'll choose what to do!"  
Pulling the blade up from the rift was next to impossible. The castle strikes had stopped and whatever Lotor's forces had been doing, did absolutely nothing. With his bottom lip trapped between his teeth, it was the only thing keeping him from sobbing in pain. Fighting their way free, they emerged face to face with a Galra ship. Even though it was shooting at the darkness, the shots just went through it. Well that explained why nothing was happening  
"Lotor, tell them to pull back!"  
"No. They will stand their ground and we will open the rift!"  
From where he was, he couldn't see the castle, but he hoped Coran and Krolia were safe. He barely had time to think it before the black entity had formed a solid mass... like some kind of grotesque spider, with a round blob for a face... that was sucking in amazing power from somewhere...  
"Shield!"  
The shield made practically no difference. The blast tore through all of them, sending Voltron flying backwards. Red howled in pain, while trying to figure out what was wrong with him  
"It's getting ready to fire again!"  
"Don't let it! We're going in"  
"More's coming from the rift!"  
"Ignore it!"  
Dodging the yellow energy blast, Voltron flew forward across the broken landscape of Daibazaal, raising its sword high, the dodged yet another blast before slicing down through the middle of the entity  
"No good! We need to do more damage"  
"Again!"  
Like a jousting knight, they flew forward, blocking blows from the blackness until they were close enough to slice through its body. Imploding inwards they finally brought it to a stop  
"Good job guys!"  
"Alright!"  
"We need to deal with the rift! It's still expanding!"  
Trust Pidge to ruin the moment for the others. Without even asking, Keith turned back to the rift, piloting Voltron straight over there. The glow was kind of pretty, even if it was a blur  
"What about Coran!?"  
"Coran knows how to handle himself! We have to believe in him, Allura and we need to handle this!"

Plunging into the rift, the resistance was completely gone as it pulled Voltron down. Passing lower and lower, Lance wondered if it'd even end  
"It's incredible. Just how far did Honerva need to go to extract the quintessence?!"  
"Pidge, what are the readings?"  
"There's some kind of interference... I can't get a reading!"  
"Allura?"  
"Deeper. We must go deeper!"  
"You heard her..."

When the yellow ended, the blue began. Surrounding them like a lightning storm, the immediate feeling was like they didn't belong. Like they were thought of as some enemy  
"Deactivate the sword!"  
"What?"  
"Deactivate it! We cannot proceed while it perceives as a threat!"  
It was too late. The blue around them crackled, forcing them back into their individual Lions, each of spinning off in opposite directions   
"We need to get out of here!"  
"We need to continue!"  
"We can't'!"  
"Lotor, Voltron is ours. We need to reform and we can't do that here!"  
"We need to go deeper!"  
"Guys, we're pulling out!"  
It seemed to Lance the pain was getting worse. He knew this feeling. The pups were coming, even if it was way too soon, and it wouldn't be much longer as the contractions already felt way too close for comfort. Keith's words played over in his head. His mate wanted him to pull back... but what was the point of all of this? He was losing their pups. His own life didn't matter anymore. Pushing Red forward, he headed straight for Hunk, grabbing his Lion by the tail and "throwing" him up towards the yellow glow  
"Lance!"  
"We... need to go!"  
Panting the words, he forced down his groans  
"We must stay!"  
"I'm going after Hunk!"  
Good that left Keith and Allura. He just... he just had to help them... looking around, he found Keith was still falling down through the bright quintessence. He couldn't reach him... but Allura. He could reach Allura. As Pidge shot past him, Lance flew to Blue. Like he'd done with Hunk, he grabbed Blue by the tail and pulled her up  
"Lance! You must stop!"  
"I'm not letting you die here..."  
"Lance. I'm ordering you to stop your efforts"  
"Too bad for you, I don't work for you and you can't pilot Blue"  
"Lance, take her and go!"  
"Keith!"  
"Go! I've lost control of Black, she's listening to me, but we can't move! You can move. You need to go!"  
"Lance I'm ordering you to stop!"  
"Lotor..."  
"I'm ordering you! Why aren't you obeying me!?"  
Dragging Allura up to the light, he released her as she turned towards the way out. It was just him and Keith now. Trying to push Red back down, his Lion wouldn't   
"Come on, move!"  
"Lance... you promised me"  
"I don't care!"  
"You promised! As long as the rifts open..."  
"No! You can't leave me!"  
Screaming the words at Keith, he hissed through another contraction   
"Lance... you have to live, baby..."  
"Not without you!"  
Move! Why wouldn't she move! She was floating upwards, the distance between her and Keith growing... she wouldn't let him... she wouldn't let him go after Keith...  
"Lance, never forget I love you"  
"Keith... don't leave me... don't leave me alone. I need you! I need you... I have no reason to live without you"  
Breaking down into sobs, he hated this. He hated Red. He hated Black. He hated Voltron. He hated Lotor and most of all he hated this weak body of his. He was barely 27 movements, the pups they were so proud of would never survive this... they had fought so hard to live, through everything they'd been through and now...  
"I'll find a way to get home..."  
The transmission crackled before cutting out  
"Keith!"  
Screaming his mates name, he tried to call him, but nothing happened. He'd lost him. He'd lost everything. Sobbing, he buried his face in his hands. Hadn't they spent vargas talking about the pups? About getting a house on Olkarion? Being together, just the two of them... he still needed to cut Keith's hair  
"Please Red. My pups are gone... I've lost them. I don't care if I died... but Keith can't... he can't die... why won't you move?!"  
He felt Red trying to comfort him, but it only served to make him angrier. She could do that but she couldn't save Keith?! What was the point of piloting Red, if he couldn't save the one person he truly loved?  
Crying and shaking, his heart felt like it was physically breaking. Throwing his head back, he howled with misery.

Emerging from the yellow glow, the others were already there. Surrounding Daibazaal, parts of ships littered the sky like the whole place was a graveyard... but then again, it was. Watching the incoming call flash on his screen, he answered without saying anything  
"Guys, guys can you hear us?"  
"Krolia?! Where's Coran? What's going on?"  
"We had to abandon the castle! Honerva attacked... we're locked out"  
"Honerva was here?!"  
"She wanted the castle. She wanted the power, but when it refused to respond to her, she tried to blow it up..."  
"How?! When?"  
"This is was last movement... you've been gone for nearly two"  
No way. There was no way...  
"I'm heading to the castle. We'll regroup there... where's Keith?"  
There was a long moment of silence  
"Lance, where's Keith?"  
He... he didn't want to say the words out loud  
"Lance?!"  
"Lance, where's Keith?"  
"Is he still in there?! We need to go back!"  
"How could you leave him behind?"  
"Lance. Answer us!"  
"He's gone! Black wasn't responding! I couldn't get Red to go back for him!"  
Screaming at his friends, he wanted them all to shut up. He hadn't left Keith behind by choice. They should know that  
"He... no..."  
"We need to go back"  
"We can't. If we go back in, we're not going to be any help! We need a plan! Allura, the castle will unlock for you, won't it!?"  
"It will... Lance..."  
He didn't want to hear it. Whatever she was going to say, he didn't want to hear it. He couldn't let them see him. He didn't want their pity. He didn't want their fake sympathy. He didn't want those worried and judgmental looks  
"I... I want to be alone"  
Turning Red towards the castle, his stupid Lion finally did what he wanted. Now that it was too late. His pups would be here soon, he already felt the need to push...  
"Lance..."  
"Leave him Allura..."  
There was Lotor again... sounding so angry he flinched away from the voice. Ending the transmission on his end, he didn't know what to do. He just... he couldn't let anyone see. 

 

*  
The castle was a mess. Everything seemingly running on back up power. Whatever. It didn't even matter to him anymore. Nothing did. He just wanted a quiet place to die. Stumbling and staggering through the castle, he had to stop every few steps to suck down air. Just a little further. He just had to make it all further... His pants were soaked with blood and that was all he could smell. It was like it had infused itself into every fibre of his being, and the pups had grown sluggish inside of him.

Reaching the prisoner pods, he stumbled into the first room, dropping onto his hands and knees. He couldn't stand, it hurt so much. Much more than he remembered in the trials... crawling with one hand against his gravid stomach, he collapsed at the back of the room, his head smacked against the glass of the pod behind him  
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry I wasn't more careful. You wanted to live, but I killed you. I killed you like I killed my other pups... I never deserved you"  
Sobbing, his hands shook as he undid his pants, sliding them down filled the room with the smell of blood. His thighs and arse were soaked, dark thick clot looking stains covered his skin... something was wrong... this wasn't like before... Maybe he'd die? And if he did, maybe he'd see his pups... and find Keith. He couldn't stop it, the only choice he had was to bring the pups into the world completely alone. Keith was supposed to be here. He was supposed to help deliver their pups, to hold them and hold his hand, to whisper words of encouragement while Lance screamed at him, and then, when it was all over, they were supposed to hold them. Both of them, together with their pups. His mate would probably force him to the medical bay, but it wouldn't matter... because it was the four of them together... but you can't be a family of four when three of them may be dead...

Screaming and panting, fluid gushed from between his legs as he tried to push. He swore he needed to push before he got down here, but it felt like he'd been in labour for a small eternity. Each time he pushed he tore more and more, his body drenched in sweat and black dots danced across his vision. It hurt. It hurt so much... and he felt so alone. He wanted Keith. He needed Keith... bearing down with every bit of strength he could, the pups head finally breached him. Reaching down, he could feel it's thick hair beneath the birth. If he thought the head was bad, the shoulder's were worse. He screamed until he tasted blood, his whole body straining. With another gush, his eyes rolled back, continuing to push until they were free. From that, he could shakily take the pup the best he could as his contractions and another push finally expelled the tiny pup from his hold. Lifting it to his chest, it slipped from his hold as he looked down at it. A boy... it was a boy... he looked like Keith, beneath the fluid and blood, his son was fair skinned and his hair seemed to be brown. But he didn't cry... he didn't make single noise... he was a like doll... as something slowly came out of him, he reached for the green blanket he'd grabbed before abandoning Red. Keith had bought him down baby blankets in the things he'd bought for his nest. Lance had never imagined he'd need it so soon. Feeling for his Bayard, he laboured for air and to stay conscious. He wasn't having them found like this. Activating it, he cut through his pants, cutting off a strip of fabric to tie the cord with. It hurt so much, and he had no idea how he could possibly birth the other. Tying the strip around the cord, he nicked himself as he cut it, barely registering the pain at all.

With his first pup wrapped in the green blanket, it laid beside him. Lance had tried to wipe his face, but his body was at its limit. He'd lost too much blood... but now he was so close to dying, he selfishly let the thought of living flitter through his mind. A life with Keith and the pups... that was all he could ever want  
"Lance... come on baby"  
His slowly closing eyes felt leaden as he tried to open them  
"K-Keith..."  
"You can't sleep baby"  
"Keith... I'm so tired"  
He could barely hear his own words, still, Keith knew what he was trying to say  
"You're doing so well baby"  
"They're dead... I killed them"  
"You just need to push"  
"Why? What's the point? I'm so tired"  
"I know, but baby, our pup still needs to be born"  
"I can't"  
"You can. You're so strong baby. So strong"  
"I want to die"  
"No baby. No you don't... please baby, just push"

Beneath him was a pool of blood and birth. He'd passed in and out of consciousness as he tried to birth his second pup. It seemed to last for vargas and vargas as his muscles were just too weak. His clothes were sodden, his breathing laboured and he felt... he felt cold and numb. The second pup felt bigger than the first, the pain incredible and indescribable. In his arm were both his boys. Both looked like Keith, and his state, he didn't notice the faint Altean marks on their pale cheeks. Crying silently, he couldn't take his eyes off of them. He loved them. He loved them so much, but like Keith, they'd left him he here alone. All he'd wanted was to love them, and be a good mum... but that would never happen. Raising his hand behind him, he found the pods pad. Maybe when the others recovered Keith's body, they'd bury them together? Falling backwards as it opened, he barely managed to keep himself from hurting his sons. Why did it all have to turn out like this? Twisting his broken body, he laid Kelance next to Laneith, Lance then kissed his bloodied fingertips before pressing them to the pups forehead. He was so sorry.


	60. Chapter 60

Falling without being able to stop himself, Keith watched as Lance disappeared. His mate was going to be safe… even if he wasn’t. He hadn’t wanted things to be like this… and he found himself mentally bargaining. If he could just be with Lance, if he could just meet his pups… he’d give up being a Paladin. He’d give up the war, being on the front lines… anything as long as he could be with his mate. His heart ached for Lance and even before he realised what he was doing, he’d taken his right hand off Black’s controls, reaching out towards the disappearing Red dot that was his mate. He’d told Lance to go. He’d told him to put himself first… so why did it hurt so badly? It seemed like he was sinking forever, the blue turning black, like the inky darkness found at the bottom of the ocean. If this was a rift to another reality, would he finally come out there? And if he did, what kind of a world would it be? If the black monster things had control of that universe, maybe he was already there? Maybe he was sinking lowering to them and with time, would he become one with them? 

Keith had no idea how long he floated there, but gradually everything turned black. The alpha knew he was dreaming, but he couldn’t seem to wake up. It was a weird sensation, like the first time he’d felt his Lion. It wasn’t completely unpleasant, just… weird. Something about it was familiar too. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. He needed to get out of here, he needed to get back to Lance

“Keith…”

Great. Now he was losing his mind. If he was dying, he didn’t know why his final moments were going to be with Shiro. It felt like he was cheating on Lance, even though he had no control over any of this 

“Keith. Can you hear me?”

Letting out a long breath, Keith nodded as he opened his eyes 

“Shiro…”

“Keith! How are you here?”

“You’re in my head, shouldn’t you know?”

Watching Shiro jog over to him, the taller alpha reached out for him. He expected Shiro to go right through him… instead Shiro felt so warm as his arms wrapped around him

“Sh-Shiro?”

“How did you get here? I’ve been here for so long…”

“What do you mean? Where is here? We entered the rift… and somehow I ended up here”

“You entered the rift?”

“The one that destroyed the Galra homeworld. With Lotor controlling the empire, we were trying to open a path to unlimited quintessence”

“It was the quintessence that corrupted the Galra in the first place. As long as quintessence exists in our universe, the Galra will be after it”

“We know as much. Using it, Zarkon revived Honerva, and they both fell victim to it… how are you here?”

“It was during my battle with Zarkon. I know it sounds weird, but we connected on some kind of mental level. I don’t remember what happened, but I woke up here…”

“I wonder if this is the place we all go to when we’re connected as one through Voltron. This space between realities”

“I saw Lance here once… I tried to tell him what was happening, but… I don’t know if he heard me… I don’t blame him for not wanting anything to do with me”

“You remember that?”

“Some of it… how is he? How’s everyone else?”

“They’re all ok. Lance and I are bonded now, and soon he’ll give birth”

“He’s pregnant? They’re not mine are they?”

“No. No, they’re not…”

Shiro looked saddened at the news, causing Keith’s jealousy to stir in the pit of his stomach

“There was a time when we wondered… Haggar, Zarkon’s witch, somehow created another you or got hold of your body. We all thought he was you until he lost his mind”

“You thought he was me?”

“He had all your memories”

“That makes sense. Zarkon and I were connected. I saw inside his mind and he saw inside mine”

“This is so strange…”

“Think how I feel. I’ve been alone for so long, I didn’t know if you were real”

“I’m real… and now we know where you are, we can try to find a way to pull you out”

“I don’t know if you can. I’m not connected with Black anymore. I can’t feel her”

“I can. I know she’s around me… I suppose even if we did get you back, we’d need your body for you to return to”

“My body? Am I dead?”

“No… you’re on Olkarion. The other you attacked Lance, and he says he loves him…”

“So we both hurt him”

“When the other you went crazy, Lance was the one who stopped you. Haggar had some kind of link with him, she was watching us all and manipulating us through him”

“How did he stop him?”

“He cut off your bionic arm… I’m sorry, but it’s gone”

Meaning even if Shiro came back, he’d never be able to pilot Black again

“At least everyone is safe… except for you”

“I thought I would die alone…”

“Didn’t the other try to save you?”

“Lance did. He couldn’t get Red to listen to him though. But he got Allura, Hunk and Lotor out, and he got himself and the pups out…”

“Leaving you to die”

“It wasn’t like that. He didn’t want to leave. He’s probably in the castle right now, screaming at them all that they have to go back”

Quiznak. He wanted Lance. Each time he thought of him wanted to be with him even more

“And mum’s probably telling him he needs to rest, while Pidge and Hunk do their best to cheer him up”

“Mum?”

“Oh. You don’t know. I found my mother. She’s Galra, and she’s… she’s kind of amazing. She and Lance get on so well…”

“Congratulations”

“Thanks. Shiro… how can I help you?”

“I don’t know. But you should go back”

“Go back?”

“Back home. Back to the castle. Back to Lance”

“I can’t. Black won’t move”

“It’s not safe for you to be here…”

What? Why not? And if it wasn’t, why didn’t he say so sooner?

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Something’s entered the rift. Something with a lot of power…”

“How do you know that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because I’ve been here for so long?”

“So you can’t tell whether it’s the Lions or something else?”

“This feels evil. Keith, you have to go”

Just like that, Keith was back in Black. The alpha’s heart was racing. He’d seen Shiro. Their Shiro. The real Shiro… now he knew where he was, he couldn’t just leave him there

“Black, I don’t know if you saw all that, but we need to find a way out”

Trying the controls, nothing happened

“Black… we need to warn the others and we need to know what’s inside the rift. I know you come from here, but I don’t… and we still have a war to win”

He could feel her in his head… so she had to hear his words

“Black! Come on”

Gripping his controls, he tried to clear his mind. He was part Galra. He could use Galra tech, he had Galra power… if only he convert that to real power 

“Move dammit!”

Stuck and unable to move, he watched as a Galra ship slowly sank down towards him. He shouldn’t be able to see it, not in the black void around him. But there it was 

“Black, this is bad! We need to move!”

Finally rumbling around him, she rose slowly as the ship sank lower. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes widened. Honerva, Shiro and Lotor. The three of them were standing on the bridge of the Galra ship, surrounded by a purple glow as blue quintessence struck at them like lightning. This wasn’t good. If Honerva got her hands on all this quintessence, she’d be unstoppable. Trying to fire his lasers towards Honerva’s ship, each attack was swallowed into the abyss, and in return, a blue bolt of quintessence struck at Black. So he couldn’t attack here. But neither could Honerva. He needed to get back

“Black. I have never needed you more than right now, but we need to get back to the castle. Do you think you can help me out here?”

Angling herself towards the entrance of the rift, Black surely must have been climbing, though he couldn’t tell for sure.

Reaching the blue quintessence, he rose into the yellow glow. As he rose black tendrils raced up with him, forcing him to weave his way through them. Trying his communicator he found he got no response… he’d hoped for something… anything. They needed to form Voltron and cut down the black monster before it could escape from Daibazaal. If one could come through, what was to say it wouldn’t call up others of its own species. The normal laws of gravity didn’t seem to apply to it, and it didn’t look like it needed to eat or drink

“Come on Black! Just a bit more girl!”

Shooting high into the sky, the black tendrils fell beneath him as he finally flew free of the rift. He had no idea how long he’d been drifting and lost down there, but it no more than a quintant could have passed. Looking around, he found himself confused. This wasn’t how everything looked when he’d left, and the teladuv was now sitting without it’s it guiding ships. He didn’t know why, but something felt very wrong.

Turning to look at the castle. He found the castle gone. Not at all where they’d left it. His heart skipped a beat, and he raced to try and call Coran again. They wouldn’t just leave him behind… would they? Even if there was the slimmest chance that he lived, Lance would go after it. Calling again, his call went unanswered. What was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to warn them what was coming? Even flying Black, it would take quintants to get back to Olkarion… he had to calm down. Something had happened here… so first he should put some distance between himself and Daibazaal. He had food and water in the cargo hold… so he’d be ok for a few days…

Keith soon grew tired of waiting. None of his calls were being answered, and when Galra ships wormholed, there was no way he was risking staying. Without any other options, he gave in and began making his way to Olkarion.

 

*

After quintants alone in space, he wondered if maybe he was stuck in the other reality. Coran still didn’t answer his calls, neither did anyone else on their personal lines. If those Galra ships hadn’t appeared, he would have thought himself the last person alive in the whole universe. It was an incredibly lonely feeling and having retrieved one of the blankets from the cargo hold, he kept it close. Each breath filling his nose with the scent of his mate. He couldn’t wait to see Lance. His mate would have been so very worried…

Slowly the green planet of Olkarion came into view. As they made their descent, Black chose now to stop listening to him all over again, the Lion landing in front of the castle, rather than returning to her usual hangar. Immediately he realised something was wrong with the castle. Large parts seemed to be missing and marks from explosions looked like a giant dot to dot. Opening her mouth, Black practically spat him out. He had no idea what he’d done to upset her, but he was just too relieved to dwell on it.

Walking into the castle, the place was a mess. It looked like someone had tried to tear the castle apart, before changing their minds and scrunching it all back together. Taking a deep breath, he couldn’t quite believe he was back. Now he could get some real answers. Beginning to jog, it soon turned to a flat-out sprint as he ran all the way up to the bridge. On the way, he hadn’t run into anyone, and with his mind so firmly focused on reaching his goal, he hadn’t noticed the gloomy atmosphere around him. Slamming his hand down on the door pad, the door slowly slid open to reveal the bridge… and his friends 

“Guys!”

Spinning around, Hunk activated his Bayard cannon 

“Whoa! Hunk! It’s me!”

“Keith?!”

Pidge sounded genuinely shocked 

“What happened? I came out the rift and you were all gone”

“Keep your hands up. How do we know you’re really you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you entered that rift a phoeb ago!”

Keith shook his head, not liking Hunk’s gun still be on him

“What do you mean a phoeb? It’s been a quintant at best”

“We entered that rift looking for you and found no traces of Keith! Who are you?”

“Guys, it’s me! We were all split up remember? Lance saved Hunk and Allura, and you went after Hunk…”

“And what about you? Where have you been?”

“I couldn’t control Black. Ask Lance. Lance knows what happened”

Pidge looked to Allura, and Allura’s face fell

“What? What is it?”

“We can’t ask Lance”

“What do you mean you can’t ask Lance?! Where is he? Is he ok? Are the pups ok? Does this have something to do with the reason why I couldn’t contact you?”

“It sounds like him”

“Shiro sounded like Shiro until he wasn’t”

“Will someone tell me what’s going on with my mate!”

Growling the words, nothing else seemed to matter now.

“Keith, Lance is…”

Taking a shaky breath, Allura teared up 

“Lance is what?!”

Walking to Allura’s side, Pidge wrapped her arms around her

“Lance is what?! Where is he?!”

“Lance is in a pod… he…”

“Allura, maybe we should show him? It’ll be easier to understand if he sees for himself”

“What is going on here?! Where’s Coran?! Where’s Krolia?!”

“Coran is at the space mall getting parts for the ship”

“Don’t tell him that, we still don’t know if it’s really him”

“Of course it’s really me! And what happened to the castle?!”

“Honerva tried to destroy it. When she couldn’t, she scavenged what she needed before trying to blow it up”

“I thought after Atlantis, we got stronger”

“We did, but whatever was powered up, is gone now. The castle is barely functional…”

Wiping her eyes, Allura nodded to Pidge

“I’ll take him down. Please let Coran knew he’s returned”

“Allura…”

“This is our Keith. I can tell”

“Like you could tell when it came to the rift”

“Hunk!”

“Why am I the only one acting like Keith returning deserves some measure of caution?”

“Because he seems like Keith… and we all experienced time loss when we came out the rift”

“But a whole phoeb and neither his nor Black’s signatures registered when we reentered”

“Wait… guys, we have trouble coming. Honerva, Shiro and Lotor were entering the rift as I was leaving, and more of that black stuff got out”

“We can’t do anything about that right now, and it’s probably the least of our worries right now”

This didn’t sound like Allura at all… something really must have rattled the woman

“We’ll discuss this once I’ve returned”

There was a stiff awkward silence between them as Allura led him through the ship. So much of it had been damaged and it made Lance’s renovation attempt look like a crack in the wall. He didn’t know if he should mention all the damage, but Allura seemed sad enough as it was. This wasn’t the homecoming he was expecting at all. Walking through the prisoner pods, he finally caught his mother’s scent. Hall after hall passed until finally, she came into view, seemingly sleeping against a door to a pod room 

“Perhaps it would be best if Krolia explains”

“Explains what?”

“I’m sorry…”

Turning, Allura fled. She actually fled… he didn’t know what to make of it. Why wouldn’t they just tell him what happened? Left alone to walk over to his mother, she growled as e approached 

“Mum?”

Raising her head, she looked like she’d aged about 10 deca-phoebes since he’d last seen her

“Mum?”

“K-Keith? Is that really you?”

“I think so?”

Rushing at him, she threw her arms around him

“I thought you lost!”

“I thought I was too! What happened? Why is everyone acting so weird?”

“You’ve been gone for a phoeb… we didn’t… we didn’t know if we’d ever see you again”

“Hunk said something like that… mum, what happened to Lance? No one will tell me”

His mother scent shifted, her hold on him tightening

“Mum…”

“I’m so sorry…”

“No…”

“Keith…”

“No! Not Lance!”

Shoving her aside, he ran to the door

“Keith, wait…”

Quiznak waiting. Slamming his hand on the door pad, his mother came to his side.

Walking into the pod room, the first thing he was the blood. There was way too much, and the air inside the pod room was so thick with the scent, despite the fact it was clearly old and dry. The second thing he noticed was Lance. His mate was covered in blood, yet his face was completely relaxed, the only sign that he’d been through something traumatic was his glowing Altean marks. Beside him, resting in a pod of their own, two pups were swaddled up so only their faces showed. Feeling his knees give out, he fell hard to the floor, throwing up as he did. Not Lance… Not their pups… no…

“When they returned without you, he requested to be alone. It was several vargas later that we tried to contact him. Honerva had tried to take the castle for herself, and we have no sensors or communication, we barely had life support. He’d already given birth by the time I found him. The pups sealed away, while he lay on the floor bleeding. I have no idea how he was still alive, and the damage done by the birth was extensive. I thought him dead, he was that pale, but somehow his heart was still beating. With the castle systems under repair, the healing pods have not been working correctly, at the moment they are frozen, but we don’t know if they are alive or not”

Pushing himself back up, he nearly slipped in his own mess as he rushed to Lance’s pod. Slamming his palms against it, he let out a howl 

“Keith…”

“I was supposed to be there! I was supposed to be with him when he gave birth! I left him alone again!”

“Keith”

“Don’t! I was in that rift! That stupid rift I never wanted to open! And now you’re saying Lance went into labour that same day! He was alone and he would have been so scared… Why am I never there when he needs me the most!? Why do I keep failing him?!”

Wrapping her arm around him, his mother sighed 

“The pups may still live, we don’t even know if they’re boys or girls”

“I was so useless… I couldn’t even get Black to move! I could only watch as they all disappeared”

Letting out a sob, one tear turned into a torrent, as he earnestly sobbed out his feelings of failure. What did they even have to show for all of this? Nothing. No quintessence. No stable mining. No peace. His mate was trapped inside a pod, as where his pups that he didn’t even know were born… he’d missed it. He’d missed it all

“I didn’t know how long I was down there. It was so black… so incredibly black… and lonely. I told him to go, but when he left… I thought I was going to die alone”

“You didn’t… you’re here and you’re alive”

“And what good is that! Lance is my mate and he’s like this! How many times have you watched the security footage? How many times have you seen them born without me there!? You’ve all seen my pups even before I have!”

“No Keith. No one has watched the footage… and no one has seen inside this room. Only I have”

“Only you?”

“Yes. I’ve kept everyone else away. I told them Lance had given birth and was in a bad way, but they haven’t seen them”

“I… I want to hold them…”

“So do I, but if we take them out without the healing pods working, and they are alive, we’ll putting their lives at risk”

She might be right, but they were just there. Their pups…

Guiding him to sit, he reached towards his pups. Lance had done the best he could. His mate would have been so devastated… thinking he’d lost him and their pups. Why did life have to be so cruel? 

“Did you have names?”

“Kelance and Laneith. I know they were only supposed to be temporary names, but I can’t think of them as anything else…”

“Keith…”

“I don’t know what to do now. We can’t form Voltron without Lance, but we can’t let Honerva get away with whatever she has planned. We can’t destroy the rift either, because Shiro is down there”

“Shiro?”

“The real Shiro. Our Shiro. When we’re all linked as one in Voltron, our mind enters this black space. He’s trapped in there. He’s been there since he fought Zarkon… we need to save him somehow”

“Well, things are never easy. Lotor lost his cool, apparently, he tried to order Lance not to rescue the others”

“He did. He kept telling him he was ordering him to do it”

“You know what that means, don’t you? He was the one who placed that Galra device in Lance’s head. He was probably preparing for the rift to be opened much sooner than it was”

Keith hadn’t thought of it like that. At the time he’d been outraged, but thought it was Lotor acting like a spoilt child. Knowing that he only grew more pissed at the Galra.

Holding him, his mother rocked him against her

“I’m going to kill Lotor”

“I know how you feel. A lot has been going through my mind in your absence. I even found myself questioning Lance’s loyalty to you”

Pulling away from his mother, Keith glared at her

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“I wondered if the pups were really yours, and if they weren’t, was that why he left you behind”

“Lance did not leave me behind! And who do you think the father would be?!”

“Shiro… I smelt Lance on him when he came for dinner”

“That’s because the whole castle could smell him on me”

But… Lance did say… he asked why he’d come back to the room and said the room had smelt like Shiro. He’d thought his mate out of it… but then Shiro had said Lance had opened his legs and said he loved him… if Lance was out of his mind… if Lance thought Shiro was him… it came as bitter realisation… Lance had had sex with Shiro, thinking it was him because he was so out of it. The thought had bitter bile rising in his throat all over again 

“Keith?”

“Forget it. Lance is my mate. He is loyal, he’d never knowingly cheat on me, and even when he was attacked, he always felt like he’d let me down…”

“I didn’t mean to doubt him…”

“Then why even mention it! I’ve only just returned and I come back to this!”

“Keith…”

“Get out!”

“What?”

“Get out! Just leave me alone with him”

“Keith, I…”

“No! Leave me alone”

“I’ll be outside”

With everything being too much for him, Keith moved to lay against the pod Lance was in. He needed to process all of it, but he was exhausted. He was a dad now. He and Lance were parents of two pups… they… they had to be alright. His mate was so in love with them, there was no way losing them wouldn’t break him in a way Keith knew he’d never be able to fix.

 

*

When he refused to leave Lance and their pups, his mother dragged him from the room. Angered by her disregard for his feelings, his complaints finally stopped when he realised why she had. Their friends were all there. All them looking worried and exhausted, staggering away from his mother, he half collapsed into Allura’s arms, the whole team wrapping their arms around the pair of them as he started to cry all over again 

“Keith?”

“I don’t know any more than you do…”

“Is he…”

Shaking his head, he couldn’t answer what he didn’t know

“I don’t know…”

“So we can’t take him out?”

“No… no, he… he’ll die…”

“Oh, Keith…”

“Why does this have to keep happening to him?! He doesn’t deserve this!”

“No, he doesn’t”

“Is there anything we can do?”

“Not… not until the healing function of the pods is working again”

“I’m sorry, we’re still trying to get that part of the castle back on line”

“So there’s nothing we can do…”

“No… there’s… there’s so much blood in there. He must have been so scared”

“He didn’t say anything to any of us… we didn’t know. We didn’t know what he was going through…”

“I… I need to see the sensor footage”

“Keith…”

“I need to see it. I need to see what he went through!”

“Ok. Ok… Coran, do we have the footage from down here?”

“Honerva didn’t damage the sensors down here, so we should do”

“Then I need to see it”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“He was alone and scared and he must have thought they… they were dead. He wouldn’t have put them in a separate pod otherwise”

“Oh, Keith….”

“It’s not fair!”

“Keith, I know you probably don’t want to hear it, but you need to rest”

“Even if I try, I can’t. I keep… I keep replaying everything over and over in my head. I didn’t notice. I was so caught up in the mission I didn’t realise anything. I’m his mate! I should have known! I should have sensed something!”

“Keith you can’t do this. Lance could have told us what was happening and he chose not to. He chose the mission”

“Because he felt like he was forced to! He had a bad feeling about all of this! He tried to tell me! And I… I failed him”

“You didn’t fail him. We did. We were so preoccupied with trying to get the castle operational again, that we left him alone for far too long”

Breaking apart from the group hug, Keith wiped his face

“I know I should be helping with the castle, but I can’t. There’s so much I need to tell you, but the moment I even think of leaving Lance and the pups… I can’t do it…”

“We can’t do anything until the castle is repaired. Even Lotor has left because we refused to go down into the rift other than to look for you. He said he didn’t need us and he’d find his own way”

“He’s with Honerva and Shiro… but we can’t seal the rift”

“Why not?”

“Do you guys remember the Voltron mind thing? Where Lance saw Shiro?”

“Yeah… it was all black, apart from us”

“Shiro is trapped there. When I was falling I entered it. He’s been trapped there since his fight with Zarkon. He remembers seeing Lance, and he knew Honerva had entered the rift. I don’t know how we’re going to get him out, but we can’t leave him sealed in there”

“We’ll find a way. Just like we’re going to find a way to wake Lance up”

“Maybe Ryner can help?”

Keith looked to his mother, the woman shaking her head

“He’s far too damaged for that. The birth was long and hard and even born early, the pups were the size of a full term child. I can’t imagine the pain he would have felt birthing if he’d carried any longer”

“Damaged…”

Hunk’s innocent self-pondering was answered by Krolia, even though it would soon click without her help

“When birthing, tearing is normal. Male omega’s have it especially hard, and with such a rapid labour his body really wasn’t ready for it. The amount of blood and the tearing done, I wouldn’t be surprised if he passed out trying to birth the pups. Without the use of a healing pod, there’s no hope he’ll recover and if by some miracle he did, conception and birthing would both be exceptionally painful and complicated”

Hunk paled as he swayed on the spot, even Keith had to admit he felt light headed at his mother’s words

“I don’t want anyone else to see the footage. We all know how Lance can get and how self-conscious he is over being an omega. Even if we didn’t laugh, his mind would tell him we’re all mocking him over it. I know you guys wouldn’t and he knows it too, but he’s still mentally healing and trying to learn to love himself again”

“I don’t think I want to see it anyway”

“Yeah. I’m with Pidge”

“I understand. Pidge, is it possible to put it on a data table for Keith to watch? Maybe Hunk or Krolia can bring it down, and some food and blankets for Keith”

“I’m sorry for not helping”

“You need to stay with Lance and your children we understand. Do you happen to know if they’re male or female?”

“Not really. He wrapped them blankets before placing them into pods…”

“I still can’t believe they’re actually here”

“At least you’ve had a phoeb to get used to it”

“That’s true… we should head on back up. Call us if you need anything, we actually managed to get the communicators working again”

At least that was something 

“And let me know if anything urgent arises”

“We will”

Leaving him with his mother, he was still mad at her over doubting Lance. She was a brilliant actress and he felt like she’d completely betrayed him by not coming to him sooner. He knew Lance was out of his mind, and he couldn’t have said no, even if he’d wanted to… but she suspected something had happened and hadn’t told either of them. Grinding his teeth, he shook his head 

“Keith”

“I don’t know what to say. I wish you’d told me. I wish I’d known it happened, but he was so out of it, he wouldn’t have even realised. Just, when he wakes up, try to be nice to him”

“I love Lance like a son…”

“Then why did you doubt him!”

“Because I know he has a complicated past”

“Of course he does. He’s a male omega on board a castle of alphas”

“That’s not what I meant”

“I know. You know, I missed you and was looking forward to seeing you again, now I don’t know what to say or do. I don’t want to fight with you, but my alpha doesn’t want you near Lance, even though you’ve been protecting him. I… I just want my mate and pups”

“I didn’t mean to doubt Lance but being left alone with no idea how it all turned out like this… I shouldn’t have projected my own feelings on to you”

“You’re right. You shouldn’t have. He loves you. He truly does. He even calls you mum and you hid this…”

Taking a deep breath, Keith shook his head

“No. I don’t want to think about it anymore. The room needs to be cleaned… the others will probably have the pod situation sorted soon and they can’t see Lance like this”

“I’ll clean. You should get some more rest”

He was tempted to say he’d do it himself, but it then occurred to him that Krolia would have already cleaned up some of the mess, to begin with, there were only the remnants of blood on the floor, not the usual after birth that would be expected, like the placenta

“I’m not leaving him”

“I’m not asking you to”

Hunk returned a varga later, the large alpha looked rather lost as he handed Keith some food and a data tablet. He was the one who needed comfort, but somehow he found himself trying to comfort Hunk 

“Thanks for this. I know what mum said was bad, but Lance will pull through. He’s strong”

“I feel like I let him down”

“No, you didn’t. This was a stupid plan from the start, so if anyone’s to blame its Lotor”

“When we found out about Lance, Allura lost it. She yelled at Lotor before throwing him off the castle. We have no idea if we’re still in an alliance with him”

“I don’t know if it was the real him with Honerva, but if Shiro was there, I would say it’s safe to assume so. We’ll need to head back to Daibazaal soon. We can’t let that black stuff spread through our reality”

“Pidge said she’s working on trying to restore healing by diverting power from functions we don’t need right now, like the training room… but these pods are different”

“They’re not that different. When Shiro was placed in one, his arm slowly healed”

“Maybe… she just doesn’t know. None of us wants to risk doing something that will put Lance or the pups at risk”

“Laneith and Kelance… I know they were just his names for them while he was pregnant, but I can’t think of them as anything else now”

“They’re still good names…”

Hunk’s eyes were silently pleading with Keith to let him see Lance, but he didn’t want Hunk seeing Lance like that 

“Thanks, Hunk. I’ll let you get back to everyone else now”

“Oh… call me if you need anything”

“I will. Thanks, Hunk”

 

*

Even with Ryner’s help, it was still another 5 quintants until Pidge finally declared she’d managed to get the healing pods functioning. During that time Keith had watched Lance birthing his pups over and over. His mates screams brought tears to his eyes, and the look of love on Lance’s face when he stared down at them… it was heartbreaking. His mate was so in love with them, but they might not even be alive… it was just too cruel.

Because of Lance’s condition, Keith didn’t trust anyone else to handle his mate. Allura, Pidge and Krolia all urged him to let them help, but he didn’t want to hear it, and in the end, the only way he could get away with being the one to carry Lance up to the healing pods was to grant them permission to see him once he was. To protect his mate from prying eyes, he’d asked for a blanket. As the glass slid away, Keith caught Lance in the blanket, lifting his unconscious mate into his hold. The smells coming from Lance were too much for his alpha. The pain. The blood. The after birth. The agony. The resignation. Lance had given up on himself. He’d given up on living

“Oh, baby… I’m here”

Balancing Lance on his knee, he pulled the blanket up to shoulders, carefully making sure his mates stomach and legs were completely hidden.

The walk to the pod room was silent. Tears rolled down his face and landed on Lance’s, running down as if they were the omega’s own. Despite Lance being limp in his arms, he still kept his head down, nuzzling and kissing his mate’s forehead as he walked, praying somehow his mate would know he was there with him. That he wasn’t alone anymore. Waiting outside the pod room, Allura opened the door for him, her eyes widened as she looked down at Lance 

“He still looks pregnant…”

Shooting her a look, he stopped her before she could continue. He didn’t want to hear it. He knew how swollen Lance’s stomach still looked.

Waiting beside the pod he’d be placing Lance into, Pidge came over, a syringe in her hand

“It’s a vitamin shot”

Nodding his consent, Pidge very carefully pulled the blanket back so she could administer the shot into Lance’s upper arm. Stepping back from him, Pidge moved so he could place Lance in the pod. Positioning his mate carefully, he pressed a kiss to Lance’s lips. Though not cold, they didn’t hold their usual warmth and sweetness 

“I love you, baby…”

As the glass slid into place, Hunk wrapped his arms around him

“He’ll be ok”

“Yeah…”

Pidge let out a small sniffle

“Do… do we bring the pups up?”

“We don’t know if they’re alive”

“Now I know he’s… he’s here, I’m going to check the pups. If they’re alive, I’ll bring them up”

“Let me come with you”

Turning to Allura, Keith shook his head 

“They’re my pups. I’ll take care of them”

Even if they were no longer of this world.

Returning to the pod room, Keith sank down to sit as he took a deep breath. His heart was racing with fear. They were so small, but at the same time not as tiny as he expected. Reaching up, he placed his hand on the pod pad, the glass separating him from his pups sliding away silently. With shaking hands, he took the closest pup into his hold, tugging back the blanket enough to place his hand on its chest. Not sure what he was supposed to do, he rubbed it softly

“Hey, baby… I’m… I’m your daddy”

His voice cracked as he raised his pup to his shoulder. It was warmer than he’d expected. Patting its back, his attention was caught by its sibling, catching the blanket around the small baby shifting slightly from the corner of his eye. Balancing his pup against him, he reached for the other one, it immediately let out a small weak cry as he did. It was alive. Somehow it was alive… holding them both against him, he rose with shaky legs. His pup was alive… their pup was alive… he had to keep it that way.

Rushing through the castle corridors, all he could think about was getting the pup into a pod. It’s sibling still hadn’t made a sound, but this one… this one was fighting. Bursting into the pod room, they all looked at him

“Get a pod open!”

Coran rushed to do as he requested as Keith strode over to the pod next to Lance 

“Keith…”

“Not now!”

Snapping at Allura, he careful sank down to his knees, placing the crying pup in the pod. Holding the other one close, he felt for the first time as the pod closed. Falling back, he cradled the pup in the green blanket against him, rocking as he did 

“Keith…”

Through blurry eyes, he stared down at the small bundle in his hold 

“Keith is… it is…”

“I don’t know…”

“Keith, pass it to me”

“No!”

“Allura, what should we do?”

“We can’t take him away from his pup”

“But if there’s a chance it’s alive”

“Wouldn’t he know?”

“Not if its pulse was faint…”

He wanted them all to shut up. Rubbing his pups small chubby face, he tried to wipe his tears away. He’d seen Lance trying to clean them up, but his mate had been so out of it. Tracing the pups soft pink lips, they moved beneath his thumb. Jerking his hand back, the pup he’d thought was dead let out the tiniest of cries

“Did… did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“It cried…”

Placing her hand on his shoulder, Allura shook her head as she stared down into his eyes

“I didn’t hear anything”

“It cried”

“Keith”

“It cried! I heard it…”

“Keith… none of us heard it”

“I know… I know it did! Coran, we need another pod”

“Keith, no one else heard it cry”

How could Allura be so… he didn’t have a work, but he couldn’t believe her. It sounded like she thought he was crazy. He wasn’t crazy. He knew what he’d heard

“What do I do?”

“I don’t think it’s alive”

“Maybe Keith was right… there’s no harm in opening another pod is there?”

“No. I made sure we had enough power for three… just in case”

“Then do it!”

“Allura…”

“Do as he says”

Pity. Her voice was filled with pity like he was some pitiful and broken creature.

Crawling on his knees to the next pod, he brushed the blanket back, half checking to see if his pup was breathing and half not wanting to let it go. Rewrapping the soft green cloth, he smiled down at his pup. A boy… this one was a boy. They had a son. Kissing his son’s forehead, he placed him in the pod 

“Be safe Kelance”

“Kelance. That’s his name…”

“His?”

“It’s a boy… I… I think maybe they both are, from the video, but it got too blurry when I zoomed in”

Watching the birth and holding his pups, being able to see and feel them were two different things, but now he knew without a doubt his pup wrapped in green was his son

“I could try and enhance it if you want?”

“No. No ones to watch it. They’re all here, and they’re all alive… we need to… we need to move on”

“Move on?”

The female alpha sounded shocked. He couldn’t blame her. He’d been sobbing like there was no tomorrow, and now he was calmly issuing orders 

“Lance and our pups will be alright… we need to figure out what comes next”

“Keith, you can’t be serious. You’re exhausted. You need to rest”

“I’ve rested enough! It’s been quintants since I came back. We need to know what’s going on back on Daibazaal”

It wasn’t like he wanted to throw himself back into work, but the elation of his pups and mate finally getting help and being on the mend sent his mind reeling in a million different directions… apparently, work was one of them.


	61. Chapter 61

Despite the castle being under repair pretty much nonstop, it still wasn't ready in time for their upcoming trip out to Daibazaal. They'd left it open far too long, and it was with a heavy heart, and even heavier feet that Keith found himself preparing to head out. Leaving Lance behind sucked... but leaving Lance and their children behind... it was quiznak. Scrubbing his face tiredly, the alpha spun around slowly, triple checking he'd grabbed everything he needed for the mission ahead... in what was left of the room he shared with Lance. When Honerva had boarded the castle, she'd taken the time to pretty much demolish their rooms in a search for something he was pretty sure they didn't even have. Out of all the rooms currently used as quarters by them, it was only the nursery that had been spared her wrath. Sure a few things were on the floor, but there wasn't stuff broken and scattered everywhere, like with the bedrooms, which lead him to believe that it was more likely the objects on the floor came from falling down thanks to gravity. At least that was something. He didn't want Lance waking up to find the nursery ruined, on top of everything else. Right he has everything. It was time to head out.

Without the teladuv working, the flight out to Daibazaal was long and boring, and oddly enough somewhat quieter than a long distance trip would take. That was more than likely because none of his friends really knew what to say when it came to Lance. The initial shock of his mates condition had work off, and now they were all restlessly waiting to see if Lance would wake before the pups. They still didn't believe that he'd heard his son's small cry, and the looks of pity and sympathy left him angered. If the pups were anywhere near as stubborn as Lance, there was no way they wouldn't be fighting in their own way to survive. Leaving Black to fly herself, Keith headed into the cargo bay, and over to the pile of blankets and pillows Lance had left there, before gathering the lot up and carrying them back out to the cockpit. Alpha's didn't usually build nests, but he wanted to bury himself in the smell of Lance, and there were vargas left before they'd even come close to reaching Daibazaal, so making himself what was probably the most pathetic nest in history, he then climbed in and curled around the pillow which smelt strongest of Lance. He missed him. He missed him so much that he couldn't even eat, and he'd barely slept at all. Every time he'd heard a noise in the pod room, he'd jerk awake just in case it was his mate waking. He knew Lance and the pups would be alright, but... yeah... he just missed his mate. With Lance's smell covering every inch of him, and the warm comfort of the small nest, Keith finally fell asleep.

*  
After 8 vargas of solid sleep, Keith woke to sound of his name being called. Embarrassed over having fallen asleep mid-mission, the alpha scrambled from his nest and into his chair  
"Keith?!"  
"Sorry guys. I fell asleep. What did I miss?"  
"We're approaching Daibazaal"  
He bit down his snarky reply of "of course they were, they had been since they left the castle", and instead forced himself to look out the window. Daibazaal was black. Completely black. A cold shiver ran up his spine as he realised it was the same black entity that had attacked them when they'd opened the rift, surrounding the planet various Galra ships were firing down on it, with next to zero effect  
"Wow... I did not see that coming"  
"I don't think anyone did"  
"Keith, Buddy, that was sarcasm"  
"Sorry Hunk, I'm still more asleep than I am awake"  
"That's what happens when you don't rest properly"  
"Leave him alone. We're all worried about Lance. I know for a fact you haven't been sleeping well either and that you've been sneaking down to check on Lance and the pups when you think I'm asleep"  
"I can't help it. He's my best friend... and every time I start baking I start thinking about him and before I know it..."  
"Hunk, it's ok. I'm sure Lance appreciates how much you care. For now, we need to figure out what to do. If Honerva's ship is still in the rift, they're stuck there, which may just be the only good thing about this right now... but once the Galra hear there's unlimited quintessence for the taking, there's going to be no end of idiots trying to get down there"  
"If we leave them, they might just wipe themselves out"  
"Not all Galra are bad..."  
"No, but after 10,000 years of using quintessence they've all been exposed and corrupted in some way..."  
"Pidge, don't forget about Krolia..."  
"Sorry Keith, I didn't mean to imply your mum's a bad Galra"  
"No Pidge, you're right. They've all been exposed and we all know the effects can be unpredictable. That's why we need to figure out how to control this. If that black goop gets on one of the ships, it could spread through the whole universe, and everything we've done will be for nothing"  
"So what do we do?"  
"Pidge, what readings can you take from here? Is there any way to try and narrow down what that stuff is?"  
"It's like nothing in our universe. Our sensors can't read it because they don't know what it is"  
Well that made things somewhat harder  
"We do know that Voltron was made from metal found inside that rift, and it saw us a threat. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that it responds to quintessence"  
"Pidge, we already knew that"  
"That's not what I mean Hunk. What I was going to say is that it was vulnerable to Voltron's attacks, and not just the individual attacks of the Lions. I think the black goop is made up of hundreds of individual goops coming together to work as one, with its goal quintessence related. I think it's drawn to the quintessence inside Voltron, and when it's hit repeatedly, the goop's overload and that's what causes it to die. We really need a new name for this stuff, because calling it black goop make me think of Hunk burning food goop"  
"I've never burnt food goop, Pidge"  
"You know what I mean"  
"Whatever we call it, it's not important now. Pidge, Hunk, I want you to monitor how the goop reacts. Allura, you're on back up. Your job will be to shoot down the tendrils if they wrap around Black"  
"What do you mean "if they wrap around Black"? You can't seriously be planning on heading down there"  
"Someone needs to. We also need to find a way to keep together if we have to enter the rift again"  
"Keith, you have Lance and your pups to think about"  
"I am. That's why we need a solid strategy in place. If we have to form Voltron to defeat this thing, we can't be blown apart mid-mission"  
"How about we just tie a big rope around your waist and pull you out when things get bad"  
Keith snorted  
"That's not a bad idea Hunk. Ok. I'm going in"

He didn't even need to fire to draw the attention of the black goop, its tendrils reaching for him as he skimmed over the planet  
"You're recording this, right?"  
"Yes. It really does look like it's lost interest in the Galra ships now that you're here"  
"Maybe its the purity of the quintessence? It's blue in the rift, but purple when the Galra use it"  
"I'm going to start firing now"  
"Just be careful. We need data, not you missing again"  
"That's why I'm using my laser instead of the knife"  
Firing on the black goop, it parted, allowing the blast to pass through, before swarming back over the spot. It was clear that each time he fired, more tendrils would reach for him, this continuing until Allura was forced to fire so he could retreat, looping back to join the others, he stared down at Daibazaal  
"We definitely can't leave it like this, and these Galra ships need to leave. Allura, can you try and get hold of Lotor. I know you don't know what's going on with him, but he needs to pull back... provided he isn't the Lotor in the rift"  
"I thought we decided he was. After all, Shiro disappeared from Ryner'a custody"  
"That's... we don't know for sure it was him. He easily could have found a way to escape, this is Shiro... or at least Shiro's mind at work. Shiro was always thinking 10 steps ahead. He could have easily caught a ride on Lotor's ship without Lotor even realising it. For all we know, it could all be another one of Haggar's games"  
"I'll try contacting Lotor. We should also warn surrounding planets to stay clear of the area"  
"I've already filled Matt in, so the rebels know to avoid this whole quadrant of space. I don't know if Kolivan knows"  
"I told him about our intentions before the mission began, but for me it still doesn't feel like much more than a couple of movements ago. I don't know if mum checked in with him"  
"If she did, she couldn't use the castle"  
"I'll send him through a message now. I doubt any of the Blade operatives would be in the area"  
"I wish we could isolate a sample of the black goop"  
"Pidge. I love you and all, but no. You heard what happened when Honerva tried to do the same thing"  
"Hunk's right, we can't take the risk"  
"I know we can't. I was just saying..."  
"It feels kind of pointless doesn't it. We flew all the way out here and we can't even do anything about Daibazaal without Lance"  
"Who says Lance is even going to want to be a Paladin anymore? He's got two pups now... maybe we should think of replacing him for now"  
"Lance is remaining pilot of the Red Lion. Despite being pregnant, he was still given Alfor's blessing"  
"Whoa... Keith... I didn't mean..."  
"I don't want to hear any talk of Red getting a new pilot. If Lance does want to retire, we'll seek a new pilot, but the choice is his"  
He'd wanted Lance to step aside, but given he'd nearly died, his mate would be getting anything and everything he wanted for a long time coming.

*  
Waking alone, Lance's head was throbbing. He felt like he'd been hit by Galra ship and then backed over again. Blinking, the pain in his head only intensified as the bright lights of the castle shone above him. He was in the healing pod room... he was alive... Why? Why was he alive? He didn't... he didn't want to be alive. Stumbling out the pod, he tripped hard over his own feet before realising something was wrapped around him. Keith... the thing around him smelt like Keith. Tears filled his eyes as he let out a mournful cry. Keith wasn't around anymore... Keith was gone... so... so where their pups... so why was he alive? He wanted to die. That's why he didn't crawl into a pod on his own. He wanted it to all end, and there was no point even trying to hold on anymore. He'd lost his mate. He'd lost the other half of his soul... he'd lost everything and he was so tired of never being good enough. Forcing his body into a ball, he sobbed openly. His stomach was empty, yet it was still so heavily swollen, like he was still carrying his pups. He looked so full, but there was nothing inside. It wasn't fair.

As his sobs turned to screams, he tore at his own hair, and at his arms, doing anything he could to feel some kind of physical pain. He deserved to be punished. He was such a bad omega... like Shiro had said. He didn't deserve anything good or to be happy. Losing himself in his sorrows, it was a long time before he was finally brought to his sense.

At first he thought he'd finally broken. The cry of a pup had stopped his sobs, instead an insane kind of laughter bubbled up inside of him. He'd gone crazy. His pups were dead, there was no way he could be hearing them. They'd left him. Everyone left him... even the pod room was empty, everyone was probably praying he wouldn't wake up. They'd probably just put in the pod so it would easier to dispose of him when the time came. That's right. He didn't have any worth. They'd all be so mad and disappointed he'd lost the pups. On Earth an alpha could take their pups away from their omega. They'd probably all planned to take his pups from him in the first place. The voices in his head sent him spiralling as the laughter finally reached his lips, he heard another cry. It... what... rushing to wipe at his face, he looked for the source of the sound, finding it much closer than he thought. Laneith...? Crawling to the pod next to his, he couldn't believe it. His tiny son laid on the bottom, his face red as he announced his unhappiness to the world. He... he was alive? Lifting the pup, Lance brought him to his chest as he sank back to sit. His arse was still tender and his clothes felt revolting, but none of that matter as he stared down at Laneith  
"Laneith... shhh, mummy is here"  
Still crying, his son let out an even louder cry. He didn't know how, but he knew his son was hungry  
"Shhh baby... I'm here"  
He didn't want to let Laneith go, but thanks to all the gunk on his uniform, he had to lay his son in his lap as he fought to free himself from it. Once free, he brought his son to his breast. In the trails he'd learnt how to feed his pups, and though his breasts ached like crazy, he had no idea if that meant his milk was in, all he could do was guide his pup and gently coax him into latching onto his nipple. It took Laneith a couple of attempts, his cries for milk resulting in him missing Lance's nipple, until finally... finally his sons tiny pink lips closed around it, painfully trying to suck in as much of his nipple as he could. For Lance the relief he felt the moment his son began to drain his breast was like nothing he'd ever felt. Though painfully swollen and heavy, he'd only leaked through his shirt and bra a handful of times... now... now he was actually feeding his son. As his right breast began to leak, he couldn't care less. He was actually feeding Laneith and Laneith was actually alive. His first thought was he needed to tell Keith, the smile of his face faltering as he thought of his mate. He should be here for this... as tears filled his eyes again, he looked over Laneith, and towards the door. He'd give almost anything for Keith to walk through it, but that wasn't going to happen. As his gaze slowly slipped down again, he caught sight of Kelance. He should have realised his other pup wasn't with his brother... and he felt like a horrible mother for being so caught up on Laneith being awake. If Kelance was still inside the pod, that had to mean he was alive... and at some point, he was going to wake up... 

When Laneith finally released his nipple, his son stretching his tiny hands as he blew milk bubbles. Raising him to his shoulder, he patted his back like his mother had taught him until warm, wet milk was vomited back onto his shoulder. He was already filthy, so he barely gave it a second thought. Laneith was alive. That's all that mattered right now.

It wasn't that much longer before the glass of Kelance's pod slid away. Like his brother, the small pup immediately began to cry. Unable to part with Laneith, he cradled him to his shoulder as he reached for his second son  
"Shhh, you'll wake your brother back up"  
Kelance was almost identical to Laneith, both tiny pups with soft pale skin and hair so dark you could barely tell it was brown. Still covered in gunk, he supposed they'd both look much different cleaned up  
"You both got your daddy's good looks, but I think you got mummy's hair"  
Kelance didn't care. Like his brother, he was hungry. This time it wasn't a matter of if he had milk, but instead, was there any left. He didn't think as much milk had spilt from his right than his left, and with the scent of milk still upon it, Kelance found his nipple much faster than his brother. Sucking greedily, he hoped whatever Kelance was drinking down would be enough. Both his boys were alive...

When both pups were fed, Lance finally made the decision to leave the pod room. He needed fluids and to eat something, or he'd never be able to keep up with the needs of his boys. Now that they were alive, and in his hold, some of the coldness that had filled him had slipped away.

Meeting no one as he walked, he was kind of glad. He was shirtless and his pants only seemed to be hanging on by a thread, and if that wasn't bad enough, he was sure he must look completely revolting. Instead of going to his quarters or the nursery, he forced himself to keep going until he reached the medical bay. Panting as he entered it, the world was swaying around him. Fluids... he needed fluids first. Placing his pups down with the utmost care, he then went about stumbling around. He needed to run an IV. He'd lost so much blood and god only knew what else during the birth, the fact he was feeling so poorly only served to drive home just how bad of a shape he must have been in when he was found. Finding an IV bag and cannula, he used the IV stand to support his weight as he moved back to his pups. He didn't even care about who would eventually find him as he stripped off his ruined pants. His boots were already gone, presumably thanks to whoever placed him in the pod. Letting them fall to the floor, he shivered, feeling way too exposed. He needed something to cover himself with... blinking to clear his blurry vision, he pushed away from the IV stand back to the medical supply cabinets, throwing things on the floor and scattering them everywhere until he finally found a pile of blankets. Grabbing them all, they seemed to weigh a ton as he carried them to the bed. For the first time, he was truly grateful the beds were wide enough to support someone of Zarkon's stature. Laying out the first blanket, he threw the second and third on much less carefully before placing the pups at the top of the bed, so when he got in, they wouldn't be visible from the door way. This however meant he had to try and put the IV line in before climbing between the blankets, and settling down with his pups, and of course he had to hurt himself in the process, missing the vein altogether with his first attempt. It would alright if his body stopped shaking, and the world decided to stop spinning and just held still for one quiznakking moment.

*  
Returning to the castle, Keith's communicator began to beep, even before he had time to land Black. Rolling his eyes at Coran's name, he supposed the man was anxious because they hadn't been in contact with him since leaving Daibazaal. With a few taps, he intended to erase the message right away, yet when it finally loaded completely he had no idea what was going  
"Issue in the medical bay. Lance woke up. Come immediately"  
If Lance was awake, why didn't Coran tell all of them? And what was the issue? His mother was supposed to be watching over him, though she was also assisting with the castle repairs. If Lance had woken up alone... Quiznak.

Making it to medical bay in record time, he saw no signs of the others or of Coran. With no idea what that meant or what state of mind Lance was in, his already racing heart sped up further. What would he even say to his mate? How would he explain the pups? Were they awake? Did Lance know they were alive? Had he done something stupid because he thought his whole tiny family was dead? His heart was in his throat as he opened the door, for once in his life grateful for how long it took to open. Stepping into the room, the first thing he was Lance, his mate laying on the closer of the two beds, with his back to him. The next thing he noticed was the IV line, disappearing behind Lance, the bag was just about empty, so why was no one here to change it. Creeping over, he told himself he was just making sure Lance was still sleeping. He didn't want to freak his mate out by waking him suddenly, and if he was having an episode, he might not have even realised Keith was there.

Lance wasn't having an episode, and Keith's racing heart was immediately filled with warmth. His mate was staring down at both of their sleep pups with such love in his eyes that Keith felt himself tearing up  
"Hey Keith"  
Lance's voice was soft and gentle. Not at all what he'd expected  
"Hey you... how are you feeling?"  
"Tired, really tired, but happy"  
Reaching out Keith cupped the side of Lance's face, his mate nuzzled at it before kissing his palm  
"Coran told me you'd survived and that you were back. I didn't mean to scare you with that message, he let me use his communicator and I didn't want anyone else knowing I was awake and up here"  
Oh... that's why the message had sounded nothing like Coran  
"It scared the quiznak out of me. How long have you been awake?"  
"Since last night. The pups not that long after me"  
Sighing softly, Lance's eyes started to close. His mate really did look exhausted. Dark bags hung under his eyes and his lips were torn, probably from Lance chewing on them. Moving to take Lance's hand, he stopped when he saw his mates arms. Both were covered with long scratches and bruises, but the worst bruise of all of them was the one next to the cannula. It was such a dark purply-blue that it was nearly black  
"Baby..."  
Blinking as he opened his eyes, Lance looked down and realised what Keith was staring at  
"I woke up alone and I... I lost it. I didn't know why I had to live when you and our sons were dead, why they'd be so cruel as to save me. Keith... I gave up. I thought they were dead and I wanted to die"  
Sniffling, Lance leant down to kiss one of their pups  
"I know baby. I could smell it on you when I finally came back. We have so much to talk about, but right now I just want to be with you and our pups"  
"They're both boys... I think they look like you"  
"Can I hold them?"  
"Y-yeah... I want to clean them up, but I'm just so tired"  
If Lance had been though a round of healing, he should be much more recovered than he was  
"We'll clean them up. It's alright. Do you think you can walk?"  
"I don't think I can move. I'm sorry, everything is so sore"  
That wasn't right... Lance shouldn't be sore, he was supposed to be healed. Is that why the IV bag was in?  
"Baby, how many bags of saline have you been through?"  
"This is the third. I had to put the line in and I missed the vein the first time. Coran helped change the last bag. He wanted to give me pain killers, but I don't know what's safe when I'm breast feeding"  
"Your breast feeding?"  
Lance laughed lightly  
"How else am I supposed to feed them? Quiznak... I missed you, Keith"  
"I missed you too. Baby, do you think maybe we should take you down to Ryner? If you're this sore and tender, we should probably have you looked at to make sure nothing more is going on"  
"I'm not leaving our pups"  
"No baby, you won't have to"  
He was sure Lance would put up a stubborn front at the last minute, but instead his mate nodded  
"I really do feel like quiznak"  
"Let me call Ryner quickly"

Sitting on the floor beside the bed Lance was using, Keith explained to Ryner that his mate and pups had woken up, and how Lance wasn't feeling so great. Agreeing that bringing him down to the hospital would be for the best, considering the condition the castle was in, she promised to send up two of the hospitals nursing staff to collect them. Ending the call, he let out a mental sigh. This wasn't what he'd expected. He expected a happy Lance jumping into his arms, or Lance talking nonstop about their sons, but his mate was too tired to even do that. Rising to his feet again, Keith carefully sat on the very edge of the bed, before picking up the closer of the pups  
"That's Kelance"  
"We're keeping the names?"  
"If it's alright with you..."  
"I've been using them anyway, haven't I baby boy... Lance, he's amazing. You did such a good job baby"  
Yawning and stretching, sleepy blue eyes blinked at him as his son's pink lips moved as if trying to suckle, he expected his son to cry out for food. Instead, he got a fart, which was clearly pretty wet... then the crying  
"What happened?"  
Looking down to Lance, Keith was semi-afraid to move, horror on his face as he whispered  
"I think he just pooped"  
"Aw Kelance, did you save that for daddy. That's my boy... I guess you're up daddy"  
"I don't know what to do..."  
Why was he still whispering and holding his son away from his body like he was going to explode... again  
"Keith, you just need to clean him up. I know you know how to do that... grab a damp cloth and clean him up, and then wrap him in another blanket"  
"I don't know if I can... he's so tiny"  
"He's a baby, he's supposed to be tiny"  
"I don't know what I'm doing..."  
Lance let out a sigh, trying to push himself up, before sinking back down. His mate immediately pinching the bridge of him nose  
"Lance?"  
"Moving was a bad idea. Keith, I know you can do this. I love you, and you're my alpha, and you're so strong. I know you can clean up our son's poop"  
"I feel like you find this funny"  
"Just a little bit, but I wish I could help"  
"I... I think I can do this..."

Finding up everything he needed, including wet wipes and nappies, both of which he had no idea of how they'd ended up here and not in the nursery, but thank whatever powers that be that they were, Keith returned to Kelance who laying down by Lance's feet. Unwrapping the blanket, his eyes widened as son screamed. No one had warned him it would be black... or about the smell. If this wasn't his own son, he probably would have reeled back from it and ran  
"Keith?"  
"It's black"  
"What?"  
"His poop is black... it looks like tar"  
"Well just remember it isn't. You need to be careful when you clean him. Isn't that right Laneith, we don't want your brother crying because of daddy"  
Lance's words hurt. He'd never intentionally hurt his son, either of then. Though he soon got over as his anger as Kelance started crying  
"I'm sorry! I'm on it"  
He was such a chubby baby. His chubby little belly was adorable, so were his chubby little legs... Keith was completely smitten all over again by the time he figured how to put the nappy on and rewrap his son in a new blanket. Leaving the mess where it was, he smiled as he lifted Kelance back into his hold, rocking him gently  
"There. All better now"  
"It suits you"  
"What?"  
"Holding him. You look so perfect together"  
"I'm glad you think so, he's our son after all"  
"Mmm, I wish we had photos of this"  
"Of me learning to change a nappy?"  
"No, of the four us all together. Our tiny little family"  
"I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities for photo's, in fact, you'll probably get tired of them once the others come to see you"  
Lance let out a sigh  
"What? Did I say something wrong?"  
"No. My omega's just very protective of our pups. Even the thought of another alpha near them is enough to make it mad. Even Coran nearly copped it earlier"  
"Well I'm back now, and we can't do anything for a while, so I'll be here to protect all three of you"

*  
When Ryner's nurses arrive, Keith helped Lance down into the wheel chair they'd brought with them, before looking to their sons  
"It's alright, I'll be able to hold them"  
"No... I'll take Laneith, I haven't had a proper cuddle with him"  
Lance smiled, watching his every move as Kelance was placed into his hold. Moving the blanket down from their sons face, Lance's fingers ghosted over his cheek  
"Being a mother suits you"  
"I don't know about that, I don't even know how old they are, especially given we were in pods"  
"I would say a few vargas at best... as for their official date of birth, I'll ask Hunk. He'll know"  
"Thanks..."

Keith wondered if this was what Lance meant when he said he couldn't stand having anyone near their pups. He knew the hospital staff needed to help Lance, but trailing behind his mate, he wanted to tear them away from him. The walk down to the hospital nearly proved too much for his alpha. He hadn't growled at anyone, but he had flashed his teeth at patients as they'd walked. As if sensing they were all seeing something that they shouldn't, at least in Keith's mind they shouldn't be looking at his mate and pups, people turned away from them, allowing them to travel through the corridors uninterrupted until they finally reached their destination. Wheeling Lance into the small, but bright room, both nurses bowed at them  
"Congratulations on the birth of you children. Ryner insisted you have a private room and there are bathroom facilities through the door to the left. We do have a slight back log in patients today, so please rest, and if you need any assistance at all, let us know"  
Keith forced himself to smile and play nice  
"Thank you both. We should be fine"  
"Excellent. Hopefully, we'll see you both soon"

Leaving them alone, the first thing Lance did was yawn  
"Sleepy?"  
"Just a little... can you come take Kelance from me?"  
Laying Laneith down on the hospital bed, before retrieving Kelance. Gathering the blanket off his lap and exposing his almost naked form, Lance obviously had something in mind  
"You're supposed to be resting"  
"And I will... but... bathroom. It's right there"  
"Lance..."  
"Keith, I'm covered is all kinds of fluids I don't want to think about and I feel so gross. I don't want the pups getting sick because I'm dirty"  
"Just wait a moment. They need a bath too, let me check the bathroom out, and then we'll figure out how to do this"  
Sinking back into the wheelchair, Lance nodded  
"I wonder if it's too much to hope that there's a bath"

The bathroom was very basic and designed for everyone in mind. There wasn't a bath, but the shower was wide enough that he'd be able to help his mate, and thanks to the low counter running across the length of the furthermost wall, they wouldn't have to leave the pups unsupervised  
"What's it look like?"  
"I think we can make this work. We'll have to use the sink to clean the pups up, or maybe just shower with them"  
"Can you shower with a newborn?"  
"What else do you with them? Not everyone has a bath"  
"Ugh. I'm too tired to think"  
"Then stop trying to"

Moving Laneith and Kelance in first, Keith then helped Lance into the bathroom. With a shower stool already in place, he helped Lance out of what was the most disgusting pair of boxers he'd ever seen. No wonder his mate wanted out of them so badly. Maybe he should have thought to change Lance's clothes before placing him into the healing pod  
"Stop staring. You've seen it all before"  
"I... I know. I just..."  
Eyeing the boxers on the floor, Lance nodded  
"Birth... yep. Blood, goop and all sorts of lovely stuff. We should probably just bin them"  
"Yeah... I'll take are of it once I get you settled"  
"I'm sorry I'm so sleepy"  
"Baby, your body thinks you had two pups not that long ago, I'm pretty sure you're allowed to be exhausted"  
"Mmmm, maybe, but I haven't even got to hug or kiss you yet"  
Sinking to kneel between Lance's legs, Keith reached up and took Lance's face in his hands so he could finally kiss his mate. It wasn't hot and heavy, nor was it hungry desperate, it was just a simple kiss to say "I love you". Smiling as he pulled back, Lance hummed happily  
"Better?"  
"Much. Now hurry up and strip down so we can shower and bath the twins"

Shower time was a whole other experience. Lance wouldn't hold the pups until he was convinced he was actually clean, but his exhaustion made his movements clumsy. Taking over from him, his mate would wince and his each time his hands moved anywhere near his lower back or between his legs  
"Baby, I need you to stand so I can clean up the back of you"  
"You'll have to help me, I'm sorry"  
"No, it's ok. I love you baby, so you have no reason to be sorry"  
Helping Lance to stand and place his hands on the wall, it was easier for Keith to move around his mate than it was for Lance to simply turn his body around. Eyeing the caked on blood and... quiznak only knew what, he sank back down to his knees  
"This is probably going to hurt"  
"I know... but I want to be clean"  
Making sure his hands were thoroughly soapy, Keith started by massaging at Lance's lower back and working his way down. Lance's arse was heavily bruised, and his lovers opening still torn and red raw looking. His thoughts had been right, his mate hadn't healed completely. Cleaning each tear took time, but it was better that he do it now and get it out the way, than put Lance through all this again. The largest of the tears looked incredibly painful, extending from Lance's opening and stopping millimetres before his testicles, as far as he could see it was just the skin that had torn, but none the less, his mate would be hurting for some time to come  
"Keith... I need to sit"  
"Ok baby, I'm just about done, and then I'll wash down and we can see about washing the pups"  
Whining, Lance was clearly at his limit, half falling, Keith caught him and guided his mate back down to sit  
"I don't think I want to know what it looks like down there"  
"Probably not"  
"I feel like one big bruise, and like some came at me with a cheese grater"  
"That's a pretty accurate description"  
"I meant on my arms"  
"You did a pretty good job of them too. Will you be able to hold a pup?"  
"Yeah... I'm not missing out on bath time"

Bath time was probably just as traumatic for the pups as it was for the pair of them. Laneith pooped while in Lance's hold and despite the water washing away the mess, it stank. Lance was laughing and crying at the same time over it. If that wasn't enough, he'd nearly forgotten to adjust the water temperature, which was on the hot side because Lance preferred hot showers. So once they finally moved past nearly burning the pups, Lance getting pooped on, Keith nearly getting soap, which he had no idea where it came from, in Kelance's eyes as he cleaned his son's hair, the novelty of washing their sons was much more exhausting than exhilarating. Lance was barely even awake by the end of it, leaving Keith to dry both pups and bundle them back into their blankets, before drying himself down, and finally getting Lance out the shower. Didn't like his mate not having anything to cover him beneath the sheets, but with only one towel between the four of them, it was completely saturated by the end of it, so he was forced to leave Lance naked. When they other's came, he'd have to make a list of things they needed so Allura could collect them.

*  
Waking to find Keith curled around him and their pups pretty much right in front of his face, Lance couldn't even remember falling asleep. He did remember Keith had cleaned him up, and for that he was way beyond grateful... it was another few moments before he wriggled against his mate, taking Keith's hand into his. He hadn't fully believed Coran when the man had told him Keith was alive, as it was, he was still struggling to believe he and the pups were alive. If it wasn't for the pain in the lower half his body, he'd think this all a dream. A wonderful kind of dream. Sighing softly, he closed his eyes again, feeling Keith's lips against his nape as kissed the spot softly  
"Hey baby. How are you feeling?"  
"Sleepy, but better. Thanks for helping me shower"  
"That's alright, you fell asleep pretty much the moment I got you into bed"  
"I was wondering how I ended up here... did you get some sleep?"  
"A few vargas. The doctor on duty came to see you not long after you fell asleep, so he said he'd be back in the morning"  
That posed a slight problem. Doctors meant questions and questions led to being poked at. He really didn't want to have to show anyone the mess down there, even Keith just saying the word doctor sent his omega into panic mode... despite the fact he clearly needed help  
"Baby, what's wrong?"  
"Keith... what do I do? I... I don't want to be touched... I don't want to show them..."  
"Baby, it's ok. They've seen it all before"  
"I don't care... please don't let them touch me..."  
Sighing softly, Keith's hand squeezed his  
"Baby, you need to let them do their job. You've got some pretty bad tearing down there. Look, if it's Ryner or anyone we know, I won't let them look..."  
"I don't want anyone to see"  
"I know, and I don't want them touching you either, but as it is you need help. If it's just a cream or an ointment, I'll apply it for you. If it's a tablet, that's even better. But baby, you haven't eaten anything or drunken anything since before I came home. Those three bags of fluid aren't enough, not with the pups to feed"  
"I don't think I can eat. My stomach feels really gross"  
"When the doctor comes we'll talk about it. Is that ok?"  
"It'll have to be... I don't want to do anything that will endanger the pups"  
"I know. Now you're awake, do you want to try feeding them? They're probably going to wake up and demand food soon"  
"You're not going to leave are you?"  
"What? No, I'm not leaving, but I do have to slide out of bed so you have space to move"  
Sniffling, Lance nodded, missing his mates warmth the moment Keith was gone from beside him. Sitting up was awkward and hurt like hell, but taking Kelance into his hold made it worth it  
"Is it crazy how in love I am with these little guys?"  
"No baby, I'm kind of completely in love with them too. Even after changing a nappy"  
"We'll have to ask the others to bring stuff down from the castle, both of the blankets feel wet"  
"You go about feeding him and ill clean up..."  
"You can't tell them apart, can you?"  
Keith clearly didn't want to admit he couldn't  
"Come here"  
Unsure of why he was moving to peer over his shoulder, Keith still did it anyway  
"Kelance has a tiny birth mark right here, and I think his markings aren't as dark as Laneith's"  
Showing Keith the birth mark behind the pups ear, Keith rubbed his cheek against his  
"I never noticed"  
"I don't even know how I did... they... they didn't have the best birth"  
"I know. I saw the sensor footage, don't worry no one else did"  
"Someone must have. I didn't put myself in that pod"  
"It was mum. She found you. She also watched over you while I was gone... no one but her saw you like that"  
"Good... thanks good. I know giving birth is normal, but... it's still kind of embarrassing. I have no idea what was going on down there, but... I remember screaming and screaming"  
"I'm sorry I wasn't with you"  
"You're mad at me, aren't you?"  
"Not mad, more like confused. Why didn't you say anything?"  
"Because they were so small, and we didn't exactly have a way to stop the labour. I could... I could barely feel them... so I thought it was already too late"  
Breaking down, Lance cried softly as Keith wrapped his arms around him  
"Shhh, it's ok. You don't have to think about it again"  
"I do! Everyone's going to ask me why and I don't want to tell them that I wanted to be dead with you and the pups"  
He felt so guilty about it all, even if he'd honestly believed they were dead. Hunk was going to feel so betrayed, never mind the rest of their friends  
"I know baby, I know. Here, let's feed Kelance"

With both their pups fed and laying up against beneath the blanket, Keith moved to spoon up behind him again. They'd barely been awake a varga, maybe even two at a stretch, but Lance could barely keep his eyes open. He didn't want to fall asleep, but it the arms of his mate he was feeling so warm and safe, and it wasn't long before he lost the battle.

*  
When the doctor returned in the morning, Lance was still sleeping. Smiling softly at him, the old Olkari man hobbled into the room  
"How's he doing?"  
"He's still really exhausted. He woke up for a couple of vargas, before falling back to sleep"  
"Your friends have all been hassling the staff, they want to come visit"  
"Not just yet. His... we have second dynamics, that's how he was able to fall pregnant and give birth because he's known as what's called an omega. Along with this, we have this voice inside our heads, well it's kind of like another us. His is an omega, mines an alpha..."  
He had no idea if the man was understanding what he wanted to say  
"... his omega is panicking over having anyone near his pups at the moment, and because of his past, he's prone to panic attacks and episodes"  
"So he's scared?"  
"In a way. Can you please let them know? And... is there any way we get some clothes or even just some pants for him, and some blankets for the pups? I can ask them to bring everything we need down, but for now he just needs something"  
"I'd really like to examine him, is he going to be ok with that?"  
"I don't think so. But it's bad. He's really torn up down there, and he feels pretty sick"  
Frowning, the old man hobbled over to Lance's side. The moment he placed his palm down on Lance's forehead, the omega jerked backwards as if he'd been struck  
"Lance. Lance, baby, it's ok"  
"Greetings Red Paladin, you've got nothing to fear from an old Olkarion like me. Your partner says you're not feeling great"  
Looking over his shoulder at him, Lance glared  
"Sorry baby. It's his job"  
"You could have woken me up"  
"Just answer his questions"  
"Fine"  
Lance let out a long breath as if trying to calm, though he still felt just as tense to Keith as he kept trying to press himself back into the alpha  
"Sorry. Keith was supposed to wake me up"  
"It's alright, now, your symptoms please"  
"Headache, nausea, I think I have a fever and everything down there hurts. Keith says it's pretty bad down here. I just feel gross"  
"Keith, can you please take your sons off the bed, I need to examine him"  
"No... please... Keith..."  
"Lance, I'm not going to hurt you"  
"Keith... you said..."  
"He's not going to hurt you"  
"I don't want to be touched!"  
Lance's screaming woke the pups, both boys letting out loud cries. Sliding off the bed, Keith rushed around to the other side, lifting the closest twin pup into his hold. Birth mark... yep, Kelance  
"Shhh, Kelance, mum didn't mean to yell"  
"Keel-ance?"  
Rocking his son, he flicked a glance to Laneith, Lance was already trying to calm him  
"Kel-ance. Like "cal" "an" "ss". His brother is La-neith. "La" "nee" "th""  
The old Olkari doctor raised an eyebrow, and Keith was sure he was being mentally mocked by him  
"Yes, both excellent names I'm sure, but I still do need to examine my patient"  
"Keith..."  
"Lance, you really do need to be examined"  
"Then take Laneith! It doesn't matter what I want does it? I'll just spread my legs for someone else... that's all I'm good at!"

Awkwardly forced to take Laneith, Keith now had two crying pups and an incredibly quiznakked omega. Ripping the blanket back, Lance spread his legs  
"Do whatever you want. It doesn't matter anyway!"  
Looking to Keith for confirmation, he nodded. The doctor clearly seemed to think all this was some kind of Earth custom and not Lance being overdramatic. His mate had dragged himself up to get help, and now help was here, nope. It wasn't like Keith didn't understand, it was hard enough to have someone else in the room, let alone have them touch Lance.

Lance might have been silent during his examination, but his scent wasn't. His omega was terrified and in so much pain. It might have been cowardly, but Keith closed his eyes. This was for Lance's own good... responding to his mate's scent, his own filled with anger as his alpha prowled back and forth, barely containing its desire to rip the doctor away from Lance.

"Alright, let's cover you back up. There's still quite a lot of damage. I know there have been some issues with the castle, and you clearly weren't inside the healing pod long enough, but a majority of the trauma has healed. I'm going to prescribe an ointment to be applied and a herbal pill. You'll need to apply the ointment three times a day, and take the pill twice a day, before eating"  
Mumbling something, Keith was pretty sure Lance was apologising  
"And that's all?"  
"He'll be in here until for the next few quintants, and we'll need to monitor his fever. But honestly, there is less damage than one might expect from this kind of birth"  
"Thank you"  
He wanted to ask the man to take a look at the pups, but Lance probably wouldn't have been able to handle that. Not when he was sitting on the bed shaking and crying  
"I'll see about getting a some more blankets and something for him to wear. Child birth is hard work, and despite all our advances, there are still many that die in birth. He's been through a lot, make sure he rests"  
"I will. Thank you..."  
Giving this weird little bow thing... that Keith honestly couldn't figure out, the Olkari man left them alone.

Approaching the bed, Keith sat on the edge as Lance tried to cover as much of himself with the blanket as he could  
"Lance..."  
"Don't..."  
"Baby..."  
"I'll be good... just don't hurt me anymore"  
Great. Quiznakking great.


	62. Chapter 62

Hospitals and Lance did not mix. They didn't mix well at all. He hated being stuck in bed resting, he hated feeling like he and his pups were prisoners, but he hated the herbal pill he had to take even more. It tasted like someone had stuffed his mouth full of garlic and each time he was forced to swallow down the stupid thing, it left him fighting not to throw it back up. Even Coran's cooking was better than the pill, and the ointment... he hated that nearly as much. It was itchy, and it burnt. Keith tried to assure him it was only itching as scabs were finally forming on the wounds, but going to the bathroom didn't reassure him as each time there was a fair amount of blood... not that he told Keith about that.

Padding back into the room, Lance climbed straight back into bed, ignoring catching Keith's eye as he did. Today was the first time since his "imprisonment" in hospital that the others were coming to meet the pups. He was nervous as hell about seeing them all, especially when he had no idea how much longer he'd be in hospital. Keith had told him he'd freaked after the doctor visited, leaving him feeling a fool each time any of the staff came to check in with him. Pulling the sheet to cover his lap, he tugged at the edge of it  
"Lance, they'll be here soon. Is there anything you want before they get here"  
"Clothes. A million dollars. Out of here?"  
"Baby, you know you can't go home yet"  
"I'm sick of being here. I want to take the pups back to the castle and settle them down in their cribs... not just have them laying on whatever that bad thing is"  
"The pups are fine. They're happy, and still sleeping"  
"And what about you? Aren't you sick of this place already? You haven't even gotten to see your mum"  
Lance regretted bringing up Keith's mother the moment the words slipped out his mouth. With him in the pod, Krolia had moved forward with having the piece of metal removed from her chest while the team had been off at Daibazaal. The Galra woman hadn't been able to visit due to an infection that had developed in her lungs and using the excuse "Not wanting to risk the pups", Keith had stayed away... when in reality he didn't want to admit out loud he was angry that his mother had gone ahead with the surgery and not told him  
"Whatever. She knows where we are"  
"Keith, she's your mum"  
"And your mate! These are our pups!"  
Flinching back, Lance crossed his legs  
"Don't get mad at me!"  
"I..."  
"You didn't mean it. I know"  
He'd been hearing that a lot lately. The pups liked to cry all night and sleep all day, leaving his mate exhausted. Maybe he could convince the others to take Keith back to the castle, or at least to visit Krolia  
"Well the pups are probably going to wake up the moment everyone comes in, so you should probably pass them to me. I don't know what they're going to make of having so many alphas around their mummy"  
"They're pups, I'm sure they'll be fine"  
"Well maybe your omega is freaking out over here and I might need something else other than everyone's disappointment to concentrate on!"  
Snapping at Keith, his mates eyes softened  
"They're not going to be disappointed"  
"Not with you, they all like you. I ran off and had my pups on my own, and then tried to die. I let them all down and then I went and gave birth too soon"  
"They're excited"  
"Yeah, until they see me"  
"Baby, your face is starting to glow"  
Because he didn't look stupid enough as it was. His stomach was slowly returning to normal but still hung out over the hospital pants he'd been given, as for a shirt, his nipples were so sore that fabric against them was way too uncomfortable. Being half naked was another reason he wanted the pups. Hearing Keith's communicator start to beep, he looked to his sons as his mate tapped away at his communicator   
"Don't even think about moving, I'll get them"  
So now Keith could be cooperative?  
"They've just arrived at the hospital and are on their way here"  
"The pass me the pups already"  
"I'm on it"  
Best way to greet their friends. Both of them mad at each other.

Managing to look like a loving couple, Lance had both pups in his hold while Keith stood to his side. Holding his breath as the door opened, Hunk was the first one in, his friend hidden behind a teddy bear the same size as him  
"Pidge, I can't see where I'm going"  
"Don't look at me, I don't know where we should put it either"  
Feeling the tips of his mouth tugging upwards, he ducked his head, ashamed of himself for how he'd acted since coming back from the bathroom. They both knew he nearly died, and he really shouldn't be rubbing it in. Placing the teddy down, Hunk peaked at him over it  
"Uh... surprise?"  
"Surprise, don't you mean congratulations?!"  
"But the bear was for the baby shower"  
"We didn't have a baby shower"  
"We were supposed to..."  
"Anyway. Congratulations guys!"  
The pups slept through Pidge yelling congratulations but woke when she popped a party popper. Letting out unhappy cries  
"No! Babies, I'm sorry"  
"It's alright, we thought this might happen. They'll settle down soon..."  
Hopefully, though highly doubtful. Standing there staring at him, it was kind of comical. It was clear his friends all wanted to come closer, but it was like they were scared of the crying pups  
"Guys, you can come have a look, and a hold. I'm sorry I'm half naked"  
"Nonsense, you look beautiful Lance"  
"Thanks Allura, and thanks for the giant teddy!"  
Allura and Hunk reached each side of his bed at the same time, both staring down at the pups  
"Keith do you want to take Laneith and show Allura how to him. Hunk, this little guy's Kelance. Unlike his brother, he's got a tiny little birthmark behind his ear"  
Hunk was sweating buckets as he stared down at the pups, pressing his pointer fingers together until they bent  
"Hunk?"  
"He's so small"  
"He's pretty big for how many weeks he is. I could never have carried full term"  
"I don't want to squash him"  
"You're not going to squash him. Now sit down on the edge of the bed, and I'll place him into your arms"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Hunk, you're my best friend. Just because he's still crying doesn't mean he doesn't want to be held"

With Kelance in Hunk's hold, their pup was dwarfed by the large alpha, the look in Hunk's eyes was pure amazement   
"I want to see"  
"Pidge, you'll even get to hold him, but give Hunk a second..."  
Something had been off since they came in, and now he knew what it was  
"Where's Coran?"  
"Oh, he's waiting in the hallway"  
"Why?"  
"Because Krolia was pacing back and forth, she didn't know if she should come in or not"  
"Krolia! Did you get cleared by the hospital?"  
There was a long pause   
"Yes"  
"Then come in, and bring Coran with you!"  
Coran had been left with the task of bringing everything else in. Nappies. He could kiss the man. The Olkari had given them cloth nappies to use, and Lance hated them. He couldn't bend properly to change and clean the pups when sitting on the bed and standing only made Keith sigh... repeatedly until he finally sat  
"Hey, Coran. Hey Krolia. Come on in"  
"Hello, Lance. How are you feeling?"  
"Like I got run over, and like the medicine in here sucks. I can't wait to get out, but other than that..."  
Laughing almost nervously, he pulled the blanket up to cover as much of himself as he could. Coran was already trying not to look at him, and he didn't want the man being uncomfortable   
"... yeah. I'm healing slowly, but the pups are good"  
"You look much better than the last time I saw you"  
"Showers are amazing. How about you Krolia? Has your infection cleared?"  
"Yes, it has. I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit"  
"It's fine. You're here now. What does it feel like to be a grandmother?"  
"I would love to see them..."  
Keith let out a low growl, which everyone except him and Krolia seemed to miss  
"Sure. They don't have any Galra marks, but they do have Altean ones... other than that, I think they look like Keith"  
"Really? I think this one looks like you?"  
Shaking his head at Pidge, the female alpha was blind  
"No. They definitely look like Keith. Come have a proper look"

Approaching slowly, Krolia came to stand by Pidge, her frown lines disappearing as a huge smile formed  
"You're right. He's almost identical to Keith, but Keith had black hair when he was born"  
"Theirs is so dark, I wouldn't be surprised if it did turn black"  
"Do you want to hold him?"  
"Oh, Pidge was next..."  
"No, I can wait. He's your grandson... oh quiznak. I forgot my camera"  
"The one thing you actually needed to remember"  
"I was excited! We finally got meet them, and we got to see Lance again!"  
"We were all excited to see Lance again"  
Their kind words should have made him happy, instead, his eyes filled with tears. Whining involuntarily, he dissolved into sobs as Keith moved to wrap his arms around him  
"Lance?"  
"He was a bit scared about seeing you all"  
"What? Why?"  
"Because... because I gave birth to the pups too soon... and... I tried to die... I let you all down!"  
Howling against his mate, his whole body shook as he cried out his pain  
"I thought he was dead... I thought they were dead!"  
"Lance, we all understand how scared you must have been... but we'd never think any less of you"  
"Yeah, you couldn't help going into labour..."  
"And we would have helped you if you'd told us..."  
"Hunk"  
"Well we would have"  
"How could I? You're all so attached to the pups... I didn't want to make you all mad..."  
"Lance, we know time moves differently in the rift, so your body probably went into labour because of that"  
"I... it was before it even opened properly"  
"What?! Why didn't you tell us?"  
"What was I supposed to say? Hey guys, I'm losing the pups? I couldn't... I thought I was losing them and even getting back to the castle... we couldn't have stopped it... and this was supposed to be bringing peace. It was more important than me"  
Hunk was mad at him. Even with Keith's shoulder up against his nose, he could still smell his best friend  
"Baby, you're ok. It's all over now, and what I'm sure Hunk was trying to say was he, and everyone else, all love you and would have done anything they could to help you"  
"I couldn't... I couldn't disappoint them. All I do is mess up and get in the way. No one wanted me to keep being a Paladin, but if I'm not, I have no place here"

 

*  
Distress was rolling off Lance, and no one was left unaffected. Everyone has tears in his eyes as Lance sobbed, even the pups were grizzling unhappily. It was like his sobs had sucked all the happiness from the room  
"Baby, hey. Shhh, you need to calm back down, we should be happy. You're healing, mum's ok, all our family is here. You thought I was dead and you weren't thinking straight. We're all ok"  
"But..."  
"It's ok"  
"Keith..."  
"He'll be ok. The doctor said his emotions were still going to be all over the place and he being here doesn't really agree with him"  
"We've been looking into that. Even though I calculated for three pods being used, it was too much for the system, that's why Lance woke up too soon... I guess it's my fault he's in hospital"  
"No Pidge, you and Hunk and everyone got the pods working, without them who knows what have happened. You all saved my mate and our pups"  
Lance nodded against him  
"I was so angry and confused when I woke up, I didn't understand why you saved me, but now I'm so happy you did... I really love you all"  
Pidge threw her arms around Lance, being the first to him, she was all but squashed as it turned into a group hug  
"We love you too and the pups are soooo cute. We were going to throw you a baby shower, but now I guess it'll be a welcome home party"  
"You guys don't have to do that... this enough, really"  
"We know we don't have too. Keith, you asked for the date the pups were born, it was October the 4th... on Earth"  
"October?"  
"Yep. I looked it up and counted backwards. It was definitely October the 4th"  
"Tha-thank you... I felt like such a bad mum for not knowing"  
"Lance, you're not a bad mum. We all saw how much you adore the pups when we walked in. In fact, I think this little guy wants to go back to his mum"  
"He's probably hungry. Laneith is always hungry"  
"Just like you..."  
Lance snorted  
"I still think they take after Keith"  
Breaking away so Allura could pass Laneith to Allura, Keith was the only one who didn't let Lance go. It was a lot for his mate to process, and no doubt the little voices in Lance's head were still doubting the sincerity of their friend's words. Cradling Laneith to his chest, Lance paused   
"Um... I'm going to feed him... is that ok?"  
"Why wouldn't it be?"  
"Because I know how bad I look with no shirt on"  
"Lance, it's fine. It's natural"  
"Still..."  
Lance clearly wasn't comfortable with being so exposed, looking around, Keith spotted a few blankets mixed in with the box of things Coran has brought in  
"Coran, can you grab me a blanket from the box please?"  
"A blanket?"  
"Yes please"  
Lance looked up at him in confusion, which was soon cleared up as he draped it over Lance's shoulder and Laneith. Now his mate wouldn't be so exposed, though personally, Keith didn't see anything wrong with Lance's breasts showing when he fed. Bringing Laneith to his nipple, Lance hissed as their pup began to suckle  
"Is everything alright?"  
"Yeah. My nipples are just really tender from feeding, and it doesn't help that they try to suck the whole thing into their mouths"  
"It's why he can't wear shirts at the moment"  
"You didn't need to tell them that"  
"Why not? It's not like you can help it, and no one wants you to be uncomfortable"  
"My body's weird enough as it is"  
"Lance, Keith is right, we don't mind"  
"I... it's me... it's something I have to work on"  
Everyone knew Lance had issues with his body image, so they all nodded silently. When the silence finally got too much, Lance asked about what he'd missed... which wasn't really all that much. There was still no word from Lotor, everyone was avoiding Daibazaal and a lot of people had sent their congratulations to the castle over the birth of Lance's pups. News that Voltron's Red Paladin now had children had spread fast it seemed, and though it was nice, Keith wasn't sure he was happy about people knowing. There were those who didn't value life like they did and would be more than happy to harm their newborn pups. As it was, he had no idea what would happen when they were on missions. Between Coran and Krolia they probably had short-term babysitting covered, but for long-term... he had no idea. Once the castle was fully operational again, they could use the pods, but he didn't want to be putting the pups in and taking them out like some kind of frozen food. He'd have to sit down and have a serious talk with Lance about it all, but not until the omega was finally healed and out of hospital.

It was mid-afternoon when the day's excitement finally caught up with Lance. Sitting with his mate leaning against him, soft snores caught his attention   
"Guys, Lance is asleep"  
Their voices all dropped to a whisper   
"Should we go?"  
"Yeah. Thanks for coming down, I don't know how long he's going to be in here, so feel free to come down and visit"  
"We will. They really are beautiful pups"  
"I know. I'm pretty proud of them, I'm proud of him too. I know he hurt you all, but he really wasn't thinking straight. He was so scared. The hospital isn't a great place either, he didn't want to be touched, but he had to be examined and wound up having another episode. He thought he was going to be punished for giving birth early and being torn during the birth... I guess what I'm trying to say is, whatever you guys think of him over what happened, he's already punished himself enough over it"  
"Keith..."  
"Just keep that in mind. He really does love all of you"  
"We love him too"  
Smiling softly, it looked like Allura wanted to kiss Lance on the forehead the way she used to   
"Keith, what do we do with the pups?"  
"Can you lay them on that small bed over there? I think it's the Olkarion version of a bassinet. Once I've got Lance settled, I'll see to them"  
"Alright... now to not drop the baby"  
"Pidge, that's not funny"  
"I was being serious. They're both so much smaller than I was expecting them to be"  
Krolia followed Pidge over, both females laying the pups down. Gathering up their stray belongings, everyone except Krolia said their farewells. Despite the fact he was still mad at his mother, he couldn't bring himself to kick her out  
"You can stay. I'm going to crawl into bed with Lance, so you can use the chair"  
"Keith, if you'd rather I leave..."  
"No. You're family, they're your grandchildren. You can handle nappy duty"  
"I think I can manage that. How was the first time for you?"  
"It was an experience. Let's just leave it at that. Now that we actually have proper supplies, we can go about dressing them too. Lance will want to do it..."  
"It's alright. I do know how to care for a pup. They really do remind me so much of you"  
Keith didn't know what the right thing to say was. His mother had left him... even if it was to protect him, the topic still brought to mind old wounds. So, instead of replying, he lifted Lance to move him down the bed, before climbing in next to him and positioning them so his mate was laying half on him. Nuzzling straight into his neck, Lance let out a low purr in his sleep. Quiznak he was just so adorable and completely precious.


	63. Chapter 63

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am still plodding away at this guys. I know it hasn't been super exciting, but I like to tie up all my loose ends, and I know its a little boring with all the in-between stuff. But I live for angst, and trauma... and I'm horrible at writing fluff...

Pausing in front of the castle, Lance let out a long breath. Today was the day Lance was finally free from the hospital, and the smile on his face hadn't faded at all, until now. Chewing his lip, Lance readjusted his hold on Kelance   
"Baby?"  
Shaking his head, Lance tried to force his smile back into place, but it came nowhere near his eyes  
"I'm ok. I'm just a bit tired... I wasn't allowed to really walk around much"  
"Are you going to be alright walking down to the nursery?"  
"Yeah... I might need a nap though. That slope was brutal"  
"I've already told the others we'll come up for the party, so I think you'll have plenty of time to nap"  
"Just as long as these little guys get the message"  
Last night hadn't been fun at all. Both pups had screamed for hours, a bath, changing and feeding them hadn't stopped them at all, leaving Lance crying because he didn't know what to do. Keith wasn't sure if he was imagining it, because Lance always seemed to perk up when their friends came to visit, but he was sure his mate's mental health was getting worse. Lance had stopped complaining about the taste of the herbal pills he had to take, and wouldn't let Keith help him shower or touch him if they weren't sleeping. Each time Lance made some excuse or acted like he was about to do something else... standing there, and finally putting it all together, Keith could kick himself. Lance was struggling and maybe letting him out of hospital ahead of schedule wasn't for the best...  
"Keith?"  
"Sorry baby, I was just thinking how beautiful you are"  
"Liar"  
"Maybe, but you're still beautiful. Are you ready to head in?"  
"Are you sure they're ok with me coming back?"  
"Lance, they're more than ok. They're having a party because you're coming back. Not to mention the fact they've all been visiting every day"  
"But... no. Never mind. I think Kelance is waking up"  
"Then we should probably head down to the nursery"

As requested, Pidge and Hunk had brought up all their things this morning while Lance was being cleared to go home. Keith hadn't told his mate about coming home until after the examination, he didn't want to get Lance's hopes up. His mate's internal tears were almost all healed, while his external ones were fading fast, now if only his psychological damage could be healed so easily.

Keeping their distance the team stayed away as they walked down to the nursery, at Keith's request. He'd figured Lance would need some space, a shower and a nap... because that's what he needed. Finally making it to the nursery, Keith moved forward to open the door  
"Do you think they're going to like the nursery?"  
"I think they're going to like baths instead of showers and real beds"  
"I thought you'd say something like "they're pups, they probably won't even notice the difference""  
"I can, if you want me to"  
"Not really. Daddy should know better by now, shouldn't he? Let's get you into your own bed, and we'll get you settled down and then mummy is going to pass out because mummy feels like a sweaty fat blob. He's just as chubby as you are"  
Completely disregarding the fact Keith was even their, Lance went about organising Kelance for bed. Lance's voice didn't change as he ran himself down as if stating everything like they were facts, while also telling Kelance how perfect and chubby he was. So maybe it wasn't all bad?

 

*  
Leaving Keith sleeping, Lance padded through to the bathroom connected to the nursery. Stripping off the loose clothes he'd worn back up to the castle, he eyed himself in the mirror. His stomach was no longer swollen like it had been but it certainly wasn't flat like before he'd instead it was soft and pudgy, almost droopy from being empty after being so full. He hated it. He hated how he looked when he was naked. Turning to examine himself from the side, even his breasts weren't sexy... none of him was. What did Keith think was beautiful? Because from where he was he saw nothing beautiful at all.

Showering, he kept his eyes closed, even though he heard Keith moving around in the nursery and the alpha would probably come looking for him in a few ticks. It was alright when their friends were there, he could be the Lance they wanted, mummy Lance who had things together. Not failure Lance who couldn't comfort his sons and looked like a walking soft serve icecream. As the door to the bathroom opened, Lance turned the taps off, reaching blindly for his towel as he did  
"Here"  
Passing his towel to him, Lance swallowed down a whine. He didn't want Keith looking at him  
"Thanks"  
"I don't suppose you want to take another shower?"  
"Why would I do that?"  
"Because you've got shampoo in your hair still from trying to escape me too fast"  
Quiznak. He'd forgotten about that  
"I'm just tired. Sleeping in a real bed was way too good"  
"Are you sure it's not anything else?"  
"What could it be? I'm finally out of the hospital and the pups are doing really well, they've actually been asleep more than a few vargas this time"  
He was trying too hard. Way too hard... and Keith wasn't buying it  
"Lance, if there's anything you want to talk about..."  
"It's fine. I'm just worried about what kind of party this is going to end up being. You know what's it's like when everyone starts drinking"  
"Matt's going to be there, and Krolia... and everyone else, so it shouldn't get too wild"  
Turning the taps back on, Lance moved back under the water as Keith took his towel. With his back towards his mate, it wasn't long before Keith slipped in behind him. Wrapping his arms around, his alpha kissed his neck   
"You still smell sad"  
"I'm fine. You're over thinking things"  
Nipping at his ear, Keith rutted up against him. He understood that alpha's had needs, but how could Keith want him?  
"Turn around"  
"Keith"  
"We don't have to have sex, but I miss touching you. I love you so much"  
Forced to turn in Keith's hold, he got a nose full of horny alpha. Smashing his lips against his, Keith rocked his hips up against Lance's limp penis, until his alpha finally seemed to realise he didn't want this. Pulling back to stare him in the eyes, Keith seemed confused  
"Baby, what's wrong?"  
"I don't want this..."  
"That's all you had to say..."  
"How could I? I know you're my alpha and you have needs"  
"Lance, no. I love you, and I miss you, but you don't need to feel like you have to..."  
"Have to what? Spread my legs... Keith, go mount someone else, anyone else. You're horny, and you have needs"  
Pushing past Keith, his alpha grabbed his arm. Keith's eyes were wide and pained, like he'd just been slapped  
"Lance"  
"Leave me alone"  
Yanking his arm back, Lance gathered up his towel and stalked back into the nursery. He hadn't meant to snap, but once again word vomit had gotten the best of him. Wrapping his towel around himself, he walked over to Laneith's cot, his son already awake and staring up at the mobile above his bed  
"I know, mummy is an idiot. Keith will probably be mad at me, but I don't even know what I'm feeling anymore"  
Sighing softly, he lifted Laneith into his hold  
"Let's get you dressed for the party, we don't want you under dressed for your first party"  
With the towel covering as much of him as it could, Lance went about changing and dressing Laneith, before realising he'd have to return to his and Keith's quarters if he wanted anything decent to wear. Though it was really tempting just to climb back into bed and stay there until the whole thing was over.

Leaving Keith to dress Kelance, he left a change of clothes for their son on the nursery's bed. He'd chosen a white onesie for Laneith and a soft blue one for Kelance. The white bringing out his son's facial markings, and the blue would bring out Kelance's blue eyes. Carrying Laneith against his shoulder, he nuzzled and kissed at his son's soft hair as he made his was back to his old room. It felt like deca-phoebes had passed since he was last in there, and the whole room was a total mess. His omega immediately wanted to clean everything from top to bottom, but he didn't have time for that. Keith would probably also need to retrieve a change of clothes, and he didn't want to have another fight just because he was hideous to look at.

It was a fight to get into his old jeans. His stomach squashed into them and causing the button to look like it would pop at any moment. It did nothing for his feelings of self worth. Rushing to put his bra on, he grabbed the loosest shirt he could find. He didn't want anyone looking at his muffin top, and he didn't want anyone noticing if his button did end up popping off. Grabbing his jacket last, he zipped himself into it, before realising he should have probably fed Laneith first. Now he'd have to take an extra blanket up, so he could hide his body when feeding time came. With his mission complete, he put his socks and boots on, before taking Laneith into his hold again, and leaving before he'd have to speak to Keith.

 

*  
After Lance's small outburst in the shower, Keith felt like a dick. Yes Lance's body had changed, but that didn't mean he loved his mate any less. He hadn't meant to come across so long, and he hadn't wanted to mount Lance. He'd just wanted to touch a little. He missed the intimacy. He missed kissing Lance and holding him. He missed all the sounds his mate made as he gave into the pleasure he was feeling and he wanted to reassure Lance that he still found him attractive, but somehow he'd managed to do the exact opposite. Forcing himself to stay in the shower until all signs of arousal had passed, so he didn't scare or upset Lance further, it hadn't quite worked out that way. All he had to do was think about his mate and his penis was immediately interested... So, for the first time in a very long time, he found himself jerking himself off, though it felt more like a chore than actually pleasurable.

By the time he came out Lance was gone. His mate had laid out a set of clothes, and upon inspection he found the omega had taken Laneith with him. Gathering up Kelance, he rocked his son gently   
"Don't worry, daddy's here. He was an idiot and upset mummy. Mummy's probably not going to talk to him all night now, but it's not your fault. He still loves you very much"  
Kelance just blinked at him, before letting out a small yawn  
"I know, you just want to sleep, but we've got a party to go to, and you need to look good. We don't want them thinking we aren't taking care of you"  
Did parents normally talk to their pups like this? He didn't know what he was supposed to say and what not to. He figured as long as he didn't swear, he was safe. Carrying Kelance over to the bed, he laid him down gently, stripping off his onesie before pressing kisses to his belly  
"You're a little fatty. Look at this belly. How did I get so lucky to have two beautiful son's and Lance for a mate? What? You don't know either? I guess we'll never know then"

Lance wasn't in their old room, but he definitely had been. His mate was still upset, and it left him feeling anxious. He knew Lance would never hurt Laneith, but if he had an episode, he might do it and not even realise. It sucked to doubt his mate, especially when Lance had come so far, but he also had to deal with the fact his alpha was super protective of the pups, to a crazy degree. He let everyone have cuddles, and forced it back, but he found himself anxious over things as simple as Lance carrying the pups into another room, such as the bathroom to clean up vomit and drool. Not paying much attention, he dressed quickly, gathered Kelance up and headed straight up to the lounge room where they'd be having their party.

Lance was already sitting in the middle of the wrap around sofa when Keith walked in. Laneith was in his hold, and most of his mate was covered by a thick fluffy blanket, which Keith knew had come from their bed. Lance had loved it the moment he'd caught sight of it, so despite his dislike of the blue fluff it covered everything in, it lived on their bed. Nodding at something Allura was saying, Lance flashed a glance in his direction, before turning back to Allura   
"Keith, you're late"  
"I was taking a shower. What did I miss?"  
"Nothing much, but so you know, Six is somewhere in the room, but we have no idea where. So don't be surprised if she attacks your boots or your hair"  
"Will she be alright with pups?"  
"She'll probably be more scared of them than they are of her. Do you want to sit next to Lance? Hunk and I can move"  
"No, you guys are fine there"  
"Ooooh, are you two fighting?"  
Keith scratched the back of his head  
"No, nothing like that. It's fine. Where's mum?"  
"She's just grabbing the plates, we left them in the kitchen by accident. Now come give Aunty Pidge the baby"  
"Can Aunty Pidge tell which one he is?"  
"Nooo, but they're both adorable"  
"She's been dying to hold them all day. Laneith started crying when she tried to hold him"  
"Did Lance have to tell you which is which?"  
"Nope. Uncle Hunk guessed all on his own"  
"Both of them are pretty small, but Laneith is slightly bigger than Kelance"  
"If you had to birth them, you'd know Laneith is way bigger than Kelance. He was the second pup born, and probably the reason mummy had to stay in hospital for so long. Isn't it my precious boy?"  
"Lance he's not going to reply"  
"I know, but I like talking to them"  
"Well they are really cute"  
"Aren't they? I don't think I want to be a mum anytime soon, but an Aunty is pretty cool"  
"Dad would skin me alive if you had kids so young"  
"He doesn't have to worry about that. Now can I please hold the baby?"  
Passing Laneith to Pidge, he sank down next to the female alpha. Lance had fallen silent and was stroking Laneith's face with his fingertips now   
"So, what's it like to be back on the castle?"  
"Are you asking me or Lance?"  
"Either, either, both?"  
"I don't know about Lance, but I'm happy to be back"  
"Yeah. It's nice to have the pups sleeping in their own cots, and having real clothes..."  
"We brought you down clothes"  
"I know, I was just too uncomfortable to wear shirts. I missed shirts. Shirts are definitely underrated"  
"Is that why you're wearing your jacket?"  
"That and I can actually do it up. Plus, the hospital's warmer than castle"  
"That's because it's so big. Do you have any idea how many repairs we've had to make? When I see Haggar, I'm going to make her wish she'd never touched my castle"  
"Your castle?"  
"You know how I feel about tech and the castle is amazing"  
"It's ok Pidge, I was just joking. We all know the castle is your baby"  
"Mhmm. I just wish it was as easy to fix the castle as it is to take care of this little guy"  
"Trust me Pidge, his silence is deceptive. They'd give an angry Weblum a run for its GAC"  
"Awww, no way. Look at Kelance, he looks so innocent. I think your dad is making up stories about you"

"I'm back. Sorry I took so long"  
Carrying in a huge stack of plates like it was nothing, Krolia flashed a smile as she brought them over to the table   
"Lance, I found your medication too. You're supposed to take your pill with food"  
"You really didn't have to find it. That stuff's so revolting, that I wouldn't he surprised if it was the reason I was in hospital so long"  
"Lance, you're being dramatic again. It can't be that bad"  
Raising an eyebrow, Lance had finally had enough by the seems of it  
"Krolia, can you do me a favour, can you cut a tablet up for me?"  
"Why?"  
"Because I'm sick of hearing about everyone telling me it's not that bad when it makes me want to vomit"  
"Lance..."  
"It's fine. It's just a herbal supplement with vitamins and stuff. It's not like it's prescription medication"  
Krolia looked at him, but Keith just shrugged. Lance wanted to prove a point and once they all tasted this pill, hopefully, his mate would realise it wasn't actually all that bad  
"How many pieces am I cutting it into?"  
"3. Pidge and Keith are trying it. Keith because he wouldn't believe me and Pidge because she thinks I'm being dramatic"  
"What about Hunk?"  
"Hunk's my best friend, I wouldn't do that to him"  
"Thanks, bud"  
"No worry. I've got your back"  
Fist bumping it out, Keith was kind of surprised Lance was acting like he wasn't holding a tiny pup in his arms.

Popping his part of the pill in his mouth, Lance grimaced as he swallowed it down   
"Even in a small dose, it's still just as horrible"  
Snorting, Pidge looked to Keith   
"Are you ready?"  
"Maybe you should pass Kelance to Hunk?"  
"Why? Do you think I'm going to explode or something?"  
"No, but you know..."  
Keith shook his head, he didn't know how to explain that if Pidge threw up, he'd rather her not do it on Kelance, without insulting the female alpha  
"Fine. Hunk, hold the baby"  
"Lance is that alright?"  
"Of course you can hold him, or I can pass Laneith to Allura and take him"  
"That might be better"  
"Here we go Aunty Allura, we're all about to see something funny"  
"I still think you're being dramatic"  
"Well you would be wrong"  
Taking Kelance, Lance stared at them both expectantly. Picking up their pieces of tablet, Keith placed his in his mouth at the same time as Pidge. The moment it hit his tongue, he wanted to vomit. Disgusting didn't come close to describing the taste now filling his mouthed, nor did any other word he could of in both English and Korean. The alpha's eyes watered as he gagged, looking to Pidge, he found she wasn't doing any better than he was. How the quiznak had Lance survived downing these horrible tablets for the last two movements? Howling with laughter, Lance was soon trying to settle down as Kelance started to cry   
"Oh my god. That's vile! That's worse than Coran's cooking... ugh. I can't get the taste out of my mouth!"  
"And you guys said I was being dramatic"  
"I want to throw up. Why does it taste like garlic? Why do I feel like I've had my mouth filled with garlic flakes? That's repulsive and inhumane"  
"Try taking them twice a day, and I'm still supposed to take them for another movement"  
"Keith, how could you let them give him those?"  
"Because they were supposed to be helping..."  
Reaching for the glass of juice in front him, he nearly threw that up. With such a strong garlic taste, orange juice just made it worse  
"Lance, what do we do? How do we get rid of the taste?"  
"I don't know. I still haven't figured it out"  
"I take back everything I said. If that was just a small part of the tablet, I don't want to know what a full one's like"  
"It's about the same..."  
"At least that's something. We have vitamin pills in the medical bay, you should definitely switch to those, and then we can save these pills for when we need to torture prisoners"  
"Or Hunk can use them whenever he needs garlic"  
"Don't even joke about that. Hunk, never ever feed me these or I won't forgive you"  
"Uh... I won't?"

The bad taste in Keith's mouth stayed all night, but that might have also been from the bitter jealousy that set in a couple of vargas earlier. Being them, the party ran late into the night, but once Lance had made his point over how bad the medication was his mate had pretty much ignored him for the rest of the night... except for the half varga when they cut the cake. Hunk had made an almost mammoth cake to celebrate the birth of the pups, with 5 tiers, blue and white frosting, and tiny foot prints around each layer. Reading down the front of the cake, the tiers came together to say "Congratulations Lance and Keith on the birth of Kelance and Laneith", while the top of the cake read "October 4, 2 new Paladins are born" Lance had immediately started crying, clinging to Hunk as he thanked him. They'd all posed for photos with the cake, Matt and Pidge making sure that they got photos of everyone holding the pups with the cake, before Lance and himself cut through the side of it. For a moment it felt like they were a normal family... and then Lance went back to politely ignoring him. Busying himself with the twins or jumping into the conversation the others were having just when Keith opened his mouth to say something. That bitterness combined with the taste of the tablet... it was almost unbearable.

Feeling Pidge nudge his side, Keith sighed as he looked to her  
"What?"  
"One, you smell angry and everyone's starting to notice it. And two, Lance is asleep"  
He'd just been looking at his mate, how had he missed that. With a dopey smile on his face and Kelance against his chest, his mate let out a loud snore, ruining the sweetness of the moment  
"I think Lance has the right idea. It's about time we call it a night"  
"This is the latest he's stayed up in a while. The twins cried all of last night, so even though he napped, he was probably still exhausted"  
"Do you want some help getting him back down to your quarters?"  
"That would be great. I'll carry Lance. Who's the least drunk here?"  
Pidge giggled before humming like she was thinking   
"Krolia, and probably Hunk"  
"Hunk is drunk"  
"I'll help"  
Allura reached over and lifted Kelance gently from Lance's hold, while his mother was already holding Laneith. Sliding off the chair, Hunk and Pidge moved so he could get in to lift Lance, and his blue blanket. Readjusting his hold on him, Lance let out a huff   
"Let me sleep, you're all mean"  
"No one's trying to wake you up!"  
"Pidge, he was talking in his sleep"  
"Oh. Well, good night Lance. Good night Keith. Goodnight babies"  
They should definitely ban Pidge from drinking. Sidestepping back through the gap, he waited for his mother and Allura to move in front of him, before following with Lance.

Laying Kelance down, Allura smiled sweetly at the pup   
"It's so incredible. I still find it hard to believe just how amazing it is that we watched them grow on a screen, but now they're really here. We were so lucky to be a part of it all"  
"Remember that when you end up on baby sitting duty and they won't settle"  
"I will. I'll see you in the morning?"  
"Yeah, probably not as early as usual. Lance likes to bath the pups in the morning"  
"Alright. Good night Kelance"

Creeping out Allura left the five of them alone. It didn't take long before his mother was settling down Laneith... and prying   
"What's going on between you and Lance?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"You barely spoke all night and Lance smells like he's upset about something"  
"He snapped at me. So I guess I upset him again"  
Laughing lightly, his mother moved from Laneith's cot to sit on the edge of the bed. Lance was so out of it, he didn't even stir as she placed her hand on his forehead  
"What did you do?"  
"I... I wanted to touch him a little in the shower, but he totally freaked and told me to go mount someone else"  
Krolia shook her head  
"What?"  
"Lance is a new mum. I doubt sex is high on his priorities right now"  
"It wasn't about having sex. I just wanted to touch him and make him feel good. He's been depressed from being stuck in hospital, and he's been alright with the others... and with the pups. It just feels like he's mad at me for everything... I don't even know anymore"  
"You're both exhausted. And it is a lot. Lance takes things very personally and deeply. You know that. He's probably still trying to adjust to the fact he's actually given birth and his two pups are really alive and safe. Not to mention you. He's also going to be struggling to readjust to his body now he was given birth"  
"He's still beautiful"  
"He probably doesn't feel that way, and you telling him he is probably makes him feel even more self conscious about his looks"  
"But he is beautiful. I love him, even with the pudge he's still got"  
"I wouldn't say that to him. Maybe instead of telling him he's beautiful, just tell him you love him. If he wants to wear loose clothes or cover himself up, just let him for now. He's gone from being pregnant and feeling the pups every day to be being "empty", and it's hard"  
"So if I love him, I have to back off?"  
"Just a little bit, until he works his headspace out"  
"How am I supposed to do that when I'm worried about him?"  
"I can't help you with that one. I'm just speaking from my own experience. When you born, your father was so loving and caring, but it still took me some time to feel comfortable in my own skin again"  
He'd have to defer to his mother's wisdom there, as he'd never been pregnant  
"Thanks mum. I'm going to get him ready for bed"  
"Undo his bra, but leave his shirt on"  
"Another piece of mum wisdom?"  
"Something like that"  
Kissing Lance on the cheek, his mother then kissed him on the forehead   
"I love you both. Don't forget that"  
"I won't"

 

*  
Wriggling out of Keith's hold, Lance was nearly free when Keith wrapped his arms around his stomach. Unable to stop himself from tensing, Lance already felt like the worst mate ever for brushing Keith off at the party, but his own insecurities had gotten the better of him, and he just wasn't ready to talk about it   
"Baby? What's wrong?"  
"Nothing, I just need to use the bathroom"  
"M'kay... just don't take too long. I love you"  
Releasing him, Lance launched himself off the bed and fled into the bathroom. How could Keith say he loved him after how he'd acted?

That same question was still running circles in his mind when he walked back into the nursery. Given it was still the middle of the night, he made his way over to the pups instead of heading back to bed. The party had worn them out, each seemingly curious about what was happening around them. Lifting Kelance out his cot, Lance sighed softly as he moved to sit on the edge of his bed  
"Mummy's going to feed you, then he's going for a walk, so you'll have to make do with daddy for a little while"  
He didn't want to leave his pups alone, even if it was with Keith, but in the bathroom he'd made a decision. He wanted to start training again, and start regaining some of the stamina he'd lost during his pregnancy... without the others laughing or watching how weak he'd become.

The walk to the training room was silent apart from his steps against the empty corridor floors. His heart raced as if he was doing something terribly wrong, and was going to be yelled at for it, but he still continued on. Pidge had said most of the castle was still down for repairs, so instead of using the training simulator, he intended to start light. Walking, jogging and running. That was his plan. Once he started building up stamina he'd moved on, but until then, that would have to be enough. Voltron had been absent from the battlefield for far too long, and even though he had no idea how he was going to be a Paladin and a mother, he needed something to do with his time. He was just so sick of being the only one sitting still and being the one dragging his friends down with him. He was going to do whatever it took to keep them from realising how depressed he really was, and to earn back his place on the team... despite never really losing it in the first place.

 

*  
Waking up alone, again, Keith glared at the ceiling. Lately Lance had been getting up earlier than him, and he'd wake to find his mate already showered, dressed and fussing over the pups. Thanks to this, it felt like Lance was slipping further and further away from him. His mother had told him to give his mate space, but this had been going on for nearly two and a half movements now, and his patience was wearing thin. Climbing out of bed, Keith rubbed at his face before rising, padding across the room and wrapping his arms around Lance   
"Morning baby"  
"Hey. Did you sleep well?"  
"Better than you. How are my boys today?"  
"Waiting for their baths. I know you like bath time, so I waited for you"  
"Mmm. And what about you? How are you?"  
Nuzzling at Lance's neck, he kissed the bonding mark on his omega's nape. Lance felt slightly tense, but his scent didn't sour. Instead his mate smelt tired, but mostly happy... which was probably due to their son's grip on Lance's finger as he stared up at his mother  
"I'm fine. Just ready to get the day started"  
"Or we could go back to bed"  
"You can, I'm not. I was talking to Hunk and Pidge, they want to do a trip out to Daibazaal. Allura and Coran both think the castles repaired enough to make it out there"  
And no one had told him this because...?  
"Really? We're leaving Olkarion?"  
"That black stuff still needs to be dealt with, and Kolivan told Krolia that the Galra are getting restless because Lotor hasn't been seen in so long. Someone's still sending out orders in his place, but... yeah. We really need to deal with it"  
"Let's get the pups ready, and you can tell me more about it"  
"There's not much more to say. Like I said, we were only talking about it"  
"Well I haven't heard anything. Allura's been doing most of the diplomatic work because we've been busy with the pups"  
"Then isn't it time to step back in and take command again? She can't do everything on her own"  
Stepping out of his hold, Lance made his way towards the bathroom with Laneith in his arms.

Keith loved bath time much more than shower time, and the pups really loved it too. The first time they hadn't been sure about it all, but now both of them would blow bubbles and try and kick or squirm, before crying when it was time get out. He loved their bellies and wide eyes, and watching them grow. They were only movements old, but it already seemed like they'd grown so much. Taking Laneith, he pressed kisses to his son's cheek as he lightly ran his fingers over his son's wet hair  
"It's alright. I know you love bath time, but you can't stay in there forever. Now let's get you dressed and then we'll take you up to breakfast and Aunty Pidge can try and not get toast crumbs on you"  
"She's better than Hunk"  
Hunk had accidentally gotten strawberry jam in Kelance's hair, and it had taken Lance nearly all morning to get it out of their son's hair. Actually, it was more like he'd gotten it out, and then was paranoid it was still there so kept wiping at it until Keith had taken Kelance from his hold  
"It wasn't like it was intentional"  
"I know that. I'm not that stupid"  
Lance's tone was barbed, leaving Keith sighing mentally. Why couldn't they just get along? They were supposed to be happy...

Heading up to breakfast, Lance talked to Kelance the whole way, leaving Keith carrying Laneith who was still crying over the end of bath time. Walking into the dining room, he found only Krolia there   
"Where is everyone?"  
"Allura and Coran are down talking to Ryner, while Pidge and Hunk are... off doing whatever they're doing. Do you want me to take him?"  
"He's a little mad at us because bath times over"  
"He just wants his grandmother"  
Coming to take Laneith from his hold, Krolia hushed the pup as she lifted him to her shoulder  
"So how are my two sons this morning?"  
"The pups slept through, so I got a full nights sleep. Lance was awake before I was... again"  
"Couldn't sleep?"  
"Oh, no. I just woke up early so I fed the pups and get their clothes out"  
"Mhmmm. You smell tired, maybe after breakfast, you should take a nap. I'll watch over the pups"  
"No. I'm ok. Besides, I'm kind of the resident cow around here, they need me handy for feeds"  
"You're not a cow"  
Lance scowled at him  
"It was a joke"  
"It doesn't make what I said any less true. You're not a cow. You're my omega and I love you"  
"You're delusional. Are you sure you got enough sleep?"  
"How am I delusional?"  
"Because other than feeding them, everything else you can handle on your own! I just have the milk, making me a cow. You know what, I think there's formula in the medical bay, so you don't even need me for that"  
Given he'd already put his foot in it, he might as well dig the hole deeper  
"You know what, I've tried to give you space and I tried to follow mum's advice, but I'm sick of hearing you run yourself down. I'm tired of it. I know you've got body issues, and I know I don't understand, but it makes me feel like an awful alpha and I'm sick of it. Yes, you gained weight when you got pregnant, and yes, you've still got some baby fat and your stomach's got stretch marks, but I love you. I don't just love you for your body"  
Lance gaped at him while Krolia groaned, covering her face with her hand  
"Lance, please ignore my idiot son. I think you look beautiful, and I know how hard it can be to feel comfortable in your own skin again after giving birth"  
"Keith take Kelance. I'm not hungry anymore"  
Passing their son to him, his omega had tears in his eyes  
"Lance..."  
"No! You know I have issues so why did you have to talk about them? Did you tell everyone? Is everyone laughing at me because my jeans barely fit?"  
"Baby..."  
"Don't baby me! Just leave me alone! I don't want to be touched and you keep hugging me and kissing me and I don't want it!"  
Running from the room, Keith watched Lance go. He couldn't really chase him thanks to the pup in his arms  
"Keith..."  
"Don't. I know. I'm just so frustrated. He's awake before I am, when I hug him and kiss him in the morning he's tense. He won't really talk to me unless it's about the pups and but he talks to everyone else and now he's all for going out to Daibazaal and forming Voltron. I don't even know if I'm ready for that, let alone him"  
"You could have been a little gentler"  
"How? I miss him. I miss him and he'd right there a-and I don't know what to do"  
"I'll go talk to him after breakfast"  
"Shouldn't I be the one to go talk to him?"  
"Probably, but I'm the one who will probably understand best what he's feeling"  
"I know he'a self conscious, but I love him. I love his stretch marks. He carried our pups, they're proof of that. I don't think they're gross or ugly, but I can't say that because you said to give him space"  
"Well calling him out on it didn't help. And as for why Lance has been waking up early, he's been training ever morning since he came back from hospital. He started off jogging and running, and once the training simulator came back on line, he started practicing his hand to hand combat again. He spends three vargas training each morning before returning to the nursery"  
"Three vargas?"  
How was that even possible? The twins would miss him, and... and how had he not caught Lance sneaking out or coming back. If his mate wanted to go back to training, he'd support him, as long as he wasn't pushing too hard  
"Lance doesn't know I know. I couldn't sleep that first night, so I thought I might make a start on cleaning your room. I heard him walking past, so I followed"  
"I thought Lance cleaned our room up"  
"And Lance more than likely thinks it was you"  
"Mum, I'm sorry, but can you watch both pups. I need to go find him"  
"Are you sure? You might end up fighting"  
"All this was happening and I didn't even... I need to talk to him before he does something stupid"  
"I would try the training room"  
Shifting Laneith to her shoulder, Keith placed Kelance on his mother's shoulder. Lance had been trying too hard for too long, his mate was bound to snap.


	64. Chapter 64

Lance felt like the biggest fool in existence as he ran through the castle. He thought Keith hadn't realised how insecure he was, but apparently his mate had, and had decided to tell everyone about it. Blinded by his own tears, he let his feet carry him, winding up in the training room thanks to his frequent visits there. He'd been working so hard, but his hips and thighs were just as fat, and his stomach was still a mess. He just wanted to feel normal again, so why was nothing working? He loved his pups and was proud to be their mother, but at the same time, every time he looked at them, he felt so guilty that they came into the world far too soon, and his pudgy stomach felt so empty. He missed feeling them wriggle around inside of him. He missed Keith laying on his stomach and telling him all the things he wanted for their future. If everything had gone to plan, he would have only just given birth. The pups wouldn't have had to spend quintants in a pod. Who knew what kind of defects they could develop later in life because he hadn't carried them long enough. There could very well be a day when his son's turned against him, or blamed him for not being strong enough to carry them. He didn't want them to hate him. He didn't want Keith to hate him. 

Overwhelmed by his emotions, Lance fell to the floor. His taxed body just unable to put up with the constraint strain he'd been under. On top of his training, he'd been busy taking care of the pups and forcing himself to be normal for everyone else's sake. He was physically and emotionally exhausted, and he couldn't stop himself as his body heaved, throwing up the remnants from the previous night's dinner. He hadn't felt any real hunger, and each time he ate, it always sat heavily and uncomfortably in his stomach, like his own body was trying to tell him how fat and worthless he was.

 

*  
Taking his mother's advice, Keith headed to the training room. Smelling Lance's distress before he even opened the door, he had a horrible feeling about what was waiting on the other side. Hesitating slightly Keith let out a shaky breath, before pressing down on the door pad. Lance needed him not to lose his temper.

The moment the door opened, Keith's heart dropped. Lance was sprawled across the floor, and the stench vomit hung in the air. Throwing himself down beside his mate, he gently rolled Lance away for his own mess, before taking his mate's face in his hands. Wiping the thin trail of drooly vomit from Lance lips and chin  
"Lance? Baby?"  
His mate's eyes were red, the trails left his tears were still wet, so he couldn't have been unconscious for very long. Shaking him lightly, he raised his voice   
"Lance. Baby, open your eyes"  
His mate didn't open his eyes, but he did let out a weak moan  
"Keith?"  
"Yeah, baby. I'm here"  
"I don't feel very good"  
"I know. You threw up before fainting. I'm going to lift you up now, do you think you're going to be sick again?"  
"No..."  
"Then up we go"  
Whining as Keith lifted him, Lance buried his face against Keith's shirt  
"I don't know what I'm doing any more"  
"I know. It's time you and I actually talked"

Carrying Lance down to their quarters, Keith laid Lance down on the bed before stripping him down to his boxers, ignoring the whines of unhappiness his mate gave. Stripping his own clothes off, he then grabbed up as many blankets and pillows as he could arrange their nest around Lance. Crawling in beside his mate he pulled him into his arms, one hand buried in Lance hair while the other rested on Lance's lower back  
"Baby, why didn't you tell me it had gotten so bad"  
"You weren't supposed to find out. No one was"  
"But I'm your alpha. We're supposed to be able to talk"  
"And what was I supposed to say?"  
"The truth. Lance, do you regret having the twins"  
"N-no... I just wish they had a better mother"  
His voice was a broken whisper  
"You're a great mother"  
"Than... why... why do I feel so wrong?"  
"There's nothing wrong with you"  
"There is! I hate it. I hate my body. I hate being touched. You loved me before I had the pups. Back when my stomach was smooth, not... gross"  
"It's not gross"  
"It is. I hate it. I hate it so much. I want to vomit every time I look in the mirror. I feel so empty. I have two beautiful pups, but... I don't know... I love them, but they weren't supposed to be born so soon. What if something's wrong with them? They came too soon, and now I'm this disgusting blob who couldn't even give birth properly"  
"You're not disgusting"  
"I am! I am... I want to feel sexy and normal again, but even when I work out, nothing changes"  
"You still are sexy. This stomach you hate so much, I love it. You carried our pups in there"  
"But it's gross"  
"It's not gross. You're beautiful baby. I love you, I love you so much and I love your stomach"  
Lance sniffled   
"I don't... I don't know how to feel better"  
"Not running away from me each time I want to hug you might help"  
"I feel like I don't deserve it"  
"You're being an idiot"  
Smacking his chest, Lance tried to escape his hold  
"This is why I didn't want to tell you. I know I'm stupid"  
"You're not stupid. You're just an idiot for once again trying to deal with everything on your own. Now just lay still. This is the first time since I got back that we've had any actual us time. Mum's watching the pups, so she'll bring them down when they need a feed. Until then, I really want to hold you"  
"It feels weird"  
"Weird in a good way or a bad way?"  
"You smell really good, but I can't calm down and relax"  
"If it's relaxation you want, I can help"  
"Keith..."  
"Baby, you're beautiful. Please, just trust me"  
"I threw up and fainted, and now you want to have sex"  
"I just want to touch and kiss you"  
"Keith..."  
Lance's breath hitched as his scent filled with panic   
"Hey... no. I don't mean sex"  
"It's not that..."  
"Then what is it?"  
"I... I'm not hard"  
"I can change that"  
"No... I mean... I haven't gotten hard at all since... I've slicked, but... my body is so messed up. I'm sorry! I'm disgusting"  
"You don't need to be sorry. You went through something really traumatic, and even if you don't get hard, it doesn't mean we can't do anything. There are other ways to make you feel good. I could give you a massage?"  
"I feel like I'm broken"  
"Well I'm going to make you feel amazing"  
"It's always weird when you use my words"  
"Your words?"  
"Like amazing"  
"You've rubbed off on me. Especially since we bonded, and you know, after over a deca-phoebe together, it would be strange if we both hadn't changed"  
"You're definitely not as broody as you used to be"  
"And we now have two children. We're mates. Bonded and married"  
"You're the leader of Voltron and you found your mum"  
"And I met your family. I'm scared of your mum"  
"I'm glad she isn't here to see how ugly I am"

Keith had thought he was finally getting through to Lance, but apparently not. Guiding his mate onto his back, he stared nuzzling at Lance's neck  
"I want to kiss you"  
"Don't. My mouths still dirty from vomiting"  
"I don't care. It's not like I've never kissed you after you've vomited before"  
Mouthing his way to Lance's lips, he started slow, before deepening the kiss. His mate still wasn't too sure about it all, but slowly began kissing him back. When Lance finally started to push against him, as it trying to push him off, Keith broke the kiss  
"Baby?"  
"I'm so sorry. I love you"  
"I know. I love you too"  
Starting with Lance's breasts, he earned himself a scowl  
"I told you I was going to give you a massage"  
"So you go straight for my breasts?"  
"They're perfect hand size"  
To articulate his point, Keith squeezed firmly, causing Lance to half yelp and half moan at the same time   
"Keith... that hurts"  
"In a good way or a bad way?"  
"In the "I have to feed the pups and if you play with them, they'll leak way". Please, not my breasts"  
"Ok baby"  
Sliding his hands down, Lance immediately whined as his hands came to rest on his stomach. Massaging gently, Keith kissed at his omega's stretch marks, working his way down as he did. When he reached Lance's groin, he spread Lance's legs, before settling between them. His mate was completely limp  
"K-Keith..."  
"Shhh"  
Lifting Lance's left leg onto his shoulder, he peppered kisses along his mate's inner thigh, before sucking a small possessive hickey on the soft caramel coloured skin  
"You're beautiful"   
Mirroring his actions, Keith then sank down to suck on Lance's penis. His fingers ghosting towards his lovers opening. Pulling back, he ran his tongue along Lance's length  
"Stop... I'm..."  
"You're perfect"

Lapping and tonguing at Lance's opening, his mate rewarded him by slicking hard. Bringing Lance to a shaking mess, though his mate was limp. Grabbing his hair and pulling him back, Lance was panting hard  
"Enough..."  
"Baby?"  
"Just do me already"  
"Are you sure?"  
Releasing his hair, Lance turned away from him, trying to present himself while unable to keep himself upright, mewing weakly as he did. Swallowed hard, Keith watched the way slick ran down Lance's inner thigh  
"You look so good like that"  
"Ugh. Forget it"  
"Sorry. I'll behave"  
"That'll make a first"  
Groping Lance's arse, he massaged firmly as he resumed lapping at Lance's sweet slick. Mewing, Lance pushed back against his face. The massage might have been a rouse, but he never thought Lance would "open up" like this. Smirking as he ran his tongue up Lance's arse, he pressed a kiss to the small of his mates back  
"I want to mark you again"  
"Wh-why?"  
"Because I love you"  
Not giving Lance a chance to change his mind again, Keith took him by the hips and pulled him into lap as he pushed into Lance's heat. Even slick, Keith felt himself stretching his mate, but Lance didn't seem to care. Growling and moaning, he built up his rhythm, loving the tug each time pulled back before slamming back in. Feeling his knot beginning to swell he bit into Lance's nape as he knotted him  
"Keith..."  
Grabbing his hand, Lance tried to pull him down onto the bed  
"Careful baby, you'll jolt my knot"  
"K-Keith..."  
"Shhh, ok, let's lay down"  
Guiding him down, Keith curled around Lance as he covered them both with the closest blanket. Crying weakly, Lance kept repeating his name.

 

*  
Walking into their room, Krolia was carrying two screaming pups. Lance buried his face against his pillow, whining softly as he did  
"Sorry to interrupt, but our boys are hungry"  
"It's ok mum, but we are naked under here"  
"Well that will make feeding easier. Go ahead and help Lance sit up"  
Lance shook his head against his pillow  
"I'll take Kelance first, and then can you lay Laneith on our bed"  
"Lance, you don't need to hide. I know what you're going through. Keith's father was very sweet and loving, but having a baby does change your body. My stretch marks faded with time, but I can remember how unhappy it made me to look at them"  
Beneath the blanket, Lance was trying to curl into a ball, his mother was undoing all his hard work  
"Mum, not right now. Let him work out what's going on in his head. He's already thrown up and fainted today, so he definitely doesn't need any more stress"  
"Sorry. I just wanted Lance to know that if he ever wants to talk or ask questions, I'm here for him. Here, Keith, come take Kelance"

When Krolia left, Lance slowly uncurled. His mate's eyes were puffy, and his bottom lip was shaking  
"Baby, it's ok"  
"Mum's mad at me"  
"No, she's not. She's just worried about you. Like I am"  
"I don't want people looking at me when I feed the pups"  
"Baby, no one minds, and right now I'm the only one here"  
"I know... but mum..."  
"She understands. I was worried about you, so I talked to her. I didn't tell anyone else, and it's like you said. I don't understand what you're going through. To me you're the most beautiful omega I could ever hope for and the only one for me"  
Raising Kelance to his chest, Lance settled him down to feed  
"I... I nearly did something stupid. I... I wanted to cut my stomach open. I wanted to cut all the fat from it... I know it's stupid, but I'm really not comfortable"  
"I'm relieved you didn't, and I'm relieved you didn't do anything else. I don't know how to help, but... was... was what we did ok?"  
"It was a bit weird. But it felt good..."  
"I didn't hurt you?"  
"No. The bite did, but it helped. A lot. My omega doesn't feel so weird now"  
"Weird?"  
"I'm tired. I don't know what word I want"  
"You've had a long day, especially if you've been working out before getting the pups up and ready"  
"I wanted to feel like I was doing something useful. I got really out of shape while I was pregnant, and laying around in bed was so frustrating. But... I'm still just as fat"  
"You're not fat. It's going to take time for things to all settle back down. You're being way too hard on yourself"  
"Aren't I always?"  
"Yes. I still love you though"  
"I love you too"

Insisting Lance rest after cleaning him up, Keith moved the pups to the nursery, leaving his communicator between the two cots. With the call from his communicator connected to Lance's communicator, it meant they could head up and have some lunch without having to disturb the pups. Purely because he wanted to, Keith carried Lance from their quarters up to the dining room. Unlike breakfast time, everyone was there. Setting Lance down, Keith dragged his chair up next to his mate's  
"Hey guys, nice of you to join us... Where are our pups?"  
"In the nursery, they only just fell asleep"  
"Aw... I've been looking forward to seeing them all day"  
Placing his hand on Keith's thigh, Lance squeezed firmly. He wasn't sure what his mate was trying to tell him, but whatever it was, he didn't want to say it out loud. Placing his own hand on Lance's he squeezed back  
"So, Lance said we're finally going back to Daibazaal?"  
"We've been thinking it's time. The pups doing well, and Lance has healed enough to hold pilot Red. And more importantly, the castle is finally ready for testing!"  
"We can't leave the rift the way it is, and Voltron is the only thing that seems to make an impact... but... um... if you guys decided to enter the rift, I can't come with you"  
"Why not?"  
Keith resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Allura  
"We have pups remember. They need feeding, and they need to have one of us around"  
"Oh, of course. I'm sorry, I was thinking they'd go with Lance, but now I realise that might not be the best plan"  
"We were wondering if Pidge or Hunk had any ideas of how we could bring them with us... because you can't form Voltron without Red"  
"Not off hand. Wouldn't it be easier to place there pups in a pod while we're gone"  
"They're living people. They're our children, not some kind of frozen food to store away for a later date"  
"Don't snap at me. We all knew this wasn't going to be easy. But we need Red, and we'll also need to go into the rift. Time moves differently there, so it will only seem like a few vargas"  
"And what if we get stuck in there? What happens to our pups? Does Coran or Krolia just take them out and raise them?"  
"I get that you guys want to keep them safe, but I honestly don't know how we can safely bring them into battle with us"  
Rubbing his chin, Hunk seemed to be thinking  
"If we used a pod, like the ones we pilot from here, we might be able to bring the pups with us"  
"How would that work?"  
"We'd have to leave it powered on, but if it's positioned in the middle of the cargo hold and hovering then as Red moves, it should keep its balance and remain upright"  
"Should?"  
"It's just a theory. I wouldn't want to test it with the pups without doing thorough testing first"  
"I wonder if the Olarki would have some idea of the best way to go about it"  
"But there's always a possibility that the tech will react negatively to the rift"  
"It shouldn't, Red would act as a shield around them"  
"But the Lion's do conduct some form of electricity. We all feel it when each time we get struck. We might be able to handle it, but they're just infants"  
Letting out a low whine, Lance's hand slipped out from under his  
"Baby..."  
"No. This is all my fault. If I hadn't fallen pregnant..."  
"Baby, it's not your fault..."  
Wrapping his arms around Lance, he crooned softly as he coaxed his mate into his lap   
"Once we get through this mission..."  
"You said that last time. We were supposed to have movements to prepare as peace spread through the Galra empire... only I ruined everything"  
"Lance, you haven't ruined anything. Even if you choose to leave the pups in Coran's care, I promise they'll be safe and well cared for. He even looked after me when I was a baby"  
"I don't want to miss them growing, and I want more for them than life of going in and out of pods. They're technically nearly three phoebes old, but they're physically only 6 or so movements. So what do we do? Do we celebrate them turning one, when in reality they've only been out of the pod for 6 months. Do we count the quintants that they're out of pod until we reach a deca-phoeb? Do we leave them out of a pod, only to come out and find we've been gone for 6 months and they're already crawling? I don't know what to do"  
Resting his head against Keith's shoulder, Lance hid his face, leaving Keith staring at everyone   
"No one wants to just put the pups in a pod, but perhaps that's the best thing for now? Until this mission is finally over"  
"It's been going for 3 phoebes now. 3. A phoeb of that I was down in a prisoner pod, and then I was up in a healing pod, before an extended stay in hospital, and I've been back for nearly 3 movements. Everything's been at a standstill because of me"  
"No Lance. Everything's been at a standstill because Haggar damaged the castle. It takes too long flying the Lions out there and back because we didn't have use of the teladuv, which means it's impractical. With the castle, the mission will be a lot faster"  
"But if I hadn't kept the pups, none of this would be happening right now..."  
"Lance, we all know you and Keith tried to keep yourselves separated during your heat. You falling pregnant wasn't intentional, and we all love the pups as if they were our own, so stop blaming yourself"  
Smiling warmly, Allura leant across the table and took Lance's free hand in his  
"You haven't done anything wrong. What's wrong is what Zarkon did to the universe, not you having two beautiful boys"  
"So you guys aren't mad?"  
"No Lance, we aren't mad. Why don't you think about what you feel you must do on the trip out to Daibazaal. We won't be jumping straight there as we don't want to give away our position so soon, so you'll have plenty of time to think"  
"I don't know if I can. My brain feels full as it is"  
"Some food and rest should help"  
"I feel like that's all I've been doing. Resting and eating. I'm tired of being tired"  
"Baby, you fainted earlier and you've had a busy morning. Please try and eat something before having a nap"  
"Wait. Lance fainted?"  
"He threw up in the training room and was already unconscious when I found him in there"  
"Did you make him have a scan?"  
"Pidge. I'm fine. I just felt a little queasy"  
"Maybe you should head into a pod for the trip? Just to make sure you're really alright"  
"I'm fine and I'm not leaving the pups"  
"Lance, I'm only saying this because you don't look very well. We're all worried about you"  
Quiznak Pidge. Couldn't you have picked any other time to bring this up? Literally, any other time... or better yet, not at all. Lance hadn't even had anything to eat yet   
"I said I'm not leaving them! I might not be a good mother, but I'm trying"  
"Baby, it's ok. You just look a little tired. Let's have some lunch and then we can head up to the bridge"  
Whispering in his ear, Lance sounded much more miserable then what he was showing  
"I don't know if I can keep it down"  
"You still need to try"  
Sliding a plate towards them, Keith went about piling it up with sandwiches for the pair of them  
"So when are leaving for Daibazaal?"  
"After lunch. We've made all the preparations, and with the help of the mice and the Olkarion we've fixed pretty much everything we can"  
"Thanks, guys. I know we haven't been able to help out much"  
"It's fine. Lance isn't great at the tech side... or the maths or the science, so he would have probably would have just talked and even if you're a bit more useful, you're not on the same level as Hunk and I"  
"Pidge!"  
"Don't Pidge, me Hunk. I was just joking. Can no one take a joke today? Lance is still recovering, and the pups, well they're a bit too small to be helping. Hunk, if I started sleeping all the time, would you still feed me?"  
Kissing Pidge's cheek, Hunk slung his arm around her as he did  
"I'm pretty sure that's not how it works"  
"The pups don't sleep all the time. They scream, they cry, they vomit and poop. Sometimes they won't settle for vargas and vargas. They need feeding and bathing, and cuddling and changing. And finally when you do get them to sleep, if one starts crying, he sets his brother off"  
"They can't be that bad"  
"Pidge, new borns are a lot of work. There was a time when Keith cried for weeks on end. Nothing we did would settle him. And they have two pups to think of..."  
"I didn't mean to say they weren't. I just meant it must be nice to have someone there to take you care of you"  
"I'll take care of you"  
"I know you will Hunk. Just as long as we don't become like Lance and Keith"  
"Really? But don't you think they look so sweet together. Keith seems much happier now, and Lance... I know things aren't perfect, but they're so adorable together"  
"Don't let Lance's cuteness fool you. I think he was ready to kill me earlier"  
Pulling the crust off the sandwich triangle in his hand was a bit of a battle as he only had one hand free, his other was holding Lance to him  
"Just a little bit. Should I take over for you? You usually eat your crusts"  
"It's for you. I was being nice"  
"I can do it. You should eat too"  
"I wasn't going to make you eat the whole pile on your own"  
"I just thought you were really hungry"  
Taking the sandwich he'd been pulling apart, Lance bit in to it almost tentatively. Kissing Lance on temple, Keith picked up his own sandwich now his mate was eating something. He'd barely gotten three bites in, when crying came through on Lance's communicator   
"Someone's awake"  
As their second son began crying, Lance climbed from his lap  
"I'll go check on them"  
"Baby, you need to eat"  
"I did"  
"Half a sandwich doesn't count. I'll go"  
"No. I should. I know they only just had a feed, but if they're hungry again that'll mean you have to bring them back up"  
"I don't mind"  
"I do. Sorry guys. I'm going to go check on the pups, I'll see you later"  
"I'll come with you"  
"No, you need to eat. Besides, there's probably things Pidge and Hunk need to fill you in on about this trip to Daibazaal"  
"But..."  
"Keith, it's ok. I'll see you later"  
Keith really didn't want Lance wandering the castle, especially when he felt sick. With his communicator down with he pups, his mate wouldn't be able to call for him if he collapsed along the way. Watching Lance leave, he was tempted to send his mother or Allura to help his mate, but Lance's emotions were probably still too raw to handle the company   
"Is alright to let him go on his own?"  
"Yeah. He'll be fine. He'll probably settle the pups back down and then take a nap"  
"But he didn't eat much"  
"I know, but he also wouldn't do anything that might affect his ability to raise the pups. He has snacks in the nursery, and he'll eat dinner, so it's alright"  
None of them seemed convinced by his words, and his mother seemed like she had something she wanted to added. Jumping in before she could, he tried to reassure them   
"Guys, Lance will be ok. We talked this morning and he's alright"  
He wasn't alright, but it wasn't any of their business and their kind-hearted meddling would only make things worse   
"You said he threw up and fainted. That's not normal for someone who's alright"  
"Pidge, can you please just drop it. Lance is fine. He was exhausted. He got some rest, and I wouldn't be letting him head back down alone if I didn't think he wasn't going to be alright on his own!"  
"Excuse me for being worried about him! I can't do anything right today, can I?"  
Storming from the dining room, he copped a half glare before Hunk went off after his girlfriend. Sighing to himself, he picked up another sandwich. Whatever was going on with Pidge, he'd probably hear about it all later, but until then, he might as well hear what Allura had to say... because he was sure she was about to lecture him.


	65. Chapter 65

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHY DID I THINK HEADING INTO THE RIFT WAS A GOOOOOD IDEA?  
> I'm moving to Czechoslovakia to farm hamsters....

"Holy quiznak. Is that really Daibazaal?"  
It had been over two phoebes since Lance had last seen Daibazaal, and if the planet hadn't been depressing enough before, it definitely was now. Covered in black goop, long tendrils reached into the space around the planet, but funnily enough, there was nothing there for the tendrils to grab. The whole quadrant Daibazaal was located in was completely empty, and even Lotor's ships seemed to have pulled out  
"I think it's gotten even worse since we were last here"  
"How much black goop do we think's down there?"  
"Too much. Guys, I know we just arrived, but we need to form Voltron. We can't let this black goop thing get off this planet. Coran, I need you to supply cover fire if the black stuff gets too close. Mum, I know you probably want to help, but fighter jets don't stand a chance against it"  
"It's alright. I've got my hands full with these two. Just come home safely. All of you"

Lance's heart ached for his pups. They'd left the castle a relatively short distance away, parked behind space debris and cloaked from anything that might appear while they cleaned up Daibazaal. They'd barely left the castle when he was filled with longing for his pups. His omega hated being separated, leaving him having to constantly tell himself they would be ok. The whole trip out he'd been dreading what would happen from leaving them behind. If something happened to the castle... with panic creeping up his throat, he swallowed hard. They weren't entering the rift, and sure the black goop might be covering Daibazaal, but the whole goal of this mission was to clear it away so Pidge could assess the situation. The pups would be fine. Fine. Krolia knew what she was doing. Relinquishing control as Red took her place in Voltron, his eyes never left Daibazaal. Somewhere under all that blackness was the rift, and in the rift was Shiro. Even if he and Shiro were... whatever, he didn't want to leave Shiro trapped down there for the rest of his life. Haggar and Lotor though. He would happily leave them behind and not have a second thought... no... no, he would. He'd been raised too well for his own good. Lotor meant something to Allura, and now he was a mother, he felt like he understood Haggar in a way he hadn't before. She'd lost sight of who she was and lost her son. Now she was trying to get it all back... or something like that. He didn't want to feel like he understood. He didn't want to sympathise with the she-devil. Yet somewhere in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but do just that  
"We're going to need our sword and shield. We'll start by getting close and cutting down the tendrils that reach for us. The whole planet looks like it's coated in oil, so expect this battle to take some time"  
"Right!"  
"Let's do this!"

They were still at least a hundred metres from the surface of the planet when the first tendril reached for them. It was as if the whole planet came alive at once. The pulsing, surging mass, seemed to rush towards him. Not helping his already frayed nerves. He struggled to fight down the hopelessness and distress flooding his system, his stomach rolled, though he'd skipped breakfast so there wasn't anything to throw up. He'd nearly lost his babies because of this place. He'd gone into labour because he hadn't been strong enough. He'd nearly lost Keith here. He felt as if icy cold water had been poured over him, a whine escaping as he shivered   
"Lance?"  
"I'm ok!"  
"Good! Because here goes nothing"  
Their first slice through the tendril did nothing. Falling back down, it was easily reabsorbed by the surrounding black stuff   
"We should shoot. With such a dense formation, there is no way it can completely move out of the way in time"  
"You wait until now to say so!"  
"I couldn't gauge how thick it was! Lance, think you can pull off another of those amazing blast shots"  
"Of course I can. I'm the universe's best sharpshooter"  
Engaging his Bayard, he aimed his shot on an angle, as to graze along the planet's surface and take out a larger area than a direct blast would... only for it to make next to no difference  
"It's too thick!"  
"Thanks for the update, but I already noticed! We need to keep firing, clear out as much of this as we can!"  
"You make it sound so easy"  
"There's nothing else we can do. We need to get this black stuff gone"

Shooting through the black goop was slow going, and Lance wasn't sure if they were even making a dent. It was just so thick, and the continual activation of his Bayard was taxing, leaving him dripping sweat as his chest heaved with exhaustion. He wasn't the only one feeling it though. Their conversation had fallen to pants and huffs through the communicator's, and the occasional growl or snarl from his alpha friends. Feeling the floor momentarily drop away, he realised they'd let themselves be caught, a thick tendril wrapped around Yellow. Thanks to Coran, the tendril was forced to drop away as the blasts from the castles sent electric shocks through all of them. Lance was too fatigued to even cry out, but the Pidge was riled up as Keith yelled out. How did they still seem to have so much energy, when he was practically asleep?!  
"Keep it together!"  
"I am. It's your sloppy piloting!"  
"My sloppy piloting! Just actually hit something this time!"  
"I could if you knew what you were doing! We haven't gotten anywhere!"  
Closing his eyes, Lance tried to sound as normal as he could.  
"Guys... can we not fight?"  
"Lance! What happened to those big blasts? You're supposed to be our sharpshooter"  
"I..."  
"If you haven't got anything to add, then shut up so we can get on with it!"  
"Don't tell Lance to shut up"  
"Then he needs to do something"

"Guys, we're all tired. Let's not fight between ourselves"

Oh. So when Allura said it, it was alright? But he was told to shut up. He knew he couldn't have done anything to annoy them. He'd barely gotten to talk to them at all since leaving lunch to check the pups. He'd crawled into bed with both his boys and slept a solid 6 vargas with them. After that, they'd woken him screaming, and had screamed the rest of the night away. So why was he being told to shut up? Trying to replay every last thing he'd said since getting in Red, he didn't even notice the tendril launching its self at him. Dazed momentarily by the bright flash right outside of Red, he blinked away the black spots floating in his vision   
"Lance! Get it together! God!"  
"Ok! Sorry already"  
"Stop snapping at each other!"  
"Just be quiet. This is ridiculous. We should pull back"  
"No, we need to finish this"  
"How? We've been at it for vargas!"  
"Lance, do you think we can get one of those big blasts finally happening. Like back on Olkarion"  
"We can't do that if we keep fighting. We have to come together"  
"Just make it happen!"  
Easy for Pidge to say, but what was he supposed to do? He couldn't just magic up an explosion  
"Baby, I know you can do it"  
It was like his whole world went silent, and all he could hear was his alpha's words. Keith believed in him. Grabbing his Bayard, he screamed as he twisted it further in its hold. Maybe because he'd been so exhausted, but he definitely felt like he'd gotten another burst of energy, like when he'd tried to cut down the wall in the nursery  
"Look out!"  
With no idea what Coran was yelling about, Voltron was blown backwards by the blast Lance had caused. All the power welling up inside of him, continued until he triggered a second bright pink explosion, which was followed by an instant blackness. Though that might be because he was so exhausted now. Shaking and panting, he released his hold on his Bayard as the black goop around them evaporated before their eyes  
"Whoa! What was that?"  
"Lance's new party trick... if only he could have pulled it off from the start!"  
"Whatever it was, good job baby. It's wiped out almost all the blackness in the surrounding area. We might just stand a chance now"

 

*  
Landing Black back in her hangar, Keith groaned as he forced himself out his pilot's seat. He was exhausted. Completely exhausted. He just wanted to grab Lance and climb into bed, but then again, this was all their fault for leaving Daibazaal to get this bad. Stumbling down Black's mouth ramp, his mother was waiting for him at the bottom, with two screaming pups  
"Sorry Keith, I know you're exhausted but they haven't settled all day"  
Half sighing and half yawning he lifted Laneith from his mother shoulder  
"Did they eat?"  
"No. I couldn't get them to take the formula, or any of the milk Lance expressed"  
Laneith was completely miserable. Placing his son against his shoulder, he rubbed his back as he kissed his pups hair  
"I know. You want mummy. I want mummy too, but we're all meeting in the dining room, so back up we go"  
"The dining room?"  
"We're all cranky and exhausted, but we still need to eat. I asked Coran to grab us something"  
"He should have called me, I would have brought these two back up"  
"It's ok. Coran always has way too much energy. We should get them up to Lance"

Yawning every two steps, Krolia wrapped her arm around him  
"I'm ok mum"  
"I know, but you were out there for vargas"  
"It's own fault. We should never have let Daibazaal get so bad"  
"We'll worry about Daibazaal tomorrow. For now, you need to eat and these little guys need to give us a break"  
"I don't think that's going to happen until we find mummy, and mummy is going to eat dinner tonight even if daddy has to force feed him"  
"I'm sure you won't need to force feed him"  
"Mum, even I don't want to eat. It was that exhausting, and getting hit by Coran didn't help"  
"Coran hit you?"  
"Yeah, but he was blasting black goop off of us"  
"As long as you're all alright"  
Resting his head on his mother's shoulder, Keith was grateful that the conversation fizzled out. It was enough of a struggle to walk, let alone walk and talk.

Walking into the dining room, the rest of the team looked just as tired as he did  
"Oh no... why... baby, crying, why?"  
Putting her hands over her ears, Pidge shot him a glare. What was he supposed to do? Leave them hungry? He wanted to smack Pidge for being stupid. Sliding from his chair, Lance staggered over to him  
"Mum said they wouldn't take the formula"  
"I've got it. Don't I baby"  
Taking Laneith, the pup quietened as soon as Lance had hold of him, and funnily enough, his brother did too   
"They missed their mummy"  
Swaying on his feet, Lance had his head down as he stared at Laneith. Smelling the exhaustion, Keith reached out to grab his arm as Lance stepped back  
"Baby?"  
Coughing weakly, Lance's head shot up. His eyes were wide, and his colour almost nonexistent, making the red blood on his lips all that more evident  
"I... don't feel well"  
"Lance!"  
Lance's eyes rolled back, his mate slumping on the spot, as Keith barely caught him and Laneith, though his grip on Lance was barely holding him in place  
"Need some help here!"  
Pidge rushed to Lance, but his mother got there first. Looping her arm around Lance's waist, she managed to stop Lance from sliding further towards the floor and gave Pidge the time to step in and lift Laneith into her hold. His tiny face was covered in bloodied spit  
"Is... is that blood?"  
"Coran, we need to know what's happening with him. Pidge, you need to clean up Laneith. Mum, Allura, help her. Hunk, come with us"  
Lifting Lance into his hold, his mate coughed again, despite being unconscious, spilling more blood from his mouth in the process  
"Keith..."  
"You'll have to figure something out"  
Leaving it at that, his alpha was going crazy. His mate was sick. He was sick and their pups weren't happy... he felt like he was verging on going feral. He couldn't deal with this, not when he was this exhausted.

Laying Lance down on the examination bed, Keith placed him in the recovery position, opening his mouth before scooping out the bloody spit   
"Keith, is he awake?"  
"Hunk, can you put an IV line in? My hands are shaking too badly"  
"On it"  
Bustling into the room, Coran went straight to the sensor panel   
"How long has he been sick?"  
"I don't know. He collapsed before we left Olkarion"  
"I thought you said that was from exhaustion"  
"That's what I thought. We don't even know if this is related"  
Moving so Hunk could place the IV line in, Keith had to turn away as the cannula was inserted. Lance let out a woeful whine as the needle sank into his skin, causing Hunk to stop  
"Lance? Buddy, are you awake?"  
"He's still unconscious Hunk. Just get that line in. Coran, how much longer before you can start that scan?"  
"I'm just waiting on Hunk to finish what he's doing"  
"You can start, he doesn't need to touch him now"  
"Are you sure?"  
Unable to stop himself from snarling, Coran let out a huff, before beginning to tap away on the sensor screen  
"Keith, I know you're worried, but growling at Coran won't help"  
"I know. I'm sorry Coran. I can't help it. My alpha can't take this right now. I feel like I'm about to turn feral"  
"You smell like it, but you need to stay calm"  
"How can I stay calm? This was Lance's first mission back and now he's unconscious and coughing up blood"  
"And you didn't notice anything?"  
"He's been stressed, but we're working on that"  
"Stressed? Over the pups?"  
"Over the pups. Over being a Paladin. Over not feeling useful. He also started training again"

The door to the medical bay slid open, Allura, Pidge, Krolia and the pups joining them   
"Is he awake yet?"  
"No. Coran is still in the process of going his scans"  
"I can't believe he threw up blood"  
"Did he say anything before we arrived?"  
"No. He just sank down into his seat and stared at the door"  
"And you didn't try talking to him?"  
"Don't start Keith. We're all tired and worried about Lance"  
"Don't tell me not to start. He's my mate"  
"Then you should have realised something was wrong"  
Growling at Pidge, he'd had enough of her moods lately   
"Allura, can you take Laneith? Pidge, I don't know what Lance could have possibly done to upset you, but lately, you've been cold towards him. Even your jokes have been harsher than necessary. You know what he's like, and you know he's stressing out over everything"  
"Then maybe he should quit being a Paladin, or you should do a better job of taking care of him!"  
"Me?"  
"Yes. He's always exhausted, and always looking after the pups. We don't even get to hang out or talk anymore, not that it feels like he wants to be near us"  
"He's depressed. He's trying to stay out of everyone's way because he's depressed"  
"He's always depressed!"  
"Get out!"  
"Keith..."  
"Get out! Lance doesn't need you here if you're going to be like that"  
"I'm not going anywhere, not until we know what's wrong with him. Coran, what's wrong with Lance?"  
Pidge handed Laneith to Allura, before crossing to Hunk. Hunk looked torn between Lance and Pidge  
"It's ok Coran. What's wrong with him?"  
"His blood pressure is high. In addition, he's malnourished. Using his Bayard must have been too much for his body. He is a mum, and he's breastfeeding on top of training. I would say he took on too much too fast. There's also signs of internal tearing from knotting, as well as previous internal tearing that hasn't healed properly. He's going to be sick and sore, but a trip to the pod room should solve all of this!"  
Allura sighed, looking down to Laneith, before looking back at him to scold him  
"I think we all know what's it's from. Keith, I can't believe you. I honestly thought you would know better. He's only just given birth, we can't afford for him to fall pregnant again so soon"  
"Omega's can't fall pregnant for the first 6 Earth months after giving birth. They aren't capable of falling pregnant until their heats start again"  
"Oh. That doesn't change the fact though, Lance isn't in any kind of shape to be engaging in sexual intercourse"  
"How is he malnourished? He eats..."  
Hunk seemed to be blaming himself for Lance being malnourished   
"Hunk, it's not your fault. Lance hasn't been feeling well for a while now. I guess we know why now"  
He'd wanted Lance to feel better about his body. Not hurt his mate further. He'd been trying hard to get Lance to eat, and he had been. Small meals, and as often as Keith could get him too... which wasn't very often now he thought about it  
"I'll help him feed the pups first, then we'll take him down to the pod room"  
"How are you going to do that? He's not even conscious"  
"He doesn't need to be conscious to feed them and he wouldn't want them starving like they have been. Mum, can you stay and help?"  
"We can help to"  
"It's ok. We'll handle this. You guys get some rest, we'll be checking out the rift site tomorrow"  
"What about Lance? Will he?"  
"Yes. He's still a member of Voltron"  
"Fine. Come on Hunk"  
Hunk hovered before following Pidge from the medical bay. Keith had no idea what was going on with Pidge, but she needed to just back off  
"Keith, is there anything I can do to help?"  
"Thanks, Allura, but you should get some rest. You too Coran. I'm sorry we didn't get to eat dinner, but you did a good job backing us up today"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah. I'll take Laneith"  
"Alright. Don't forget, you can call me any time you need"  
"We know"  
Taking Laneith, Keith found himself being hugged by Allura   
"Allura?"  
"I'm sorry. It just looked like you could use a hug"  
"Thank you"

After figuring out how to feed the pups while Lance was still unconscious, his mother took the now sleeping pups to the nursery as Keith carried Lance to the pod room. If only his mate's body could have held out a few more quintants, but Lance probably had no idea he hadn't healed properly internally. It wasn't like his mate had intentionally left it to get this bad, though it was infuriating that it hadn't been picked up earlier, meaning all the stress and extra training, combined by today's taxing battle had finally been the straw that broke the camels back. Not wanting to let Lance go, he kept his arms around him as he stepped into the pod. Keith felt fine, so it wasn't like he'd be healed. He just... he really needed to hold Lance close. Coughing up blood was always scary, even if it was from something as simple as a nosebleed. His heart was still racing, and as the glass slid into place, he buried his face against Lance's neck.

 

*  
Waking up in Keith's hold, Lance nuzzled into his alpha's neck. For the first time in a long time, he didn't feel gross or tired, just felt... normal? Continuing to nuzzle, Keith let out a small laugh  
"Are you ok baby?"  
"Mmm. What happened?"  
"You passed out again. It seems like you didn't heal properly the first time around, so that's probably why you've been feeling so sick"  
"I didn't heal properly?"  
"You threw up blood so I had Coran do a scan"  
"That would explain why my mouth tastes gross"  
"How are you feeling otherwise?"  
"Alright. Did I really pass out again?"  
"Yeah. You scared the quiznak out of everyone"  
"I don't remember. I just remember being sleepy and really wanting to see the pups"  
Wrapping his legs around Keith's waist as his alpha's hands slid down to support him by the arse, Lance closed his eyes again  
"Are the pups ok?"  
"They wouldn't take the bottle when Krolia tried to feed them, so... um... when you were passed out we..."  
"You what?"  
"Mum helped me feed the pups. I know you didn't want anyone to see your stomach or breasts, but they hadn't fed in over 8 vargas"  
"No... I'm glad you did. Keith, I think we need to talk about my being a Paladin properly"  
"Yeah... do you think you can eat?"  
Responding for him, Lance's stomach growled   
"We'll raid the kitchen before heading down to the pups"  
"Good. I'm starving. Like really starving"  
"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. Coran said you were malnourished"  
"How? It's not like I don't eat"  
"I don't know. Probably because of all the stress you've been under and because you were sick without us really knowing"  
"I thought it was just stress"  
"So did I... I'm sorry baby"  
"It's not your fault. It's not like either of us can just look inside me and see"  
"But I'm your mate"  
"My mate who takes amazing care of me and our boys"  
No longer feeling so quiznakking awful, his mood had apparently decided to approve along with his health. Kissing Keith's neck, he let out a small sigh as his alpha carried him towards the kitchen  
"What's wrong?"  
"I can smell the others on you"  
"Oh... I might have gotten in trouble for not taking better care of you"  
"From who... no, let me guess, Pidge"  
"Yeah. I don't know what's going on with her lately"  
"I don't either... I mean, she snapped at me today, and I don't even know why. I've been trying to stay out of everyone's way. I'm not good at much, so I didn't want to make anyone mad, but she still told me to shut up"  
It hurt. Thinking about it soured his scent, and his hold on Keith's jacket tightened   
"When I think we're getting to a good spot in our friendship, she like... she throws up her walls and starts getting mean. I don't know if it's because I had pups, or if she's jealous or what, but... I just miss how things were"  
"I know. Maybe now you're feeling so much better, we'll all be able to do more together"  
"That would be nice. I want to take the pups out. I want to do things with everyone... I want our sons to see all kinds of things and learn all kinds of things..."  
"Yeah? What's the first thing you want to do?"  
"I want to introduce them to Red properly. I know mum came and saw us off and she would have seen them, but I want to take them on Red. She tries to help me, but I don't think she really understands"  
"We can do that. Hunk and Pidge still haven't gotten back to us on those car seats, but if we're just in the cargo hold or something, she'll be able to get a good feel for them"  
"And Black... and Blue. I miss Blue. I never really had much to do with Yellow and Green"  
"Why don't we move Red to Black's hangar? That way they'll be together"  
"Will Black mind?"  
"I don't think so. She likes you too remember"  
"Mmm. I don't think I could ever pilot Black, but she's nice. She brought you back to me"  
"That she did"  
It was nice being in Keith's arms. Feeling himself starting to nod off, he figured he could put off talking about anything else that involved thinking until after they'd made it to the kitchen.

Accidentally interrupting some kind of secret team meeting, Keith stopped short as they entered the kitchen. Scared of being yelled at, he tried to hide his face against Keith's chest  
"Keith, Lance. How are you feeling?"  
"Lance is hungry, so we figured we'd come get something to eat. We didn't mean to disturb you all"  
"It's fine. We weren't talking about anything important"  
If they weren't talking about anything important, Pidge wouldn't be making that point out loud. Carrying him to the closest piece of clear bench space Keith set him down   
"Like I said, we're just grabbing something to eat"  
Leaving him to begin hunting down food, Lance whined the moment Keith was out of his reach. Walking over to his side, Allura placed her hand on his arm  
"Are you alright Lance?"  
"Y-yeah. Sorry. I'm sorry I scared you. I was just really sleepy, I don't even remember passing out"  
"As long as you're alright now..."  
"Honestly, this is the best I've felt in a long time. I'm sorry I've been so antisocial, I've just felt so gross. I thought it was from stress... so I didn't think I needed a scan, and Keith and I made this plan to help with everything... and I guess now I know why I was sick. I'm sorry. I'm talking too much"  
Biting his lip, he looked down. He really wanted to hug Allura but didn't want to be annoying  
"Lance?"  
"I... can I hug you?"  
"Of course you can!"  
Wrapping his arms around Allura, she held him just as firmly  
"I miss you. I miss hanging out with you. I miss everyone, but I wasn't in a good headspace. You don't... you don't hate me do you?"  
"Lance, there is no way I could hate you, and if you ever need to talk, you can always come to me"  
"Thanks, Allura. I was just really hating myself. My body has changed so much, and I hate it. I wanted to hurt myself because of it, and I've been training too hard, and not eating enough. Keith tries to help me, but I don't talk to him enough... he takes really good care of me"  
It felt like he'd been given a dose of truth serum as he half whispered to Allura   
"I know he does, and Lance, it doesn't matter what you look like. You are you. That's what important"  
"It doesn't feel like that... I mean... I was never pretty or cute, in fact, I'm kind of ugly for an omega and giving birth, my stomach's a real mess. I... I just wanted it to go away"  
"Then we'll work on it together. I would love to train with you again"  
"Really? You won't think I'm in the way?"  
"Of course not. Just promise you won't use your broadsword on me"  
"I thought I was banned from it"  
Giggling, Allura nodded. Releasing him, her hands cupped his face as she sweetly kissed his forehead  
"It's so good to see you feeling better"  
"Thanks, Allura"

Standing behind Allura, Keith had cut some fruit up for him, as well as some bread and an assortment of cheeses and meat, making a large tasting platter of sorts  
"Keith, I think you got a bit carried away"  
"Maybe. Some of it was already cut up, and I didn't know what you'd feel like"  
"Honestly, as long as it's food. I could probably eat a horse right about now, or whatever the equivalent out here is"  
"Then we better get you fed"  
Sliding off the counter, Lance opened his mouth to ask everyone else wanted to join them. Instead, Pidge jumped in  
"Lance, are you going to continue being a Paladin?"  
Lance's eyes widened. He hadn't wanted to admit the decision he'd come to so soon, and out loud without talking to Keith yet  
"Why?"  
"Because today your pups went hungry all day. I know you left formula and milk for them, but it didn't really work out. What would you have done if you'd had to be gone for quintants at a time? What are you going to do when we go back into the rift?"  
"Pidge..."  
"No. We all need to know. If we have to find a new Paladin, we should start looking sooner rather than later"  
"Pidge. This is something I still need to talk to Keith about"  
Crossing her arms, Pidge cast a glance to Hunk. Hunk looked down, his friend not looking happy at all  
"Hunk?"  
"You collapsed from malnutrition... if you're pushing yourself too hard, maybe you should give up?"  
He hadn't expected that from his best friend. His eyes filled with tears  
"Look, I haven't gotten to talk to Keith yet! Just give me until the morning before kicking me off the team"  
"We aren't kicking you off"  
"You sound like you are"  
Taking his hand, Keith pulled him towards the kitchen door. Stumbling along behind him, he still wanted to invite Allura to come sit with them  
"Don't worry baby. We'll figure this out"  
"I... I know... can you ask Allura to join us? I want to talk with her too"  
"Allura, can you join us please?"  
"If I'm not intruding"  
"No, Lance asked if you could"  
"Then I would love too"

Following them out and to the lounge room, Allura sat next to them as Lance settled down in Keith's lap. He was ravenous, yet now he had to talk, he didn't want to eat because he felt so guilty. Picking at his fingernails, he talked to his hands  
"Baby, you need to eat"  
"Keith... you know I love you, and I would do anything for you, right?"  
"Lance?"  
"Just... please? This is important"  
"Is this why Allura's here?"  
"Y-yes. I wanted her input too"  
"Alright. And yes. I know you love me"  
"I... after today, and everything. Leaving the pups with mum didn't work. I know it's the first time we tried it, but they were hungry all day. They're so tiny and they don't understand why I can't be there to feed them. It's not fair... and the moment we left the castle, all I wanted to do was go back to them"  
"Lance, if you're saying you don't want to be a Paladin anymore..."  
Shaking his head quickly, he winced as he forced his next sentence out   
"I want to put the pups into a pod"  
"What?!"  
Keith sounded mad. Really mad. With one word he had Lance shaking. whimpering, Lance wished Keith would just hit him instead of getting angry like this  
"What do you mean you want to put the pups in a pod?!"  
"Keith..."  
"No, Allura. Let Lance speak"  
"I... I don't want them to starve or be lonely or confused. I want to spend every waking moment I can with them, and I just want to be the best mum I can be. But I can't do that and be a Paladin"  
"So you're giving up being a mum? You're giving up on our pups?"  
Half pushing him off, Lance wound up in Allura's lap  
"Keith, it's not like that"  
"Do our pups mean less to you than being a Paladin?"  
"What? No"  
"Then why do you want to hide them away"  
"I'm not hiding them! I love them! I love them more than anything, but until the mission is over, I want to put them in a pod! I want them to be happy! To live in a world where they never have to worry about war and death and starving and being shunned! I want them to be happy! That's all I want for them, and they weren't happy today! We left them alone all day! So until the rift is closed, I want to keep them safe and in a pod. Please. We need to finish this mission. We're right here, and the time to do so is now"  
"But they're our sons"  
"Don't you think I know that! I hate the idea of putting them in a pod! I hate it! But today's battle was so exhausting. I can't give them the care they need if I'm exhausted from the mission"  
"Then..."  
"Then what? Give up being a Paladin? I swore to myself I would be there supporting you in every way I could. I told Alfor I would. I love being a Paladin, and I love you commanding Voltron. This mission was always supposed to be our endgame mission. Peace was supposed to come from this, and I want our pups to know peace"  
Taking his hand in hers, Lance looked to Allura   
"Lance, I don't know what to say"  
"Just... am I doing the right thing?"  
"Yes. I can't imagine how much it hurts, but you're right. Your son's need you, and you were gone all day. So even if it's for the duration of the mission, you must do what you feel is right"   
Sniffling, the teen nodded as he looked to his alpha  
"Keith?"  
"I don't like it. I don't want our pups going in and out pods like frozen food"  
"I feel the same way, but I don't want them to ever go that long again without food"  
"We could try again? Maybe they'll take a bottle if it's from you? And then mum might be alright to feed them?"  
"And what if we have to go into the rift. 5 doboshes in there is like a quintant out here. They'll end up starving all over again. I don't think we have a choice"  
"You could step down"  
"And where are we going to get another Paladin?"  
"If we can get Shiro back, he can take over Black and I can return to Red"  
"How are going to get Shiro back? He's in Haggar's ship, and that's in the rift. We need all 5 lions to enter the mind subspace thing, which means we need 5 Paladins"  
"Even if he wasn't Shiro, he still had a bond"  
"Keith... please. If we can get back Shiro, great. But he does only have one arm. He won't be able to pilot Black like that, which means it will probably phoebes before he's ready"  
He hated Keith's scent. His mate was hurting so badly. He was so hurt and confused, and Lance wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around him. But he had the feeling his touch wouldn't be welcome right now  
"If I hadn't collapsed I wouldn't be saying this. Using my Bayard took so much out of me, and my body wouldn't take it. I'm breastfeeding as it is and keeping up with the pups... I know I'm a horrible mother and I don't deserve to be forgiven... but... I just don't want to hurt them. They're so tiny. So, so small. I was so stupid to think I could have everything the way I wanted"  
Burying his face in his hands, Keith shook his head   
"No. No. We were stupid. I didn't want to tell you no. I didn't want to take anything away from you when you've lost so much. I told you over and over I would always support you. I don't love this, but I also didn't love seeing our sons so miserable. Allura, can I ask you not to tell the others. They're being hard enough on Lance as it is. If they ask, it was my idea. Not his"  
"Of course. You should both eat and head down to your sons. This mission to open the rift should never have ended like it did, so for now, it really is safest for them to be in a pod. I'm so sorry it has come to this"  
"It's not your fault Allura. In the morning, would you mind waking us up? An extra pair of hands would be good"  
"What about Krolia?"  
"She'll be there. I don't like cutting Hunk out, but I don't want to put him in a bad position with Pidge"  
"You're truly amazing Lance. You care so much for others"  
"If I was amazing, I would have figured all of this out by now. I would know how to be a good mother and a good Paladin"  
"Lance, you're putting your own feelings and wants aside to think of the welfare of your pups. You're putting their needs first. That's what a good mother does"  
"Then why do I feel like I'm failing them?"  
"Because you're too hard on yourself"  
Opening his arms for him, Lance climbed back into Keith's lap  
"I'm sorry"  
"No. I was mad because I knew you were right. My alpha hated seeing our sons like that. With everything that happened today, I nearly turned feral when you collapsed. If I can't keep my head, then the pups should be put somewhere safe"  
"Keith, you're a great dad. The boys love you so much"  
"They love you too. Now we need to eat. Thank you for putting up with us Allura"  
"It's my pleasure"

 

*  
The following morning came too soon. After arriving back at the nursery, they'd gathered up their sons and made their way to Red, spending the night in a makeshift nest, with their boys sleeping between them. Lance couldn't take his eyes off of them, and Keith was the same. Even once Lance finally fell asleep, Keith stayed awake to watch over his three loves. He knew they doing the right thing, but it didn't make he any easier, and when it came time to wake Lance, his heart felt like it was breaking for his mate.

Allura and Krolia met them at nursery, both women staying for bath time. It was the first time Allura had been there for bath time, the whole time she didn't take her eyes off the pups as he and Lance washed them carefully. His mate pressing kisses with his tear covered lips to his Kelance's belly, hands and feet, and then finally his forehead. This wasn't fair. Lance didn't deserve to be going through this again. He didn't deserve to have his two pups taken and placed in pods again. Though this time they'd be going into the pods in the healing room, because they could be lowered below ground level, and if somehow something happened, it was less likely they'd be found. Swapping the pups so they could dress them, Lance kissed Laneith in all the same places as he had Kelance, before dressing him in a thick blue onesie, and swaddling him in a white blanket. Wide awake, Kelance's eyes never left Lance. The pair of them in their own world. Lance was an amazing mum, no matter what he might think, and no matter what anyone else thought. He loved and adored his sons, just like they loved him. Gathering Laneith to his chest, Keith breathed in his son's scent, it was a perfect blending of his and Lance's   
"Keith?"  
Looking to Lance, his mate struggled to force a smile   
"We should... we should go now"  
"Yeah... I'm sorry there wasn't another way"  
"But once this over, we can finally all be together"  
"Yeah baby"  
Taking his hand, Lance intertwined their fingers. His mate was being so strong, so Keith tried to push out the thoughts of how much Lance's scent betrayed his actions. Followed by Krolia and Allura, the small group made their way to the pod room silently.

With the pups placed together, their tiny hands held each other's as the glass closed and the pod slid down to seamlessly disappear into the room's floor. Letting out a broken sob, Keith gathered Lance again him, letting out his own mournful howl  
"Oh, boys..."  
Krolia's voice was soft as she wrapped her arms around him. In his hold, Lance' knees gave out  
"We didn't the right thing, didn't we?"  
"Yeah baby"  
"I... I want them back!"  
"I know you do. Come on, baby. The sooner we get this mission done, the sooner we can hold them again"  
He didn't feel anywhere near as calm as he sounded. Everything felt so very wrong. He felt like a terrible father for letting them be sealed away, but what was done was done. All he could do now was his job  
"Come on baby, I'll carry you"  
"I don't think I can walk..."  
"I know you can't. Mum, sorry but I need to lift him up"  
Kissing them both on the cheek, Krolia then released them, allowing him room to lift Lance into his arms. Hiding his face against Keith's collar, his mate sobbed as he carried from the room, silently vowing that they'd be back as soon as they could be.

By the time they reached the dining room, Lance's sobs had faded to silent tears. Climbing from his hold, his mate straightened himself before wiping his face. The tears marks were still just as evident as the redness of his eyes  
"Lance, you don't have to go in if you are not up to it"  
"No... I have too. They'll know something's wrong if I don't"  
"Baby, I think they're going to know something's wrong anyway. I can taste your sadness"  
"Then... then I'll make something up. But I don't think they're even going to bother asking"  
Lance's voice trembled with emotion, leaving Keith aching to pick him back up and return to their sons  
"Baby..."  
"No. It has to be like this... I... I didn't even deserve to fall pregnant again, and there's no way I'm going to let anything happen to our pups... not again"  
"If it gets too hard, or you want to leave, let me know. We'll be heading straight down to Daibazaal, so I'll fly you around to Red"  
"You don't have to do that. I can do my job... just... if it all goes wrong this time... No. Never mind. Let's head in"  
Opening the door, Allura walked in first, smiling like there was nothing wrong at all  
"Good morning"  
"Hi Allura"  
"Good morning. Oh, hey guys"  
Giving them a small wave, Hunk's smile faded when he saw Lance. Keeping his head up, Lance plastered his trademark fake smile on as he took his seat beside him  
"Pancakes. Awesome"  
"Uh yeah. Lance, everything ok?"  
"Oh what? Yeah. It's nothing. Anyway, I'm starving. I think I could probably finish the whole plate"  
"Don't eat the whole plate baby. And I want you to eat some fruit"  
"I know how to eat breakfast"  
"I know you know how to drown your pancakes in syrup, but at least try to eat something healthy"  
"You sound like my mum"  
"I'm not that scary, am I?"  
Sniffling, Lance looked to his lap. Reaching over, Keith took his hand in his   
"I promise I'll give you a special treat if you eat your fruit"  
"Ewww. Guys. It's too early for that, and I don't need pancakes ruined for me"  
Noticing Lance wasn't reaching for the stack of pancakes, Allura went about piling up a plate for him, setting the stack down before placing the jug of syrup next to it  
"I won't tell Keith if you don't"  
"I don't think it works that way"  
"Especially when I'm sitting right here"  
Giving his hand a quick squeeze, Lance let it go, picking up his fork with a small sigh   
"Allura can you pass me on apple"  
"Those are the red ones, right?"  
"Yeah"  
Using the pods they'd been able to store fresh produce, but with the castle having to be repaired, they were now finishing up the last of the fresh fruit they had from Earth  
"Do you want me to slice it for you?"  
"Keith, I can slice my own apple"  
"Alright"  
Grabbing his own plate, Keith set about sliding half a dozen of the thick fluffy pancakes onto it, and in the process, he accidentally caught Hunk's eye. The large alpha was staring at both of them, clearly, he knew something was wrong. After all, the delicious scents from breakfast were being flooded with the smell of sour strawberries. Looking away, Keith felt a small twinge of guilt. Hunk was an amazing friend, and his mates best friend, but Lance didn't even feel like he could tell him about the pups. His mate was probably more afraid of Pidge saying something, than of Hunk's reaction.

"We'll be heading straight down to Daibazaal. Today we'll be examining the rift, and seeing what we can do about the black entity"  
The silence of the table had gotten to him. It was funny, there was once a time he hated the noise of it all, and now he hated the silence   
"The rift?"  
"Yeah. We'll be entering it if we need to"  
"I thought we weren't going to?"  
Dropping his fork, it fell to the floor with a clatter, causing all eyes to shift from him to Lance   
"You didn't tell Lance?"  
"Lance already knew"  
"And he's still coming? What happened to being super mum?"  
Reaching down for his fork, Lance ignored Pidge's question as he slowly rose and placed his fork on his plate  
"Is that why he's miserable? And is that why the twins aren't here?"  
"Pidge, I don't think they want to talk about it"  
"We can all see something's wrong"  
"As I was saying, we'll be entering the rift. So you might want to make sure Six has enough food, and there's nothing in the kitchen that will go off"  
Frowning, Pidge put down her own knife and fork   
"What's going on? Where are the twins?"  
"The twins are..."  
Jumping to his feet, Lance's chair scraped against the floor before toppling backwards  
"The pups are gone! Ok. They're gone. I'm heading down to Red"  
"Baby..."  
"I'll do my job"  
"What do you mean they're gone?"  
Lance fled the room as Pidge posed the question, leaving Keith with Pidge, Hunk and Coran staring at him  
"They've been taken care of. You don't need to worry about anything other than completing the mission"  
Pushing his own chair back, Keith let out a long breath  
"We leave in 30 doboshes. We'll meet you out there"  
"Where are the pups?"  
"They're somewhere we aren't. Now get ready to leave"

 

*  
Lance wouldn't talk to any of them, his mate ignoring even Allura as Voltron hovered over the rift. More black goop had leaked out overnight, forming an almost protective covering over the rift. Staring down at Keith, ground his teeth together. It was all because of this quiznakking rift that he and Lance couldn't have a happy life together with their sons... but if Honerva had never opened the rift, he and Lance would have never gotten together. Instead, and despite them both being alpha's, he would probably have started dating Shiro. Maybe in another universe, they were, but in this one, all he wanted was Lance, and any other versions of him out there not with Lance were morons. Closing his eyes, he took in a deep breath before opening them as he exhaled   
"Form our sword"  
Doing as requested, it showed Lance was at least still listening to them... though he'd much prefer his mate speak. He missed his voice, and his alpha was scratching at the back of his mind as it demanded to know its omega was ok  
"We'll uncover the rift entirely. As far as we know Haggar is still down there, and she has Shiro as a hostage. I know he might not be our Shiro, but that is Shiro's body. We were wrong to think she changed someone else into Shiro when instead she implanted a new personality into him"  
"That's so messed up. What do we do about Lotor?"  
"There's nothing we can do for now. We still don't know without a shadow of a doubt that that isn't a clone of Lotor, and he's been down there with Haggar for the better part of three phoebes. If Haggar has found a way to slow time back to normal, it's entirely possible that Lotor has defected from the alliance"  
"Well she is his mother"  
"I can't imagine what it would have been like for her. She sent him away, and he didn't even know his mother was Haggar. How did he not recognise her? I mean, Coran made it sound like the changes Honerva went through from the quintessence were visible right away"  
"He was gone for thousands of years"  
"But why did she send him away to being with?"  
This conversation was hitting too close to home. Especially after what they'd had to do that morning. When they'd first formed Voltron, he'd expected Pidge to still be asking about the pups, but he took her silence to mean that Hunk had told her not to  
"None of this matters for now. We should focus our efforts on controlling this black goop before it's released across the universe. Right, Keith?"  
"Right, Allura"

With the vast majority of the black goop cleaned off the surface of the planet by Lance's explosive shots, they were able to cut down the creatures it formed into with relative ease... in comparison to the 8 vargas it had taken to make any clear difference the day before  
"Baby, do think you can pull off one of those insane shots for me. We need to clear the top of the rift in one shot"  
"Keith! You could risk tearing the rift further open, or collapsing it all together!"  
"This is Lance, he'd never mess up a shot"  
"We can't take a gamble that big! We should use the sword to cut the layer away"  
"We can't, it just keeps reforming. Lance, buddy... you can do this"  
At least Hunk was showing some confidence in Lance... and then Lance dropped out of their team call  
"Uh Keith, did I say something wrong?"  
"No. You said something right. He probably just needs to focus"  
"Well he could be about to destroy the whole universe, so he better be careful"  
Keith opened his mouth to snap at Pidge, before shaking his head. Lance still loved her very much, so he'd just have to keep his mouth shut for now. 

Dissolving the sword, they all watched as Lance took aim and fired. Skimming the top the rift, his mate's blast blew away the black goop exactly as he'd hoped it would... it was barely a handful of ticks before something slowly began to rise from the rift. Initially, Keith was confused, distracted by the fact he wanted to tell Lance he'd done a good job... and then the top of Haggar's ship breached the rift   
"Get back"  
"She's right there"  
"She's right there with Lotor and Shiro and she's been down there for phoebes. If she's coming out, it's because she's accomplished what she was after. We still don't know how she drained the castle power like she did"  
Moving backwards from the rift, Keith tried to soak in every detail of Haggar's ship. It had certainly undone some kind of transformation. The usual pink glow from the quintessence powered systems was now the bright blue of pure quintessence, and the ship its self seemed... smaller? He was sure it was smaller, but he had been out of it last time he'd seen the ship inside the rift. Rising straight up, Haggar's ship seemed to command a certain kind of regality  
"Wow. That's imposing"  
"Just a little. What's with the blue?"  
"Pure quintessence"  
Once clear from the rift, Haggar's ship shot forward, jumping away immediately as quintessence shot out of the rift and up to the teladuv like a fountain  
"I thought the Galra wanted quintessence, why is she running away"  
"I don't know. But this means our mission is technically accomplished, doesn't it"  
"No. Something about this doesn't feel right. We need to head into the rift"  
"Doesn't feel right? This whole mission doesn't feel right. You and Lance are hiding something from us, and he won't even talk to us about it, and now we're heading into the rift"  
"We aren't hiding anything"  
"Then where are the pups?"  
"The pups are safe and this isn't the time or place for this. Remember, if we're forced apart again, make getting out your top priority"  
"If it wasn't for Lance, we could have been in real trouble last time"  
"Keith was in trouble"  
"It all worked out in the end. Now make sure all weapons are put away and no one do anything threatening"  
"We should add Lance back to the call"  
"Lance knows better than anyone not to do anything threatening inside the rift"  
Adding Lance back into the call his mate said nothing, but Keith could still hear his mate breathing. The shot must have taken a lot out of his mate   
"Baby, we're headed in"

Unlike the previous time, the bright blue of the pure quintessence overpowered the previous gentle yellow light. It also felt incredibly different, like Voltron its self was reacting to the flowing quintessence. Black blobs floated up past them, slow and lazily like they were drunk on the quintessence   
"Now what do we do?"  
"We see what's on the other side of the rift"  
"Is that safe?"  
"Quintessence has to be coming from somewhere, and so did the material that created Voltron"  
"If the Galra start building their own ships from the same stuff as Voltron, we'll never stand a chance"  
"And with the pure quintessence, they're going to be even stronger than they are now"  
"We also need to figure out how to get Shiro back..."  
"We can't do that if we don't know what this rift actually leads too"  
"We can't do that without Shiro's body either"  
Keith bit down his jealousy. Lance finally spoke, but it was to mention they needed Shiro's body... his mate could have jumped in at any other time  
"Do you think any of this is real?"  
"Baby, what do you mean?"  
"Anything we do? Does it really make any difference? Space goes on and on, but... why doesn't it end? It can't just... kept going. So does anything we do even matter?"  
"Of course it matters"  
"To who? And why? We had to say goodbye to the pups... they're gone and we're here..."  
"Lance, maybe now isn't the time to be having an existential crisis. We're kind of surrounded by quintessence"  
"Which could explode if we make one wrong move... Honerva thought quintessence held all the secrets. She nearly died and it brought her back... it brought her and Zarkon back after they entered the rift..."  
Keith wasn't sure the point Lance was trying to make, but his mate sounded miserable  
"But what's the point of it all?"  
"Keith, maybe you should... you know, cheer Lance up?"  
"That's right. I've always been a burden to all of you"  
"Baby, no one said that"  
Dropping the call again, Keith too left the conversation. Calling through to Lance, his mate answered  
"Keith..."  
"Lance, what's going on?"  
"I... I want the pups"  
"I know you do, but we just need to get through this and we'll see them again"  
"How do you know that? How long have we been falling through this quintessence? It doesn't seem to end"  
"I don't think it's been that long"  
"You didn't think it had been that long when you were gone for a month"  
"Lance, that's not fair. I couldn't move Black, I couldn't get to you"  
"I know! I hate this rift! I hate it! It tried to take you and the pups from me! I hate being in here!"  
"It's different this time"  
"It's different because I'm not in labour..."  
"Lance, you're not the only one suffering. I couldn't do anything. I had to watch you fade away from me and I had no idea if I would ever see you again. I had no idea if I would ever see our pups or wake up with you in my arms again. All I could do was watch"  
"Don't make me remember!"  
Lance had brought it up. Obviously, he remembered... so his mate's outburst didn't make any sense  
"Lance. It'll be different this time. This time we know not to see threatening, and this time we're all headed down"  
"And then what? What if we all get stuck? What if Lotor blows the rift?"  
"Lance, you can't think like that"  
"Why not? It's not like you're not wondering the same thing"  
"Do you really think mum would let us be stuck in here, or that she wouldn't fight to protect the rift until we came back"  
"How is she supposed to fight again Haggar?"  
"Baby, you're letting your worries get the better of you. We're all here together, and we're going back together"  
"I'm sorry"  
Ending the call, Keith kicked at Black's control. Lance had just apologised and hung up. He knew how much Lance missed the pups, but... it frustrated him that Lance had seemed to have given up on Voltron and in his leadership. He wasn't about to let the team be hurt. Not over something like this.


	66. Chapter 66

Alone in Red, Lance watched the bright blue light show in front of him. They were deeper now. Deeper and deeper and further away from their boys. It felt like he couldn't breathe and like someone was holding his heart, tightening their grip harder and harder the more the moved away from the pups. Keith loved them, of course, he did, but he didn't understand. Lance had believed they were dead. He'd truly believed it with every molecule of his existence. The happiness he felt from holding them still seemed like a dream, even on the worst days. Keith didn't understand that he was still waiting to wake up. That he didn't feel like he deserved to be so happy. For all he really knew, he'd never been saved from Shiro and in reality, he was just broken and laying on the floor somewhere. Kicked aside and disregarded like trash. Since entering the rift, these thoughts wouldn't leave his mind. He couldn't stop them and hearing his friends had only served to hammer more nails of self-doubt into his already overactive imagination. Why was he even there?

Climbing from his chair, Lance headed into the cargo bay. It still smelt like his family. They'd spent the night here in their own private little world. Walking over to the nest still semi-assembled, be laid down and pulled a small discarded blanket to his face. They hadn't needed it, so it had placed to the side, it was the blanket he'd carried Laneith down in. Nuzzling the soft white fabric, he started to sob. He wanted Laneith. He wanted Kelance. He wanted his pups back. No. He wanted to go back to before they were born so Keith could be there. So they could be a family for just a little bit longer. Their boys... he was such a terrible mum. He'd left them behind with no guarantee of ever coming back.

*  
Keith continued to try calling through to Lance, but his mate wasn't answering, and he couldn't even see Lance in Red. Maybe coming straight down had been too much for him?  
Rejoining the others conversation, he let out a long breath, carding a hand through his hair as he did  
"Lance will be alright. He just needs some space right now"  
"We've got plenty of that. How far in do you think we are?"  
"It's hard to tell because of the quintessence. We could still be in the yellow bit of the rift, but I think it's more likely we're in the blue bit where we hit trouble last time"  
"It's taking forever"  
"I'm hungry"  
"You're always hungry"  
"I'm not always hungry. I'm just hungry right now because I'm worried"  
"If you were in Black or Red, we could probably help you out. Lance has secret stashes of food all over the place"  
"I don't know if I want to think about that"  
"Pidge, food is food. I wouldn't say no to cookies and marshmallows right about now"  
"We should make s'mores again... that was a nice night"  
"It was. I couldn't believe how much work Lance went to so we'd have dinner waiting when we got back"  
"And all we did was get mad at him..."  
"You got mad at him for not wearing a shirt"  
"I was worried about him..."  
"Or you were jealous"  
"I wish Voltron had some way that allowed us to move between lions"  
"Hunk, do you really want to think about what Keith and Lance would be up to if it did?"  
"Leave us out of this. You make it sound like all we do is have sex"  
"Because you weren't leaking arousal pheromones during his pregnancy?"  
"We are not having that conversation. Given Lance isn't behind Red's controls, he's probably in the cargo hold area"  
"We can do that?"  
"It's smaller when we're all together, but yeah. I suppose if you've never had a reason to leave your seat, you wouldn't really think about it"  
"So why is Lance in the cargo hold?"  
"Because we slept there last night"  
"Maybe I should stash food in there..."  
"We have to make it through this first. Why do you think Haggar was down here?"  
"Because she's obsessed with power and knowledge..."  
"Under her guidance, Altean technology was advanced by eons. She was truly a remarkable scientist"  
"But what good was all that knowledge? She ended up working for Zarkon, and more as a slave than as his wife"  
"I don't think I would like to live that long. I mean. Once you've done everything, what comes next?"  
"Yeah. I think I'll stick to my normal life span"  
"Your normal lifespan? Whatever do you mean?"  
Poor Allura sounded so confused and worried  
"Allura, human beings don't live as long as Altean's or the Galra. Our average lifespan is only around 80 years, some make it to 100, but that's not that common"  
"Yep. Keith will probably live longer than the rest of us though, because he's half Galra"  
"Only 100 years..."  
"It's alright. We've got plenty of life left in us. Pidge isn't even technically an adult back on Earth"  
"Just because I'm two years younger than the rest of you doesn't mean I'm not more mature"  
"I think we should change topic"  
"What do you want to do? We can't exactly play eye-spy"  
"What's eye-spy"  
"It's an Earth game. You pick something and you go "Eye spy with my little eye, something beginning with..." whatever the thing starts with and everyone takes turns guessing. We can't exactly play it because we're all staring at this blue quintessence, which would be "B" "Q" by the way"  
"Oh. That sounds fun. I wonder if I could teach the mice"  
"Allura, no offence, but I still have no idea how you can understand them"  
"It's her gift. But your right, staring at all this quintessence is boring"  
"I want chicken soup. With homemade sourdough bread, and thick butter"  
Keith's stomach growled at the thought. Their breakfast had kind of been ruined, and when everything Hunk cooked was amazing, he couldn't help himself. If Lance was there, his mate would have laughed at him, or poked him in the stomach while making some bad joke... or at least he would have if he wasn't so sad. Sighing deeply, he drew his knees to his chest. He wanted Lance  
"Hunk. No more talking about food..."

Letting the conversation carry on without him, Keith stared out Black's windows over his knees. The quintessence around them seemed to be losing its electric blue colour, and instead becoming a dark murky blue. Hopefully, this meant they were finally reaching the end of it. Not fighting in Voltron felt so unnatural... though not being electrocuted was a plus side. The whole team had placed their trust in him, so why was it he was completely sure that if the moment came, he'd abandon them all to save Lance. This wasn't how a leader was supposed to be. He was an alpha. He was supposed to be strong and powerful. He was supposed to separate his work from private life... but they were so interwoven that they were pretty much one and the same. Losing any one of them would hurt, and Lance would hate him for it, but he'd do anything for his mate... except finding a way to keep their pups from having to be frozen in pods. He'd told himself he was going to do all these different things as Voltron's leader and how many times had he failed to follow through because he was chasing after Lance and trying to comfort his mate? He was a joke of a leader. He was no Shiro.

*  
Waking as the room around him shuddered and Voltron's internal alarm blaring, Lance forced himself from his nest, taking the baby blanket with him without even realising. What the quiznak was that? Were they finally out the rift? Or had something else happened? He probably shouldn't haven't fallen asleep. He certainly didn't feel refreshed because of it, and his breast had leaked as he slept, his tight uniform seemed to be all but squashing them and rubbing against his tender nipples. It wasn't the nicest feeling. Sinking into his seat, he grabbed Red's controls  
"What's going on girl? What happened?"  
When the group call popped up on communicator, Lance connected  
"Lance! What took you so long?!"  
"I fell asleep. What happened?"  
"We don't know. There was some kind of explosion when we passed into the blackness under the quintessence"  
"Is it the goop?"  
"It doesn't seem to be. It's thrown us off the descent course we were on"  
"Can you get us back? We can't get back through the rift if we can't find where we came through"  
"I'm working on it!"  
"Is everyone alright?"  
"The explosion wasn't enough to do real damage, but I'm worried about its affect on the rift"  
"What caused it?"  
"We don't know. We're working on it. Just sit still and be quiet"  
What was the point of him being awake then? Looking down to his lap, he finally realised he'd pulled the blanket with him. Being useless, he raised the blanket back to his face  
"I've isolated the radiation signature left by the blast. It's the same as the Galra's tainted quintessence, though in minute traces. It looks like Haggar was busy while she was down here"  
"So this whole place could be a minefield?"  
"It's far enough away from the pure quintessence that the blast hasn't affected it, but the rift still may become unstable. We should abort the mission"  
"We've come too far to abort it"  
"If we lose where we came in, we won't be able to go back"  
"Keith, we could be in a mine field!"  
As if proving her point, a brilliantly orange explosion erupted behind them, throwing them further off course. Listening to the others cry out in pain, Lance wondered why he didn't feel the jolt like the others. Maybe because Red was so far away? And because the blast seemed to have hit the top of Yellow?  
"Hunk! Are you ok?"  
"We need to stop moving. I don't think Yellow took much damage. She doesn't feel like she did, it was more of a shock"  
"Pidge, is there any way you can sweep for mines?"  
"I'm already on it. Why would Haggar go to all this trouble?"  
"She had to know we'd come back down here. It was down here that I met Shiro again"  
"But Shiro's with her"  
"For now. Perhaps she wasn't expecting to get stuck down here?"  
"Allura, she's the one who first brought the black goop through. She had to know there was a chance"  
"Yes, but she also received new power with the destruction of Oriande and there was whatever she took from the castle. I feel like we're missing the bigger picture"  
"What do you mean Allura?"  
"I don't know. It's a feeling more then anything, and I'm thinking about what Lance and I discussed. We don't know why Haggar arranged for Lotor to succeed Zarkon. Honerva loved Zarkon, yet her actions lead directly to Zarkon's death. We don't know what she did to Shiro, only that she let him escape. We don't know why Lotor implanted a control device in Lance. And we don't know why Lotor attacked Krolia and Keith. There's so many questions"  
"Lotor put that thing in Lance's head because he knew Lance wasn't like the rest of us, no offence baby. He knew Lance would do absolutely anything for anyone on the team, and he knew he'd risk self implosion to save one of us. He needed Lance to not interfere if something went wrong down here. We all heard it. When Lance went to help get everyone out, Lotor ordered him to stop interfering"  
"Any one of us would do anything we could to save the others"  
"But we're alpha's. It's in our nature to dominate and lead. Lance is softer and gentler than that. He's also capable of giving birth, something the Galra hadn't seen before"  
"Lotor had any number of chances to get his hands on Lance. Why not just take him?"  
"Because he needed Voltron and I'm Red's pilot. Everyone knows Alfor was Zarkon's right hand man. When I met Alfor at Atlantis, and even before then, I swore to do everything I could to back Keith up. Keith's also my mate, so there's no way he wouldn't be swayed by what I said or did. Allura I know you have feelings for him, and I know this probably hurts to hear. But right now, what should we do?"  
"You're asking me?"  
"You received the knowledge of the Altean Alchemists. You know that everything is connected. Voltron. Quintessence. Even us. Right now we're in a mine field between realities. Do we go back empty handed or do we carry on?"  
Lance's words left them all silent. One long moment turned into a small eternity  
"We've come this far. I think we should go a little further..."  
"Pidge, do you have the rift coordinates?"  
"Yes. I've also got the map of the mine locations, it should be coming up on your display screens soon. Are we really going deeper?"  
"Yeah. Let's see where this comes out"  
"I feel like we've already been in here for movements. It's so dark and cold"  
"I know what you mean. It's lonely down here. I wouldn't like to be here alone"  
"It's not great. But it did allow me to see Shiro..."  
Shiro... Why hadn't he seen him when he was asleep? Keith had... Did Shiro not want to see him? Or had Haggar already found a way to rejoin Shiro with the Shiro trapped in the Voltron mind space? Maybe it was his own fear of Shiro preventing him from seeing him, or the fact his dreams had been of the pups. They'd been toddlers, so full of life and so very curious... maybe it was a sign that he'd never see them again?

*  
Despite how quiet he'd used to be, Keith now found it hard to be patient on long flights or missions these days. He knew it was mostly because of Lance, and the anxiousness of always being forced to be calm and patient with his mate's mental health. He was impatient because nothing was happening. Lance wasn't hurt. No one in the team was hurt. They were just still sinking down... though under Pidge's guidance they were back under the rift. Rolling his neck, he then stretched up with a long sigh  
"I know what you mean"  
Snorting at Hunk's words, he took it to mean he was just as bored  
"If it counts, I think I see something"  
"Lance, there's nothing out there"  
"Yes, there is. Look straight down"  
"I'm not reading anything on Green's sensors"  
"That doesn't mean there isn't anything. Keith, can you like tilt Voltron forward"  
"Nooo, I'm nearly asleep"  
That was more than enough incentive to lean forward. Pidge letting out an annoyed growl  
"I still don't see anything"  
"Then you're blind"  
"Lance, buddy. I don't see anything either"  
"Seriously? You don't see that green light?"  
"Are you sure you didn't rub your eyes too hard?"  
"Keith?"  
Keith squinted at the blackness, not seeing anything  
"I'm sorry baby, I don't see it"  
"Then you're all blind"  
Keith could picture the pout on Lance's perfect lips  
"I know baby. I'm sorry"  
"I always knew you were blind"  
"Not blind, but maybe a little slow. I mean, I didn't even know you were an omega at first"  
"And then it took forever for you two to get your act together and to start courting"  
"And now you're bonded, married and have pups"  
"You make it sound so simple..."  
Like they hadn't had to go through at least a hundred different obstacles to get to where they were. They'd both been changed so much, it was hard to remember what they'd been like before they found Blue.

At the speed Voltron moved, they were all forced to swallow their words. Secretly, he was proud that Lance had noticed the light long before any of them had  
"See! I told you! And you all laughed at me"  
"We didn't laugh at you"  
"Sorry, you said I was seeing things, I was just seeing something you all couldn't"  
"That's because you're the best sharpshooter, baby. Those eyes of yours are pretty amazing"  
"Keith, you're being embarrassing"  
"I just want you to know I'm proud of you"  
"We get it. Lance did a good job. Now get us there in one piece"  
"Yes, Lance. It's amazing you could see that light from so far away"  
"It's... it's not that big of a deal"  
Lance was blushing. He could hear it in his mate's voice  
"It is baby. You did well. Let's see what's down here"

*  
Lance's eyes widened in amazement at the sight before them. With flowing teal green water and hovering pieces of purple and yellow land, it was like some kind of amazing puzzle had been brought to life. Reaching out towards the sight, he'd never seen something so incredible... other than his sons. Something deep down inside him felt right. Like they were supposed to be there...  
"This is amazing... where do we land?"  
"This is just like Oriande! Do you think there were Altean's here?"  
"No. But it feels familiar. Doesn't it? I feel like we're supposed to be here"  
"Lance, that's silly"  
"No. I feel the same way, Lance"  
"I think we should land..."  
Surveying the scene before him, Lance's eyes landed on a floating island to the right of Voltron  
"Keith, do you see that island? The one that looks an upside volcano?"  
"They all look like upside down volcanos"  
"To the right. Next to the one that's got that crazy waterfall"  
"Got it"  
"We should go there"  
Something was there. If he could bet money on it, he would. The feeling in his gut was that strong  
"Don't we get any say in this?"  
"No. Lance found this place, so he gets to choose where we land"  
"We would have found it eventually"  
"Baby, do you feel anything else?"  
"Only that we should land there. I can't explain it, Keith. I just know. I'm as sure of it as I'm sure you were destined to be my mate"  
"I love you"  
Lance ducked his head, despite no one being there to see him blush, or the bright smile on his face. Being reassured by both Allura and Keith, only made the warm sensation growing in his mind. Even Red seemed happy to be here if she were a real cat, he was sure she'd be purring and nuzzling against his face for pats  
"I love you too. Thank you for trusting me"  
"Always baby. I'll always be there"

Landing on the piece of floating planet, it didn't dip or sway like Lance had expected. Instead, it just sat there, completely solid  
"Lance?"  
"This is it. I'm sure of it. There's something down there"  
"I don't see anything"  
Climbing out his chair, Lance made sure his helmet was firmly in place  
"Red, open up for me"  
"Lance?"  
"It's ok. Just wait a few doboshes"  
"You are not going out there alone"  
"Then I'll go with him. That should be alright, shouldn't it?"  
"Yes. Thanks, Allura. Let's go"  
"Baby..."  
"Keith, just wait here. It'll be fine"  
Exiting through Red's mouth, Lance used short bursts from his jet pack to lower himself down to the ground, though gravity seemed to be working just fine... maybe a little too fine as he stumbled his landing. Way to prove himself. Bouncing over to him in long strides Allura beamed at him  
"Lance! This place! It's simply amazing!"  
"I know. It's like a dream. Do you feel it? Like we're supposed to see this? Red was so happy"  
"So was Blue. Do you know what's here?"  
"No. Just a feeling..."  
"Let's go. The whole ride down here I was feeling so depressed, but now I feel like this is what everything's been for"  
"I think this is the first time in a while that I've seen you smile"  
"There hasn't been much to smile about"  
Reaching for his hand, Allura grasped it firmly  
"Lead the way"  
There was only one place they could go. Walking towards the flowing river that ran feely over both edges, Lance found it wasn't just water. Small water lily-like plants floated and rocked as if propelled by the currents of the water, but still they stayed in the same place, instead of pouring off the edge of the island. Placing his hands down in the water, a gentle feeling filled his mind  
"This feels like when Red touches my mind"  
"Should I...?"  
"No. Just wait"  
Closing his eyes, Lance let the feeling spread through him  
"Your face is glowing"  
"Jealous of my good looks?"  
"No. It just reminds me that you all have Altean blood in your veins"  
"Not that much though..."  
"Enough for both pups to have the marks"  
The thought of the pups threatened to chase away the sensation he was trying to catch  
"I didn't mean to upset you"  
"Sorry. I just need to concentrate. There's something here"  
"Then pull on it?"  
Lance couldn't help but laugh at Allura's words  
"I don't mean something physical"  
"Oh... but your hands are in the water"  
"I could probably pick you some water lilies, but there aren't any flowers"  
"We should let them grow. It feels like it would be wrong to disturb them"  
"It does. This place is so peaceful"  
Taking a deep breath, Lance forced his omega to settle, reaching for that warm feeling. Without his omega in the way, he finally grasped what he was feeling. It was telling him to go deeper into the floating islands. To the very heart of the place. Pulling back, his hands weren't even wet as he shook them. Why wasn't he surprised? He should be surprised...  
"We need to go deeper"  
"All of us?"  
"I don't know. It's just telling me we need to head to the centre"  
"We'll have to take Voltron then. The distance is too far for the jet packs on their own"  
Tapping on her communicator, Allura let Keith know, his alpha then piloting Voltron over to them  
"Blue will be easier to get back into"  
"Yeah... do you mind?"  
"Why should I mind? If you'd never piloted Blue that first time, I never would have met all of you"  
"I'm glad we met Allura. I know I've pulled away from everyone, but you'll always be special to me"  
"You too Lance. You're really one of a kind"  
"I'll take that as a compliment"  
"You should. Now let's see where this leads us"

Being in Blue was strange after his extended absence. The Lion gently pried into his mind like an old friend saying hello  
"It's been a while girl. I hope Allura had been looking after you"  
"Of course I've been looking after her"  
"I'm just saying, I love Red, but Blue will always be special to me too"  
"Are you two ready?"  
"Yep. Take us to the centre island"  
"How am I supposed to know which one's in the middle?"  
"It's the biggest island here. You'll know it when you see it"

Unlike the previous island, the middle island had the only man-made structure of the whole place. A circular podium, almost like a bird bath, made from what seemed to be a meteorite. Exiting Voltron, they were joined by the others  
"What is this?"  
"I don't know. But this is where we're supposed to be"  
"You keep saying that, but it doesn't sound very convincing"  
"Then why do I want to touch it?"  
Taking his hand, Keith pulled him close  
"Baby, you can't just go around touching things"  
After vargas without Keith's touch, Lance practically melted into his mate. Feeling so isolated in Red had left him open to his demons and to the little voices that never really left him alone. Despite how much he wished he could deal with them on his own, he... he couldn't. Keith had no idea just how important he was to him, and if they didn't have their stupid helmets on, he wouldn't have been able to hold himself back from seeking the comfort and reassurance that his alpha's kisses brought  
"Baby?"  
"I'm ok. I just missed you"  
Turning his hold, Lance sighed happily, squeezing Keith's hand firmly. He wasn't alone. He wasn't useless...  
"What was that for?"  
"Didn't I just tell you I missed you. Now, can I touch it?"  
"Let me go first. It's my job as leader after all"  
"I'm not letting you risk yourself over my hunch"  
"I thought it was a gut feeling?"  
"It is"  
"Then let me check it's safe first"  
"I'm not going to win, am I?"  
"No"  
"Guys, enough. Can we at least pretend to be professional?"  
"We are. That's why I'm going first"

Walking over to the podium, Keith walked around it. Examining every single minute detail on it  
"Nothing seems out the ordinary"  
Placing his hand on it, nothing happened  
"Lance?"  
"Don't look at me. I just want know I want to touch it"  
"How about you Allura?"  
"I can try"  
Allura moved to stand behind Keith, placing her hand in the centre of the podium like his mate had  
"Lance, I'm not feeling anything"  
"Then let me touch it"  
"Let Hunk and I try too"  
"I don't think it's going to work for you. I don't know why, but I feel like I'm the one who has to do it"  
Hunk and Pidge both tried, though as Lance had thought, it hadn't worked. Finally making his way to stand by the others, he found the top wasn't flat like he thought, instead there was the same teal water inside. Placing his hand on it, the ground beneath them rumbled as the sound of groaning and straining stone filled their ears. For a moment, images of ancient ruins carved from mammoth blocks of stone filled his mind, like some great civilisation had been here in the past, but before he could really comprehend it was gone. Fading from his mind like it had never been there in the first place. Jumping back from the podium, Lance watched as it turned and disappeared into the earth around it  
"What the quiznak is that?"  
"I don't know... something's coming up"  
Training places with the one podium, two rose side by side. Both black, and both easily 6 foot tall. Eyeing them, Lance frowned at how out of place they seemed to be. Everything here was so bright, almost gaudy, but the two podiums were jet black, and just looking at them made him shiver  
"Now what?"  
"As Lance. He seems to suddenly know what's going on"  
"Hey, don't blame me if I'm getting all these weird feelings. Blame Alfor for sharing his blessings with me. That has to be why my marks are showing"  
"There's no need to rub it in. What do we about these?"  
"Touch them?"  
Hunk's suggestion was as good as any, and Lance had no clue. They weren't exactly giving him the "touch me" vibe. Moving back to the podiums, Lance placed both palms flat against the ice cold blocks. Closing his eyes, he felt the marks on his face warm as the sensation of power filled him. Why had they even come down here again? Oh... Shiro and Lotor... and Haggar. But they were mostly here to find a way to reunite Shiro with his body. Finding ur funny that this was the time his thoughts finally decided to shift to back to the pair of men that scared him so much, there was a soft hiss before the side of the podiums slid down. Opening his eyes again, he blinked in disbelief. Shiro was on his left, while Lotor was on his right... was their presence why his thoughts had shifted so? Or was his thoughts of them what materialised them? Backing away from the pair he grabbed Keith's arm  
"Lance?"  
"Shiro and Lotor... they're in there"  
"What?"  
"How?!"  
Knocking into him as she rushed forward, Pidge soon stumbled to a stop  
"He's right..."  
"Are they ok? How did they even get here?"  
"I have no idea..."  
Keith looked at him as if completely amazed and slightly scared, which summed up Lance's feelings on the situation completely  
"Baby..."  
"I have no idea..."  
"But something led you here..."  
Keith's change in tone had Lance releasing his hold on his mate's arm  
"What?"  
"What?"  
"You're mad about something..."  
"I was just wondering why they appeared here and why you were guided to them"  
"I don't know. I didn't even know it was them"  
"But why you? Why not one of us?"  
"Do you think I understand? Because I honestly don't"  
"Lance..."  
"Don't Lance me. I don't know. Look. We wanted to know what this place was, and I have no idea. I have no idea why it called to me or why I have to be the one with all these strange feelings, so don't go making this into something it's not"  
"I'm not making it into anything"  
"Yes, you are. You're acting like I wanted to find them. News flash, I'm still scared of both of them"  
"Baby..."  
"No. I don't get why you would even think I... never mind. Let's just get Shiro and Lotor and leave"  
"We're taking them with us?"  
"Whatever this place is, this is what we were meant to find. I don't feel anything now that the podiums are open, and I don't think anything else is left down here. We can do a flyover, but I just don't have the same feeling I had before"  
"Alright. Let's get them back on Voltron. Hunk, you take Shiro. Between Shiro and Lotor, you have a better chance of overpowering Shiro. Allura, you take Lotor because we all know he has a crush on you"  
"He... no... he do-..."  
Allura's blush spread right to the roots of her hair. Leaving his side, Keith turned to his right, reaching into the black block and pulling Lotor free. They all waited a dobosh, or maybe it was just a few extremely long ticks, but the half-Galra showed no sign of waking  
"We'll restrain him once he's on board. Hunk, you grab Shiro"

Shiro was the way Lance remembered him the last time he'd seen him... except for his now slightly stubbly face. Looping his arm around the alpha, Lance felt a prang of guilt at the fact that Shiro was still missing the lower part of his arm... that he'd cut off. Would he be forced to carry this guilt for the rest of his life? He'd only been trying to save his family, and stop Shiro before he did something that could never be forgiven... again. Falling in behind everyone else, Keith didn't even look back at him. It hurt worse than words could say. His mate truly seemed to think he'd just somehow found the two men because he wanted them. Like was an omega who sort their "company" out instead of his mate's. He knew the moment he saw both of them, not just Shiro, that they'd both done things to his body. Shiro out of madness and Lotor out of curiosity, so why would Keith think he wanted them? The uncomfortable heavy weight remained all the way with him, only seeming to grow worse as he sank down into his pilot's chair. He hadn't even done anything wrong. He'd only followed the feelings that the place had given him, so why did it all have to go to quiznak so fast?

"Let's go home"

*  
As Voltron began to rise towards the rift, Lance climbed from his chair. The others were all discussing how Shiro and Lotor could have possibly ended up there, but Lance had problems of his own. Mainly the pain in his breasts. Having not fed the twins in what must have been a quintant by now, they were both so full and heavy with milk, that he needed some relief. Grabbing a couple of blankets out the cargo hold, Lance set himself up with his back to his pilot's chair, before stripping down so he just had his pants on. It wasn't like anyone could see what he was doing anyway. Combined with his sweat, and the hours the milk had been trapped in his clothes, the smell filling the confined space smelt so bad he nearly gagged. Why did his body have to be so different from everyone else's? Why couldn't he have just been normal? Maybe now Shiro was back, Keith would see how worthless he was... Maybe his mate would see he deserved to be punished and that Shiro had been right all along? Sure he'd lead them all the way down to whatever that place was, but he had no idea how. He was already weird enough, but now they would probably think he was some kind of freak... no, he was already a freak. Sour strawberries rushed to add a new hue to scent spectrum, combining in a way that left his eyes watering, because he definitely wasn't crying over how wrong he felt... Sniffling, he pulled the first blanket up, tucking it beneath his small breasts. He knew how to express, but Keith had always helped him... because he feared he wasn't doing it right. Closing his eyes, he hissed as his fingers went to nipples. Quiznak. He felt so stupid. He's had a few good vargas and it'd gone straight to his head. If the others could see him doing this, they'd probably laugh.

Draining his breasts left him panting and shaking. Keith had loved to suck and bite his nipples, bringing them to overly sensitive painful peaks as he slicked like crazy, and once that thought had taken root in the base of his brain, each time he moved his fingers, waves of pleasures shot down to his groin... it felt dirty and wrong. His breasts had developed to feed his sons, not for him to sit in Red and get off... but his dick wasn't getting the message, nor was his arse as slick dribbled freely from his opening. Groaning as his erection rubbed the stitching of his boxers, he felt more tears spilling from his eyes. This was wrong, he couldn't do that kind of thing with the team's voices in the background, but the aching wouldn't stop. Confused and conflicted, and already emotionally exhausted, he broke down into sobs.

*  
Keith was silently fuming as he tried to guide Voltron upwards and away from strange place Lance had led them to. Lance said he had no idea what had guided him there, so why was it when they finally arrived, his mate was able to lead them straight to Lotor and Shiro? He knew he should be more worried about what would happen when the pair woke, but instead all he was, was jealous. When he'd been sinking down into the dark blackness of the space between, Lance hadn't been able to do anything. He hadn't been able to come back for him... but he'd found Shiro and Lotor like it was nothing. His mate had found the two other people who'd touched his body in ways that make Keith want to tear their throats out. He knew. He knew Lance loved him. He knew it, even when his mate was struggling with his own self-worth, because all it took was just looking into Lance's eyes. Maybe that had been why he couldn't bring himself to look back at his mate as they'd left? Because he was scared of not seeing that love. Without Lance, nothing in this world made sense... not that it truly did to begin with. Growling in annoyance, the voices of his teammates immediately stopped, and all he was left with was soft and distant sobs through the transmission line. Hunk was the first to speak, his voice shaking slightly as he did  
"Keith? Are you ok?"  
"I'm fine"  
"You don't sound fine buddy. Is something wrong?"  
"I'm not the one crying if that's what you mean?"  
"Then... that must be Lance..."  
Closing his eyes, Keith cursed under his breath. Without being able to see his omega, he had no idea what was going on with him, or why he suddenly crying  
"Lance"  
His mate's name came out more like a gravelly growl than the soft tone he'd wanted. Clearing his throat, he tried again  
"Lance, can you hear us?"  
All he got was sobs in response  
"Keith, what do we do? We can't get to him to ask what's wrong"  
"Leaving him. He's probably emotional over seeing Shiro again"  
"How can we leave him?"  
"Well, what are we supposed to do? You said it yourself, we can't get to him and we aren't breaking back into individual lions"  
Angrily lashing out, he jolted Voltron's control, smacking straight into one of Haggar's lower mines. Catching the majority of the blast, Lance's scream came through all too loud and clear, before total silence  
"Lance!"  
"Lance, are you ok?"  
"Lance, can you hear us?"  
"Baby? Baby, are you ok?"  
Nothing. No sobs. No crying. No screams. No panting or gasping for breath. Just silence  
"Keith! What do we do?"  
His alpha roared at him, demanding he find a way to get to his mate. But in the situation they were in, there wasn't anything they could do  
"He's safe. He's safe in Red. I... I need to get us out of here"  
"Then how about not crashing us into mines!"  
"I know that! I can't see any major damage to Red"  
"I don't care about Red. I care about Lance"  
Hunk's words had him growling. How dare another alpha want to care for his omega. It was a totally jealous and pathetic thought. His eyes narrowed as he fought to bring himself back under control. Hunk was Lance's bed friend. Hunk wasn't interested in Lance like that. Lance wasn't interested in Hunk like that. For all his flirting wherever they went, Lance wouldn't cheat on him willingly. Taking several deep breaths, he reined himself in  
"Keith"  
"I need to concentrate. We can't help Lance unless we get out of here and dodging mines in this blackness is hard enough"  
"Just don't go hitting another mine"


	67. Chapter 67

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, this story was never, ever supposed to be this long, but thanks to the fact I can't leave my loose ends loose, It just keeps going!!!

Unlike the descent, the ascent seemed to go so much faster. Perhaps because they were all anxious to get back to their own reality, and because they had some idea of what would be waiting upon their return... even after his initial blunder, flying through the mine field seemed so much easier too. It was like the place wanted them to leave, and was doing everything in its power to help them. Under Pidge's guidance, the reached the space below the quintessence. It's blue glow leaving Keith momentarily blind after so much darkness  
"Keith, this isn't good. The rift's become unstable, and its starting to close. We need to get out of here as far as possible, but you need to keep Voltron completely on course. If we go through the sides of the rift, we'll be torn apart"  
"So no pressure?"  
He could almost hear Pidge rolling her eyes  
"The rift data should be on your monitor. Don't go out the green lines"  
"Pidge... maybe we should let Keith think?"  
"I'm just saying, I don't want to go all that way to die right here"  
"Nobody's dying. Not when we're this close. We're going home. We're going back to the castle, where Shiro and Lotor will be detained. Lance and I are going to see our sons, and Hunk will cook us all an amazing dinner"  
"Did you just say amazing?"  
"It comes from having Lance for a mate"  
After the explosion, Lance had remained silent the whole trip back up. Keith had been purposely not thinking about his mate, which hadn't worked at all. All he could think of was making sure Lance was ok. If he was ignoring all of them for some stupid reason, Keith was going to hit him  
"I wonder how big Six is going to be now? I wonder how long we've been gone"  
"I imagine it would have been phoebes... I hope everyone in the coalition is alright"  
"Let's just focus on the rift for now. Here we go"

The quintessence swirling around them was like a hurricane. Strike after strike landed against Voltron in bright blue flashes, forcing Keith to fight to keep Voltron from drifting off course. The air around him felt so heavy and thick, it was like trying to pilot with someone sitting on his back, while moving through the quintessence itself felt like trying to run in wet cement. All the others could do was weather the storm as he pushed on, taxing every last ounce of energy he had in determination not to die. Watching the green lines grow narrower and narrower, he howled as Voltron shot up, barely clearing the rift before the blue quintessence dropped back down into it. Beneath them it was like a sonic boom of sorts. The rift closing, but sending out a burst of energy as it did. Thrown backwards, Keith found himself back in Black, completely alone as Voltron was forced apart from the wave. Roaring her own discontent at the situation, Black straightened herself up  
"Good. Good girl. Now where are the others?"  
Looking through the window, he was relieved they'd all been thrown backwards in the same direction. After what they'd just been through, the thought of them having to find each other again... none of them would be up for it. They were all too exhausted to think rationally  
"Black, do you know where the castle is?"  
It was as if Black was shaking her head. That couldn't be a good sign   
"Ok. We need to regroup. We need to get to Red. If Lance is still unconscious, he won't be able to pilot Red"  
As Black followed his words, Keith worked on getting through to the others. Tapping away, he let out a sigh of relief when the call finally connected  
"What the quiznak was that?"  
"The rift closing"  
"I got that much Pidge. How's everyone doing?"  
"I'm alright"  
"Same here"  
"I feel like I could sleep for a deca-phoeb"  
"Me too Hunk, me too. Pidge, can you start scanning for the castles whereabouts. Lance didn't answer the call, so I'm going to have to tow Red back with"  
"I'm already on it... though shouldn't it be where we left it?"  
"Possibly. We don't know how long we've been gone, so we need to be careful"  
"Do you think Coran finally asked your mum out?"  
"Pidge. No. Now is not the time to be thinking about that"  
"Wait. Coran likes Krolia?"  
"Are you blind?"  
Scolding her boyfriend, Pidge seemed to miss the joking tone in Hunk's voice   
"Guys. Enough. Stay together while I get Lance"

Red didn't seem to have much damage on the outside as Keith looped around to grab her by her tail. Towing the Lion back to the others he waited for Pidge to tell him where in the universe the castle had gotten to  
"Ok. So... it seems like the castle is back where we left it"  
"That's nice and easy. Let's head home"  
"But it's surrounded by Galra ships..."  
"That's not so easy. Seriously. Why do these things always happen to us?"  
"I don't know, but Lance can't fight if he's unconscious and we can't form Voltron without him. It's not ideal, but I'll have to head in and see if I can get him moving"  
"We'll keep watch. Someone out there is sure to have noticed that energy pulse"  
"Thanks guys. I know we're all exhausted, but we've got both Shiro and Lotor back, and now the rift's closed again, it's probably for the best"

Aligning Black with Red, Keith double checked his gear before existing through the top panel of Black's head. Using his jet pack to control his descent, he took a deep breath as he landed on Red's head. Lance better be alright  
"Keith, what are you waiting for?"  
"Give him a tick. He doesn't know how Lance is"  
"That's why he should hurry up. He could be hurt"  
"I know that. Do you really think I like the idea of heading into there not knowing if he's ok?"  
Opening the hatch, Keith dropped into Red, pulling down the hatch as he did. Taking his helmet off, he frowned at the lack of Lance and at the smell in the room. It stank. He didn't know what all the smells were, but it definitely stank  
"Lance?!"  
When Lance didn't answer, Keith made his way towards the cargo door, tripping as he did. Falling to his knees, he growled at the pair that flared up his legs  
"What the quiz... oh, Lance!"  
Crawling to his mate's side, he found he'd tripped over Lance's arm. His boot mark clear on Lance's wrist... Why was Lance half naked? And why was he laying in a pool of blood?  
"Baby? Baby, can you hear me?"  
Lifting Lance into his hold, Keith sat him down in Red's pilot chair, his mates head lolling forward as he did.

Examining Lance, he found his mate had a nasty gash on the side of his head, just above his left ear, and another gash along his back, it looked to Keith like he'd caught his back on his pilot chair. If only his mate had kept his suit on... back tracking to grab his helmet from where he'd dropped it, Keith also grabbed a blanket off the floor. Sniffing it, he found the source of the smell... milk  
"Keith? What's going on?"  
"Lance had his helmet off and smacked his head. He's out cold"  
Throwing the blanket back to the floor, he grabbed another one. Returning to Lance, Keith pulled him forward, before folding the blanket and tying it around Lance's waist the best he could. He had to figure this out. Lance was shirtless... Why would his mate take off his... oh... milk, he'd had to drain his breasts...  
"Keith?"  
"We can't rely on Lance. We'll have to go in without him. He probably doesn't need to be put in a pod, but the fact he's been unconscious for so long means he's going to need a scan. I'm going to dress the wound the best I can, then I'll take him with me in Black"  
"What about Red?"  
"We'll tow her closer. We can't leave her open to a Galra attack"  
Setting his helmet down again, Keith pulled out his knife, cutting off some of the excess blanket to turn it into a dressing for Lance's head. He didn't have any real kind of bandaging, so he'd have to rely on Lance's helmet to keep the fabric in place  
"Baby, you should have told me you needed a break to take care of this. We could have delayed leaving wherever that was. If you had, I never would have caused you to be hurt..."  
Being Lance, he probably didn't want to get in the way. He also probably trusted Keith wasn't going to hit a mine and knock him out...

After struggling to get Lance back into his uniform, out of Red and into Black, Keith was more than a little relieved to sink back into his pilot chair with Lance on his lap. He really didn't deserve Lance. While dressing him he realised Lance probably felt like he couldn't tell him he needed a break because he'd snapped at him over Shiro  
"Alright, Allura, you take point, Hunk and Pidge back her up, I'll bring up the rear"  
"And Lance?"  
"He's in my arms. Allura, if they attempt to make contact, I want you to take the call. It was my mistake that ended up with Lance hurt"  
"Keith, it was an accident. And the rift closing like that... we had no idea what would happen"  
"He still got hurt because of my actions. So for now, it's better I leave the decisions in Allura's hands"  
"Keith..."  
"I understand. Once we get back to the castle, I'll help you with Lance"  
"Thanks Allura, but you need to make sure that Shiro and Lotor are both taken down to the confinement cells. We don't know what state they'll be in once they've woken"  
"Surely Shiro won't need..."  
"Pidge, this is for their safety as well as ours. They've been in Haggar's hands. Let's not forget that"  
"Alright"

Flying towards the castle, Allura slowed before coming to a complete stop  
"I'm receiving a call"  
"Go ahead"  
Instead of just answering the call in Blue, she patched it through so they could all hear is  
"This is Queen Allura of the Voltron Paladins. Identify yourself"  
"Allura?! Is that really you?"  
Lotor... Why was Lotor's voice coming through the speakers? If that was Lotor, who was on board Blue with Allura?  
"Lotor?! What are you doing here? Why is the castle surrounded?"  
"You've been gone for over 4 phoebs. We thought we would never see you again"  
"We're perfectly fine. But we'd like to enter our castle"  
"Of course! We must have a lot to discuss. Many things have happened in your absence"  
Lotor's concerned tone left Keith quietly seething. There was no way he could be the real Lotor, and even if he was, Keith wasn't in the mood to listen to his lies. Parting to form two lines, the fighter jets in front of them hardly seemed welcoming. When Allura moved forward, nothing happened, so Hunk and Pidge fell in behind her, Keith last as he still towed Red in  
"Allura, is everything alright? Is that Red being towed?"  
"We'll discuss it once we're on board"  
"Understood. Your presence has been sorely missed by the whole coalition"  
Lotor could stick it where the sun doesn't shine. Flying straight to Allura's hangar, he didn't trust her with Lotor alone now... despite the fact he was sure it was the real Lotor they had in their custody. With three Lion's in the hangar, the space was tight. Blue having to sit in order for Red to settle down next to her, and Black blocked the hangar's exit  
"Black, I have a bad feeling about this. Until we sort this out, don't let Blue or Red leave. We both know what Lance can be like the when gets an idea"  
Rising from his seat, he readjusted his hold on Lance as Black opened her mouth.

Meeting Allura besides Blue, the woman looked completely confused as she stared at Lotor, and Keith was torn. He didn't want anything to happen to Allura, but now he was this close to getting Lance help, that's all he wanted  
"If Lotor's there, then who's out there?"  
"Haggar's version. We can't let him know about... well, himself. Will you be alright with him?"  
"You look like you have your hands full. Has he still not woken?"  
"No, he hasn't. I want to get him up to medical, but..."  
"If Lotor tries anything, I'll deal with him"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Pidge and Hunk will be there"  
"Call me if anything at all happens. Also, we need a reason to keep Lotor off the castle"  
"I'll think of something. Just take care of Lance"  
"Thanks Allura"

 

*  
Lance woke to a blinding light, and a splitting headache. Whimpering at the light assaulting his eyes, he tried to hide. Whatever he was laying on wasn't exactly comfortable, but it was nicer than laying on the floor of Red's head  
"Lance?"  
"'o away"  
Pidge could go away. He didn't want to hear whatever she had to say. She was probably only going to tell him off again  
"Keith, Lance is awake!"  
Keith was by his side in a tick. Placing his hand on Lance's forehead, Lance whined again at comforting feel, trying to nuzzle into the coolness  
"Lance?"  
"My head hurts"  
"That's what happens when you don't wear your helmet baby"  
"The lights are too bright"  
"Hold on"  
Keith's wonderfully cold hand left his forehead, causing him to reach blindly for his mate. Even with Pidge close by, he felt incredibly lonely without Keith's touch  
"Ok baby, I'm coming in"  
Lance felt himself being lifted, his stomach rolling as Keith settled then both back down, his head now resting against his mates chest as Keith used his hand to shield the light from his eyes  
"Better?"  
"Mmm... what happened?"  
"I hit a mine and you got knocked out. We're back on the castle now"  
"We are?"  
"Yeah. And you're stuck with us. We're all stuck in the medical bay for now"  
Too many words. Too many questions and too much to process... Quiznak he felt sick   
"Baby?"  
"I feel sick"  
"You hit your head, and you tore up your side. You've been unconscious for the last quintant"  
"If I've been asleep so long, why do I feel so gross?"  
"Because we can't put you in a pod at the moment. We're all under house arrest"  
Removing his hand, Lance whimpered at light, before his world went dark again   
"Sorry baby, I was just pulling the blanket up"

"Is Lance awake?"  
Coran's voice was way too loud and happy, and way too close  
"Yeah, he's not feeling great though"  
"Well you shouldn't be stuck here too long, hopefully. Now he's awake we can start making plans"  
They could make plans without him. He didn't mind. He just wanted to fall back to sleep... wait. Castle. Coran. The pups! They were back. He could see the pups again. Struggling to push himself up, Keith caught his arm as he nearly fell off the bed backwards  
"Whoa! Baby, calm down. Come back here"  
"We're back... we're on the castle"  
"Yeah baby"  
"The pups. I want to see the pups"  
"We can't leave the medical bay at the moment"  
"What? Why? I want to see our pups"  
Ugh. He was talking too much... but the pups... he wanted to see them so badly. Clutching his head, he let Keith guide him back down... only for his mate to start coughing   
"K-Keith?"  
"It's alright"  
"It doesn't sound alright"  
"We have "quintessence poisoning""  
"What?"  
"Not you baby. But the rest of us. Coran performed scans on all of us, and we're all going through some kind of withdrawal"  
"Why not me?"  
"Because you're special"  
"I don't know if I want to be..."  
"Trust me baby, you've got enough to deal with. I'm so sorry you got hurt"  
"If you really want to make it up to me, you can turn the lights off"  
"I don't think the others will like that. Pidge and Hunk were in the middle of a fierce uno game before you woke up"  
"Shhh..."  
"Sorry baby. You go back to sleep and I'll explain everything when you wake back up"

With his heart racing and his head throbbing in time, it took forever for him to fall back to sleep. Keith's hand stroked his hair as he mate crooned softly, caring more about him than the fact he was sick. Quintessence poisoning? Was that even a thing? Was that safe? Wasn't there quintessence in the Galra DNA? They'd all been corrupted by it, so why was he sick?  
"Baby, I can smell you. We're all ok, and once you're up and moving, we can see about visiting the our boys"  
"I'm... I'm worried about you"  
Mumbling against Keith's chest, he wasn't even sure if his mate heard him  
"Just get some sleep. I'm here"

Despite all the thoughts in his mind, Lance finally drifted off again. The next time he woke, he found himself alone. Panicking over the lack of Keith in his bed, he shot up with up with a gasp  
"Lance?!"  
"Keith. Where's Keith?"  
"He just went to the bathroom"  
Oh... now that Hunk mentioned it, he really needed to go to the toilet too. Forcing his fingers to release the blanket he had a death grip on, he groaned as his brain finally registered the pain he was in   
"Lance, you ok buddy?"  
"Y-yeah... I need to use the bathroom"  
"Let me help you"  
"N-no... I'm ok... sorry... I'm ok"  
"Lance..."  
"I'm ok!"  
Snapping from the amount of pain he was in, he immediately regretted it  
"S-sorry..."  
"You know, Hunk's been really worried about you"  
"Pidge, he said he was sorry"  
"He shouldn't have snapped at you in the first place"  
Sliding off the bed, he couldn't even bring himself to look at Pidge or Hunk as his eyes filled with tears. Fleeing the medical bay as fast as his aching side and head would let him, his whole body shook from the effort as tears streamed down his face. He hadn't meant to snap. Everything just hurt... wanting to put as much distance between himself and his friends, he clutched his side as he staggered to the closest bathroom.

Slipping into the room he pressed his back against the door as he sucked in a deep breath   
"Lance?"  
Keith's unexpected voice caused him to jump. He didn't want his mate seeing him like this. Not when Keith was sick. Turning the tap off, Keith moved from the counter and to his side, pulling him close  
"Hey, what's wrong?"  
"Nothing..."  
His voice was trembling so much that even he didn't believe himself  
"Do you want to try that again?"  
"I... I woke up and you were gone"  
"I just needed to use the bathroom. What about you? What are you doing up and moving?"  
"I... I kind of needed to go too"  
"Alright. Do you want some help?"  
"I can pee on my own"  
Laughing, Keith kissed his shoulder before coughing  
"Keith!"  
"I'm ok. You go ahead, and I'll wait for you"

True to his word, the moment Lance turned the tap on to wash his hands, Keith opened the bathroom door back up  
"Better?"  
"Much..."  
Walking over, Keith leant against the bathroom counter, giving Lance a good chance to take his mate's appearance in. His alpha's cheeks were red, his skin tone sickly white. His lips were cracked and their were also dark bags under his eyes. It was the worst he'd seen Keith looking in a long time  
"You look like quiznak"  
"I feel like it too"  
"Then we should get you back to bed"  
"First I want to know why you were really crying. It wasn't because I wasn't there, was it?"  
"No... yes and no. I snapped at Hunk because my side and head hurt, and Pidge scolded me for it, even though I apologised"  
Letting Keith pull him over, his alpha slid to sit on the counter, while Lance stood facing him. Taking his face in his hands, Keith gave him a small smile  
"I'm sure Hunk understands"  
"He shouldn't have to"  
"We're all pretty impatient at the moment. The castle is surrounded by Lotor's goons"  
"What? How? I thought..."  
"Yeah. Turns out there are two of them. Coran told him we were contagious to buy us some time"  
"I feel like I've missed a lot"  
"It's my fault. I was angry and I wasn't paying attention"  
"No... if I hadn't gotten out my chair, it wouldn't have happened"  
"You had to express, didn't you?"  
Lance's face burnt as he nodded shyly  
"It leaked into my suit, and they hurt so badly"  
"Do they still hurt?"  
"A little... without a bra on, they feel so heavy"  
Sliding his hands up the loose shirt he'd woken up wearing, Keith groped his breasts  
"Keith!"  
Half moaning his mate's name, his alpha massaged them firmly  
"They feel so heavy..."  
Running his thumbs over Lance's nipples, Lance hissed  
"Keith, don't..."  
"You should express. It'll help"  
"But..."  
"I'm selfish. I don't want to wake our sons until I can hold them without coughing, and I don't want you hurting yourself trying to take care of them on you own"  
Looking down, Lance bit his lip. His mate was right. Even standing was making his side throb like crazy  
"Am... am I bad mum? I don't even know how long we were gone"  
"4 phoebs. That's what fake Lotor said"  
4... phoebs... so it was a good thing their sons were sleeping... when Keith pinched his nipples, he was drawn back out of his own thoughts   
"Keith... stop... please"  
"You should express"  
If expressing was the only thing on his mind, he wouldn't have a problem. He could already smell his own arousal beginning to infect his scent. Taking advantage of his silence, Keith surged up, smashing his lips against his  
"You're so beautiful Lance"  
Abandoning his breasts, Keith's hands gripped the bottom of his shirt, pulling it over his head in one smooth move, before taking his breasts in his hands again. Kissing his way down from Lance's lips, Keith moved to mouth as his left breast, before taking his nipple in his mouth. Licking and sucking the tender nub, as milk began to leak his mate pulled back   
"Lance... I want you..."

Bent over the bathroom counter, Keith pounded into him as his fingers worked his overly sensitive nipples. Left to stare at himself in the mirror, his mouth hung open as moans and mews poured from his parted lips, almost drowning out the sound of wet skin hitting wet skin. He couldn't stop himself. The relief of expressing combined with Keith hitting his sweet spot, he was so close to cumming  
"Quiznak Lance... look at yourself baby. My omega... god, you're so sexy and you feel so good. So good to me baby"  
"Only you... only for you alpha"  
"Good... baby, do you want my knot?"  
Nodding quickly, Keith abandoned his left breast, his mate looping his arm under Lance's left leg, forcing it up as he drove in deeper, without Keith's support, his breast wobbled painfully, but he couldn't care less. He had to cum, and he was so close  
"Keith..."  
"It's ok baby. Cum for me"  
Throwing his head back, Lance came across the counter with such intensity that he saw black for a moment. Clenching and drawing Keith deeper, his alpha snarled as he came, hauling him back and biting down on his shoulder as he did. Pulling him back, Keith sank down onto the toilet, causing his knot to jolt and slide deeper inside of him. Panting for breath, he tried to slump back against Keith, only to shoot up again as pain shot through his back. Releasing his shoulder, Keith lapped at the spot he'd bitten  
"Lance?"  
"My back"  
"Quiznak. Sorry. Baby, I forgot... I got so caught up in the moment"  
"It's ok..."  
Lance was slowly coming down from his high, but that brought the realisation that he'd just let Keith practically milk him while he fucked him senseless. He was sitting in his mate's lap, covered in cum, slick and milk...  
"Baby, what's wrong?"  
"N-nothing... it just hurts"  
He couldn't tell Keith. He'd wanted it, but now he felt dirty. Like he had in Red when he hadn't been able to stop from wanting to touch himself   
"Can you lean forward a little for me?"  
Sniffling, he did as he was told. Despite Keith's gentle touch, he still winced as his mate's fingers tugged the dressing on his side off  
"H-how bad is it?"  
"I'll have to redo the stitches"  
"I have stitches?"  
"You have them in your head too. I'm not supposed to get them wet, but I think we both need a shower"  
"Will you be ok? I mean... should we even be having sex? You're sick..."  
"I'll be ok, and when my knot deflates, we'll help each other shower"  
"Is there even in a towel in here?"  
"Yeah. Mum stocked the bathroom when she heard we were stuck in the medical bay. Allura wasn't sure how the traces of quintessence would affect the ship, so we all kind of agreed to stay there and with Lotor just outside, it's better if we're all together"  
"Is mum ok?"  
"Yeah. She's fine. She wanted to go after us, but then Lotor's fleet showed up. Coran kept the castle shield up, and told Lotor we were on a mission to find a better way to mine quintessence"  
"He believed that? Coran is a terrible liar"  
"He had to. He couldn't risk losing Voltron and the coalition"  
"What do we do?"  
"I don't know yet"  
Nuzzling the middle of Lance's back, Keith kissed along his spine   
"I love you. It scared the quiznak out of me when you didn't wake up, and knowing it was all my fault"  
Lance whined in response to the sadness filling Keith's scent   
"It's not your fault"  
"It is though"  
"No. You did what you needed and you didn't hit that mine on purpose. Its Haggar's fault. Ok. I don't know what to do when your sad"  
"You don't have to do anything. You being here is enough"

When Keith's knot finally deflated, his mate helped him to the shower. He wasn't allowed to wash his hair, and Keith wouldn't let him bend to clean himself properly, not that he really could. The moment the hot water his back, he screamed from the sensation. Holding him tight, Keith cleaned the wound down while Lance shook like crazy. When it came to Keith's turn, Lance insisted on washing his mate's hair. He loved Keith's hair, even if it was still uneven, and he loved the dopey look on Keith's faces as he massaged the shampoo into his dark locks  
"You can rinse now"  
"But your fingers feel really nice"  
"I'm sorry. I'm getting really tired"  
"It's ok baby"  
Stepping back under the water, Lance turned away. Almost immediately Keith reached out, his hand grabbing his stomach pudge as he pulled him against him  
"Keith?"  
"Sorry. I just thought you were leaving me"  
"I was making space for you to rinse... can you let go of my stomach"  
"Do I have to?"  
Rubbing the spot, Keith managed to bring all his insecurities flooding back   
"Please let me go"  
"Baby?"  
"You're touching my stomach"  
Lifting Keith's hand off his stomach, Lance fled from the shower, slipping as he did. Letting out a yelp as his abused arse hit the floor, he wished he could run down the drain with the shower water  
"Baby?"  
"I want to get out now"  
"Ok baby. Give me a tick and I'll help you up"  
"I can get up"  
"No, it's my fault you slipped. I just have to wash my face off"  
Trying to get up, he found he actually couldn't. His back hurt too badly. It was humiliating. Turning off the taps, Keith lifted him like it was nothing. Carrying him over to counter, his mate made sure not to sit him down in his own cum or milk   
"Let me wipe that up, then I'll get us some towels"  
Nodding mutely, Lance waited until Keith had turned away before looking over his shoulder at the mirror. The deep gash along his side was about as long as his hand, and blood was dribbling down freely, turning pink as the water diluted it. Feeling sick at the sight, he turned back quickly  
"Lance?"  
"Sorry. I don't feel very good"  
"Let's get you dried and back to bed"  
"Only if you promise to rest. You don't look like you've slept"  
"I've slept. I promise"  
Letting out a yawn, Keith ruined his own point. Scowling at him, his alpha let out a sigh  
"Once your stitches are redone, we'll both have something to eat, and then sleep. Deal?"  
"Deal... but you're not doing my stitches"  
"I'm the one who did them the first time"  
"And you're the one who needs rest. I'll ask Hunk to. He's really at things like this"  
Despite nodding, Keith didn't seem impressed. His alpha falling silent.

The silence between them lasted all the way back to the medical bay. Pidge and Hunk were curled up together when they walked in, while Allura was reading something on a data slate  
"You two took your time"  
"Keith had to help me shower. My stitches opened up"  
Carrying him across to the examination bed, Keith lowered Lance onto it   
"That's what you get for messing around"  
Ducking his head, he didn't know why Pidge would bring that up...  
"Keith, do you need help with Lance's stitches?"  
"Actually Hunk, I was kind of hoping you'd be able to redo them for me. Think of it as pay back for me being such a horrible friend to you. I'm really sorry I snapped. The pain took me by surprised and I took it out on you"  
"It's ok bud. I know you didn't mean it"  
"Keith has promised he'd going to rest once my stitches are done and we've all eaten"  
"Food sounds like a good idea. I'll ask Coran to bring something down. Is that alright Hunk?"  
"As long as he doesn't go messing around in my kitchen"  
"Allura, can't we just go get food? Coran says we're mostly alright and we've been cooped up in here since we left"  
Lance knew Keith had mentioned Allura didn't want them walking around, but Allura didn't know he knew  
"That sounds like a good idea. Probably better than watching Hunk stab me. Keith, why don't you go with them?"  
Keith's eyes widened, as if genuinely surprised   
"Why?"  
"Because I don't want you killing my best friend over a few stitches, and I'm sure Hunk doesn't need you glaring at him"  
"But in your alpha"  
"I know you are. Maybe you can ask mum to come up and we can all hang out while you sleep"  
"Baby"  
"Keith, please"  
Silently pleading with the best puppy dogs eyes he could, Keith finally growled  
"You better not hurt him more than necessary"  
"Hunk won't. Now give me a kiss before you go"  
Leaning in, the kiss Keith gave him bordered on possessive, and left Lance a little breathless as he pulled away. He had no idea what had gotten into Keith, and was still trying to work it out as his mate left.

 

*  
Waiting a few moments, Hunk finally crossed over to stand next to his bed. Smiling at his friend, he tried his best to be a perky patient  
"So Doctor Hunk, I'm in your hands"  
"Are you sure you want me to do this?"  
Lance's face smile slipped  
"Why wouldn't I?"  
"Because I feel like we haven't really had a chance to hang out much lately and if it hurts..."  
"Hunk. No. I mean, sure we haven't hung out much, but you're still my best friend, and when it comes to this, I know how amazing your stitches are. Remember when I stacked it trying to skateboard? You're the one who stitched my leg, and it didn't even scar"  
"I remember Iverson yelled at you for skateboarding in the halls"  
"I can't even remember the name of the girl I was trying to impress... but I do remember you being right there for me. I've really missed you"  
"I've missed you too. I know you're busy with the pups, and I have Pidge, but sometimes..."  
"Sometimes I wish we could have more vargas in a quintant. I know you love Pidge, but I wish we could have some bro time"  
Hunk sighed at Pidge's name, leaving Lance's side to gather up the supplies he needed to stitch Lance's back  
"Hunk, is everything alright?"  
"I don't know..."

Carrying the tray of supplies over, Hunk placed them down behind him  
"Lance, you're going to need to take your shirt off"  
Tensing, he'd some how forgotten that bit was coming  
"Lance?"  
"Is there any way I can get away with not?"  
"Not really. Does this have something to do with why Keith was acting so territorial?"  
"No... um... it's me. My body has changed so much since giving birth and I've... I had... no, I have issues with my stomach"  
"Lance, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. My stomach is bigger than yours"  
"But yours suits you. You're like a great big teddy bear"  
"Well I can't see your stomach..."  
There was a subtle change in Hunk's scent, like he'd stepped on a nerve without realising. Not wanting to hurt Hunk, Lance slid his shirt off   
"Wow. Ok. This might hurt"  
"I was expecting it would. Hunk, you know you can talk to me about anything. It probably sounds stupid, but I want to be here for you"

Falling silent Hunk went to work on his back, though his scent still smelt worried. Not liking the silence, Lance let out a sigh   
"How bad is it?"  
"Worse than your leg"  
"It's my fault. Keith and I got carried away in the shower..."  
"L-Lance. Can I ask you something?"  
"Anything"  
"How did you know you were ready to have sex with Keith?"  
Oh! Wait. What? Hunk wanted to have sex with Pidge? Why? What. They were dating... but Hunk was so shy  
"Sorry. Forget I said anything"  
"No. It's ok. I was just thinking. The first time we had sex, it... it was for comfort. I wanted to feel better and like I was in control of what happened with my own body. I was so scared and confused over Shiro and the pups, and Keith was so kind. He worried himself sick over me, and never forced me into doing anything I didn't want. Even now, he tries to make me feel better about how much my body has changed. Are you thinking about having sex with Pidge?"  
"M-more like she wants to have sex... but I don't know if I'm ready"  
If it wasn't for Hunk cutting away at his old stitches, Lance would have turned to look at him  
"Hunk, it's ok to not be ready. You just have to do what's right for you"  
"I love Pidge... but I'm not as good looking as you, or Keith or Shiro. Sometimes I wonder what she sees in me, other than my stomach"  
Ok. Screw the stitches. His friend needed him. Turning to Hunk, Lance reached out and took the scissors from his hand, placing them down before taking Hunk's hand in his   
"Hunk, you're my best friend. Pidge loves you for you. How you think you look doesn't matter, because it's what's inside that counts. I personally don't have a single problem with the way you look, and if she does..."  
"She says she doesn't"  
"Then maybe try believing her... I know how hard that is. I just lost it in the shower because Keith grabbed my stomach. But I love him, and e understands. If you aren't ready for sex or if you feel uncomfortable, then you should be honest with her. You're not going to drive her away. Anyone would be lucky to have you. I mean it"  
"I wish I felt the same. I just feel fat, when she's so beautiful"  
Sure Pidge was pretty in her own way, but Lance didn't see her the same way Hunk did  
"You're fine the way you are. You know when I collapsed? It was because I was barely eating more than I had to. I felt so fat that the thought of food made my stomach roll, and I was pushing myself to start training again because I hate how I look. Promise me you won't be so stupid"  
"Only if you promise not to be so hard on yourself. You've given birth two twin Galra pups, and your body is slowly going back to normal"  
"Keith's working on it with me. If you decide it's something you want to work on for yourself, you can come train with me anytime you want, or you could tell Pidge and train with her. If you're not comfortable with her knowing just yet, we can work on it together. I've got twins remember, and Keith has all his work as leader as Voltron. I would gladly let you use "I need to help with the twins" as a cover story"  
Watching tears well in Hunk's eyes, his friend pretty much lifted him off the bed and into a massive bear hug  
"Thanks Lance"  
"Any time. Thank you for being my best friend"  
"Right back at you buddy. And I'm sorry about Pidge. I know she's been cranky lately"  
"It's not your fault"  
"It's not your fault either. She gets jealous of how close we are, and of how close you and Keith are"  
"Pidge gets jealous?"  
"Yeah. Since starting to date her, I've learned there's a lot more to her than meets the eye"  
"It's the same with Keith. I was always chasing after him. I only got to be a pilot because he was kicked out, and then it just seemed I was always in his shadow... but at the same time, I really wanted to be like him and I really wanted him to like me, even though I was trying to hide the fact I was an omega. You know what it's like on Earth. My presenting was probably the worst day of parents life. They had no idea what to do with a male omega"  
"I think you're fine the way you are"  
"Yeah... but they're your parents. Even if you fight with them, there's some part that desperately hopes that one day they'll accept you. At least with Pidge's family, they already love you. Mum was about ready to kill Keith for getting me pregnant"  
"I thought she was taking it too well"  
"I had to tell her what happened with Shiro to make her understand just how much Keith helped me, and how important he is to me"  
"I'm glad it worked out"  
"So am I, and I'm sure it's going to work out with Pidge"  
"Yeah... I'm going to talk to her"  
"Good. Let me know how it goes?"  
"Of course"  
Releasing him, Lance crawled back across the bed and back to the spot he was sitting in before  
"I'm glad we could talk like this"  
"So am I. Now, what's the first thing you want to do when we get out of here?"  
"See my pups. Keith said it's been 4 phoebes since we entered the rift"  
"That's what Lotor said. I have no idea what to make of having two Lotor's"  
"Neither do I. Do you know if they've woken up yet?"  
"No. Coran and Krolia have been taking care of the castle and everything else"  
"Do you think they're courting? Keith is afraid Coran is going to be his step dad"  
Hunk let out a hearty laugh  
"Can you imagine it? That would make Coran my father-in-law..."  
"I mean... we all love Coran, but Krolia..."  
"Mhmm... if they're happy then that's ok... but I keep wondering what Keith would have turned out like if Coran had been his biological father"  
Laughing too hard, Hunk pulled away  
"They would have matching moustaches"  
"And can you imagine Keith talking like Coran? He'd have so many stories"  
"I like Coran's stories"  
"So do I. I just can't picture them coming from anyone other than Coran"  
"Neither can I. Can you imagine Keith was ginger hair?"  
Laughing hurt, but was worth it. They were still laughing over it when the door opened and Keith, Krolia, Pidge and Allura returned   
"I didn't know getting stitches could be so funny"  
"We got sidetracked talking. Hunk is still removing them"  
"Good. Now, Keith, you need to rest"  
"Mum..."  
"Don't mum me. I can smell you. You have a fever, so straight into bed with you"  
"I can't. Lance is still being patched up"  
"Keith, you don't have to sleep next to me"  
"I'm your mate, I belong next to you"  
"And I'm fine. Seriously. Hunk will be done in no time"  
"Then I'll wait on the end of the bed"  
"Krolia, please tell your other son that this one will be fine"  
"Keith, Lance says he'll be fine"  
"I know. I heard. What were you talking about that got you so distracted?"  
"About the time I tried skateboarding and stacked it. Hunk had to stitch my leg and it didn't even scar"  
"He was trying to impress some girl"  
"That's a shocker. At least being with Keith has cured his chronic flirting"  
"Of course it has. Keith's the only one I could ever love or want like that. He accepts me for how I am, and even the things about me that I don't love"  
"Which is stupid because you're perfect"  
"And you're blind. What food did you bring back?"  
"It's mostly junk food. We didn't want to spend too long in the kitchen"  
"That's fine. I'm probably going to fall asleep after this"  
"I still need to give you a vitamin shot, something for the pain and antibiotics wouldn't be bad idea either"  
"Hunk, not all antibiotics and pain killers are breastfeeding friendly. I'll be ok"  
"In that case I'll have to use extra antibiotic cream on the site"  
"Is it going to hurt?"  
"Possibly"  
"Ugh. I though we were friends"  
"We are. Best friends"  
Reaching out his left hand, Hunk held it so Lance could see. Grinning, he fist bumped Hunk back  
"Yeah. Best friends"  
"You two are so weird"  
"Maybe, but it's fine"

With a fresh row of stitches in his back, Lance pulled his shirt back on, carefully making sure his stomach didn't show. It wasn't fair that Hunk felt he had to change for Pidge. He loved his best friend exactly how he was, and it made him feel slightly pathetic about not noticing how Hunk was struggling with himself  
"Now, be careful and try not to get them wet again"  
"Trust me, I don't want to be stitched up again"  
"Do you want me to check the ones in your head?"  
"No. Not really. My head hurts enough. I just want to eat and get some sleep"  
"Lay down, you can cuddle into me while I feed you"  
"Keith, I can feed myself"  
"Or you can let me feed you"

Forced to lay in Keith's arms, Lance nibbled on a couple of cookies before closing his eyes. He didn't understand why Keith smelt so mad. It wasn't like he'd done anything wrong. He and Hunk had just been talking before everyone came back, so maybe something had happened while they were gone? Sighing in annoyance, he rolled away so his back was against Keith's side, staring across the room, though not really focusing on anything particular  
"Lance?"  
"It's fine. Don't let it worry you"  
Walking around to his side of the bed, Krolia sank down, sitting with her back against the bed  
"Hey Lance, how are you feeling?"  
"Better now we're back here... I missed you"  
"I missed you too. You smell sad"  
"I'm ok"  
"Mum, he needs to rest"  
Pulling his back from the edge of the bed, Keith held him almost painfully tight against him. His back really wasn't loving being trapped against Keith's stomach  
"Keith..."  
"Just go to sleep"  
"I would but you're hurting me"  
Keith's grip loosened so marginally that it made no difference. The sooner Keith either got over whatever had put him in a bad mood or told him what was actually wrong, the better.

 

*  
With his back healing "nicely" Lance was the first to be officially released from the medical bay, though he didn't really have any where to go. All the others were still recovering from withdrawal, even though it had been nearly a movement since they'd returned from the rift. His omega was begging him to go visit the pups, but with Keith still not allowed to see them, it didn't feel fair.

With Hunk's permission, Lance was in the kitchen trying to make lunch for everyone else. Pidge had doubted his culinary prowess, and Keith was still acting annoyingly possessive, so he was attempting to appease both alphas by making enchiladas the way his mami had thought him. She'd also always scolded him for ruining her kitchen, but Hunk would totally understand. It'd been nice hanging out with everyone, even if his thoughts were almost entirely on his sleeping children.

Humming as he piled his dishes in the sink, Lance fell silent as the door to the kitchen opened  
"Don't worry, it's just me"  
"Hey, Krolia. Did they send you to make sure I wasn't destroying the kitchen?"  
"No, I just came up to see if you needed any help"  
"Not really, unless you want to wash the dishes for me... and clean the benches... and probably the oven. I might have put too much cheese on the top"  
"Whatever it is, it smells good"  
"Enchiladas. Mami taught me how to make them... or rather, I always hung off her arm when she trying too cook so I got roped into helping. I'm hoping they turn out alright because I had to improvise a little"  
"I'm sure it'll be fine. As for the dishes, I never liked doing them, so I'll clean down the benches"  
"You don't have to"  
"I might be trying to bribe you"  
Rolling his eyes, Lance placed the plug in the sink  
"Bribe me?"  
"Shiro and Lotor are both awake"  
"What? When? Why didn't anyone tell me?"  
"Because Keith's been acting so possessive"  
"Tell me about it. Hunk went to check my stitches and Keith actually growled at him. It was so embarrassing"  
"Is there any reason Keith needs to be so possessive?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Now that Shiro's back"  
"No. Why would there be? I love Keith, and Shiro being back isn't going to change that"  
"Good because I want you to come down and talk to them. The others can't because Allura doesn't want them walking around the castle, and you are supposed to be Voltron's second in command"  
"Sure... I mean, when you put it that way, I can hardly say no. Lunch should be ready once the cheese melts. They need to eat too"

Serving up two plates of enchilada, Lance left the other one whole. He didn't know how we supposed to tell Keith they were headed down to see Shiro. His mate would probably flip out. With Krolia's help, he carried the two baking dishes down to the medical bay, proud of his efforts  
"That smells good"  
"Thanks, Allura. I hope it tastes alright. I have to tweak the recipe a little"  
"It's not going to kill us is it?"  
"If you can survive quintessence poisoning, than I think you'll be alright"  
Placing the dishes down, Lance hovered, unsure how to leave without being suspicious   
"I need to borrow Lance for a little while, so go ahead and eat without us"  
Keith scowled at his mother  
"Lance needs to eat too"  
"Oh, I'm fine. We should probably um... go"  
"Then I'll come with you"  
"Keith, its fine. Mum and I won't be long. Besides, I worked hard to make lunch, so you should eat while it's still warm"  
When Keith went to grab his arm, Lance stepped back. Already feeling guilty even though he'd done nothing to feel guilty over  
"Keith, they probably need to finish cleaning up the kitchen. It better be spotless by the time you're done"  
"Pidge, its fine. I know Lance will try and clean up"  
"Key word there being "try""  
"Anyway, I better go help Krolia. I'll be back soon"  
Walking stiffly from the room, he let out a long breath once free. He wanted to hurry up and get everything over with. Picking up the two plates from the floor, he stared down at them  
"Lance?"  
"It's fine. Let's go"

Lance couldn't remember the last time they'd been in the containment room, rather than the prisoner pods, but the first thing he smelt was Shiro. The alpha was confused and angry... neither of which Lance could blame him over   
"I'll wait here"  
"What? You're not coming with me?"  
"I'll be right here. I think they'll be more likely to talk if you're alone"  
"What am I supposed to talk about?"  
"See what they remember. They must have ended up down in the bottom of that rift for a reason"  
"Shiro's already angry. If I'd know you were going to make me go on my own, I would have made you do the dishes instead"  
"Just get going"

Throwing Krolia a filthy look, Lance summoned up his courage. He was second in command... and they were... they were on the other side of the bars. Lotor was sitting on the step of the central platform in the middle of his cell, while Shiro was gripping the bars  
"Lance! What's going on? Why are down here?"  
"Um... I brought lunch for you guys"  
"I don't want lunch. I want answers"  
"Thank you Lance"  
At least Lotor was pretending to be nice. Opening the small panel for food delivery, Lance handed Lotor his enchiladas   
"I'm sorry if it tastes a little weird. It's a recipe from Earth"  
"It looks... nice"  
It probably looked weird as hell to the Galra. Closing the panel, Lance moved to Shiro's cell, but Shiro didn't move to take the plate. Placing it down, he closed the panel and backed away, wrapping his arms around himself   
"Lance, what's going on here?"  
"Um... how much do you remember?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean... what's the last thing you remember?"  
"Fighting Zarkon... I think I saw Keith though..."  
"Shiro that was like two deca-phoebes ago... you're um... out of the loop by a long while"  
"How can it be two deca-phoebes? And what is Lotor going here?"  
"It's a long story"  
"We'll start explaining"  
Slamming his hands against the bars, Lance whimpered as he backed away  
"You're scaring him"  
"Lance..."  
"No... it's... ok. Lotor, what's the last thing you remember?"  
"Opening the rift. You lied to me. You said you'd returned Shiro to Earth, and now you imprison me. Where is Allura?"  
So Lotor wasn't happy either. Quiznak. Why hadn't Krolia just come with him?  
"The others are sick from the rift..."  
"From the rift?"  
"From the quintessence. You two seem to be ok though"  
"Lance, you need to tell me what happened"  
Narrowing his eyes, Lance felt his knees going weak as the alpha tried to force him into submission. Backing away from Shiro, he sank down, burying his face in his hands  
"It's a really long story"  
"Tell me what happened with the rift"  
"It collapsed and closed. You and Shiro were with Honerva... Keith saw you with her... we don't know where she is, but we found you both at the bottom of the rift"  
"You found us?"  
"Yeah. Allura said the place looked like Oriande, and you were both kind of just there"  
He wanted to run. Shiro was only growing angrier  
"Who's Honerva?"  
"My mother. You might know her as Haggar"  
This was a headache  
"Haggar is your mother?"  
"But it makes no sense. Why would I be with her, and how long have we been gone?"  
"Um... roughly like... 5 phoebes. I think. I don't know, after the pups were born I was in a pod for a while"  
"Pups?"  
"Keith and I are parents now. Two healthy boys"  
Shiro looked like he was about to have a heart attack on the spot  
"If I've been gone so long, who's been running the empire in my place?"  
"You. Or Haggar's other you... unless you're the other one. It's confusing, but basically, Haggar was pulling all kinds of strings to get us working together. She altered Shiro's memory and everything he did to help you was, because of her. When we went out to Oriande, Shiro went crazy. Once we cut off Shiro's bionic arm, he settled back down, but we haven't really talked..."  
"Why didn't you tell me any of this?"  
"I don't know. Why did you put that thing inside my head? Was it just to figure out what made me so different, or was it so I'd leave the others behind"  
Lotor opened his mouth, but Lance continued   
"Yeah. We found it. Funny how Allura trusted you. She genuinely believed you wanted peace, and then you go and do that"  
"That was wrong me..."  
"You don't say. You're both lucky I found you, but we have bigger issues. The fake you has taken over the empire, with Haggar by his side. He's got the whole castle surrounded, and the only thing keeping him coming on board is the fact everyone else is sick"  
His fear was controlling his mouth, and he couldn't stop his narky tone, which didn't match his scared scent at all  
"You said the rift closed?"  
"It collapsed in on its self, taking the teladuv with it. I know you wanted the quintessence, but that's what's made everyone sick"  
"They're will be things I need to take care of"  
"You can't. Not right now. Haggar doesn't know that we know that there are two of you and that the not you is the one that's actually controlling the empire. Wow. Say that tens time fast"  
"And that is why we are being detained?"  
"Keith said it was for your safety too"  
"I want to talk to Keith"  
"He's in the medical room, so you're stuck with me. Or Coran... or Krolia"  
"Krolia? Yes, the Galra woman"  
"She's Keith's mother, and practically like my second mother. If you hurt her, I will hurt you"  
Lotor looked amused by his words, so Lance pushed himself up. He'd said enough.

"Do you really have pups?"  
Looking to Shiro, Lance nodded  
"Two boys. Kelance and Laneith. Keith's the father"  
"And..."  
Shiro looked down  
"Are you sure? I know what I did to you..."  
"They're Keith's. I'm sorry, I should head back. Keith's going to be worried if I'm gone too long. Make sure you eat"  
Jogging away from the pair, he had no idea if he'd said the right things, and he really hadn't gotten any new information from them. Catching him as he jogged, Krolia wrapped her arms around him  
"It's ok. You're ok"  
"I don't want to see them again"  
"Alright. I'll ask Coran to bring food down for them in future, but you did a good job"  
"It doesn't feel like I did. I feel like I said all the wrong things"  
"I heard everything, and I can tell you that you didn't. You've given them a lot to think about, and now Lotor will be able to give Shiro some answers"  
"Great. The two of them..."  
Wriggling out of Krolia's hold, Lance shook his head  
"I want to see Keith"


	68. Chapter 68

Lance had been quiet since returning with Krolia, and despite how close they'd been, his mate had also showered without him. Watching him sit across the room with Allura, he hated it. The way they were whispering and giggling together... it wasn't fair. He should be the one laughing and talking with his mate. He wanted Lance beside him, where he could keep his mate safe... but Lance wasn't talking to him. Catching Allura's eye, the woman frowned at him, turning to whisper something to Lance, which caused his mate to look over in his direction. He watched as Lance seemed to slump in on himself, before pushing himself to his feet. Placing her hand on his arm, Lance shook his head, leaving her sitting there and coming to sit by his side  
"Keith"  
"Hey, baby. Everything ok?"  
"Yeah. Allura and I were just talking about some stuff. You don't look happy"  
"I'm fine. I was just worried about you"  
"You don't need to be. Allura and I were just talking"  
Snaking his arm around Lance's waist, Keith kissed his cheek  
"I still worry about you. You've been quiet since you came back with mum"  
"It's nothing"  
There was a tiny spike in Lance's scent  
"Baby, you can talk to me"  
"I don't want you to get mad"  
"I won't"  
"I... I took lunch down to Shiro and Lotor... Shiro doesn't remember anything after fighting Zarkon. And Lotor wouldn't tell me why he was with Haggar"  
Keith ground his teeth together so hard it hurt. Lance was happy to run off and talk to both of him, but not him...  
"Ow. Keith, you're hurting me!"  
Jumping from the bed, Lance whimpered as he hit the floor in an ungainly pile. Shocked by what had happened, Keith rose from the edge of the bed, frozen as Lance tried to push himself up  
"What the quiznak Keith!? Lance, are you ok?"  
"Baby..."  
"Stay away from him"  
"He's my mate..."  
"Which you just hurt. Lance, can you stand?"

Forced to watch Hunk help Lance off the floor, his mate whimpered as he tried to stand up straight, his hand grabbing his side   
"Lance, I think you might have torn your stitches"  
"It's... I'm ok. It... I just wasn't expecting to fall on my face"  
"You should still let me take a look"  
"I'm ok... I'm going for a walk"  
Beginning towards the door, Keith reached for the omega   
"Lance, please..."  
Spinning around, his mate's face was flushed and his eyes full of unshed tears  
"No! I don't know what's going on with you anymore! You're angry all the time and I don't even know what I've done wrong. All I did was talk to Shiro and Lotor, as your second in command. That was it! Don't you trust me?!"  
Screaming the last sentence, Lance took off running. Sinking back onto the bed, Keith buried his face in his hands. Lance had asked him not to get mad, but he still had... because he was stupidly jealous  
"Keith, what was that?"  
"I don't know"  
"Lance could have been seriously hurt"  
"I know. I know he could have been!"  
"Then what's going on with you? You've been angry since we came back"  
"It's nothing. I should go find him"  
"You can't. We haven't been cleared yet"  
"I need to go make sure he's alright"  
"I think Lance just needs some space for now, and you need to think about what you've done"  
Being scolded by Allura made him feel like he was a little kid. Did they not think he felt bad enough? He knew full well his jealousy was controlling him, and his alpha was just as unhappy as he was that his mate put himself in danger... actually. That wasn't it. He was just jealous of the fact Shiro and Lotor were on the castle. He knew how badly it affected Lance, but he couldn't stop himself. He didn't want to lose Lance. Shiro was a superior alpha in every sense of the word. What happened when Lance finally realised that? Yes, Shiro had hurt him, but Shiro also loved him... and he hadn't been in his right mind. If Lance forgave him, then what happened? Shiro helped out with the pups? He helped around the castle? Would he find ways to get closer to Lance? To try and drive them apart? It was a devastating feeling. It felt like swallowing a nest of thorns, all of which tore at his inside and left him so full of doubt, that he didn't know which way was up.

When Lance came back at dinner time, his mate was acting like nothing had happened, and none of the others seemed to want to talk about it. After their spicy lunch, he'd expected Lance to have prepared something else along the same lines, but instead, his mate had made a simple salad with some kind of herb crusted meat. He knew Lance would know how to cook, but with Hunk preparing all their meals, he'd never really gotten to experience this side of his mate. Maybe if they were back on Earth, they'd have a house. They'd have their pups and be legally married... but if they were still back on Earth, they probably never would have wound up together. Watching Lance smile as he served dinner for everyone, Keith kicked himself again. His mate was amazing, and more than he deserved, yet he'd hurt him again. 

Eating his dinner silently, Krolia took their dishes once they were done, leaving Lance hovering as if he didn't know where to sit. He wanted to reach out and take his mates hand, to pull him down into bed and apologise for being such a quiznak. Only Lance didn't stay. Excusing himself, his mate left without even kissing him goodbye.

 

*  
After falling flat on his face, Lance had had enough, snapping at Keith as his own anxieties got the better of him. Seeing Shiro and Lotor had rattled him. Knowing they'd both touched him, and knowing that when it came to hand to hand combat he didn't stand a chance had left him feeling weak and vulnerable. Blindly running from the room, he wound up in the nursery, which had only left his racing heart aching. He wanted his kids so badly. So badly that he was sorely tempted to go retrieve them from the pod room without Keith, but in the end, he just couldn't do it. So he'd stripped the cots and the bed in the nursery, remaking them, before building a nest on the bed. When they could finally hold the pups again, there was no way he was letting them out his sight. He didn't care if they screamed all quintant, or how many times they threw up on him, or even how many nappies he'd have to change. He just wanted them so badly.

When the nursery was done, he didn't know what to do with himself and had been wandering the corridors when Krolia found him. He didn't want to talk, but he also didn't want to be alone... and somehow along the way they wound up back in the kitchen, with him giving Krolia cooking lesson. He knew he probably didn't explain himself very well, but she still patiently stayed, even doing the dishes for him so the mess in Hunk's kitchen was kept to a minimum. All the scene needed was Keith, but every time he thought of his alpha, he couldn't forget the way he'd yelled at him. He hated yelling at Keith. Keith was alpha. His mate. His whole world. Keith had believed in him even before they'd wound up together, and still, he'd hurt him. It wasn't a great feeling, and because of it, he couldn't even look at Keith when they'd headed down to have dinner with the others, instead he forced himself to laugh and smile. Trying too hard to ignore the pain he felt from ignoring his other his other half. Apparently, Coran had told Krolia that they were all getting out tomorrow anyway, the levels of quintessence remaining in their blood steam were so tiny, it was completely insignificant. With that in mind, he'd left the medical bay room. Tomorrow they'd have their sons back, and maybe then Keith would see that he was still trying to be a good omega.

 

*  
Lance hadn't returned that night, though his mother didn't seem particularly concerned about it, Keith couldn't stop running all the what-if scenarios through his mind until he finally closed his eyes. Alone in a bed full of Lance's scent, Keith should have been able to fall to sleep with ease, instead, he spent the whole night tossing and turning, forced to listen to the others snoring. He was in a hell of his own making. He just wanted Lance to be happy.

When morning came, the alpha really wasn't ready for it. Coran's cheerful and playful tones left him wanting to find the nearest cliff to jump off, that's why when Coran finally said they were all free to leave, he was left there staring blankly at the Altean man  
"Keith? Is something wrong? Is it my moustache?"  
Bringing his fingertips to his moustache, Coran ran them along it, checking for any signs of damage  
"What? No. I was just in my own head"  
"Yes well. I too remember when I was you..."  
He didn't want to hear it  
"Keith!?"  
"Sorry Coran. What's going on?"  
"You're free to go. The quintessence in your bloodstream is nearly completely gone. I would recommend laying off training for the next few movements, but other than that, you're as fit as an Altean fiddle. I got that one right, didn't I?"  
"Yeah. Um... you wouldn't know where Lance is, would you?"  
"He's waiting down in the pod room. Krolia informed me that he spent the whole night there"  
"Thanks, Coran. I'll help deal with the Lotor thing once we've woken the pups"  
"I would hurry down if I were you. Krolia also informed me that he didn't have a very good night"  
Then why hadn't his mother helped him? She loved Lance, so why let him suffer? Jumping off the bed, he took off running towards the pod room. Shouldn't Lance be happy if today was the day they were finally let out? It meant they could hold their sons again... he knew his mate missed them, so why was he so depressed.

Lance was alone when he entered the pod room. The pod with their pups inside was still flush with the floor, but that wasn't stopping Lance from staring at the spot. His omega hadn't even noticed his arrival by the seem of it. Crossing over to his mate, he sank down next to him, resting his head against Lance's shoulder as he did  
"Are you ready to get them out?"  
"I don't know if we should..."  
"What? Why?"  
He hated how his first thought went to Shiro, and Lance wanting to get their pups out because he wanted Shiro...  
"Because we have Lotor and Shiro on the castle, and we're surrounded by Galra. I don't want to have to say goodbye again"  
Letting out a small sob, Lance turned to wrap his arms around, burying his face immediately against Keith's neck  
"I'm such a bad mum! I've been back for so long and they're still in the pod. What if they know I sent them away? What if they hate me?"  
"Baby, you know that's not how a pod works. Time for them isn't moving. They're sleeping and waiting for us to wake them up"  
"We were gone 4 phoebes, Keith. How could I leave them so long?"  
"You didn't baby. Rift time moves differently. Even if they were awake while we were gone, they're too small to even remember"  
"That doesn't make it ok!"  
"Baby, you're worrying about something you couldn't control. We're all better now, and no matter what, I'll protect you and them"  
"I don't want to lose them again"  
"You won't. I'll open the pod, so wait beside it"  
Nodding, Lance let go of him. His mate clearly not too sure about this  
"It'll be ok"

The moment the glass fell away, Lance was by their sons. Lifting both pups into his arms as he whispered to them. Walking back to Lance's side, Keith took the closer of the two pups from his mate and cradled it again his chest. Yawning, the tiny body blinked up at him  
"Hey, baby, mummy and daddy are back. Did you miss us?"  
"You're holding Kelance"  
"I couldn't see the birthmark..."  
"You're still holding him"  
Rising to his feet, Lance pressed kisses to Laneith's face  
"Mummy is so sorry he left you. I made your bed up all comfy, but I don't think I'm going to be letting you out the nest"  
"You've been to the nursery?"  
"Yeah. I cleaned it up and remade the cots and the bed. I... want to go there. I don't want to see anyone"  
"Ok baby, I don't really want to share you or the pups with everyone else just yet. I missed them so much"  
"So did I"  
Taking his hand, Lance let himself be led from the pod room and down to the nursery. The entire time they were walking, Lance nuzzled at Laneith's chubby face, alternating between that and kissing his cheek. Laneith's tiny hand somehow made it free of the blanket he was swaddled in, grabbing at Lance's face as he started to cry  
"Shhh, mummy knows you're hungry and he's going to feed you as soon as he can"  
"You two look so good together"  
"I missed him... and Kelance. I need another set of arms so I can hold them both safely"  
"That's what you have me for. I swear they're even tinier than I remember"  
"I don't want to ever let them go"  
"Hopefully we won't have to"  
"Keith... I mean it. I don't want them in the pods. I don't want them to be alone for so long. I'd rather die than let them go again"  
The word die turned Keith's heart cold. He'd do anything he could for Lance, but letting him die wasn't an option. Ever. Even if Lance tried to leave him behind, he wouldn't allow it. His mate was the other half of his soul. His mate was the one who'd pulled him out his broody solitude and made the world a place worth living. Lance had taught him how to live and how to be happy.

Arriving at the nursery, Lance went straight to his nest, laying Laneith down carefully, before pulling off his shirt and boots. Climbing up next to the pup, he lifted him straight to his breast  
"I know baby boy, here we are, mummy didn't express last night, so I have plenty of milk for my babies"  
Placing Kelance on the edge of the bed, Keith stripped down to his boxers. Once the pups were fed, he was going to take a nice hot shower... which he hoped Lance would join him for. Moving to climb into the nest beside Lance, he held Kelance to his chest, stroking his son's face gently as he smiled down at him. His lips were moving as he stared up at him. Sometimes it didn't feel that they'd created these two tiny little lives. So perfect and innocent  
"Keith, can we talk?"  
"What about?"  
"About why you haven't been happy lately. I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what I did wrong... and I don't understand. I love you. I know you probably don't believe me because I had sex with..."  
Lance paused to shake his head  
"If had the choice, it never would have happened and I thought you understood that. I thought you knew me. I thought you... I thought you trusted me"  
Keith's heart ached. Lance hadn't done anything wrong. Even going to see Shiro and Lotor. Though he wasn't happy about it, he'd done what he thought was right  
"Baby, it's not that. I just... you found them both so easily, and it made me wonder if maybe I wasn't good enough for you. You're beautiful and kind, and loving and forgiving. Even when someone hurts you, you still put their feelings before your own. I was jealous and afraid that you wanted both of them more than you wanted me... and with Shiro back... its driving my alpha crazy. He's so much better than me, and even though he hurt you, I was scared you were going to leave me for him"  
"Why can't you trust me? I don't know how I found them, but I did. I don't know how things are going to change now Shiro's back, but I love you. I'm bonded to you. When I was down with Shiro and Lotor, I was so scared. Even with mum just down the hallway, I was so scared that I started snapping at them. All I did was take them lunch, and try to find out what they know because it's my job as your right-hand man. I didn't want to, but mum thought maybe a friendly face would get them talking. It's kind of sweet that you're jealous, but I keep getting hurt because of it"  
"I know. I hate it. You were knocked out because of me. You slipped in the shower and you tore your stitches because I wanted you so badly. I don't want to hurt you. I love you. I love our boys. When you said you saw Shiro, all I could think was that you wanted him instead. Not Shiro told us how much Shiro was in love with you, and I was scared what would happen because he was. I just don't want you to be forced into something you don't want again"  
"They're in containment cells. Shiro couldn't hurt me, even though he was really mad. Lotor wasn't impressed, but he knows I know that he put that thing in my head. I called him out on it, but he couldn't even give me a proper answer. Keith, you're the only one I love, so maybe stop scaring everyone by glaring at them if I talk to them"  
Kissing Lance's shoulder, Keith nodded. He felt a little better having confessed his fears to Lance, and he felt better knowing Krolia had been down there to save Lance from Shiro and Lotor if something had happened  
"I'm still sorry for hurting you"  
"It's ok. I get it now. I was thinking maybe you wanted to leave me too... or maybe I'd hurt you, like really hurt you when I was having an episode"  
"You haven't had one in a while now"  
"I think I did on Red..."  
"You've been having less and less of them, and you haven't had a nightmare for a while now"  
"That's because I'm happy and safe with you. I know once Shiro's up and walking around again, I'll probably be a bit on edge, but I'm going to try really hard, and I know we have to deal with the Lotor thing... but you'll be there, even when I freak out... right?"  
"Yeah, baby. I suppose I'm actually going to have to go visit Shiro and Lotor. We need answers, and we need to know what they went through"  
"I'll come with you"  
"No, you'll stay with our boys. It wouldn't be fair to take them away from you, even for a varga or two"  
"Then take mum and... take everyone else. And keep your communicator on so I can hear what's happening. And make sure the castle sensors are working"  
"Lance, I don't think we need to be so cautious"  
"I was thinking more that if Lotor says something, or if Shiro remembers something, we can watch the video again. I think Laneith's done feeding"  
Their son's lips slid from Lance's nipple, before giving a sleepy bubbly yawn  
"I would say so. I'll burp him"  
"Then put my shirt on your shoulder, or you'll get vomit on you"  
"It's ok. I want to take a shower anyway"

Placing Kelance in Lance's lap, Keith too Laneith, noticing how deeply Lance was frowning as he did  
"What is it?"  
"You want to take a shower"  
"That's what people kind of do. What's wrong with that?"  
"I guess I just thought you'd want to stay in the nest with us"  
"Lance, I was just going to take a shower, a shower I was hoping you'd join me in. I've done nothing but hurt you lately, so I wanted to make you feel good"  
"You... no... I can't. Even if it's to shower, I can't leave them"  
Honestly, Keith was getting sick of the smell of sour strawberries, it was all he seemed to get from Lance lately, and missed his mates happier scents. Even angry Lance smelt better than sad Lance  
"I didn't mean to upset you"  
"I... I guess I don't understand how you can even think of showering when we've only just gotten our pups back"  
"Because I trust you. I know they're safe with you, and I was coming straight back to bed once I'd showered. But you're right, it can wait. Our family is finally back together"  
Settling Laneith on his shoulder, Keith patted his back while kissing his soft hair. He should never have said he wanted to go shower, not when he should have known Lance needed him with him. Instead of replying, Lance turned all his attention to Kelance, placing his finger in their son's tiny hand. 

When both twins were fed and burped, Lance settled them down next to him, curling around them protectively as he kissed Kelance's hair. Tentatively pulling the top blanket over them, Keith spooned against Lance, snaking an arm around his waist as he leant his forehead against Lance's shoulder. He felt like he should say something, but anything he said would probably come out wrong, so it was probably safer if he said nothing at all. Remaining uncomfortably stiff, it wasn't until Lance started to snore that he felt he could relax and close his own eyes. 

Woken by both pups screaming, Keith's heart was already racing as he detangled himself from Lance, who was rushing to hush their boys. Crawling around his mate, he lifted Laneith into his arms  
"Somebody needs a nappy change"  
"They both do... and a bath... I want them to be nice and clean before we take them up to see the others"  
"Are you up for seeing them?"  
"I'm fine, besides, Uncle Hunk has missed his nephews"  
"So you two got to talk properly?"  
"Yeah. When you start back as Voltron's leader, Hunk's going to help me out with babysitting, and like watching the twins when I'm training and stuff"  
Despite all his words, Keith felt himself getting jealous all over again. He wanted to point out that Krolia or Allura would be happy to help but knew he really shouldn't set Lance off again by being stupid  
"I don't know how busy I'm going to be, but if you need me, I'll be there"  
"I know, but I want you to be able to think and act without having to always worry about us. Besides, Uncle Hunk could use some love too, couldn't he Kelance"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means he could use cuddles with these little guys. Don't you feel better holding them? I always do"  
Right. How stupid could he be?  
"Yeah. I do. Let's get them cleaned up and bathed. I've missed bath time"  
"So have I. And my breasts feel soooo much better now they've both been fed"  
"I might have been a little over enthusiastic when you were expressing?"  
"You think? That whole counter was a mess"  
"I couldn't help myself. I wanted to cover you with my scent and make sure everyone knew you were mine"  
"Keith, I'm pretty sure they do... but maybe not screw me while I'm expressing"  
"Don't say "screw" in front of our sons"  
"I thought it was better than a certain other word. Is drill better? Or pound? Or mount?"  
"Point taken. Daddy really would like to pound mummy, until mummy gets all happy and explodes"  
"Great! I've created a monster"  
"Maybe. Look, let's get them cleaned up, and then daddy might give mummy a massage in the shower"  
"Daddy will be showering while mummy dressed his big boys. Daddy is probably going to have to work tonight, so mummy wants to make sure his boys are warmly dressed and comfortable"  
"You know. I'm pretty sure we bought a pram... I just have no idea what happened to it"  
"I can't remember, but I'm happy to carry them around. I love holding them"  
"I know you do, I was just thinking if they fell asleep, you'd be able to stay up there with us, instead of bringing them back down here"  
"We have a team of baby holders. It'll be fine"

 

*  
Walking into the dining room Lance smiled as Hunk rose, his friend rushing to his side. His eyes full of wonder as he stared down at Kelance   
"Hello baby, I haven't seen you in too long"  
"That's Kelance. We thought you might have missed them"  
"You do know I have. Is it alright if I hold him?"  
"Maybe in a little bit, I'm too scared to let him go"  
"Ok. I'll serve you up something to eat, and when you're ready, I'll take him so you can eat"  
"Thanks"  
Hunk didn't offer to organise Keith's dinner leaving him slightly sour until he realising the alpha was already on it. Serving both he and Lance a massive portion of salad and some kind of meat. Placing the plate down in front of him, Hunk beamed down at him  
"You look really good like that. Being a father suits you"  
"I don't know about that, I'm still learning"  
"Aren't we all?"  
Nodding to Allura, Keith then looked to Laneith  
"Hunk, would you like to hold Laneith?"  
"You don't mind?"  
"It's not like you're going to run off with my son"  
Grinning broadly, Hunk took Laneith into his hold  
"He really does look so much like you"  
"I still think he looks like Lance"  
"Nope. Definitely more like you. Don't you Laneith"  
With Laneith in Hunk's hold, Keith felt like a part of him had just been taken away. It was like he was only now getting what Lance had meant. Beginning to cry, Hunk raised Laneith to his shoulder, hushing him as he rubbed his back  
"You'd make a great dad"  
"One day. For now, I'm happier being an uncle"  
"Lance said you were going to help him out when we go back to work"  
"Yeah. If you don't mind"  
"No. It's good. We're going down to see Shiro and Lotor after this, would you like to come down, or would you prefer to stay up here with Lance?"  
"I can stay with Lance if you want to see your friend"  
"Thanks, Krolia, I wish I could just take Laneith down with us, but it's better he stays up here. Is that ok Lance?"  
"Yeah. Sure. I get it and I've already seen them, so it's fine. I'm sure Shiro's missed, everyone"  
"He was more confused than anything. He didn't remember anything after fighting with Zarkon, so I don't know if he's going to remember what happened with the other Shiro, or not..."  
"If he can't remember, then can we let him out? I mean, he's the old Shiro"  
"Slow down Pidge, we still don't know why Honerva left him and Lotor down there"  
"We should bring him up for a scan then, and Lotor"  
"Since when do you like Lotor?"  
"When he has no choice but to trust us. He can't show his face"  
Pidge seemed to have completely forgotten what Lotor did to Lance. Unlike Shiro, he hadn't been affected, or not himself. Shiro was one thing, but Lotor... Lotor was staying right where he was  
"Lance, if Shiro was let out, would you mind?"  
"Wh... why are you asking me?"  
"Because of what happened between you two"  
"It's not like he's going to hurt me again... right?"  
"Lance, if you're not comfortable, we don't have to"  
Lance looked like he was about to pass out  
"I'm ok... Keith, you do what you think is right"  
So, in other words, Lance didn't Shiro near him but didn't want to disappoint the others. He'd have to think about them, and not the fact he was ok with Shiro being down there.

Leaving the pups and Lance in Krolia's care, Keith found himself walking down to the containment cells with the others. Coran waffling on in the background about if Lotor or Shiro tried anything, of course, it was an empty threat through. Pidge and Hunk were already talking away about all things they were going to have to fill Shiro in on, and how they'd have to do a trip to the space mall because most of Shiro's things were packed away. The whole walk he kept his mouth shut, as did Allura. The frown on her face did all the talking for her. She really wasn't keen on seeing Lotor or Shiro... which wasn't like her at all.

Opening the door to the containment cell room, Keith wrinkled his nose. He could smell how angry Shiro was, agitating his alpha. Shiro had no right to be angry. He was safely locked up in the castle, where he was being fed and not rotting in some black block at the bottom of the rift  
"Keith, buddy, you might want to control your anger there"  
"It's Shiro, he's the one that smells angry"  
"Oh we can smell that, but we can smell you too. Is Shiro the reason you've been so angry and possessive of Lance?"  
Quiznak Hunk. Did he have to spill his secret in front of everyone so easily?  
"Lance and Shiro was phoebes ago. There's no use getting jealous over it all again"  
"I'm not jealous. None of you know what Lance went through thanks to Shiro. All he did was rearrange my face, but that was nothing compared to what Lance went through. He loved those pups, even though he tried to get rid of them and he never got to say goodbye properly. When Shiro found out Lance was pregnant again, he was so disappointed they weren't his. I don't want something happened between the two of them, not when Lance has enough to deal with as it is!"  
Staring back at him awkwardly, Keith ran his hand through his hair. Snapping at his friends really wasn't the best thing to do, but Pidge had gotten under his skin   
"Whatever. Let's just go see what they have to say. I want to get back to Lance and my pups"  
Allura was the first to move, placing her hand on his shoulder, despite the fact he could now smell his own anger   
"We understand Keith. We'll decide what to do after we've talked to Shiro"  
"Lance is going to be listening in, so be careful what you say"  
"We'll try avoid talking about him if that's possible"  
"Alright. I'll call him"  
Turning back towards the cells, Keith called Lance. He could hear one of the boys crying in the background, but Lance didn't speak. This was probably hard enough for his mate as it was.

"Keith! What am I doing in here? What's going on?"  
In the cell, next door Lotor let out a sigh  
"Lance tried to explain it, I've tried to explain it, but he..."  
Waving his hand, Lotor was obviously tired of trying to explain things to Shiro   
"Shiro, what's the last thing you remember?"  
"Fighting Zarkon"  
"And nothing else?"  
"No. Lance was down here yesterday, but I haven't seen him since"  
"Lance is fine. He's busy at the moment"  
"With your pups?"  
"You know about the pups?"  
Hunk elbowed Pidge, causing her to shut up  
"Lance said you were parents now"  
"We are. Twin boys. And yes, he's with them and my mother at the moment"  
Shiro's face fell, before he cleared his throat and stood a little straighter   
"I guess congratulations are in order"  
"Thanks. Lance did all the hard work though. He's kind of amazing like that"  
"I can't even imagine it. So how long are we stuck down here?"  
"At the moment, we've come down here to take you up for a scan. You were both with Haggar, so we can't let you move freely around the castle, and we also need to make sure you aren't sick from exposure to the raw quintessence"  
"Why was I with Haggar?"  
"We don't know. You weren't exactly yourself as she altered your memories. If we let you out, we need to know you're not going to cause any trouble"  
"I won't. What happens after the scan?"  
"If you're clear, we have a lot to talk about. If you're not... you'll be brought back down here until we finally get back to Olkarion"  
"Yes! Shiro, you have no idea what you've missed. We went back to Earth, and now the games room is fully stocked"  
"You went back to Earth?"  
"Yeah. We went to Atlantis! It actually exists or it did. And wait until you meet the pups. They're so adorable, and they..."  
"Pidge, that's enough. Lotor, we'll come back down once everything settles"  
"You can't leave me here. The whole Galra empire is in danger"  
"Then how about you tell us why you were with Honerva?"  
"I..."  
"You what? You weren't? We don't appreciate being lied to"  
"I don't know why we were together, but if we talk about it, we might be able to figure all this out"  
Keith looked to Allura  
"Queen Allura, are you sure this is a good idea? If both of them get loose"  
"I understand Coran. But I don't think we can escape our current situation without Lotor"  
This wasn't going how it was supposed to or how it had gone in Keith's head. It felt like he was getting swept along for the ride, instead of leading Voltron  
"Fine. But if either of you so much as looks at Lance the wrong way, I will tear your throats out with my teeth" that's what he wanted to say... instead he nodded. Coran first releasing Shiro and then Lotor. Throwing her arms around Shiro, Shiro gave Pidge an affectionate smile  
"I've missed you. I've missed all of you"  
"We missed you too. I still can't believe it's really you"  
"I still can't believe we're allied with the Galra and Allura, you're the queen?"  
"My father left a recording for us at Atlantis. The castle and the Paladins all received Altean blessings"  
"And Lance got Altean marks there. The pups have them too"  
"Lance is part Altean?"  
"Actually, most of us are. A team of Altean Alchemists fled Zarkon and settled on Earth"  
"Then why don't you all have the markings?"  
"Because Alfor gave Lance some kind of extra special blessing, though his marks don't show all the time. It's how we found you. He used whatever new powers he's got to find both of you"  
"Pidge, that's enough for now. Krolia will meet us in the medical room, just in case there's Galra tech involved"  
"Couldn't Lotor help us?"  
"After what he did to Lance..."  
"Keith, you're right. We should indeed head up"  
Placing her hand on Lotor's, Allura seemed almost happy he was out of the containment cell. Leading the group, Pidge, Hunk and Shiro fell in behind her and then Coran. The man didn't look happy at all. Hanging back, Keith raised his communicator   
"Lance? Are you there baby?"  
"I'm here"  
"I'm sorry that didn't go the way I thought it would"  
"I kind of thought this might happen"  
"And you're ok with it?"  
"Maybe they'll both talk more without the cell bars around them? I don't know, but Pidge sounded really happy to see Shiro"  
"She was. Hunk smiled, but Allura seems happier about seeing Lotor"  
"That's because unlike you and me, she knows how to keep her temper"  
"That's true. What are you going to do?"  
"Krolia's going to help me settle the boys in the lounge room. With Pidge and Hunk between us, Shiro shouldn't be able to pull anything, and then with you and Allura on the other side, Lotor shouldn't be able to do anything... oh, and mum and Coran. She's glaring at me for not saying her name"  
"You don't have to see them"  
"I want to show them I'm not scared"  
"Ok baby. I don't know how long we'll be"  
"That's ok. The boys fell asleep, so I'll just watch them sleep"  
"Let me know if you leave the lounge room"  
"Ok. Keith, I love you"  
"I love you too baby"

 

*  
Lance had to laugh. Keith was just as short and angry with both Lotor and Shiro as he was, and not in the slightest bit professional. Watching his sons sleep, he could barely keep his eyes open, but with Lotor and Shiro out of their cells, he didn't want to be left out of the conversation... and he didn't want Shiro cornering him when he was alone with the boys. There was also a part of him that wanted to rub in Shiro's face how happy he was with Keith, and another part of him that wanted to rub Keith's face in the fact that there was nothing between him and Shiro. He was grateful that his mate worried for him, but hearing how Keith was struggling didn't make him feel any better about the situation, as he felt Keith really should know better than to think he'd ever go there willingly. Curling up on the seat he laid his head next to Kelance's belly, so his forehead was against his son. If he had kept Shiro's pups, would things have been different? Would Keith still love them like he said he would? And how old would they have been? Would they look like him? Or would they have taken after Shiro? They were all pointless thoughts, but he couldn't help but wonder. Kissing Kelance's stomach softly, he whined as he rubbed his face against the sofa cushion. He wanted Keith. He wanted Keith to tell him he was allowed to wonder about the first pups. That he was allowed to love them still.

Dozing on the sofa, he jumped when the door to the living room opened. Shiro, Pidge and Hunk all smelt happy as they walked in talking. Sitting up, he lifted Kelance onto the table, before lifting Laneith to his chest  
"Lance! Shiro got a clean bill of health. Isn't that great?"  
"Uh huh. Yeah. That's great"  
Yawning loudly as he tried to speak, he figured they understood him well enough   
"Someone's tired"  
"Just a little. The three of us had a nap while we were waiting for you all to arrive. I think they missed daddy though"  
Smiling at Keith, Lance intentionally ignored Shiro   
"Did they sleep all the way through?"  
"Yep. They've been perfect little angels, but if you wake them up, you'll be on nappy duty"  
Crossing to the table, Keith slid around it so he could sit nearly on top of him, before lifting Kelance to his chest   
"Sorry baby, but Kelance is already awake"  
"Nooo, he was just sleeping"  
"It's ok. I'll take care of nappy duty, you need to sleep"  
"Mmmm, thanks. Have I told you how much I love you"  
"Yeah, but I'll let you say it again"  
"Nope, I'm not going to now"  
Reaching out, Keith gripped his chin lightly, pulling him in for a quick kiss  
"How about now?"  
"Do it again and I might"  
Kissing him again, Lance smiled as pulled back  
"I love you"  
"I love you too"  
He could smell Keith's anger fading away. His mate had needed their little performance as much as he had  
"Just ignore them. You get used to it"  
"It's ok. I was just thinking how happy Keith looks"  
"When it comes to Lance, he goes a little crazy. Anyway, Lance, are you going to introduce Shiro to the twins?"  
"I'm holding Laneith, and Keith is holding Kelance"  
Laughing, Shiro soon sobered up when he realised he was the only one  
"Laneith and Kelance. I see what you did there. Are they permanent names?"  
"Yes. Lance started using them when he was pregnant, and then when nearly died and had to spend movements in a pod, I couldn't think of calling them anything other than that"  
"But Laneith and Kelance... they aren't usual names"  
"We're in space. It's fine. If they want to change or shorten them when they get older, that's they're choice. Isn't that right Keith?"  
Shiro could go back to his cell if he was going to try and pick a fight over his son's names. He knew they were a little cheesy, but that's why he pronounced them different to how they were written   
"Yeah, baby. Are you guys going to sit, or are you going to stare at us?"  
Moving to sit around the table, he was grateful when Hunk slid in next to him. Having two strong alpha's beside him made him feel so much better  
"I still can't believe you're parents. Having children while at war... I just can't get my head around it at all"  
"Well it just kind of happened, and even if it isn't ideal, we're trying to find a way to make it work"  
"Where were they born?"  
"Oooh! So Lance ran off and gave birth to them on his own! He nearly died because of it"  
"Pidge, there's more to the story than that"  
"You nearly died? Was there complications?"  
"Being part Galra, they were more developed than a normal human baby, so even premature, they were big"  
"Haggar attacked the castle, so we could put him a healing pod. He had to stay down in a prisoner pod with the pups. We only knew he was alive because Krolia found him after he'd given birth. After that, it took a whole phoeb to get the castle functional again, and finally get him in a pod. Keith and Krolia wouldn't let us see him at all"  
"Pidge, it's better you didn't. There was a lot of blood. It wasn't a nice sight"  
Speaking softly, Krolia caught his eye. The woman seemed to be silently asking if she needed to stab Shiro for all the jabs he taking at him. Shaking his head ever so slightly, he looked down at Laneith   
"We entered the rift and I went into labour. Thanks to the rift forcing us back into individual lions, we couldn't save Keith, and I thought my pups were dead, so I don't try to save myself. That's the part of the story Pidge left out. I thought I'd lost all three of them, so I didn't do anything..."  
Feeling himself tear up, Keith wrapped his arm around his shoulders and pulled him tight. Kissing his temple, his mate whispered  
"You don't have to talk about it. It's over baby and we're all ok"  
"I'm ok..."  
"Wait. Keith was lost in the rift? Was he the only one and how did you get back?"  
"Lance pulled Hunk and Allura out, while I got out on my own. Keith couldn't get Black to move, and then Lance lost control of Red. It was a phoeb before Keith finally came back to Olkarion"  
"You were lucky there wasn't an attack while you were down two Paladins"  
"Shiro, we told you we're in an alliance with Lotor"  
"Sorry. So much has happened and it's a lot to take in. We're currently surrounded by Galra ships, headed by the clone of Lotor, while we're sitting around here looking at the pups"  
"Well they are adorable"  
"Does Aunty Allura want a hold?"  
"I wouldn't say no..."  
As Lance went to rise Laneith started to cry, Lotor wrinkled his face as the sound  
"Sorry Allura, that's his "feed me" cry"  
"Oh, should I get you a blanket?"  
"No, ill use the one he's wrapped in. Keith, can you help me?"  
"You're going to feed him here?"  
"No, he's going to sit in the corner and feed him"  
Biting back his laugh at Hunk's witty comment, he was grateful to his friend for sticking up for him. It ended up taking both Keith and Hunk's help to cover Laneith as he fed  
"So, what were you saying?"  
"Does it hurt?"  
"Feeding? Only when they try to inhale my whole nipple. The moment their teeth come through, they're going on to formula"  
"Have you tried them on formula?"  
"They won't take it and they won't drink from a bottle either"  
"That must make things hard. How are you supposed to form Voltron and feed them?"  
"It's fine. We have grandma Korlia to help, and if worse comes to worse, I'm sure Hunk would be able to find a creative way to get them taking the bottle"  
"I don't know about that"  
"I do. It's like Keith said, you'll make a great dad"  
Shiro paled as he pinched the bridge of his nose  
"Is Shay pregnant?"  
Smacked him, Pidge didn't look happy at all  
"Hunk isn't dating Shay. He's dating me"  
"You. Wait. You're pregnant?"  
"No!"  
"Thank quiznak for that. At least someone here has some common sense left"  
Keith let out a long growl, and Lance could feel the effort it was taking for him not go Shiro   
"Yeah, falling pregnant on the battlefield wasn't exactly planned, but it's not like it was planned the first time either"  
"Lance you know I..."  
"I know you're not happy about this. But what I don't know is if it's because they're Keith's or because you're thinking like the leader of Voltron"  
"I didn't say I wasn't happy"  
"And you didn't say you were. I love my pups, and I will do everything I can to protect them"  
"Lance..."  
"I'm ok Hunk. I just don't want to talk about this anymore. What's the plan for getting rid of the Galra ships around us? If we show them Lotor, they aren't going to believe it's actually him. Especially given they've had four phoebes under his rule"  
"I still find it hard to believe Honerva or Haggar would do something like this. She manipulated everything while allowing us to think we came to this all on our own. I can't fathom her endgame"  
"Maybe she just missed you"  
"Haggar was Zarkon's dog"  
"Yet somewhere along the way, she remembered she was your mother"  
"She never acted like a mother"  
"Because she and Zarkon had already been corrupted by quintessence. I know you wanted to open the rift to mine it, but that's no longer an option now the rift has collapsed"  
"Then we must open it again"  
"We can't. It was unstable enough as we were coming through and if we weren't in Voltron, we would have been destroyed by the blast radius"  
"You're both lucky Lance found you in that rift. It was because of him that you're both alive"  
"Keith, you don't need to bring that up. It's fine"  
"It's not fine. We don't even know you managed to find them"  
"We were lost in the rift?"  
"Either that or Haggar kicked you off her ship"  
Lotor fell quiet again, the half-Galra scowling at the table while he kept his thoughts to himself. Feeling his milk running from his other nipple, he grimaced as it ran down his stomach  
"Hunk, can you do me a favour, can you used the corner of the blanket to wipe my stomach?"  
"Uh ok..."  
"Thanks. Feeding sometimes gets a bit messy"  
"Then shouldn't you wait until your down in your quarters? We do have a guest on board the castle"  
"I don't think Lotor really cares. Laneith's almost done, which means Kelance will want to be fed too. He always wants what his brother wants"  
"How can you be sure?"  
"I just know. I guess it's from being an omega and Krolia thinks they're alpha's, so maybe it's my omega side trying to please them because they are?"  
"They still smell like alphas"  
"See. Because Krolia is Galra, she has amazing senses. You literally cannot have a secret anywhere near her without her finding out"  
"Is that safe?"  
"Of course it's safe. She's mum"  
"She's Keith's mum"  
"And pretty much my mum too. We are kind of bonded and as married as we can be out here"  
"You got married?"  
"Not formally. But we had our own ceremony. That's all we needed... and how did we end up talking about this again? We were supposed to be figuring out what to do about the Galra?"  
"Let me talk to them. We'll invite Lotor on board and kill him"  
"Dude, that's just weird. Can't you call him not-Lotor? Or Lotor two-point-oh?"  
"Does that make this version 3 of Shiro?"  
"Is he version 3, or 4?"  
"Obviously he's version one. Or is it two because version one would be how he was when he left Earth for Pluto"  
"Guys, I'm right here"  
"We know. I wonder if there's a way to help him remember"  
"There's that Galra tech they used on Lance"  
"That was a torture device"  
"Which we all survived in the end"  
"Maybe it's better he doesn't remember?"  
"Lance, those are Shiro's memories"  
"I know that, but what happened wasn't exactly pleasant. And if we have the old Shiro back, then there shouldn't be any drama? It's not like Shiro can fight with one arm"  
Lance hadn't meant to silence everyone, but he felt he had a good point. Not-Shiro had been in love with him and had wound up going crazy... so maybe it was better than Shiro didn't remember  
"This is a lot to process. For now, we should focus all our efforts on finding a out of here"   
Letting go of his nipple, Laneith spat across his face. Wiping it off, Lance sighed   
"Keith, do you want to take him?"  
"I'll take him"  
"Are you sure? He's probably going to vomit once he's burped"  
"It's fine. All baby's spit up, don't they?"  
"I think so. Here, you'll have to take him without his blanket for now"

Feeling Shiro's eyes on him, Lance accidentally let the blanket slide down, flashing his small breasts at the alpha as he did. A redness appeared on Shiro's cheeks, but the alpha didn't look away like Lance was hoping he would. It felt completely wrong for Shiro to see his breasts. Only Keith was allowed to look at him like that. Oblivious to it all, Hunk lifted Laneith on to his shoulder  
"Hello, did you enjoy your milk? When you get bigger, I'm going to teach you how to make real food"  
"You'll have to wait a few deca-phoebes for that. Keith, I'll take Kelance now"  
"Let me help you. I can smell how tired you are"  
"You worry too much"  
"Of course I worry about you. You're my omega and my mate"  
"Really? When did that happen?"  
Kissing Keith on the cheek, his alpha placed Kelance's in his arms. His son trying to grab his breast as he latched on to his nipple  
"I feel like a cow. All you want me for is my milk"  
"And for bath time"  
"And for bath time. I wonder if they're both going to love swimming when they're older"  
"It's a bit soon to be making plans for the future unless you're thinking about sending them back to Earth?"  
"Why would I send them back to Earth? As long as we don't go swimming on planets that dissolve our clothes, we should be alright"  
"I'm never going to live that down, am I?"  
"No. But you do look good naked"  
"Ewwww! Get a room already"  
"What's the matter Pidge? Do you want more nephews and nieces already?"  
"No, I want to protect my innocent eyes"  
"That's a shame because it's probably going to happen sooner rather than later. I have no idea where they ring Ryner gave me got to, and I have no idea if being in the rift is going to affect my heat"  
"We could just send Keith off-world for it"  
"We both know it doesn't work that way. After my heat, I can fall pregnant at any time"  
"Lance, this isn't something you should be joking about. These pups shouldn't be on the front lines of a battleground"  
"Then what should I do with them? Lock them away? Send them away? It's not happening again. They're not going to spend their whole lives in and out of pods"  
"I'm not saying that"  
"Funny, because they'd exactly what it sounds like"  
"Lance, no ones taking our pups away. It's ok baby"  
"Keith, I think I want to go to bed. You guys can tell Shiro everything he missed and come up with a plan to get us out of this mess, but I want to go to sleep"  
"When you're done feeding, we'll go to bed"  
"It's ok. I can go on my own"  
"Baby..."  
"Keith, it's ok. You're the leader of Voltron, which means you have to make the final decision"  
"But you're upset and exhausted"  
"And I'll be just fine"  
"Keith, if he wants to go, maybe you should just let him"  
"I can help you"  
"It's ok Hunk. I know how much you missed Shiro, and you still need to organise a room for both him and Lotor"  
"What happened my old room?"  
"We packed it up after the other Shiro lost it. It shouldn't be too hard to scavenge up things from around the ship"  
"Just don't take all the blankets from the games room"  
"Lance, I'm pretty sure there are other blankets on the ship. You practically had half nests all over the place"  
"No, I didn't..."  
His room with Keith, the nursery, Kelterneckers room, his old room, the games room, Black, Red, the lounge room, the bridge... the medical bay, the pod room... ok, so he might have had a few nests, but most of the time the blankets magically reappeared back in his room or the nursery  
"So what if I did. I was pregnant. I was allowed to be hormonal and sleepy. You try growing two tiny people"  
"We'll just use the ones from the games room for now, and we'll need to organise a room for Lotor"  
"What about Lance's old room?"  
"That's Krolia's quarters now. And the two rooms near Keith's quarters are taken by the pups"  
"They don't need two rooms"  
"Well, it's one room now. Lance's broadsword is way too overpowered"  
"Don't knock the broadsword until you've tried it"  
"Is it safe to let Lance have a broadsword?"  
"Do you mean did he nearly destroy the castle and hurt Keith? Because if you do, you've already missed that"  
"You hurt Keith?!"  
"It was an accident"  
Pouting, Lance was growing more and more unhappy with the situation by the tick. Shiro was bad enough without him picking on him over everything.

When Kelance's finally finished feeding, Lance scrambled to get himself straightened up. With both sons on his shoulders, he had to climb past everyone's legs because no one had heard of moving and he was afraid if he stepped on the table or climbed over the back the sofa, Shiro would have a go at him  
"Ok, we're off. We'll see you for breakfast"  
"Good night Lance. Goodnight Laneith and Kelance"  
"Night Lance"  
"Good night"  
"Are you sure he's going to be ok?"  
"Lance knows what he's doing"  
"But he has two pups to look after"  
"He'll be fine"  
Leaving Shiro and Keith to bicker, Lance made his way down to the nursery.

 

*  
Despite how tired he was, Lance couldn't sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about Shiro and how he'd acted. Was he just being paranoid? Or was Shiro actually mad at him for having the pups? It wasn't like it was any of Shiro's business what he did with his body. Keith was his alpha and Keith said it was alright to keep them. Curling tighter under the sea of blankets, he wiped his tears away as he peaked out the small hole he'd made in the side of the nest. Watching as the door slid open and Keith let out a weary sigh   
"Baby, you awake?"  
"Y-yes..."  
"Let me get undressed and then I'll fill you in"  
"K-Keith..."  
There was a rustle of fabric, followed a thud, and then a second one a few ticks later  
"Keith..."  
"I'm coming baby"  
Peeling back the top layers of his nest, Keith stared down at him. Reaching out his mate half lifted him from the bed  
"He was mad. Wasn't he?"  
"Shiro?"  
"Y-yes... I don't think he likes the pups"  
Starting to sob, he let Keith lift him from the nest and carry him into the bathroom. Settling him on the edge of the counter, his alpha wiped his tears  
"He was worried"  
"But why?"  
"Because they're so tiny and can't protect themselves. He apologised for upsetting you"  
"He apologised?"  
"Yeah, baby. We all actually had a really long talk once Lotor retired to his quarters"  
"What did you decided?"  
"Lotor's going to contact the fleet. Well Allura is going to invite Lotor on board, and then the real Lotor is going to dismiss the fleet"  
Sniffling, Lance nodded  
"Did I do a good job tonight?"  
"A good job?"  
"I really wanted to show Shiro I was happy with you and ok with how things are"  
"Oh, yeah baby. You did good"  
"I love you, Keith. I love you so much"  
Pulling Keith against him with his legs, Lance slid his hands up his mate's back as he surged up to claim Keith's mouth. He desperately needed the comfort, and Keith seemed just as needy  
"Baby, are you sure"  
"I don't want to be scared anymore"  
"You don't need to be scared. I'm here"

With his legs around Keith's waist, Lance's hands gripped the bathroom counter as Keith fucked him. He wanted to be dominated and broken completely by his alpha, and his body was going crazy for more as pheromones filled the room. Smashing their lips together again, Keith growled onto his mouth as Lance tried to remember how to breathe. For all he cared, Keith could kill him right now and he'd be fine with it, he was too drunk on his mate's scent to make sense of much of anything. Reaching his breaking point, Lance pulled back and sucked down a breath, while Keith's mouth went to his neck  
"Keith... Keith, I'm close"  
"I know..."  
Abandoning his hold on his right hip, Keith's hand went to his erection, jerking in time with each deep and rapid thrust. Caught by surprise, he cried out as he came up his stomach  
"Fuck Lance... you're squeezing me so tightly"  
Milking every last drop of cum from him, Keith looked him in the eyes as he licked it off his fingers. The move would have made even the most experienced porn actors seem like amateurs, and his spent penis twitched  
"Keith..."  
Leaning in to kiss him, he found his alpha hadn't swallowed. Tasting himself, he swallowed his cum as their kiss grew sloppier. Jerking hard against him, Keith finally knotted him, coming with a howl, before collapsing against him, while Lance came for second time. His body spasming in a way he was sure wasn't sexy. Slumping back against the wall, he could feel himself drooling as he sucked down air  
"Fuck Lance... fuck..."  
"You... said... that..."  
Smiling the best he could as Keith raised his head, his mate slid his hands up to cup his face, before kissing him gently   
"I love you"  
"I love you too..."  
"You and the pups are my everything baby"  
"I know..."  
Sitting up, he let Keith support his weight as his mate moved them into the shower. Wriggling as Keith's knot tugged, he moaned openly, trying to capture the sensations he was feeling  
"Someone's horny"  
"Mmm. Only for you though"  
"If you wriggling like that, this might turn into round two"  
"That's the plan"  
"Your smell's driving me crazy"  
"Your knots driving me crazy"  
Snorting at him, Keith pressed a kiss to his shoulder  
"I'm going to fuck you, and then I'm going to clean you out"  
"Don't..."  
"Don't what?"  
"Don't clean me out... I want to know I'm full of your seed. When I'm sitting there eating breakfast tomorrow, I want to know it's still inside of me"  
"Shit baby... when did you learn to talk like that?"  
"My omega... it's going crazy. I want you so badly and you haven't even pulled out"  
Pinning him against the wall, Keith rocked his hips gently as he mouthed at Lance's neck. The dobosh his knot began to deflate, his mate was started to thrust harder, making sure to stretch him so perfectly as his half formed knot breached his opening over and over. Taking his right nipple in his mouth, Keith bit down lightly, causing Lance to scream. Thanks to the pups feeding, they were still incredibly tender. Not letting up on it, Keith sucked even as his milk began to spill, leaving Lance a weak and sobbing mess until he finally came and Keith knotted him again. Completely incoherent from pleasure, he couldn't even help Keith as washed them both down, all he could do was purr and trust his mate not to drop him.

From the shower, Keith carried him to bed, drying him down and peppering his skin with kisses as he did. His alpha then lifted him into their nest, helping him roll on his side before placing his pillow into Lance's hold. Climbing in behind him, Keith pulled him up against him, rutting up against his arse as he covered them with the blankets. Not wanting the pleasure he felt to end, Lance ground back weakly against him until Keith finally took the hint and pushed back inside him. Unlike on the bathroom counter, and in the shower, his mate was slow and loving as he fucked him again. His fingers ghosting across Lance's hip and stomach, before finally taking his hand in his and intertwining their fingers. Having already cum three times, his fourth orgasm was accompanied by the tiniest dribble of cum from his aching penis. With Keith knotted inside of him, Lance fell asleep.


	69. Chapter 69

Breakfast the next morning came too soon. After being woken up by the pups crying, Lance hadn't even been able to walk to their cribs. The moment his feet had touched the floor and he tried to stand, he landed face first with a yelp. He and Keith might have slightly over done it, and he was reduced to letting his laughing mate lift him back into their nest. Then, once the pups were fed, they wound up having another round of sex, with him riding Keith, falling asleep on top of him, and waking to find his mate still buried inside of him while rutting in his sleep. 5 rounds in less than 8 vargas had left him sore in all kind of ways, but he found he didn't regret it in the slightest. Even when Keith had to support him up to the lounge room, and his neck was more hickies than skin. He just felt too relaxed and dopey to care. Leaving him to organised their breakfast, Lance had a rein on each shoulder as he fell back to sleep.

The next time he woke, he found everyone there... well, Shiro, Hunk, Pidge and Keith were there  
"Why didn't you wake me up?"  
"Because you looked so cute"  
"You still should have woken me. It's better than everyone watching me sleep"  
"It wouldn't be the first time"  
Lifting Laneith off his shoulder, Keith smiled at him  
"What?"  
"You're just adorable"  
"Mhmm, you're blind"  
"He's right. I'm sorry about last night. It was a lot to take in so suddenly, but you look good holding your pups"  
"Of course I look good. My sons are beautiful like their daddy"  
"May I see them?"  
Looking to Hunk, Lance nodded  
"Hunk can you hold him? I'm too tired to move"  
"Late night?"  
"Late night, early morning, then morning again, followed by getting the twins ready for the day"  
"Being a parent must be hard work"  
"Being an omega is hard work"  
"Lance, did you just make a sex joke?"  
"Maybe. I don't know. Pidge, do you want to hold a baby?"  
"I wouldn't say no"  
"Keith, pass Laneith to Pidge. I'm too sleepy to feed myself"  
"Lance, if you're that tired, why don't you go back to bed?"  
"I'll be alright... once I've eaten something"  
Yawning mid-sentence, Keith passed Laneith to Pidge, before gathering him up and into his lap  
"Better?"  
"Much. What's for breakfast?"  
"Toast. Do you think you can handle it?"  
"Mmm. I don't feel sick. Just happy and sleepy"  
Biting into the piece of toast Keith held up for him, Lance hummed at the flavour of honey. It made a nice change   
"They look so much like Keith"  
"Ha! I told you! Keith keeps saying they look like me"  
"It's the eyes and the lips. The rest is pretty much all Keith"  
"And their hair. Their hair's dark brown, but it'll probably go black"  
"They're really adorable. You did a good job"  
"I can't take all the credit. Keith's the dad, after all, I couldn't have gotten pregnant with his pups without him"  
"Baby, maybe you should just focus on your toast"  
Looking down, he found half of had snapped off and was now sitting on his pants   
"I don't think I have the brain power to pick it up"  
"Then it's a good thing you have me"  
"Yep. Keith, retriever of toast. I like it. It's got a catchy ring to it"  
"So how old are the pups?"  
"Do you want Earth months? Phoebes or time out of the pod?"  
"Err"  
"They were born about... and this is including the time in rift... about 8 phoebes ago. But they've only been out of the pod for about 2 phoebes. I think. Because I got stuck in hospital, and then we didn't come out to Daibazaal right away. I think. But I can't really think at moment. Whatever it is, they were born in October the 4th. Pidge did the maths for us"  
"Do you mind if I hold Kelance?"  
Keith tensed slightly beneath him, and Lance kind of wanted to say no but didn't want to spoil the mood  
"Hunk will show you how to. Don't be afraid if he cries, he won't be used to your scent yet"

Looking down at Kelance, a range of emotions crossed Shiro's face. Happiness, anger, sadness and finally something like wistfulness   
"Hey there Kelance. Look at you. Look at those marks"  
"I wanted them to have marks, but I never thought it would really happen"  
"I'm surprised they don't look more Galra"  
"It wouldn't have mattered if they did. They fought so hard..."  
Lance's sentence was cut off as the castle alarms began to blare. Scrambling off Keith's lap, he dropped his toast as he took Laneith   
"Pass me Kelance. We need to get to the bridge"  
"Lance"  
"Just pass him to me. It's my job to protect them"  
"Take them and get down to the pod room. I know you don't want to let them out of your sight, but we don't know what's going on and if it's safe to get to Red"  
"Got it"  
Shiro carefully placed Kelance on his shoulder   
"What can I do?"  
"You go to the bridge with the others. Lance, I'll send Krolia to you for back up"  
"Ok"

What the quiznak was happening? It'd barely been a quintant since they'd taken them out the pods, and here he was forced to put them back in again. He thought he'd struggle with saying goodbye to them again, but the idea that they might be in danger erased the pain of it. Placing them in the pod, it'd only just slid down into the floor when Galra sentries burst into the room. This couldn't be good. Noticing him standing there, Lance took off rubbing, activating his Bayard and communicator as he did  
"Keith!? Keith, what's going on?"  
"Allura went ahead and invited Lotor onto the castle, and now we're under attack"  
"I know that much! They showed up in the pod room. The pups are safe, but I need to shoot my way out"  
"I'm coming to you!"  
"Don't! Get Allura to activate the teladuv, even a small jump might give us the advantage!"  
"You can't be serious!"  
"Keith, I've got this. Please, just trust me"  
"I... stay safe"  
"You too"  
Dodging the pink blasts, Lance hid behind a jutting out piece of wall. He didn't know what to call it, only that it was the best protection that room had to offer. Taking a deep breath, his grip tightened on his gun. No one was hurting his pups. Not today.

Throwing himself away from the wall, he ran towards the sentries, firing as he went. Even without being in combat in phoebes, his shots still found their marks as he thinned the sentries streaming through the door. His only thought was to get them away from the battle, no matter what it took. Firing at the sentry entering the room, he kicked it down and shot it squarely in the head as he rode the body to the floor. Rolling to his side he used the metal corpse as a shield shooting down the two approaching sentries. Just how many where there? And where were they? Around him, the castle shook as the Galra ships fired. He had to keep moving. Ditching the sentry, he scrambled to his feet as he took off running. If this was Lotor's doing, the man would be headed for the bridge to capture the ship, so that's where he needed to go. Today was so not the day to skip putting on a bra.

Running as fast as he could, he shot down the sentries as he went, this was all fine and well, until he hit the hall below the bridge. There were Galra soldiers. He hated killing. Sentries were fine, but Galra soldiers... not all of them wanted to be on the battlefield. Aiming for their knees, the three men crumbled to the floor. As he ran forward, the middle soldier reached towards him and Lance reeled back at what he saw. Running from the man's eyes was thick black goop, and somehow he just knew it had to be the same goop stuff from Daibazaal. Gasping for breath, the man then hacked, coughing out black goop onto the floor  
"I don't want to die"  
Continuing to gasp, the man let out a rasping groan before collapsing to the floor completely. A rather long and nasty blade embedded between his shoulder blades. Looking up, Lotor was at the end of the corridor. Quiznak  
"Keith! Keith are you there?!"  
"Lance, what's going on?"  
"Is Lotor with you? The real one?"  
"You and mum are the only ones who aren't"  
"Uh... I think I found the other Lotor!"  
Turning, he ran   
"Lance, where are you?"  
"The hallway below the bridge! The soldiers are infected with that black goop stuff!"  
"We're coming to you"  
"Don't! He nearly killed you the last time he saw you"  
"Exactly! You don't stand a chance"  
"Thanks for the vote of confidence!"  
Looking back over his shoulder, Lotor wasn't there  
"I... he's gone! Keith, be careful"  
"Lance, it's Pidge. Can you get into the castle vents"  
"I should be able too"  
"Then go. More of them are approaching your position"  
"What about the pod room? Is it still safe?"  
"I'm reading several heat signatures"  
His pups!  
"I'm going back"  
"You can't, it's too risky!"  
"I'm not leaving them!"  
"We're trying to guide them to the bridge, but if they see you shooting, they'll go after you"  
"I don't care! I'm not letting anything happen to them!"  
In the back ground, he heard Allura cry out, and the sound of shots being fired  
"Pidge!"  
"They're here! Get somewhere safe and hide!"  
Now he was torn. He was torn between Keith and his pups. Keith might have everyone there backing him up, but the were against Lotor, even the clone Lotor seemed as fast as the original. If Keith died and he wasn't there, he'd never forgive himself... and there was no way the Galra knew how to work the healing pods... no. His team needed him. If he met up with them, they'd be able to clear a path down to the pups faster than he could on his own. Turning back the way he came, he ignored the complaints of his screaming muscles.

 

*  
Standing on the bridge, Keith looked around for his next target. Wave after wave of sentries had piled up, but the moment Coran had detected something was wrong, he'd raised the castles defences, so it was impossible for reinforcements to arrive. While Allura activated the teladuv, everyone fought to protect her, including Shiro who lifted one of the guns from a sentry. His aim might be terrible, but with only enemy forces coming through the door, it wasn't like he had to be all that careful   
"Allura, how long?"  
"45 ticks!"  
"Alright! We need to advance forward! We can't afford to let them take over any more of the castle than they have!"  
Running towards the sentries, Keith dodged Shiro's cover fire as he let his alpha rise to the surface. His teeth ached to tear into flesh, but given they were all machines, it was definitely best he didn't. Dodging a blast, he sliced through the sentry with ease  
"Hunk!"  
Spinning back to see what was wrong, hunk was doubled over on the floor, clutching his stomach which was rapidly turning red  
"Get him behind the control panel!"  
Turning back, he slashed his way through the doorway and straight into a dozen burly Galra soldiers. Quiznak! Flinging himself back into the bridge, he landed badly on his shoulder as he slid across the floor. If it wasn't for the cover fire flying over his head the Galra approaching him would have turned him into lunch. Rolling as one of Shiro's blasts hit the floor next to him, one of the soldiers grabbed him by his boot  
"Shiro!"  
Hitting the soldier in the chest, the Galra slumped down on top of him, black goop oozing onto his uniform. Moving to push the man off, the good struck out, smacking upside his chin. Howling at the burning feeling spreading across his face, he clutched it as he rolled away   
"Keith!"  
Wiping at the site did nothing to ease the pain, if anything, it hurt even more. How had the soldiers been able to move with that stuff in their bodies?!   
"Don't let the guards touch you! They're infected!"  
"What about you?!"  
"I'm ok! Just keep firing!"

Dragging himself to stand, Keith, snarled as two more soldiers ran into the room. Before Shiro could shoot them, they both crumpled. Casually stepping over the bodies like one might step over a puddle, Lotor finally showed himself  
"You!"  
Keith saw red. This was the man who tried to kill both him and his mother  
"I see our welcoming party has almost been wiped out. It's a shame that only your Red Paladin bothered to come great me in person"  
Keith's heart skipped a beat as his mind went straight to Lance. Following Lotor into the room was a... Keith hesitated to call him a Galra because he was just that massive. Limp in his hold, Lance was a mess. His mate had put up a hell of a fight if the bruising on his face was to be believed  
"Lance!"  
"One wrong step and I will kill him"  
"Let him go!"  
"Not when we made our welcome so warm"  
"What do you want?!"  
"Lotor, I've come for you. Our mother is waiting"  
"Our mother? Honerva was my mother, not Haggar!"  
"You are me and I am you. You know as well as I do that they are one and the same"  
"Why are you doing this?!"  
"Because I despise the Altean's. I despise Voltron and I despise weakness. We thought we'd gotten rid of our perky problem by leaving them at the bottom of that rift, but you just had to bring them back"  
Drawing his blade, Lotor was a blur as he launched himself at Allura. Moving to match his pace, the real Lotor stopped him before the blow could hit   
"Stop this!"  
"Why? You care nothing for these people!"

With Lotor fighting Lotor, they were all forced to the outside of the room as they attacked each other without mercy. Being so evenly matched, it would come down to whoever had the most stamina. Taking the chance, Keith began to slide along the outer wall, making his way towards Lance. Catching Lotor's attention, the Galra was at his side in less than a heartbeat, throwing him across the room like it was nothing  
"Everything she's done, she's done for you"  
"She did it for Zarkon!"  
"Who is our father!"  
"Zarkon never accepted me! I was half Altean! He hated the Altean's more than anything"  
"It made you weak!"  
"I am not ashamed! At least I can think for myself!"  
Blinking groggily, Keith was certain his arm was broken. What was it with him breaking his arm? Lance wasn't going to be happy, and he'd failed to keep his promise. Stepping into the room behind the behemoth Galra, Keith's blood turned cold as he heard two pups crying. Pushing himself up, he glared as snarled. His teeth on display  
"Either you come with me, or I kill all three of them"  
"I'll never go with you!"  
"That's a shame. Kill the children!"  
Lance who'd been limp sprang to life as if he'd heard every word. Letting out a feral scream, his mate activated his Bayard, his armour still forming as he swung his broadsword, slicing through Galra's left arm, before continuing the blow and decapitating the Galra. As blood sprayed from the wound and coated him, Lance shook his sword off  
"Well, this is interesting. Who would have thought the joke of Voltron would manage to kill so easily. Maybe I should take him home with me"  
Lance wasn't listening. His mate's chest heaved as he ran at the two Galra soldiers, killing them both before they knew what happened. Watching the pups hit the floor Keith howled, while Lance rushed to gather them and move them away from the bodies  
"You seem to enjoy killing. How many of my sentries did you take out?"  
"Not enough. First, you tried to kill my mother. Then you tried to kill my alpha. You tried to take my home from me! You tried to take my pups from me! I am not letting you leave here alive!"  
"Even if it means I kill your friends?"  
"I'd like to see you try"  
Surging up from the pups, Lance ran at the second Lotor... not-Lotor. His mate was obviously feeling the effects of the assault, but that didn't stop him. It was like Lance was glowing. His figure was all Keith could see. Roaring as he lashed out with his sword, sparks erupted as the blades collided  
"Lance, he's too strong for you!"  
"Stop telling me what I can and can't do!"  
His mate was no sword wielder, but with his upgraded Bayard, he was able to cut through Zarkon's sword  
"Well done. That was a rather nice... show"  
Pausing at "nice", not-Lotor grabbed Lance by the throat, forcing him backwards until his mate hit the wall with a sickening crunch  
"I like you. You're interesting. And this blade of yours"  
Flailing, Keith saw no way out for Lance, until a pink beam shot across the room. Not-Lotor was too fast for it, so the shot hit Lance on the shoulder. His mate didn't even flinch. Chasing after not-Lotor, the pair were in their own world  
"We'll be coming out of the wormhole shortly"  
"Good! Shiro, can you and Coran still fight?!"  
"Coran's been hit"  
When the quiznak did that happen?   
"Then it's you and me. You need to get into the hallway and make sure there are no reinforcements"  
"What about you?! Who's going to protect Allura"  
"Lotor will! He loves her! Now move!"  
Watching Shiro dart through the room, Keith then looked to his Bayard. He'd never really given much thought about its shape. He needed a gun. If he could get a shot off... 

Kicking out at not-Lotor. Not-Lotor caught Lance's leg. Flipping him midair, before slamming him down against the ground. Raising his hand to deliver the final blow, not-Lotor was ripped off his mate by a green rope. Looking to Pidge, the alpha was baring her own teeth  
"Lance!"  
Swing his blade clumsily, the blade's made up for his mate's short falls, slicing through not-Lotor's left leg. Enraged, Not-Lotor grabbed the green rope, yanking Pidge over the control panel. Crying out, Pidge released her Bayard. But it didn't matter. Walking calmly over to his clone, Lotor plunged his blade down into not-Lotor's head as Lance ran his own blade through the half-Galra. Slumping forward, black goop ran from the clone like it had done his underlings.

Deactivating his Bayard, Lance stumbled over to their pups, gathering both boys against him before letting out a mournful sob  
"We need to get Coran, Hunk and Pidge into pods. Lance, how are the pups?"  
"They're breathing..."  
"We'll place them in a pod too. We need to exterminate the remaining forces"  
"Let me talk to them"  
"And say what? Invasions off? Everyone go home for a nice cup of tea!? This is all your fault!"  
"My fault?"  
"Yes! Now help get Hunk down to a pod! Shiro, you take Coran. Pidge, can you walk?"  
"I think I'm concussed"  
"Shiro, make sure she gets there alright. I'll take point. Allura, if any ships wormhole in, jump. I don't care where we end up. We can't deal with them until we've made sure everyone is alright"  
"On it"

Holding his arm to his chest, Keith staggered over to Lance. Kelance had a nasty bruise on his left eyebrow, while Laneith's hand seemed to be the main cause of his second son's distress  
"Lance, can you walk?"  
"I... I'm fine. Where Krolia?"  
Keith doubted Lance was anything near fine, but waited patiently as his mate rose, leaving them the last one out the room.

There were still Galra sentries patrolling the castle. Temporarily passing Kelance to Shiro, Lance cleared the hall in front of them. With Coran rousing, Shiro continued to hold Kelance was they dragged themselves down to the pod room. There they found Krolia, surrounded by at least a dozen sentries. Lining his shots up, they fell like dominos under Lance's expert shooting  
"Lance! I was so worried. By the time I got down here, the room was empty. What was that black stuff in the soldiers?"  
"The same stuff from Daibazaal. We need to get everyone into a pod"  
"What happened to your face!?"  
"Not now mum, the twins got hurt. We deal with everyone else first"  
Hunk was the first placed in a pod, followed by the pups, then Pidge, Coran and finally himself. Lance didn't outrightly say no going into a pod, but that was more than likely due to shock. His mate had killed 4 Galra soldiers on the bridge, and how maybe others it had taken to get there. Being forced into a pod was far from agreeable, but the burning of his face hadn't settled down if anything the wound seemed to be getting bigger.

 

*  
With his mate in a healing pod and his pups still sleeping, Lance couldn't take it. His omega felt more alpha, agitated and enraged, thirsting for blood and to kill any Galra remaining on the castle. Even if he had had the ever living quiznak beaten out of him. With Krolia and Shiro preoccupied, Lance darted out of the room. His Bayard already back to being a gun, and his eyes so narrowed they were barely open. Growling as he ran, he shot at the already fallen sentries as he did. How dare they come aboard their castle and try to kill his family! Working his way down to the ship's hangar, the corridors were completely clear until he finally reached his destination. Inside the hangar was swarming with sentries. Counting the numbers he came up with 15, which was a hell of a lot when he was the only one there. Glancing around the hangar, a plan came to mind. Pulling back, he tapped on his communicator   
"Allura?"  
"Lance. What is it?"  
"How many Galra ships jumped with us?"  
"Two..."  
"How long can the castle last without defences?"  
"I'm not sure. What's going on?"  
"I'm at the hangar, it's filled with sentries. If I undo the air lock, they'll be forced out, but I can't do that with the forcefield around the castle up"  
"We can't risk taking it down..."  
"It only has to be for a couple ticks"  
"Lance..."  
There went that plan  
"Ok. I get it. I'll handle it myself"  
Ending the transmission, Lance was sure this was a terrible idea. But Allura wouldn't let him flush them out...

Taking a breath, he eyed the sentries again. Fifteen sentries, fifteen shots... and like a hundred coming at him. Quiznak... ok. Running forward, he shot towards the sentries, his hits finding their mark. Diving for cover, he skidded to a painful stop, immediately rolling onto his back, shooting while trying to scramble back. This would have been so much easier if Allura had just done like he'd suggested. Flinching as a shot hit the floor beside his head, so close that he swore he smelt burnt hair  
"Lance!"  
"Krolia!"  
He'd forgotten he had other options   
"Stay where you are!"  
"I can't move, kind of being shot at!  
Kicking himself backwards, he continued to shoot  
"I'm coming! Stop shooting!"  
"Then hurry up!"  
"Dealing with the soldiers right now!"  
Ducking behind a storage box, Lance fired at the four sentries approaching. With Krolia's help, the hangar was fast becoming empty. Slashing through two small Galra soldiers, Krolia grinned as she appeared behind them  
"I've missed this"  
"What? Running for your life?"  
"I wasn't running... you're the one who took off"  
"They tried to take my family!"  
"That doesn't mean you have to get yourself killed"  
"How about more pew pew, and less scolding me!"  
Shooting over Krolia's shoulder, another sentry fell. Abandoning his hiding spot, he jogged over to Krolia   
"We need to check the ship"  
"I'll check it"  
"No, you cover me. Keith would kill me if something happened to you"  
"And I will everyone who hurts him"  
"Lance... you smell like you've gone feral..."  
"Omegas can't go feral"  
"You're covered in blood. You killed Galra soldiers and ran your sword through Lotor... you're not thinking straight"  
"Maybe I am? Maybe I'm thinking clearly for the first time in a long time? I've got this"  
Taking off running before Krolia could stop him, Lance ran head first up the ship's rear ramp, following the corridor through to cockpit. Like the small pods used by rebels, its layout was basic. All it took was one sweep, the ship was empty. Falling back, he jogged down the ramp  
"It's clear"  
"So's the hangar. You shouldn't have run off on your own"

The relief had him swaying on his feet. His already exhausted body dropped like a leaden weight as his Bayard deactivated  
"Lance!"  
"I'm alright... I'm just exhausted"  
"Here, let me help you to the pod room"  
"I need to head up to the bridge. We need to get rid of the Galra ships out there, and the bodies"  
"You can't, you're exhausted"  
"Krolia, we can't just leave Allura up there with dead bodies"  
"And you shouldn't have to see something like that"  
"Keith is in a pod, there are things that need to be done, and it's my job to do so"  
"Then leave it to Shiro and I"  
"There's too much to do, and those soldiers are all infected"  
"Shiro and I will deal with it. Let's get you back to everyone"  
Lifting him into his arms, Lance felt like a fool. When Keith carried him like this, he loved it. When Krolia did, he felt like things were around the wrong way  
"Krolia, I can probably walk"  
"It'll be faster if I carry you. Just keep your Bayard handy"  
"It's the cape isn't it? Chicks love the cape"  
"The cape is completely impractical during combat"  
"But it looks cool"  
"Maybe you should take a shower before you see everyone else"  
"Why?"  
"Because you're covered in blood"  
"Oh... I forgot about that"  
"We'll stop by your quarters do you can shower and change"  
"Ugggh"  
Showering seemed like way too much effort. He didn't need three showers in one day! Stupid Keith and stupidly good sex  
"Showering seems like effort"  
"You'll feel better once you do"

 

*  
Lance was sitting right in front of him when Keith exited the pod, with their sons in his hold. His mate was covered in various cuts and bruises but was smiling brilliantly at their sons. Stepping out the pod, Keith offered a small smile, relieved Lance had made it through without being seriously wounded   
"Hey baby"  
"Hey... whoa. What happened to your face?"  
"My face?"  
"You've got a new scar"  
"Oh... the black goop touched it... does it look bad?"  
"It looks like a Galra mark..."  
Stumbling over to his mate, Keith sank down with a weird sigh  
"How are you?"  
"The pups are fine. Hunk is good. Pidge and he both headed up to her cleaned up. Allura got us away from the two ships that followed us. Coran got clipped, he woke up first and went to help Allura. Mum and Shiro made it through without being hurt"  
"And what about you?"  
"I didn't need to use the pod..."  
Lance wasn't answering his question, and his smile had faded  
"Leave him alone Keith. He had a really bad episode in the bathroom..."  
"Krolia!"  
Shouting the woman's name to silence her, both pups began to cry  
"Baby..."  
"It's nothing. I don't want to talk about it. Now you're awake, you should shower. You've got blood on you"  
"Lance"  
"I said I don't want to talk about it"  
They were definitely going to talk about it, even if Lance didn't want to. Lifting the closest pup into his hold, Keith sighed softly  
"Ok. Let's head back to the nursery. We can settle these two in and you can tell me what I missed"  
"I think I just want to go to sleep, now that I know you're ok"  
"We can sleep. I don't mind"  
Lance opened his mouth, before closing it and nodding. His mate was definitely keeping something from him.

With both pups back in their cots, Lance climbed into their nest, leaving Keith to shower alone. Entering the bathroom, he could smell traces of blood and vomit. It must have been one hell of an episode and he hated that he hadn't been there to help Lance through it. His mate had been amazing in combat, and even Shiro would have to eat his words. The alpha didn't think Lance would have it in him to fight anymore, but watching him in battle... it made him even prouder of his mate. He hadn't let himself be beaten. He'd calmly laid in wait until the final moment. Yeah. He was proud. Stripping off his uniform, Keith caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. He looked like he'd aged a decade, and the mark on his face was way too prominent. He'd never really cared about his appearance, but he did want to look good for Lance. After all, his mate was just too beautiful for words... and now every photo they took would have the ugly scar in them.

Keith was mid-scrub when he heard screaming. A blood-curdling scream that turned him cold. Turning the taps off, he didn't even pause to grab a towel as he raced back into the nursery. Half slumped over the side of the next, Lance had thrown up against the floor and was whining softly for him. Sidestepping the mess, Keith climbed onto the bed and hefted Lance back up, taking his mate's face in his hands  
"Shhhh, it's ok baby. It's ok. I'm here"  
Lance whimpered, trying to pull away from him as he did  
"Hey. Hey, you're ok. You're ok. It was just a dream"  
Gathering his omega up against him, Keith rubbed his back gently as he crooned. It had been a while since Lance had been so bad that he didn't even register him  
"I've got you. I've got you"  
Ignoring their crying sons, Keith rearranged Lance in his lap, rocking him while kissing his hair. Even though Lance had showered at some point, his mate smelt faintly of burnt hair. Something else must have happened while he was in the pod  
"Shhh, baby. I'm here"

Far too slowly Lance's sobs turned silent. His mate limp against his chest as he continued to tremble   
"Baby... I'm here"  
"K-Keith..."  
"Yeah, baby. It's ok. You don't have to talk"  
Even though he was still damp from showering, Keith guided them both down, so Lance was laying on top of him. Covering them with blankets, he sighed softly   
"You did so well baby. I'm so proud of you"


	70. Chapter 70

Lance was relieved to get back to Olkarion, even though he was exhausted from the trip. Krolia and Keith had cleaned up the bodies across the ship, while Pidge now had a whole heap of sentry parts she could play with. It seemed like everyone except for him was busy making plans for what happened next, but none of them were asking for his input or help... despite the fact he'd pretty much saved the castle. Even Keith was too busy to just hang out, or spend time with him and the pups. Something that he really needed. He knew he went slightly feral killing the Galra that help both him and his sons but seeing their mangled bodies drove home just what he'd done. Maybe there was another way things could have played out? They were only following Lotor's orders, and while he hadn't been able to help the infected, he couldn't get the image of the dying Galra asking for help out of his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw them. When he dreamed, he saw them. Blaming him for murdering them so easily. Even when he showered, he could still smell the blood on his skin. It was probably a good thing his mate had been so busy, his battered and abused body was covered in bruises, but he'd torn his arms up without even intending to, after sleepwalking into the bathroom. Thank quiznak for long shirts.

Carrying Kelance and Laneith into the kitchen, he hoped Hunk would be there. He didn't want to annoy everyone with his problems, but he didn't want to be alone. Entering the kitchen he found Shiro was there with Hunk, the alpha laughing openly as he popped a space bean into his mouth. Shifting uncomfortably, he nearly fled, but Hunk caught sight of him  
"Hey, Lance. How are the pups?"  
"Great... they cried all night last night, but they finally fell asleep on the walking up here"  
"So no chance of a cuddle?"  
"Not unless you want two screaming pups... do you mind if I hang out in here for a bit?"  
"Sure. Shiro and I were just making lunch. Are you hungry?"  
"Not really..."  
He hadn't been hungry since... nope, he couldn't remember  
"You should eat, Lance. You need the energy"  
"I'm fine"  
Hunk frowned at him, and Lance knew he was thinking that his not eating was related to his "postpartum stomach issues"  
"We can't have you getting sick, not when there's so much work to do. I'm sure Hunk and I can amuse the pups long enough for you to eat"  
"Mhmm, I'll make you anything you feel like. Even cookie dough"  
"Cookie dough isn't very healthy"  
"He couldn't get enough of it when he was pregnant"  
"I'm still here and I'm pretty sure I'm not pregnant again. I'll have some fruit"  
"Lance, you need more than fruit. When was the last time you at a real meal? You look and smell exhausted. How are your wounds healing?"  
How did Shiro notice all this... when Keith didn't?  
"Lance, are you hurt? I thought you didn't need to go into a pod"  
"It's just some bruising. It'll heal"  
"Hunk, can you hold the twins. He smells like it's just more than bruised"  
"N-no... I'm ok. Really"  
Trying not run in terror, Hunk walked around the counter towards him  
"Here, let me help"  
Lifting Laneith from him, leant in   
"Lance, do you want me to take a look at your bruises when Shiro isn't around"  
"I'm ok... just a little sore"  
"Let me know if you change your mind"  
Giving Hunk a thin-lipped smile, he followed him around the counter. His friend placing Laneith into Shiro's hold  
"So who do I have?"  
"Laneith. Kelance has a birthmark behind his ear"  
"Hello, Laneith. Did you really cry all night? That can't be right"  
"He did. I ended up kicking Keith out and back to our room so he'd at least get some sleep"  
"He didn't stay?"  
"No. It's fine. I was awake anyway"  
"They're his pups too. He should be there"  
"There's not much you can do when they won't stop crying"  
"He still should be there. An alpha doesn't leave their mate to deal with everything alone"  
"Hey. No arguing in my kitchen. Lance, take a seat. I'll cut up some fruit for you"  
"Th-..."  
"Hunk, make him something else. Even if it's just a sandwich"  
Why couldn't Shiro just listen to him? He knew his own body. Ducking his head, Lance sighed  
"Fine. Just... don't make it too fancy"

Chewing was too much effort, but he forced the sandwich down while Hunk went about organising lunch. Kelance on his shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world. Shiro was still holding Laneith, the alpha seemingly happy to just rock him gently while chatting to Hunk... not that Lance was really paying attention to what they were talking about. He didn't feel really welcome, but he wasn't in a hurry to be on his own  
"Lance, are you going to join us for lunch?"  
Blinking himself out his thoughts, the omega shook his head   
"No. I'm ok. I only really came up to see Hunk"  
"I still think you should let us take a look at those wounds of yours"  
"It's just a few bruises and scrapes they're fine. More importantly, how are you Hunk?"  
"Me? Fine. My stomach took the hit. I guess I finally found a use for it"  
Laughing almost nervously, Hunk didn't look comfortable at all  
"I'm glad you're alright. Pidge too"  
"Yeah. How about Keith? Did he heal up alright?"  
"Yep. The only sign that anything ever happened is that purple scar, but that's fine. It makes him look part Galra, which he is anyway"  
"That's true. Are you ready to take the pups back?"  
"Yeah. It feels a little lonely without them"  
"If you're ever lonely, you know where to find me"  
"Somewhere in the castle?"  
Hunk rolled his eyes   
"You know it's true"  
"I could be down on Olkarion with everyone else"  
Yes, he kind of they were back on the planet, but he had no idea the others had already left the castle... and left him behind. No. He wasn't going there. It's not like he liked the long walk down to the village. Wiping his hands on his pants, he first took Laneith from Shiro. His son smelt like the alpha, but it was a comforting kind of smell. Like Shiro had been happy to hold the pup for so long  
"Lance, if you need any help, just let us know. You don't have to do everything alone"  
"I'm fine. I'm going to take these guys back to the nursery and see if they'll settle down for me"  
When Laneith was safely settled, Hunk placed Kelance on his other shoulder  
"I'll see you guys later"  
"Don't forget to call!"

Returning back to the nursery, the pups started screaming again. Laying then down on the bed, Lance knelt down next to it. He'd fed them before heading up to the kitchen, and after a quick check, he found neither of them needed changing, so why were they crying again?  
"Babies, please... you were so good for Hunk and Shiro..."  
It made him feel like he'd done something wrong. Like he was the reason they were so upset and like he wasn't doing anything right. Starting to cry, he wiped at the tears, though it didn't stop them. He just wanted to be a good mum. He just wanted them to be happy... and he didn't want them seeing him cry. Moving them to their individual cots, Lance escaped into the bathroom, sinking down against the door as he sobbed in earnest.

 

*  
"Lance? You in here buddy?"  
Clamping his hand over his mouth, Lance tried to hush himself. He didn't want to be seen like this. An absolute mess  
"Lance? If you're naked, you've got 5 ticks to cover yourself up"  
"G-go away Hunk!"  
"Can't do that buddy"  
"I'm fine!"  
"I can hear you crying"  
"I'm still fine!"  
Unable to catch himself in time, Lance fell backwards as the door behind him disappeared. Staring up at the blurry blob that was Hunk, he tried to smile  
"Uh... hi?"  
"Need a hand up?"  
"No... no, I'm good. Why are you here?"  
"Because I was worried and you came to hang out before, but Shiro was there. Let's get you up"  
Lifted off the floor Hunk carried him over to the bed, sitting him down on the edge   
"Want to talk about it?"  
"They won't stop crying... I don't know what to do"  
"And it's not because your arms bleeding?"  
Looking down, he found he'd added to the scratches on his arm  
"Don't... don't look at them"  
"Too late. Take your shirt off, I want to check those bruises"  
"If you wanted me out of my clothes, you just had to ask"  
"I'm not that crazy. Keith would kill me and I kind of like living"  
"I like you living too... but I don't want you to see"  
"I can call Keith down here"  
Lance gaped at Hunk   
"You wouldn't"  
"You're hurt and you're hiding it. Me or Keith?"  
"If I show you, can you not tell him. I don't want to worry him when he's working so hard"  
"He's your mate"  
"And all kinds of things happened while we were gone. I'm going to talk to him, just not just yet"  
"Show me"  
"Hunk, please"  
"Lance, you know I'm terrible at lying"  
"I'm not asking you to lie. I'm asking you to give me a little time to figure out how to tell him"  
Staring at him, Hunk didn't reply. He obviously wasn't getting away without showing him, but he was shaking too badly to get his shirt off on his own. Taking the flimsy fabric by the hem, Hunk tugged it up and off. At least he had a bra on today  
"Lance!"  
"I know... I know"  
"How does Keith not know about this?"  
"I've been wearing a long shirt, and he's been sleeping in our room while I stayed with the pups"  
Taking his hands in his, Hunk turned them palm up to look at the worse of his scratches   
"Lance..."  
"I don't remember doing them... I just feel so useless"

Jumping as the nursery door opened, Lance snatched his hands back. It felt like a setup. He'd only just opened up and now Keith was walking in on them before he could hide or deny it   
"Lance, what's going on here?"  
"It... it's nothing"  
"It doesn't look like nothing. Hunk, what happened?"  
"Lance is still hurt from the Galra attack"  
"Hunk!"  
"I told you I'm a horrible liar!"  
"Baby?"  
"Maybe I should leave you two alone?"  
"No. Hunk... it's ok. Keith, it's nothing. I'm ok"  
"You've been crying. The pups are crying and I can smell blood. I feel like that doesn't add up to everything alright"  
"Yep. Definitely, time for me to go"  
Lance didn't want Hunk to go. Not when Keith was angry  
"Hunk... please"  
Taking Hunk's hand, he tugged on it, silently begging with his red-rimmed eyes  
"Alright. But you need to show Keith"  
"It's not that bad"  
"Yes, it is. Do you guys have any medical supplies down here?"  
"There's a basic first aid kit in the bathroom"  
"I'll get the first aid kit. Keith, take a look at his back. I don't like the bruising"

 

*  
Keith was initially confused by Hunk kneeling in front of his topless mate. Padding over to his mate, Lance winced as he approached  
"Baby, it's ok"  
"It doesn't hurt or anything"  
"Alright, but I'm still going to take a look"  
Hanging his head, Lance sniffled  
"Just... don't touch them?"  
He said they didn't hurt, but he wasn't allowed to touch them. That didn't make sense. Half kneeling on the bed, his eyes roamed Lance's bruised and scraped back. There was barely any brown left with all the deep purple and yellow bruises  
"What happened? I thought you didn't need to go into a pod?"  
"I didn't. It's just bruising. You know how much Galra love being shot at... they didn't like me running around... it's fine. It's all over"  
Lance's voice shook. Returning from the bathroom, Hunk used two fingers against Lance's shoulder and push him up so he was sitting properly again  
"Arms"  
"H-Hunk..."  
"What about his arms?"  
"They're a bit scratched up. It's nothing. Hunk, can do the dressings?"  
"Why wouldn't you tell me?"  
"How could I!? You said you were proud of me, but I killed them! I killed them without trying to find another way!"  
"Baby..."  
"No! I killed them. I can hear them and I can still see them. I can't sleep and I can't get the pups to calm and I can't forget the feeling of my blade slicing through them! I lost my head and I'm scared! I didn't feel anything! I wasn't sad! I just wanted them dead!"  
Breaking down into weak sobs, Hunk looked to him and then back to Lance   
"Lance, you saved us all. You helped get us help, and then you took on the remaining Galra"  
"I know! I know what I did! I know we probably didn't have a choice, but what if I had hurt the pups? Or someone else?! Krolia said it was like I went feral. Alfor didn't give me his blessings so I could just kill everyone!"  
Screaming louder, it was like the pups were trying to drown Lance out  
"Keith, I'm going to clean up his arms. Why don't you see if you can calm the pups?"  
"He can't! He was work to do! He needs to be leading Voltron!"  
"It's like Shiro said. He needs to help with the pups, and there's no time like the present"  
Shiro? Lance had been talking to Shiro and Hunk? When did this happen? And why not him? Yes, he was busy, and yes Lance had insisted he sleep in their old quarters because the pups wouldn't stop crying and there were things to do once they got back to Olkarion. They'd barely touched down before he was pulled into a meeting with Ryner about the planets that the Galra had attacked in their absence... but this was more important. His mate was so badly bruised and Keith didn't know how he'd kept so silent about it  
"I want to see your arms"  
"Keith..."  
"Please. I want to see"  
Pulling the shirt away from Lance, Hunk unveiled the omega arms. There were some scratches that were already healing, and some that looked more like wounds from a blade, still, the majority were self-inflicted scratches  
"Lance, why didn't you tell me about this?"  
"Tell you what? That I slept walked into the shower the other night and woke up with my hands covered in blood, or that I was scratching my arms up in the bathroom without realising. It's not like I did it on purpose!"  
Why couldn't he smell sour strawberries then? Lance was clearly distressed, so why wasn't he smelling it... the smell of blood only just reached his nose. It was confusing and frustrating   
"Ok baby. Ok. I'll try and settle our sons, while Hunk bandages your arms for you. Are you hurt anywhere else?"  
"Nn-no... most of the damage was stopped by my armour"  
If this was the leftover, Keith didn't want to even imagine how bad it could have been   
"And you're fine showering and going to the bathroom?"  
"Keith! Why would you ask me that in front of Hunk?!"  
"Because you're my mate. Of course, I'm going to worry about you"  
"You don't need to. I'm-"  
"You're not fine. I think I'm going to cancel the meeting I had later..."  
"Don't you dare"  
"You're hurt"  
"And I'll survive! You're the leader of Voltron! You have to go"

Crossing over to the closest cot, Keith lifted Laneith into his hold. His alpha instantly picked up the scents of Shiro remaining on his son. Why was Shiro's scent there? Had the alpha been holding him? And if so, why? They were his sons, not Shiro's... Shiro had chosen to remain behind on the castle, and Lance had admitted to talking to the alpha. Was Lance regretting their bonding? Was he regretting their relationship? Did Lance turn to Shiro for comfort because he wanted him instead? Hushing his son, he nuzzled against his hair  
"Daddy's here. I'm here, it's ok"  
"Keith, if you've got work, I'll be ok on my own"  
"You literally just yelled and hid how badly hurt you were from me. You're not ok"  
"So what? You think I can't take care of the pups? Is that it? Are you going to take them away because I let them get hurt?"  
"What?"  
"They got hurt because of me! I know that! You don't have to watch me with them every tick of every quintant!"  
"Baby, that's not it at all"  
"Just go back to work"  
"Once Hunk has bandaged your arms and these little guys are sleeping"  
"They only slept in the kitchen when Hunk and Shiro were holding them! They hate me! They know what I did and they hate me!"  
That made no sense at all. The pups had been in real danger and he hadn't been able to help  
"They don't hate you"  
"Yes, they do! That's why they keep crying! I'm not a good mum!"  
"Enough with that shit! You are! You are a good mum and you're a good Paladin. Yes you killed the Galra soldiers, but it's not like it was the first time and it probably won't be the last"  
"Whoa, Lance!"  
Turning back to Hunk and Lance, Lance was on his feet  
"Get out!"  
"Lance..."  
"No! I was stupid! I was trying to think of how to tell you and now you're just making fun of me! One the soldiers, before Lotor killed him told me he didn't want to die! He was scared! They were infected and scared! And I killed them! So get out!"  
"I didn't mean it like that"  
"Really? Because you sounded pretty serious to me!"  
"Keith, maybe you should just give Lance some space. He's hurt and needs to rest. Making him angry isn't going to help"  
"I wasn't trying to make him angry! I'm proud of him! It's because of him that we all made it back here safely! I heard how he stepped up and took charge of the situation and even when things were bad, he didn't give up!"  
"Maybe I should have!? Then I wouldn't have to see them over and over!"  
"And what? What do you think they had planned for you? A nice little picnic? They were going to kill our pups! They were going to kill our friends! Our family and kill you! They wouldn't have regretted it all"  
"That doesn't mean I had to kill them like that! There should have been another way..."  
"There wasn't. What's done is done now, and I'm not going to apologise for the fact that I think you're amazing!"  
"God! I hate that about you alphas. You're used to spilling blood... but me, I just want to find a way where people stop dying pointless and stupid deaths! I know I'm a killer! Our sons have a murderer for a mother"  
"No. They have a Paladin. A soldier. Someone fighting for a better life for them"  
"Then if that's true, why can't I make them happy?!"  
"Because they're exhausted from crying. They're so exhausted from crying that they keep crying! You're not doing anything wrong"  
"Everything I do is wrong!"  
"And I'm telling you it's not. Now let Hunk clean you up before I have to come over there and restrain you myself"  
"Take one step towards me and I swear I will never talk to you again"  
Lance's voice was icy cold, matching the cool fire in his eyes. Keith just didn't get it, and Lance wasn't thinking clearly. Laying Laneith next to Kelance, he turned the mobile hanging over the cot on  
"I love you, so I'm going to respect your wishes. But I still think you did the right thing"  
"Keith, I'll make sure he's cleaned up. So it's fine for you to go"  
"I get it. See you later"

 

*  
Lance sniffled sadly as Keith stormed out the nursery. He was sure his mate would have slammed the door behind him if he could  
"Don't worry. He'll understand once he's calmed down"  
"I don't know about that... I mean... I know we've had to kill, but I wasn't even in control of myself"  
"I know. We don't have to keep talking about it"  
Nodding his head, he wrapped his left arm around his stomach as he leant forward as Hunk gently began to clean down his scratches   
"I hate fighting with him and I hate making him mad"  
"Will you get mad at me if I say you both have a point?"  
"No. I know it's true. I think... I think maybe having Shiro, Lotor and the Galra on board was too much to process"  
"But you've been talking to Shiro, that's something"  
"It doesn't mean I'm not scared of him. Even when he holds a pup, I'm still worried... though he's been nice about it all, I still don't think he likes them"  
"Huh? Lance, you obviously didn't see what I saw. He was looking at them like they were his..."  
"But they aren't!"  
Blinking at his own harsh tone, Hunk just shook his head  
"You don't need to yell. I was just calling it as I saw it"  
"It would be easier if he just hurt me. Him being nice makes me feel like he's going to snap at any moment"  
"I'm pretty sure you could take him. He's only got one arm"  
"Is it fair to attack a one-armed man?"  
"Probably not. But if it came down to it..."  
Hunk would prefer he walked away, rather than Shiro. He didn't want the team to be like that. They all had to have each other's backs.

With the background noise of the pups crying, Hunk cleaned and dressed both his arms, before looking him up and down  
"Is there anywhere else?"  
"My... my... um, shoulder. I can't really see it properly when I turn to look and I don't get much alone time in the bathroom to look properly"  
Hunk let out a dramatic sigh, but the smile on his face told Lance he wasn't really in any trouble. Turning his injured shoulder towards his friend, he yelped when Hunk poked at it  
"Really dude?"  
"Yep. There's some scraping and your bra strap's probably agitating it. I'll dress it, but maybe it's best you take your bra off?"  
"No. I mean... it's fine"  
Going straight to work on his shoulder, Hunk was done in no time  
"Get Keith to change your bandages after you've showered"  
"I already showered for today so that will have to wait until tomorrow"  
"Then remember to wear a long shirt"  
"I know that much. What are you going to do now that you've finished playing doctor?"  
"Well I came down here to hang out, so we can hang out. Or you can try and get some sleep"  
"I don't know if I can"  
"Do you want to cuddle? I mean. I know I'm not your alpha, but if you're sad, maybe it will help? I don't know what I'm saying"  
Laughing at Hunk's awkwardness, Lance nodded  
"That would be nice. I was really lonely earlier. I'm sorry if I wake up yelling or try to kick you"  
"Do you want me to get the pups? We can put them between us?"  
"N-no... I... I don't want to upset them anymore"  
And he didn't want to freak out and hurt them either. It was a horrible feeling knowing Keith was mad at him, and a worse one knowing he might hurt the pups. Hunk was big and could take a blow or two, but them... they were just so small. Climbing back into the nest, he tried to get comfortable as Hunk climbed in next to him. His solid presence did make him feel better, even if he wasn't Keith  
"Do we cuddle? Or just lay here like this?"  
"C-can I put my head on your shoulder? Only if it's ok... I mean, I don't want you to feel like you have to say yes"  
"You're my best friend, it's fine"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah"  
Wriggling closer, Lance curled up with his head on Hunk's shoulder. His friend releasing a calming happy scent that kind of reminded him of lime and coconut. Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths  
"Are you sniffing me?"  
"No... I'm trying to calm down"  
"Pidge likes to sniff me"  
"I don't think I want to know where you're going with that one"  
"I didn't mean it like that"  
"I know. You smell nice though. All I smell like is sour strawberries lately. I want to feel happy again"  
"I know you do you. We should take the pups for a walk later or tomorrow. I think it'd be good for you to get off the castle for a while"  
"It depends what the others are up to"  
"Nothing much as far as I know. Shiro and Keith are both pretty happy because Lotor's leaving. Allura and Coran... I think they're just happy that we're back on Olkarion"  
"And Pidge is happy because she has sentry parts to play with?"  
"Yep"  
Rubbing his cheek on Hunk's shoulder, Lance felt a little bit braver as he snaked an arm around Hunk's waist  
"Thank you for not treating me like I'm crazy"  
"Lance, I knew you were crazy long before we came out here. Now get some sleep, or at least try to"

 

*  
Unable to stop thinking about Lance all afternoon, Keith rushed from his meeting with Ryner, and some other planet leader who he probably should have at least tried to remember the name of, back to the nursery. He'd tried to get through to his mate on his communicator, but Lance hadn't answered, and neither had Hunk. He knew his mate would be safe with Hunk, but he didn't know if they were still together. Almost tripping over his feet, he scolded himself. An alpha was supposed to be much more composed and... graceful? or was "together" a better word? Whatever it was, he just wanted to make sure Lance was alright. Opening the nursery door, he found the room almost silent. The only noise being Lance's nasally snores, from behind Hunk? Creeping over, he told himself he was just seeing if Hunk was awake... while part of him wanted to double check they still had their clothes on under the pile of blankets on top of them   
"Don't wake him up"  
Sprung in the act of lifting the corner of the blanket, Keith jumped back at Hunk's unexpected voice   
"He's sleeping"  
"I can hear that. How is he?"  
"He took a while to get to sleep, and the pups finally cried themselves out not long after"  
"And his arms?"  
"All bandaged. He needs to reapply the antiseptic cream tomorrow, and same to his shoulder"  
"Alright. Are you ok with him?"  
"I'm fine. I get to laze around and do nothing"  
Keith nodded, feeling uncharacteristically meek as he opened his mouth   
"About earlier. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped like that"  
"Keith, I'm not the one you should apologise too"  
"Yes, you are. I... I was jealous he'd talk to you instead of me"  
"He was going to tell you. He was just trying to figure out everything first. I think he's scared he's going to hurt the pups or one of us"  
"He wouldn't"  
"Not intentionally. He knows he had to kill the Galra holding the pups, but until he makes peace with what he did..."  
Hunk quietened as Lance shifted in his sleep, before rolling away from the alpha and letting out a long whine, calling for Keith to come help him  
"That was definitely for you. Just be careful"  
Sliding out the bed, Hunk held the blankets so he could slip in behind Lance  
"Here, I'll do your boots"  
"It's ok"  
"It's easier if I just do them now"  
"Are you trying to mum me?"  
"Possibly. You can't sleep with your boots on and I'm not letting you wake him back up"  
"I guess I have no choice. Thanks"  
Very gently Hunk removed his boots for him  
"I'll make extra tonight, so don't feel like you have to rush to join us for dinner"  
"Hunk. Thanks for today and for looking after Lance"  
"No problemo"  
Since when did Hunk say "problemo"? He could just imagine the blush on the alpha's face as he realised what he said. Leaving it at that, Hunk left the nursery while Keith wrapped his arm around Lance, pulling him close  
"I'm here omega. Your alpha's here, you're ok. I'm not leaving you"  
Kissing the bonding scar on Lance's neck, Keith closed his eyes. Hopefully, Lance wouldn't be too freaked to find him there instead of Hunk.

They managed a few vargas sleep before the pups began crying again. Lanced was completely dead to the world as Keith climbed out their nest and walked over to his son's. Lifting the closest pup, he cooed softly. He needed a nappy change. Carrying him over to the nest, Lance rolled over in his sleep, letting out the same kind of needy whine as easier  
"I know baby. Just let me clean our boys up"  
In all honesty, changing a nappy still turned his stomach. Poopy nappies double so... and oh quiznak did it stink. How could a tiny baby produce such a stench?! Gagging as he wiped his son clean, he was glad they were too small to escape. The last thing he wanted was to be scrubbing poop off the floor. Fixing a new nappy into place, he lifted his pup into his arms  
"There we go. Is your brother just as bad?"  
"'ungry..."  
Lance's voice was thick with sleep, and Keith wasn't sure if he was saying he was hungry or the pups  
"Lance?"  
"Give him here"  
Looking like death warmed up, Lance pulled himself to the edge of the bed, barely avoiding the small mess Keith had grouped beside it  
"Baby"  
"He's hungry..."

Watching a sleep-deprived Lance feeding both their sons shouldn't have been so funny. With his head back and breasts out, Lance was drifting in and out. The moment he'd let out a snore, he'd jerk back awake, mumble "I'm still awake" and then fall back to sleep. Keith hovered but didn't want to risk waking Lance completely, only for him not to fall back to sleep. Maybe over the 5 quintants, it took to fly back from where they'd jump to, he'd neglected Lance more than he realised. He hadn't meant to, but it had been insane cleaning up the castle. Seriously? Who invented a castle this huge and didn't included a self-cleaning service? And Lance had been the one to kick him out because the twins wouldn't settle... because he actually had to be functional as the leader of Voltron. But what had that got him? Lance was exhausted and he was tired of dealing with everyone else. Maybe with some sleep, his mate would finally understand he did the right thing?


	71. Chapter 71

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know, I think we are on track towards the end, so we definitely needed some more sex and a possessive Keith...

Keith hated leaving Lance. He hated leaving his sons and he hated the air ducts of Galra ships just as much. Well maybe not as much, but it was definitely close. Thanks to the chaos of the black goop, the Galra soldiers had barricaded themselves in the bridge of the ship making it easy enough to slip on board unnoticed, but after quintants of sneaking around the ship through its air ducts, Keith was about ready to blow it up. The only problem was that while there was quintessence on the ship, and the ship would readily explode, the destruction caused probably wouldn't be enough to destroy the infection. So there they were. Laying in the air duct above the bridge, watching as Galra soldiers succumb to the spreading black goop. Each time one died, they were dragged from the bridge and dumped outside the doorway. The already small skeleton crew had been reduced from 15 to 6. It wasn't the nicest thing to watch, but it was all they could do as they waited for the commander to make his move.

When the number finally fell to three, Keith was sure it was time to make their move. They already had the data, and once it was transmitted back to the castle, the others would be able to bring their lions, or even the castle and the ship could finally be destroyed. He was so desperate to get back to Lance and their pups that it was all he could think about. He worried if Lance was eating, or sleeping. If the pups were alright and had they settled despite his absence. He'd give almost anything he could not too be stuck in the air duct with his mother. They'd barely talked on the trip out, and being in the ducts hardly spurred conversation on. Unlike the previous blade missions, this wasn't straight in and out, but he didn't have the time to wait. Pulling out his blade, he looked to his mother, expecting her to agree, instead, she scowled at him, waving for him to put his blade away.

It was another few vargas before the next death, this time they didn't bother dragging the body out. Seemingly realising there was nothing he could do, the commander of the ship called someone Keith hadn't been expecting. With everyone dying, he'd thought maybe the Galra wanted to take out someone he had a grudge against, or maybe he'd swallowed his pride and called for help. Instead, Keith found himself staring down at Hag-Honerva. Catching the gasp that nearly escaped, below them, the commander knelt as he immediately launched into explanation over what had transpired on the ship. The cold twisted smile that graced Honerva's lips was revolting to look at. It turned his stomach worse than watching all the soldiers died. With an air of glee, she directed the Galra commander where to send his ship, before waffling on about how his death would serve the greater good of the empire. Honerva knew exactly what was happening, and she was happy about it? These men were Zarkon's men. Lotor's men. And she was happy they were dying? That made no sense.

It was another quintant and a half before both the commander and the last remaining soldier died. The black goop that had leaked from the bodies of the dead, came together to form a black entity. One that was sentient enough to know how to work the control panel for the door, or perhaps it was drawn to the energy in it. Whatever it was, it rose up and covered the panel, the door opened and it slid out as if on its search for its next meal. This stuff was seriously wrong... and they'd let it into the world. Waiting for a few ticks to make sure it wasn't coming back, his mother then pulled out her own blade, slicing through the air duct with ease.

Dropping down, his mother went straight to work while Keith stretched out his aching and cramping muscles. Seriously, they'd only left the duct systems for unavoidable bathroom breaks. He hadn't eaten, he hadn't slept and just the thought of crawling back up into the vents... that was a big fat no!  
"Call through to the castle, let them know we're going to be out here a little longer"  
"You know I'm calling Lance then"  
"Isn't that the same thing?"  
"I've been trying not to think of him and the pups, but fuck. I really want to go back home"  
"You know we can't, not yet. We haven't seen Haggar since she emerged from the rift. You keep watch while I access the ship's mainframe"  
"Mum, I really don't think there's much I can do against a glowing black entity from another universe that we don't actually know how to defeat without using Voltron"  
"No, but you can take out the sentries if they show up"  
"Fair call"

Ascertaining the ship's destination, Keith's heart was in his throat as he called through to Lance. His fingers had shaken so badly he nearly hadn't been able to call his mate, to begin with, as he knew the moment he heard Lance's voice, he'd want to be home with him. It was really kind of pathetic how much he missed his mate... and absolutely everything about him. He didn't even have something physical to hold on to, to remind him of his family waiting at home for him. When the call ended without Lance answering, his mind went straight to the worse case scenario. Growling as he kicked the ship's terminal, Krolia shot him a scowl  
"Keith"  
"Lance didn't answer"  
"Maybe he was in the shower? You don't need to get so angry"  
"Or maybe he was ignoring me. I haven't even messaged him since we left"  
"Because you've been busy. Try the castle instead"  
He didn't want to talk to everyone else. He wanted his omega. He wanted to know Lance was alright. Continuing to scowl at him, Keith was left with no choice but to call through the castle. Unlike with Lance, Coran's face popped up on the small holographic screen almost instantly   
"Keith! What a pleasure to see you"  
"Hi, Coran. I don't suppose you know where Lance is? Is he alright?"  
"Lance? He was around earlier. Is something wrong?"  
"No... maybe. I tried calling and couldn't get through"  
Stepping back, Coran moved to make space for Shiro and Hunk   
"Hey, Keith! How goes the mission?"  
"I'm sick of air ducts. How's Lance?"  
"He's alright. So are the pups"  
Lance was alright? Without him? He'd expected his mate to be a nervous wreck or something... at least depressed  
"He misses you, but we've been so busy, he hasn't had time to stop lately"  
"You've been busy"  
Clearing his throat, Shiro took over the conversation   
"With you gone and the Galra in chaos, we've been helping the smaller populations of the coalition with transport jobs and such. The people need to see Voltron and the lions are still working hard"  
That made sense  
"Yep. Shiro's been working us like dogs"  
"What about Lance? He's supposed to be in command"  
"People wouldn't really listen to him. Shiro's known as the Black Paladin, so they're more open to his views and opinions. Lance doesn't seem to mind though and he's been working hard"  
"As long as he isn't working too hard and skipping meals again"  
"He's been eating. Allura and I have been helping out with pups when we can. And if we have to go off-world, they stay here with Coran"  
"And I"  
Interrupting Hunk's interruption, Shiro seemed almost pleased with the fact he'd been playing babysitter. Keith half wished he could climb through his communicator and punch the alpha in the face. These were his sons. Not Shiro's and he wasn't happy about the thought of Shiro playing dad while he was gone  
"Keith, Lance is really ok. So what's up?"  
"Everyone on the ship's dead. We couldn't help them as they were all infected. The commander called Haggar before he died and she instructed him to set the ship's destination towards the edge of Zarkon's old territory. It's probably going to be a few more movements before we can finally get back"  
"Don't worry. I'll make sure Lance is alright. We've all been spending time with him"  
"Thanks. We all know how easy it is for him to feel lonely or left out"  
"Shiro's got us eating all three main meals together and training together when we don't have missions. He's also been sleeping Red, so I'm sure that's helping"  
Lance was actually eating three proper meals? And training? And going in missions and looking after the pups? It was almost like his mate had been waiting for him to leave before making a real effort to get better. The moment the thought entered his mind, Keith scolded himself. Lance was always trying in his own way...   
"Keith, send us through the coordinates and we'll head out to meet you"  
"You should wait on Olkarion. We've had no idea where Haggar was or what she was up to, if Voltron shows up, she's likely to spook"  
"Mum has a point. She's expecting this ship, so, for now, it's better we stay on board until we reach the final destination. With the soldiers dead, there's only the black goop and the sentries to worry about"  
"You can't seriously be planning to stay on a ship infected with that stuff"  
"You should fall back to the glider and follow at a distance"  
Wow. Shiro really had stepped back into command like it was nothing  
"The Galra ship is faster. We'll call it anything else happens"  
"Alright, just make it back in one piece"  
Cutting the call off because he was pissed, Keith kicked the terminal again  
"Keith"  
"Don't. I don't want to hear it. I know Voltron needs a leader, but that is supposed to be Lance. He knows what to do and how things work around there. Shiro's been out of the loop for too long"  
"I know you don't like him, and I don't either, but he's back and we all have to get used to it. Besides, he doesn't even remember what happened"  
"That's what he said"  
"You don't believe him"  
"I don't know. I don't like him around my son's, and I don't want him around Lance any longer than necessary"  
"Look, if they've found some kind of way to make it work, then, for now, it's best you put it out of your mind. You trust Lance, don't you?"  
"I don't trust Shiro"  
Letting it drop, he knew he hadn't answered his mother's question. He trusted Lance, but anything could happen while he was away. The way Hunk and Shiro made it sound, it was like his mate and his sons didn't miss him at all. Was he being stupid to believe Lance would wait for him to finally return home?

 

*  
Somehow they'd now been gone a whole phoeb. A whole phoeb and they'd only just begun their trip back home... but Keith wasn't even sure if he'd be welcomed back home when they arrived. After failing to reach Lance that first time, he'd been sure his mate would call... or message... or even better, miraculously appear right in front of them with that cocky smile he used to always wear. As an alpha, his pride should have been dented over the mere thought of being saved by an omega, but this was Lance and he missed him like quiznak  
"Keith?"  
Looking down at his hands, Keith realised he'd gripped the metal controls of the fighter jet hard enough to leave an indent. Sure his was agitated, he had been since they'd snuck off the ship, but leaving dents... that wasn't normal   
"Sorry. I just want to get back"  
"It's more than that. I can smell the anger on you"  
"I told you! I just want to get home to Lance and the pups!"  
Yelling hard enough to make himself flinch, Keith pried his fingers off the controls   
"Keith..."  
"No. I don't want to talk about it"  
"Too bad. I'm your mother and I'm concerned about you. Talk to me"  
"I miss Lance. I really miss him. Do you realise we've been gone for a full phoeb?"  
"I know. Have you talked to him?"  
"No. He hasn't even messaged me"  
"Then call him"  
"No. He might be sleeping. I don't want to disturb him"  
"Then leave him a message"  
"What if he's moved on..."  
"Are you serious?"  
"You're the one who didn't trust him! Now you're defending him! Why hasn't he called me?! Why? He didn't even say goodbye and he has to have known I called! What if he's finally realised I'm not the alpha he thinks I am? What if he's decided Shiro is the alpha he should be with!? What am I supposed to do then! I love him, mum..."  
Looking over his shoulder, he found his mother was busy tapping away on her communicator   
"Mum!"  
"I'm just calling Lance"  
"You're interfering!"  
"And you stink like anger. It's a long trip back to the castle"  
"I'm sorry I stink!"  
"Good, now shut up"

"Are you telling me to shut up?"  
Pidge?  
"I thought you were calling Lance?!"  
Half whisper yelling at his mother, he was confused   
"Hello Pidge, it's Krolia. I was actually trying to get in touch with Lance"  
"Um, Lance isn't available right now..."  
Isn't available? What was that supposed to mean?  
"Oh, he's not? Do you not have a way to contact him?"  
"It's not that simple. Shiro and Allura just escorted him back down to his quarters"  
"What?! Why?! What's wrong with him?"  
"Hi, Keith. It's not what you think, Lance went into heat this morning"  
So they let Shiro take his mate down to his room! Did they learn nothing at all from what happened the first time Shiro went to "help" Lance with his heat?!  
"What the fuck! Pidge, how could you do that!?"  
"Lance is safe! Allura is with him"  
"It's not ok! Get Shiro away from him immediately!"  
"Keith, it's not like last time! Lance and Shiro have been talking. They've found a way to work together. Maybe it's time you get over it all  
Snarling, Keith bared his teeth. He couldn't fucking believe this. Even actually using the word fuck didn't help his rage. At least now he knew why the base of his stomach was so warm. He was entering his rut...   
"Fuck!"  
Screaming the word, his mother growled back at him  
"Pidge. I'm going to have to go. Keith's having a minor cardio infraction over this"  
"Well tell him Lance is safe, and Hunk has bathed both pups. We'll put them in a pod for the time being"  
"Thank you. We're returning, so we should be back within 4 quintants"  
Just enough time for Lance to go crazy with need and fuck Shiro.

"Keith, I know it seems bad..."  
"It seemed bad! Are you shitting me?! You have no idea what it's like for Lance when he's in heat, and he's so sexy... the way he rocks and moans..."  
Ending his sentence with a growl, he wanted blood. Lance was the only omega on the castle. Allura and Coran might not have the same second dynamics, but this was Lance. And Lance was just too erotic. His soft caramel skin, his wide blue eyes, his soft sweet lips... the way his back arched and the way he moaned. Everything about him was so perfect. Just thinking about him naked and pinned beneath him, his rut was rushing to set in. He needed Lance. He needed to bury himself as deeply as he could into Lance's curvaceous arse and fill his mate with his seed. To filled him completely. To watch his stomach swell with their pups... he was lost. His pheromones filling the small cockpit and his vision misting with the need to breed, he hunched over as he started to pant  
"Keith, you need to breathe. Your rut's only going to hit harder if your angry"  
That made no sense. He already wanted blood, how much worse could it get? Not to mention he was probably going to end up masturbating in the cockpit... where his mother was. No one should have to endure that. He might be a horny teenager, but his mother didn't need to see that... and he didn't need her trying to help him when all he wanted to do was jerk off... where was an intergalactic restroom when you needed one?

Somewhere between the 5th and 6th hour of being stuck in his rut, Keith couldn't take the pain between his legs anymore. His underwear was plastered against his pulsing erection with pre-cum, while the initial throbbing of need had passed pleasurable and now bled into the realm of "if he didn't cum, he was a hundred percent certain his penis was going to fall off". Growling, he fumbled to get his pants undone, wiping at the sweat that stung his eyes. He was too far gone. All that mattered was cumming. Plunging his hand down his underwear the moment he could, he grabbed his soaked erection and began to pump. Lance... all this seed should be in Lance. Rocking into his fist, he threw his head back as he howled, coming so hard his knot popped, despite the fact his mate wasn't there. Trapped in his underwear, he soaked his pants completely through, as if he'd wet himself. Quiznak. He wouldn't have been surprised if he did. He couldn't stop cumming, and he was mentally exhausted from trying to contain himself. Slumped back in his seat, tears ran down his face. He needed his mate.

Yoyoing between arousal and anger, and a desperate need to hold his age, his mother finally took pity on him. As he broke down in tears over not being able to hold Lance, she grabbed him from behind. Her arm wrapped around his neck as his exhausted form tried to fight back. Holding him fast, he couldn't even claw to get her off, despite the fact his alpha was furious at being restrained, but part of him didn't want to fight. He was just so tired and he'd never had a rut this painful before.

Slipping in and out of conscious recognition, his mother had moved him from the pilot's chair of the fighter jet and into the back. His cum soaked pants had been peeled off, though his boxer briefs were still on, and his jacket covered his overactive crotch. Moaning in pain, he let his legs fall apart as his hand slid back down between his legs. Just masturbating wasn't helping, and after his mother had knocked him out, he'd woken up overly angry, threatening to slit her throat if she knocked him out again... so she hadn't tried again  
"Keith, are you with me?"  
Grunting response, she was lucky to be getting that  
"Allura is bringing the castle out to meet us. She couldn't just jump out to us, so we'll be rendezvousing in a few vargas. Can you hold on until then?"  
Hold onto what? His never softening penis? Grunting again, his hand was already beginning to move again, while his other hand slid lower. He'd never actually played with his arse before, but what he was doing wasn't working, and Lance loved being fucked... and all the other things he did to him. Not thinking things through, he pushed three fingers in without preparation. His arse might be soaked with his own cum, but he really wasn't ready for the pain. Howling, he clenched around his fingers, drawing them deeper inside. Unsure what to do, and panicking slightly, he wriggled his fingers, brushing against something that had sent waves of pleasure through him. Rubbing the spot he saw stars as he came. Wow. Other than the pain, he could kind of see what Lance loved so much. That sweet spot...

 

*  
Lance had no idea how long he spent sprawled on the bathroom floor. He couldn't cum, and Keith wasn't coming to help him. His omega was distraught by the lack of his mate, to the point he wondered if Keith even cared about him. He had Keith's stupid bonding mark on his neck. His mate was supposed to be there to help him with his heats. He hated it! He hated this body of his. He hated his being an omega. What good had it brought him? A mate that wasn't there when he needed him... a best friend that didn't know if hugging him was going to trigger some omega need inside... an alpha that looked at him like he was T-bone steak in front of a starved mutt... two dead children and two more he couldn't take care of. What was the point of any of it?! It all just hurt. If he wasn't Keith's then he didn't want to exist anymore... or maybe Keith had never wanted him, and regretted giving him his mark.

With shaking fingers, Lance whimpered as they traced over the scar on the back of his neck. He was internally fighting with his omega over what came next. His omega screaming at him not to be stupid. To think things through, while also screaming at him that it was his job to be bred to compacity. Piercing his skin with his nails, he screamed silently as he tore at the bonding mark. His throat was so ruined from calling for Keith, all he could taste was blood. Forcing his nails deeper, his body spasmed liked he was having a fit as his blood began to run down his back. The backlash from trying to mess with the mark made his stomach rebel, and he threw up over his legs. He couldn't do this. He couldn't go through his heat without Keith.

Passing out from pain, he was lying face down in the shower when he came to. He felt different. He was exhausted and sore, but that was very distant. As if some kind of barrier had formed between him and his feelings. He was there, but he wasn't at the same time. Maybe this was what it was like for everyone else when had an episode? He was just a background character in his own body. With a low moan, he climbed to his hands and knees. It was weird. He knew he should be feeling so much worse. The world was swimming before his eyes after all, but... he couldn't stop himself.

Stumbling from the shower to the bathroom counter, he couldn't even see his own reflection in the mirror. The condensation covering it was just that thick, and he half kind of wondered if he even still existed. Grabbing his towel with clumsy fingers, he wrapped it around his waist before pushing away from the bathroom counter and making his way through the bedroom, and out to the corridor.

Clutching at the wall, he didn't know where he was going. The world wouldn't stop spinning, yet his feet wouldn't stop moving. He needed something and he felt like he should know what it was, but he didn't. He just had to keep moving.

Making it to the bridge, he half slumped against the door as his hand slapped the wall, missing the door pad completely and leaving it smarting. It was another 4 attempts before he finally touched it, and he fell less than gracefully through it. He could smell it. Something that smelt like home and something that filled him with fear and sent his heart racing. Ignoring the scent of home, he rolled over and whined, arching his back like he was presenting himself. There was only one person in the room and that person could give him what he needed   
"Lance!"  
The way his name was called had him moaning without being touched. With pleading eyes he looked up to the alpha. Shiro... 

Crawling towards Shiro, the alpha ran to meet him halfway   
"Lance, what are you doing?"  
Sliding his hands up Shiro's legs, he used them to brace himself as he buried his face against Shiro's crotch  
"Lance! You're bleeding"  
Biting Shiro's thigh, the alpha grabbed him by the hair, throwing him back onto the floor of the bridge   
"Lance, you need to calm down"  
Engulfed by his heat, Lance spread his legs, the towel slipping down to expose his painfully swollen erection and leaking opening. Feeling no shame, he slid his hands down between his legs   
"Lance..."  
Smiling mischievously, he thrust his fingers into himself, letting out a long and silent moan. His hips began to rock desperately as he finger fucked himself openly  
"Quiznak... Lance"  
"Alpha... hurt me"  
His voice was wrecked, barely a whisper  
"I'm not going to hurt you..."  
Frowning as Shiro squatted down in front of him, he could see he was getting under the man's skin. So why wouldn't he just take what he wanted? He had before... with surprising speed, he launched himself forward, pushing the alpha down and landing in his lap. Being half hard, Lance cried out as his arse came into contact with Shiro's crotch. He needed to be knotted  
"Lance, stop..."  
Shiro's protests morphed into a moan as Lance ground down hard against him. Taking Shiro's hand, he raised it to his throat forcing the alpha to grip him there as his hands went to Shiro's belt. With a snarl, Shiro flipped them over, the alpha smashing his mouth against Lance's parted lips as Lance finally got Shiro's pants undone  
"Lance. No! You don't want this"  
Still feeling disjointed from his body, he couldn't actually say he needed, but having a powerful alpha over him, he wasn't about to let that go. Wrapping his legs around Shiro's waist, he tried to impale himself on the alpha's covered erection. Growling, Shiro lifted him by the throat and slammed him down   
"No. Lance. I won't hurt you ever again. You don't want this. Not with me"  
Then why wouldn't he give him what he needed? Turning his head, he looked across the floor as he tried to take Shiro inside of him  
"Omega. Stop it!"  
His hips stuttered mid rise, as Shiro used his command on him. Temporarily frozen from the command, he couldn't stop Shiro from climbing out of his hold  
"Now stay still. I'll have Allura help you back down to your room"  
Sliding his hand down Lance's chest from his throat, Lance's orgasm tore through him. After vargas of not being able to cum, he let out a broken sob of relief, before passing out beneath Shiro.

 

*  
"Keith! Wake up, we're here"  
Blinking groggily, Keith slowly came too. For some reason, he was now covered by a blanket and his mother had both her hands cupping his face  
"L-Lance..."  
"Keith, before you see Lance, you need to know he's sick"  
The heat pooling between his thighs slowed a fraction as his mother's words sank in  
"Sick...?"  
His voice was hoarse and unnaturally gravely. The words hard to form and push out  
"His heat is so intense, his body can't handle it. He's burning up with a fever and hasn't eaten or drunk anything since it started. You're going to smell everyone else on him, but it's not what you think"  
Trying to scramble up, his heart was racing, and for some reason, he couldn't turn his neck properly. It felt stiff and exceptionally tender   
"I know you want him, and he wants you, but you need to be careful with him. He physically can't take rough sex right now, and if you're not careful you could kill him"  
"Need... need to see him"  
"I know you do. Now, I'm going to help you to your room. Lance is there, but Keith, do you understand he's sick?"  
"Sick..."  
"Good. Now up we go"  
He really didn't understand Lance being sick. All he could think about was breeding him. Lifting him as he was a rag doll, Keith tried to fight to stand, but his limbs wouldn't cooperate.

Smelling Lance as his mother stood him up, Keith snarled as he shoved her away  
"Keith, be careful!"  
She might as well have been talking to the door, because the moment it opened, he was gone. Rushing over to Lance, he literally ripped his clothes off as climbed into bed. Already flushed, and with his legs spread, Lance offered no resistant as he shoved into his mate less than gracefully. This. This is what he needed. His needy slut of an omega filled with his seed. Snarling, he rocked back before slamming into Lance as hard as he could. Grinding and rocking, inside his mate was so hot and tight. Fitting so perfectly around his aching erection as Lance's passage rippled pulling him in deeper. The lewd sounds of wet skin hitting wet skin from Lance's slick seeping between them sent him over the edge way too fast. Knotting his mate, Lance whimpered beneath him, cumming across his stomach as he did. Growling at the erotic display, Keith finally started to regain his composure for the first time in quintants. Wiping his face, he stared down at as his mate as his breathing slowly began to even out. Lance was pale and he smelt wrong. He smelt sickly sweet, but that was pushed aside when he realised what the true problem was. It was Lance's breathing. Each breath a rasp, before being puffed out of Lance's cracked lips. Leaning down, he took Lance's face in his hands. Quiznak. He was hot. Far too hot. Especially given Lance was laying on their bed completely naked. He shouldn't be this hot  
"Lance?!"  
Shaking his mate, he got no response. Nothing to say Lance even realised he was there. Panicking, he hefted Lance's limp body up against him, before forcing his own body to obey him.

Rushing into the bathroom, he moved straight into the shower, blindly cranking both taps as sank to the floor with Lance in his lap  
"Baby, baby wake up"  
Sliding his hand up Lance's back, he found when he hit something sticky. Pulling his fingers back, his eyes widened at the blood on them. With Lance still limp, it was easy to move him sideways to take a closer look. His heart dropped as his anger flared. Lance's bonding mark was covered in bloody scratch marks. Is that why his own neck hurt? Because Lance had screwed with his bond mark? Leaning in to sniff the site, he growled at the lingering traces of Shiro's scent. His desire to possess and monopolies every last piece of his mate reared its ugly head. Despite being deeply knotted inside, Keith began to rock his hips again. Lance belonged to him, even if his omega thought he could leave him, he wasn't going to let him.

Waking mid-shower, Lance started to cry as his hands gripped Keith's arms. Instead of pulling back and asking if his mate was alright, he pushed his lips against Lance's as he continued to fuck his mate. When Lance tried to break the kiss, Keith caught his bottom lip between his lips and bit hard enough to prevent Lance from trying to escape. Letting out a small whine, he felt his mate finally begin to move his own hips. That was something. Keeping Lance's lip trapped, he waited until his knot had reformed before finally releasing it and running his tongue over it   
"K-Keith"  
"I'm back"  
"It hurts"  
"What does?"  
Letting go of his right arm, Lance tapped his throat  
"Your throat hurts?"  
Nodding, Lance let his hand drop   
"You're sick, and you have some serious explaining to do"  
Looking down, Lance sniffled   
"Don't look away from me"  
"'m sorry"  
"If your throat hurts, then be quiet"  
Snapping at Lance, his mate let out a sob. This was definitely not how this was supposed to go. He was back with Lance. That's all he'd wanted, but now he was snapping at him when Lance wasn't well at all. Reaching up, he turned the shower off   
"I'm taking you back to bed. We'll talk once we've slept"  
Keeping his mouth shut, Lance didn't protest as Keith was forced to be creative about getting them off the bathroom floor. After that was easy... because he didn't bother drying them off. Instead, he carried Lance to their bed and positioned them so his mate was sitting in his lap, while he laid back. Almost hesitant, Lance lowered himself down, placing his head on Keith's chest in line with his heart  
"'orry"  
"I get it. I'm sorry too. Look. Just get some sleep and we'll talk about it later"  
Have knotted Lance twice, he was exhausted. He couldn't talk to his mate until his anger subsided, but even then, Lance couldn't even reply properly. Grabbing the closest blanket, he pulled up and over the pair of them.

 

*  
Lance knew Keith was mad. He'd smelt it on his mate when he'd come too in the shower, but he was way too exhausted to do or say anything much about it. Waking with his mate rutting up against him in his sleep, Lance rolled his hips in response. Now his alpha was here, his heat wasn't quite so painful, and given how full he felt, Keith had probably been suffering just as badly as he had. Leaning down to kiss Keith, he pushed himself up slightly so he could actually ride his mate. Once they were knotted together, they'd have a window to talk before he needed to be knotted again. Moaning into the kiss, he squirmed as he tried to get Keith deeper inside of him. He wanted more... no, he needed more. He needed everything that Keith could give him and then some. Lance let out an "oof" as Keith flipped them both over and started slamming into him. His body still felt hot, but each thrust was helping to soothe the heat. Pushing his lips against Keith's again, his mate deepened the kiss, completely dominating his mouth until he came with a whimper. Keith was slightly more vocal, as he snarled into Lance's mouth. His heat might have settled, but Keith seemed to still be in his rut. Not sure what to say or do, Lance wrapped his arms around his alpha, nuzzling at the side of Keith's head. Pressing a kiss to Keith's sweaty hair  
"Lance, are you ok?"  
"Y-yeah..."  
Ouch. Talking hurt. It felt like he'd swallowed razor blades, and couldn't remember what he'd done for his throat to be so tender  
"Are you?"  
"I'm better. I need to apologise for last night"  
Shaking his head, Lance tried to play it cool  
"I don't remember"  
"I lost my temper"  
"I'm sure I deserved it"  
"No baby. You're sick and I still mounted you"  
Lance blushed despite the fact that Keith was currently technically mounting? or was it mounted? inside of him and was still pumping his hips as he continued to fill him with his seed  
"That's what happens when I'm in heat and you're in a rut. You smell of it"  
"And you still smell sick"  
"I'm ok... better now you're here"  
Sighing, Keith pulled back so he was kneeling between Lance's legs, his hands moving to massage his stomach, right where the worst of the cramps hit   
"Do you remember anything that happened since your heat began?"  
He remembered being sick and tired, and not being able to cum  
"No... did I do something?"  
"You tore at your bonding mark"  
Lance's hand flew to the back of his neck as his eyes widened. Memories of Shiro licking at the wound came rushing to him as his heart leapt into his throat   
"Baby?"  
"I... why?"  
"That's what I want to know. I come back and you're not only in heat, but you're sick and you smell like Shiro"  
"Keith..."  
"I'm not saying you did..."  
No. He was practically screaming it at him with the look on his face. Covering his own face, he tried to turn away from Keith. What had he done!?  
"Lance..."  
"I don't know. I don't remember!"  
Whisper yelling the words, he finished with a whimper  
"Hey... come here"  
Pulling him up and into his lap, Keith nuzzled his neck as Lance's wave of need began to form again. Letting his head loll back, he exposed his throat to Keith. He was so scared and confused over why he smelt like Shiro and if he'd actually let the alpha mount him like he had the funny feeling he had... if he had, Keith definitely had the right to tear his throat out. Why did have to go into heat when everything had been going so well? He'd been doing so much better... he'd finally found some of his old spark, and now he was reduced to a slut for the nearest available alpha? It wasn't fair  
"Lance, you need to eat and drink. You're still sick"  
He was going to say something selfish, and he prayed Keith wouldn't hate him for it   
"I just want you"  
"I'm here. Let's get through this and then we'll work everything out"

As Keith lavished attention on him, Lance just felt sicker. The first quintant or so was spent fucking on almost every surface they could, and when Keith couldn't keep up, Lance had put on a little bit of a show, using his own fingers to fuck himself in front of his very appreciative mate. But after the third quintant, he started to feel sick and wanted his heat to hurry up and pass. Even being knotted by his alpha didn't help cool the fever gripping his body. He couldn't eat or drink, and if he tried, it didn't stay down, and long showers only left him cold and shaking. It was like his body didn't know what to do anymore.

 

*  
Keith was scared. A normal heat lasted around 5 days, 7 wasn't as common but it did happen. They were approaching the end of Lance's second movement of being in heat, and his mate was just about lifeless. His body was covered in bruises and possessive hickeys, though his own was just as bad. They'd managed to talk a little the morning after he'd arrived back home, even remarking each other repeatedly, completely tearing up each other's necks in the process, but now his mate was struggling so badly, and this last week had been painful rather than pleasurable. He wasn't sure if it was related to the ring on Lance's finger, but he didn't dare take it off in case he impregnated his mate. Or if, and he felt like a quiznak for even thinking about it, if Lance's continued heat was psychosomatic. His mate didn't remember the start of his heat, which didn't sit well with him at all, and his nightmares were getting worse. Trying to spend a heat with an omega that had thrashing nightmares... he ended up tearing Lance more than once as his mate had forced his knot out, but then Lance would turn around and climb into his lap almost immediately. His alpha didn't want anyone else near Lance, as his sweet scent was still demanding he be mounted, but he was too scared to think straight. With Lance whining almost inaudibly in his sleep, Keith finally made the call. Forcing himself to let his mate go and go in search of clothes for both of them.

Getting dressed in near record time, he had to be careful as he dressed Lance. The slightest movement had him whimpering, and the pained expression on his face was doing all kind of bad things to Keith's heart. Lifting Lance into his arms, he crawled off the bed, mentally flinching as he jolted his mate. Leaving their quarters, he walked as fast as he dared, carrying Lance straight up to the healing pods. This wasn't right. It wasn't normal in the slightest.

When it came to finally placing Lance into the open healing pod, his mate tried to clutch his arm  
"I'm right here baby"  
He was right there, but he was about to lock Lance away in a glass box because he was so useless. Undoing Lance's fingers from his shirt, he pressed a kiss to Lance's palm as he stepped back. His mates hand was still raised as the pod sealed him away completely. Collapsing on the spot, Keith hadn't even realised he was crying until he saw the tears hitting the floor. His alpha was angered over him sealing their omega away, but he didn't know what else to do.

Sitting in the pod room, Keith couldn't say how long had passed before the door finally to the room finally opened again. It could have been mere doboshes, but it felt like deca-phoebs before strong arms were wrapping around him. Leaning into the hold, he could tell it was Hunk, simply by the almost unpleasant feeling, but he didn't want to let him go  
"Keith?"  
"I don't know what to do"  
Breaking down in sobs, he was probably worrying the hell out of the fellow alpha, but Hunk hushed him as he rocked him  
"What happened?"  
"I don't know! Lance... his heat... he's still in heat and he's sick... I don't know what to do"  
"Come on buddy. He's probably going to be in there a while"  
"I can't leave him"  
"We'll send Krolia down. Right now, I don't think you should be alone"  
"I can't..."  
"Keith, I know you're worried about Lance, but he's in the best place he can be. You should have seen him while you were away, he was doing really well"  
"He... he was?"  
"Yeah. I'll tell you all about it if you come and eat something. You haven't been eating, have you?"  
"I tried, but Lance couldn't keep anything down"  
"Then for his sake, you need to eat"  
He didn't want to leave his mate, but he still let Hunk pull him up. Maybe if he understood had happened while he was away, he'd be able to work out why Lance was still in heat.

Guiding through the castle and into the kitchen, Hunk sat him down on a stool  
"Don't fall over. I don't want to explain to Lance why you're in a pod"  
As Keith went to open his mouth, Pidge yelled out his name   
"Keith! Oh my god! You stink, but are you ok? Where's Lance? Is he resting?"  
Looking over his shoulder, Pidge's smile faded, and both Allura and Shiro rushed past her. Allura coming to wrap her arms around him, while Shiro placed his hand on his shoulder  
"What's wrong?"  
"We need to send Krolia down to the pod room to be with Lance"  
"Lance is in a pod? What happened?"  
Keith's voice cracked with emotion, as he leant into Allura's hold  
"He's sick... really sick..."  
Keith wiped at his face   
"And he's still in heat..."  
"We were wondering where you two were. We thought maybe you just needed a couple of days to recover before you woke the pups up"  
He'd forgotten his sons. Well, he hadn't forgotten them, but he'd been too focused on Lance   
"Were they ok?"  
"Yeah. We put them into a pod after we found Lance was in heat. Hunk bathed them, and made sure they were all comfy and cosy"  
"Thank you..."  
"No problem. I couldn't just do nothing"  
"It means a lot that you did... what kind of a father am I!? All I've been thinking about is Lance"  
"Keith, it's alright. Can you tell us what happened with Lance?"  
"I don't know. I mean. He was sick when I came back, but he started feeling better and then he got worse again. He couldn't eat or drink, and he started having nightmares"  
"His heat was pretty intense before you came back. He had a slight episode, but he'd already hurt himself before that happened"  
"He had an episode?"  
"He did. He walked up to the bridge, probably looking for you. Shiro was there and called us, so we took him back down to your quarters. His heat was so strong that even I could smell it rolling off of him, and without you, he couldn't really deal with it. He came down with a fever most probably because of that. I believe Pidge said he was "heat sick", meaning his body couldn't handle the intensity of his heat"  
Looking up at Shiro, Shiro gave him a thin smile   
"Don't worry. Nothing happened, he was more exhausted than anything"  
"Probably because he was whining nonstop for Keith. That's how we think he hurt his throat"  
So while he'd been doubting Lance wanted him, his mate had been scared and trying to call for him. He should have been here. Rather than hiding on a stupid Galra ship  
"Did mum fill you in on what happened on the mission?"  
"Yes. But we can talk about that later. Hunk, can you make him something like a soup. His voice sounds just about as bad as Lance's   
"No. Lance's was worse. I could smell the blood on his breath"  
"Lance will be alright"  
"You don't know that"  
"I do. We all do. He was trying so hard while you were gone, you would have been so proud"  
"Everyone keeps saying that, but he didn't even call me once..."  
"That's because we've been busy. You were gone for a whole phoeb, and during that time, we had something like 10 missions. It was crazy"  
"It was 11, and mostly logistics instead of actual battle"  
"Of course we couldn't go into battle without Keith"  
"My point is, Lance, was doing really well so I'm sure he's going to bounce back"  
"We don't even know why he's still in heat. I feel like my rut has passed, and even trying to keep up with him in his weakened state was bad enough. I'm fine, and he's not"  
"He wasn't due to go back into heat yet either"  
"He wasn't?"  
"No, that was supposed to be in like 6 more movements"  
"Then why is he in heat?"  
"The night before he went into heat, he came up to the bridge because he missed you"  
"That's right, the two of you talked"  
So Lance had talked to Shiro and had gone into heat a few vargas later. Forcing down a breath, he couldn't deny he wasn't jealous  
"Only about how he missed Keith"  
"He tried his hardest not to let it show, and the pups really missed you too. We all did"  
"Thanks, guys. I feel stupid, but I'm just really scared something is seriously wrong"  
Hunk sighed as he placed a bowl down in front of him  
"It's chicken soup, though it is from a can. To make a proper soup out here would take vargas and trip down to the village"  
"The village?"  
"We're back on Olkarion, though you wouldn't have noticed because you've been with Lance"  
"Do you think they'd know how to help Lance?"  
"The only thing I could think of is maybe removing his ring"  
"No! I mean... no. If Lance falls pregnant again so soon..."  
Keith glared at Shiro, the alpha voicing pretty much exactly what he was thinking   
"I don't think we're ready for more pups, and that's the exact reason why I didn't remove it. I know they could be aborted, even without him knowing he'd conceived, but I just can't do that to him. He still mourns the first two he knew he couldn't keep"  
Shiro's hand tightened on his shoulder before releasing him. He'd hit a nerve with the alpha, one he probably should have left alone  
"I don't know then. Maybe it's best we wait for the pod to open? Perhaps because he was so tired, or because you weren't there, his body can't process being in heat"  
"So what? It's going to start all over again once he gets out?"  
"Maybe?"  
Great. He really couldn't go through that again. As it was, his testicles were trying to climb back up inside of him. He didn't think he actually had anything left to fill his mate with...  
"Keith, why don't you head into a pod once you're done eating. Your neck looks painful, and we don't need you getting sick"  
"It's not that bad"  
Darting around Shiro, Pidge pushed his hair up as she let out a long whistle  
"That looks like it could be getting infected. Maybe Lance's neck got infected too? The human mouth is really disgusting if you think about it"  
"I don't want to think about it. I just want Lance and my kids"  
"Then you're going in a pod once you're done. We'll all watch over you and Lance"  
"And if he wakes up before you do, I promise we'll take him straight back to your quarters"  
He wasn't ok with that. Not by a long mile, but that wasn't what his friend wanted to hear. Nodding his consent, he picked up his spoon and began working away at the somewhat disgusting soup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ilitiaforever did an amazing commision piece from this fic!! I'm so in love with it. You can find it here:  
> https://dammitadolfnomorecake.tumblr.com/post/173533275749/ilitiaforever-commission-voltron-mpreg-full
> 
> also, I do post all sorts of drafts and updates on my tumblr... with school starting again, I might be posting a little less consistently here, but I'll always be updating on there


	72. Chapter 72

Sitting in front of the pod Lance was in, Keith had to admit he felt better after his own round inside one. While he'd been inside, their friends had brought food, water and a couple of blankets to the pod room, so he wouldn't have to leave Lance's side again. All they could do was wait, and waiting naturally sit well with him, especially not when Shiro decided he had to sit down next to him. He was still struggling to keep his temper in check, and was dying to call Shiro out on what had truly happened with Lance. He knew Shiro had a thing for Lance, but he didn't know if it was just not-Shiro fucking with them all, or if because Shiro had lost his memories again, he'd lost his crush on Lance. Whatever it was, he wanted Shiro to at least move over enough so their shoulders weren't touching anymore.

When the glass to Lance's pod began to slide down, the all caught theirs breaths. Rising to his feet, Keith tried to appear much calmer than he felt. Would Lance be alright? Would he still be sick? Or in heat? Would he even remember Keith had come home? The moment the glass slid away completely, Keith got at least two of his answers. Lance was still very much in heat, and he very much wanted him. Stumbling from the pod, his omega straightened up before practically running at him, while stripping his shirt off, and pushing him down. Climbing into his lap, Lance wasted no time beginning to grind and mew against him, as he smashed his mouth against Keith's so hard hit teeth hit his. Quiznak. How could Lance's pheromones be so strong already? He was just about in Lance's sweats when Lance was pulled backwards off of him. His mate looked so scared and confused as long whine came from the back of Lance's throat  
"Let him the fuck go!"  
Snarling as he rose, he openly challenged Shiro. In the background, Hunk piped up   
"Lance, bud, brilliant to see you're awake, but I don't need to see you getting it on with Keith"  
"Get out!"  
Despite having only intended to snarl it at Shiro, his voice boomed through the room. Triggered by his mate being in heat, Shiro was approximately half a tick away from having his throat torn out  
"You can't have sex here"  
"Let him the fuck go"  
"Keith, be sensible"  
"Let him the fuck go or I will rip your throat out with my teeth"  
While Shiro raised an eyebrow, Lance moaned at his words, his mate beginning to palm himself through his sweats  
"Alpha..."

Launching himself forward, Keith ripped Lance from Shiro's hold, falling less than gracefully to the floor with him. If Shiro wanted to watch, Keith didn't care anymore. Lance needed him. Yanking his mates sweats down, he flipped Lance over, before pulling his own sweats down and less than gently shoving into his mate. Screaming, Lance pushed back against him, he was way too tight, and Keith had probably torn him... he's have to remember later. Dipping his back, Lance looked back at him, his eyes still wide and his lips parted   
"Alpha!"  
"Hush omega. I'm here"  
Looking over his shoulder, he caught Shiro glaring as he made his way from the pod room. Smirking to himself, he turned his attention back to Lance. Pulling out, he flipped his omega back over again, before reclaiming his mate. His point was well and truly made. Shiro didn't have a chance with Lance. Not when his mate wanted him so badly. 

With Lance knotted firmly, Keith gathered him up in to his arms. Everyone had probably retreated a safe distance, so moving from the pod room shouldn't be so much drama. With his mate beginning to regain his senses, he didn't want him feeling guilty or self conscious. Lance had been too sick and tired to enjoy all the attention Keith had tried to shower him with, and given he didn't know how long his mates heat would continue, he wanted to make the most of it. Crashing from wall to wall, Keith didn't know where to keep his hands. He wanted to touch all of Lance at once, but with his mate wriggling and attempting to devour his mouth, no sooner had he finally found a "safe" spot, Lance was attempting to free himself. This was more of the welcome home he'd been expecting. His mate finally giving into the pleasure.

All but falling into bed with Lance, he'd barely caught his breath before Lance was rolling them over and starting to ride him. Finally abandoning the conquering of Keith's mouth, he began to assault his neck as he bounced, freely fucking himself on Keith's half-formed knot. Growling as Lance bit down on his neck especially hard, he slid his hands up to his omega's breast, massaging the firm mounds. Two could play this game. Throwing his head back, Lance howled as Keith pinched both nipples, working the buds until they dribbled milk  
"K-Keith!"  
Screaming his name, Lance came across Keith's stomach rather impressively. The long thick ribbons of semen landing far enough to hit his neck, while Lance's arse clenched, drawing his own orgasm from him. As Lance slumped forward bonelessly, Keith guided him down to lay across his cum. Pressing kisses to the top of Lance's head, they both panted for breath  
"K-Keith?"  
"I've got you baby"  
"W... why?"  
"Why are you still in heat? We don't know. It's been two movements"  
"T-two?"  
"Yeah baby. You scared the quiznak out of me. You got really sick"  
Nuzzling against Keith's neck, Lance mewed as Keith's hands gripped his hips  
"I just remember feeling really sick"  
"You were. You wouldn't eat or drink"  
Lance snorted, kissing his neck   
"Is that why I'm starving?"  
"You really want to eat?"  
"Mmmm, I want your knot and to be full"  
"Baby..."  
"With food. My arse feels full as it is"  
"Because we were still having sex right up to the afternoon I put you in the pod"  
"How's your heat feeling?"  
"Like it's going to get worse soon, but I think we have a little time"

He was definitely up for repeating the last week. Looking around the bed, Keith found the sheets had been changed, and there was a small stash of fruit and water in the corner of the bed. He had the best team...  
"Baby, do you think you can reach the corner of the bed?"  
"If there's some kinky new position you want to try, can we wait until I've eaten?"  
"There's food in the corner"  
Pushing himself up, Lance whimpered as he lunged for the food  
"Baby! I'm still knotted!"  
"I know, but I'm starving!"  
Grabbing a bottle of water and ora-apple, Keith found his chest becoming Lance's plate as his mate peeled the weird fruit   
"Do I get some of that?"  
"If you're good"  
"What if I don't want to be good?"  
"Then I guess I might have to share anyway, I don't want you going hungry"  
"Mmmm, such a good omega. Taking care of your alpha"  
"I missed my alpha. I mean... I know you were with me, and you came back, but I just remember feeling really sick"  
"I know. Now hurry up and eat"  
Popping a piece of this fruit in his mouth, Lance leant down, staring him in the eyes until he finally took it into his mouth   
"I thought you were going to make me hold it forever"  
Chewing the fruit, Keith swallowed it down with a smile   
"Sorry baby. It's just so nice to see you up and moving again"  
"I'm definitely up, and but you're not moving"  
"Just finish eating, then I'll move"  
"Or I can eat and move?"  
Rocking back, Lance let out a moan  
"Baby, if you keep moving, I won't be able to hold back"  
"But I want you and I want food"  
"I'm still knotted inside of you"  
Reaching up, Keith wiped away the fruit juice running down Lance's chin  
"Do you have any idea how much I love you?"  
"A lot?"  
"A lot more than a lot. You really have no idea"  
"I missed you"  
"But everyone said you were doing really well"  
"That didn't mean I didn't miss you. I was trying really hard to get myself better. I was doing better... but then I..."  
"It's ok..."  
"It's not. I haven't even asked how your mission was, and my heats starting to get bad again"  
"Then I'll tell you all about once you calm down again"

 

*  
Curled against Keith, Lance was purring as his mate played with his hair. He was confused over why he was still in heat. Three movements in heat was completely unheard of, though he wondered if it really counted. He'd been in a pod, so possibly his heat had restarted  
"Baby, you ok?"  
"Yeah... I was just thinking"  
"That's never a good thing"  
"Shut up. You told me you were going to tell me about your mission"  
"Well, it was long and boring, and I went into my rut in front mum"  
"I bet that was fun"  
"Yeah. You haven't known shame until your masturbated in front of you mother"  
"Keith. Omega"  
Sighing, Keith nuzzled just behind his ear  
"Fair point"  
"Tell me more?"  
"Well, we had to spend two movements hiding in the air ducts of the ship, before he contacted Haggar..."  
"Wait?! What?"  
Trying to roll over, he didn't get far thanks to Keith still being inside of him  
"Calm down, or I won't tell you the rest of it"  
"Don't be mean. You know how excited I get"  
"I do. So. Haggar sent through a set of coordinates. She's got a whole planet under control, or rather a moon"  
"What?"  
"Yeah. It's on the edge of Zarkon's old territory. That's why it took so long to get back to you. Allura brought the castle out to meet us because you got so sick"  
"It was my heat... I couldn't take care of myself"  
"It's alright. I'm here now"  
Biting his lip, Lance tried to at least half turn to face Keith  
"Didn't I tell you to stay still?"  
"I need to tell you something... and maybe it's why I'm in heat..."  
"What is it?"  
"I'm scared"

Keith's eyes widened as started to croon softly, trying to comfort him even though he'd done nothing wrong  
"No... it's... not of you"  
"Then what is it?"  
"Keith... I know you want more pups, but I can't. I can't. I'm sorry, but I can't... I'm so scared of getting pregnant again"  
"Shhh, it's ok"  
"No it's not! It's my job..."  
"Baby, it's not your job. We have two amazing boys as it is. Let's just focus on them... and maybe one day..."  
"You don't understand! I'm scared! I think I let Shiro touch me and what if I did?! Keith, being with me... I don't want to deprive you of more pups, but I'm so scared that I'll have to give birth again... it hurt so much..."  
His honest words were an instant boner killer. Keith's knot deflating enough for his alpha to pull out, and roll him over properly. Wrapping his arms around him, Keith hushed him  
"Lance. I love you for you and every part of you. I don't ever want you to go through something like that again, and if it you do fall pregnant, we'll find another way. I won't leave you. Even if you get sick of me. I won't leave you"  
"Don't leave me alone. Yell at me. Hit me. Shoot me. Do whatever you have to, but don't leave me alone"  
"I might yell at you, but I think you're going too far when it comes to me shooting you. Though, if I shot your leg, you should be alright"  
Slapping his shoulder, Lance laughed   
"I'm being serious"  
"And so am I. I love you Lance"  
"I love you too... now take me to bathroom..."  
"You need to pee?"  
"No. I need to watch you fuck me"  
"I thought you were being serious"  
"Who said I wasn't"  
Scooping him up, Keith rushed off the bed and into the bathroom  
"Don't forget you literally asked for this"  
"Then stop talking and give me what I want"

 

*  
Waking on the third day of his heat, out of the pod, Lance let out sigh of relief. The heat between his thighs was all but gone, and his stomach was no longer cramping from the need to be filled. Sliding Keith from his arse, his mate stirred almost immediately   
"Baby?"  
"It's over. It's finally over..."  
"Your heat?"  
"Mmmm... can you help me shower? I don't think I can walk"  
"I don't know if that's a compliment or not"  
"Well my arse is full and my hips are heavy..."  
"I'll take that as a compliment"  
"Yeah... just help me. I want our sons"  
With his mind no longer cloudy, that's all he wanted. That, a really hot shower, pancakes and fresh sheets. All of which Keith would do for him, if he asked, but Keith smelt just as exhausted as he felt. After a shower, they'd get the pups back and then go from there.

Gently kissing each other under the running water, they cleaned each other down the best they could. The touches light and loving. Purring as Keith held him tight, his mate sighed softly  
"Keith?"  
"I'm just happy"  
"Why?"  
"Because your heats finally passed, and you're feeling better"  
"That's because I have the world's best alpha to protect and help me"  
"Only the world's?"  
"No. In this reality and all the others"  
"Lance..."  
"It's ok. I'm just... exhausted and babbling on. Mami always said it was a bad habit of mine"  
"It's not a bad habit. I love listening to talk"  
"I'm pretty sure you used to hate it"  
"No. I was just dealing with stuff"  
"Are you still going through stuff?"  
"Maybe, but it's better now because I have you"  
"You're so cheesy"  
"It's been a while since you called me cheesy"  
"My cheesy alpha..."  
Growling playfully, Keith lifted him off his feet   
"Go on, say it again"  
"Keith is cheesy! The cheesiest alpha in existence!"  
"And what does that make you?"  
"Crackers? Or toast?!"  
Lowering him, Keith was confused while Lance laughed  
"You know, because they both go with cheese"  
"Baby, that was terrible"  
"It's not my fault, you "pounded" the English out of my brain"  
"Obviously not if you're still able to talk..."  
"Keith, no more pounding. I don't think I can take it"  
"I know. I think it's time we got out the shower"  
"Yeah..."  
"And then we'll get some food, and the pups and we can crash in the games room"  
"You're exhausted too"  
"I'm fine..."  
"Keith"  
"I'm alright?"  
"Better... do you think Hunk will make us something to eat?"  
"If he doesn't, there's something wrong with the world"  
"We should do something nice for him"  
"You should stop talking about another alpha while we're naked in the shower. You're my mate..."  
Rutting against Lance's abused arse, Keith nipped his shoulder with a possessive growl  
"... or do you need reminding"  
"Nope. I'm good. Time to get out now"

Lance made it to the bathroom counter before his knees went weak. Picking him up Keith placed him on the counter, before handing him his towel   
"You ok?"  
"Yeah. Thanks"  
"Will you be able to dry off?"  
"I'm not an invalid"  
"I didn't say you were"  
"I'm just saying. Hey, do you think you can do me a small favour?"  
"Because saving you from falling wasn't enough of a favour?"  
"Ha ha. Can you get me the moisturiser from your desk?"  
"You want moisturiser?"  
"And the lip balm..."  
"I think I can manage that... they do say what they are on them, right?"  
"Yes, Keith. I wouldn't send you to find them if I didn't think you could"  
"I don't know, you might just want to see me struggle"  
Throwing his towel at his alpha, Keith caught it as it smacked him in the face   
"What was that for?!"  
"For making me wait"  
Throwing the towel back at him, his mate rolled his eyes   
"I'm going already!"  
"Then go faster! I want our boys"

After conning Keith between his legs and attacking his mates face with the moisturising cream, his alpha was still pulling faces as they made their way up to the kitchen. Lance had no idea what the time was, but was pretty sure Hunk would be there. If not, the food was and his stomach was rumbling pretty much nonstop. Coran could serve him a whole bowl of his bad cooking for all he cared. He just wanted to eat. Swatting Keith's hand away from his arse they paused at the kitchen door, Lance placed his hand down on the door pad  
"Now, no getting jealous of Hunk"  
"Why would I be jealous of Hunk?"  
"I don't know. You're the one who got jealous in the shower"  
"That's because you're my mate and I love you"  
"I love you too, now play nicely with the other children"  
"I will!"

Hunk was surrounded by trays of cookies when they walked in. His friends distress hung in the air, and Lance stumbled as he tried to rush to him  
"Hunk?!"  
Looking up, Hunk's eyes were red. Finally reaching him, he threw his arms around Hunk   
"Hunk?"  
"Lance..."  
It was rare for Hunk to cry, and Lance nearly fell as the alpha's whole weight sagged against him  
"Keith! Help!"  
Rushing to grab Hunk's arm, Keith managed to keep them both from ending up on the floor  
"Whoa! Up you go buddy"  
"I'm sorry..."  
"Bud, what's going on?"

Sitting Hunk down Lance had to keep his arms around him, otherwise Hunk started to topple to the left. He'd never seen his best friend so distraught. Shooting him a look over Hunk's head, Keith didn't know what to do or say either   
"Hunk?"  
"It's... it's... P-P-Pidge..."  
Lance's stomach dropped, his heart just as fast. Swaying, he nearly pulled Hunk down in shock. Saving them both again, Keith held him up as he held Hunk  
"What happened?!"  
"I'm sorry"  
"Hunk, just tell us what happened?!"  
Taking a deep breath, Hunk let out it slowly, looking up at him so guiltily it hurt  
"Pidge is infected"  
It look a long moment for the penny to finally drop. Pidge was infected and the only thing it could be was that black goop   
"Where is she?"  
Breaking down sobbing, Hunk shook his head  
"I said where is she?!"  
"Keith! Don't yell at him!"  
"She's in the pod room"  
Both of them were forced forward as Keith pushed off of them, running towards the kitchen door  
"Keith?"  
"The pups are still in a pod down there!"

 

*  
Running through the halls, Keith's chest heaved and the air forced out his lungs came as growls. He knew how tenacious the black goop could be, and putting Pidge in a pod was risking the whole castle. Crashing into the door, Keith let out a grunt as he pushed himself back and shook his head. He needed to be proper and professional... placing his hand on the castle pod, the door took forever to open.

Allura, Krolia, Coran and Shiro were all staring at the pod with Pidge in it. The black goops tendrils frozen in place around her  
"Keith! You're back! Where's Lance? Is he alright?"  
"He's with Hunk. How did this happen?"  
"We don't know. She's been like this for the last 2 or so quintants"  
"Is there any more of it on the castle?"  
"Not that we've found..."  
"Well, the infection had to come from somewhere. Where are the pups?"  
"Still in their pod..."  
"Coran, I want them out"  
"Keith..."  
"I want my pups out right now"  
Stepping forward, Shiro tried to calm him  
"Keith, you need to calm down. The pups are fine"  
"You don't know that. That goop, it was able to survive on pure quintessence. It killed a whole ship of Galra! It killed the Galra that invaded the castle! Do you really think the castle pods can contain it? It didn't contain that pink stuff that got in your head. It was still growing phoebs later!"  
As Shiro went to place his hand on Keith's shoulder, Keith slapped it away  
"I want my sons"  
"Shiro?"  
Why the quiznak was Coran asking Shiro? Shiro wasn't the leader of Voltron, he was!  
"Keith..."  
"I... want... my... sons"  
Snarling the words, he bared his teeth. Shiro's neck looked like it would be so easy to sink his teeth into  
"Keith, you can't just go around baring your teeth at everyone?"  
"Why not? I've torn the throat of two people before, and I'm fine with doing it again. Especially when it concerns my son's"  
Shiro looked at Coran, nodding his agreement. 

Rising from the floor, the pod with the pups in it seemed fine, but he wasn't trusting it. Striding over to the pod, he was forced to wait until the glass slid away, before kneeling down, reaching in and lifting both boys. He swore they'd doubled in size since he last saw them. Holding them close, he dropped back onto his arse  
"Hey... hey babies... I'm here"  
"Keith..."  
"Don't. I don't want to hear it"  
"Keith, if you're not going to help, you should leave"  
"Are you serious right now? I was on a mission for a whole phoeb, I come back and Lance is in heat, which nearly kills him. He finally comes out of heat and Pidge could potentially infect the whole castle. That goop knows how to work technology! It knows how to open doors, and how to survive in space. Her being in the pod could lead to everyone being infected"  
"Keith, this isn't the time or place. You've got the pups, head back up to Hunk, and got quiznaks sake, I hope you aren't as heartless to him as you just were to Pidge"  
He wasn't trying to be heartless, and being scolded by Allura made him feel like he was the only one looking at this objectively. It wasn't like he didn't like Pidge. When it came to the tech-side of things, there was no one he'd rather have, and she was dating Hunk, and Hunk was like a brother to Lance. Of course he cared about her, he just wanted to make sure the infection didn't spread, especially not to the pups... maybe he really was just as horrible as they all seemed to think. Rising from the floor, he didn't look back as he left the pod room.

Lance and Hunk were still in the kitchen when he'd returned. Both the boys had started crying as he'd neared the room, and he had a funny feeling that it was because they missed Lance... and didn't recognise the scent of their father anymore. Walking over to the pair, Lance tried to smile as reached for Laneith   
"Hey baby. Wow, you've gotten bigger since mummy saw you... and yes, I know you're hungry"  
"Lance, you don't have to stay. You can take care of the twins"  
Hunk sounded even more broken than when he'd left  
"Hunk, I know this is hard. Has Matt been contacted?"  
"N-no... we... if he..."  
"I think he means he doesn't want Matt to be alone when he finds out"  
Hunk nodded, pressing his two index fingers together like he often did when thinking or stressed  
"The pod seems to have contained the black goop for now, but we need to figure out something more permanent"  
"What..."  
"Hunk, I don't want to sound like a quiznakking arsehole, but that goop knows how to work technology. We need to find a way to save Pidge before it starts to spread"  
Walking over to the counter, Lance slid up onto it as he went about settling Laneith to feed  
"I've been thinking. I think we need to talk to Lotor"  
"What? Why? He's the last person we should be bringing on board. He hasn't even contacted us since he left"  
"He has since you left. We've been on missions remember. He was going to come out here, but Lance was in heat and Shiro was..."  
Hunk clamped a hand over his mouth as he turned bright red   
"Shiro was what, Hunk?"  
"Keith..."  
"No, I want to know what happened with Shiro"  
"Shiro... he might have... maybe had a rut... I don't know for sure. Pidge and I were trying to keep busy, so we spent most of our time working with the sentry parts"  
"Is it possible she got infected then?"  
"That was movements ago. Before you came back"  
"We should still check those parts and you'll need a scan"  
"But I feel fine... not like Pidge..."  
"Hunk, I'm saying this not as Voltron's Black Paladin, but as your friend. I want you to get checked because none of us would ever get over anything happening to you"  
Lance's jaw dropped at his words  
"Don't give me that look. You know I care in my own way"  
"I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said"  
"Oh shut up. He's your best friend. Do you really think I would let anything happen to him?"  
"No, but I wish we'd caught that on camera..."  
Glaring at Lance, he knew he wasn't the most articulate with words, but he thought he'd gotten better at communicating with everyone else... at least good enough not to shock them when he was nice  
"How about this. I'm going to feed both pups, then we're all going to go to the medical bay. While I figure out how to give Hunk a scan, you're going to call Lotor"  
"Why are you so hung up on Lotor?"  
Mustn't get jealous. Mustn't get jealous. Now wasn't the time to get jealous... even if Lance was now capable of falling pregnant again and Lotor was way too interested in his mate for his liking  
"It's a feeling"  
"You feel like you have to see Lotor?!"  
Hunk jumped as Keith slammed his free hand down on the counter  
"Yes. Ok. Totally. You know me and Lotor..."  
Snarling, he eyed Lance in anger  
"Oh my god. No. I was joking. Literally spent nearly three full movements being fucked by you. What I want from Lotor is a sample of pure quintessence. The black goop went absolutely crazy for it. I feel like maybe if we give it an alternative to being in Pidge, it might just leave her. Once it does, we can put her straight back in the pod"  
"What happens to the sample?"  
"I don't know. Maybe I can use my Bayard to cut through it. I know you've all gotten power-ups, but mine seems to be the only one that's stupidly powerful. I just... we need to do something. Pidge would do all kinds of crazy maths and science to save us if we were the ones infected..."  
"We risk infecting the castle, and everyone on this whole planet"  
"Then we take the castle off Olkarion! We know it can survive in space. We lure it off with pure quintessence or something and destroy it with Voltron! All we need is one person to remain on the castle to make sure Pidge gets back into the pod"  
"And who's that going to be Lance?! Shiro has one arm. Coran might have his nifty wrist cuff. You're recovering from being in heat. Hunk could be infected. Mum? Me? What about the pups?!"  
"I'll do it..."  
Keith staggered back like he'd hit. Kelance screaming as his hold on him tightened  
"Are you fucking serious!"  
"It's going to take Lotor a while to arrive. We can use that time to prepare. You need to be in Black, and I'll be faster on my own. Mum can stay on Red with the pups"  
"Do you want to die?!"  
"No, I don't! I want to be here with everyone, and I can't be with everyone without Pidge being here! It's the best plan we have!"  
"No, you're just happy to run off and try and sacrifice yourself! You never change! You get these stupid half-baked ideas in your head, and you're convinced you're doing the right thing! Guess what Lance, you're not! How many times have you nearly fucking died! You lost your first pups taking a blast that was meant for me! All you ever do is think of how to get yourself killed and look like a hero doing so! All you ever do is run away!"  
Realising what'd he'd said, Keith, took a deep breath   
"Lance... I didn't..."  
"You didn't what? You didn't mean it? You know what. Fuck you. Unlike me, you actually fucking died! I had to climb on your body and give you CPR because you lied and you died! You didn't even try to fight in the rift did you! You didn't even want to come back! I was your pity fuck. The only available fuck on this ship because Shiro wouldn't man up and bone you! No. He fucked me, and I think he fucked me again during my heat, because I could smell him all over me!"  
"Guys..."  
Lifting Kelance away from him, Hunk hushed the pup  
"That's enough"  
"Stay out of this Hunk"  
"It's always poor Lance with you isn't it?"  
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"  
"We all know Shiro raped you!"  
"Do you? Do you remember every detail? Like how he broke my neck so I couldn't run away? Or my legs? How he threatened to kill you if I didn't let him?!"  
"That was years ago!"  
"God. I've been so stupid. I thought you know, maybe you actually loved me and would support me, but I guess that was a lie like everything else"  
"I'm not supporting you ending up dead!"  
"It was a plan! It makes the most sense. I have this stupid Altean power, so why can't I use it when we need it!"  
"How the fuck am I supposed to raise our kids without you?!"  
"You're not, because I'm going to be fine!"  
"God! Fine. I give up"  
Turning towards the door, Keith was... his anger had dropped away almost as fast as it'd flared. Instead he felt cold to the point of near frozen, and completely disgusted with himself for all the cruel things he'd said to get under Lance's skin. There were elements of Lance's plan that would work, and for a plan he'd come up with during the short time he'd been out the room, it was rather solid. Yes Lotor would have access to the quintessence. Yes the goop loved the quintessence, and if they took the castle off Olkarion, they could probably contain it space, or fight it easier... and yes, all the really needed was one person on board. If they could work out some kind of timer or remote access system, that person could stay in a pod until the quintessence was in the castle. After confirming the goop had left Pidge, they could get her back in a pod and themselves, leaving the clean up to the rest of them. The only problem was they couldn't form Voltron without Pidge. Kicking the nearest wall, the pain that flared through his foot and up his leg was welcome. This morning he'd woken to a happy Lance. His mate was loving, and happy, and excited about seeing their pups and now he'd ruined all of that. Fuck Lotor. Fuck Honerva. Fuck Zarkon and fuck the rift. Screaming, he slammed his hands against the wall. Why did this have to keep happened? Slamming his hands down over and over, he didn't even stop when they started to bleed. He just couldn't comprehend everything that had happened on such a short amount of time.

 

*  
"Lance..."  
"Don't Hunk. Please don't"  
"I just..."  
Grinding his teeth together so hard that it hurt, Lance's finger ghosted over Laneith's chubby cheek as he suckled greedily. He shouldn't have lost it at Keith. He knew his plan was risky, and he'd even surprised himself by suggesting he be the one to stay behind. He didn't want to lose his boys... so if he hurt Keith, he might take them away, and then they'd be safe  
"Lance..."  
"Hunk, I can't ok. I just can't"  
"I was going to say I think maybe your plan would work. We need to sort out the finer details, but that goop loves quintessence..."  
Oh. Right. Yeah. Pidge...  
"I never should have yelled in front of the pups..."  
In an instant, their roles were reversed. He'd held Hunk as his best friend cried, now Hunk was beside his side, holding him as his tears refused to form. It felt like he'd swallowed a nest of thorns, and screaming at Keith had used up all the energy he had. He felt like a complete fool... and worse. He'd hurt Keith... he'd hurt him so badly  
"Lance?"  
"I'm so sorry Hunk"  
"It's ok buddy. It's ok"

Lance's head was starting to fall when he heard the first scream. Jerking up, his eyes widened   
"Lance?"  
"Can you hear that?"  
"I didn't hear anything"  
"Keith... he's in pain"  
"Lance, I didn't hear anything"  
Cringing as Keith screamed again, he tried to slide from the kitchen counter   
"Whoa. Hold on. You're still feeding Laneith"  
"But Keith..."  
"Lance, if he is upset, you're only going to end up fighting. He needs to calm down before you talk"  
"Hunk, can you tell me what happened during my heat. I know something happened. I could smell Shiro on me... and... please tell me I didn't sleep with him. Please. I can't remember the start of my heat, but I feel like he was there..."  
"You didn't sleep with Shiro"  
"I-I didn't?"  
"No. He and Allura helped get you down to your room. After that..."  
"After that what?"  
"You had an episode. A bad one. You clawed at your bonding mark, and then slept walked up to the bridge in your towel"  
Lance groaned, his already red face deepening  
"What did I do?"  
"You tried to proposition Shiro. But Shiro said no. He pushed you off and got you help. If you smelt him, that would be why"  
"I... I went after Shiro?"  
"Probably because you were out of your mind"  
"And we didn't?"  
"No. You passed out on the floor of the bridge. He and Allura took you back to your room and cleaned up your neck for you. Shiro came back up here, and was with us. Later that night, Allura went to check on you, but you'd come down with a fever. She said you kept calling for Keith"  
"So we didn't..."  
"Lance, you didn't sleep with anyone other than Keith. Shiro went into a rut and locked himself away, but Allura and Coran were never far from your room... well Allura had to fly the castle out to meet Keith and Krolia, but after that..."  
Those tears finally formed  
"Thank god. Oh, thank god..."  
"I think you need to thank Shiro"  
"I... yeah. You have no idea how worried I was..."  
"Worried enough to pick a fight with Keith"  
"I don't want to die"  
"I didn't say you did"  
"I want to be with everyone... I want us all to be a family... and Pidge is family... we might fight, but she's like a sister"  
"I know... so what do we do now?"  
Wiping his eyes, Lance nodded   
"We go talk to the others. I mean... it might not be a great plan, but together we could work it out"  
"It's a better plan than any we had. After we got her into a pod. We didn't know what to do..."  
"I... Laneith's finished feeding. I'll take Kelance"  
"Can you walk and feed?"  
"Yeah. I... thank you for looking after them"  
"Of course I would. I'm Uncle Hunk"  
"I know. You're really the bestest best friend I could ask for"

Walking into the pod room, the others didn't seem happy at all. Shiro wasn't there, and Allura and Coran were both looking rather upset  
"Lance? What are you doing here?"  
"Hunk and I have a plan, but Keith's against. Where's Shiro?"  
"Um..."  
"Allura, where's Shiro?"  
"Krolia called. Keith went feral and she needed his help to restrain him"  
"I knew he was in pain"  
Mumbling the words, Hunk took his hand   
"They'll be ok"  
"He already wants to kill Shiro. Shiro's the last person who should be near him right now"  
"I'm sure they'll be alright. Even with one arm, Shiro is exceptional capable. Now, you said you had a plan?"  
"I don't know if it's any good. Keith and I just got into a huge fight over it all"  
"Lance, why don't you sit? Here..."

Taking him by the arm, both Hunk and Allura helped him sit across from Pidge's pod. Sliding her arm around his waist, Allura rested her head against his arm  
"How are you feeling?"  
"From my heat? Confused... and tired, but this is more important"  
"You shouldn't be up. You were really quite ill"  
"I was starving so Keith and I went looking for food"  
"I left you some fruit and water"  
"No offence Allura, but we finished that yesterday. We headed up to the kitchen and that's when Hunk filled us in. I don't know if this is a good plan. I don't know if I'm thinking straight"  
"Why don't you just explain it? Hunk can fill in anything we don't understand"  
"I think we need to contact Lotor"  
"Lotor?"  
"The black goop loves pure quintessence. I thought, maybe if we could lure it out of Pidge with the stuff, we could get her back into the pod... I mean, she'll heal once it's out her body. It might take a while, but I just... I feel like this will work"  
"You left out the someone stays behind bit"  
He felt rude, but couldn't stop a yawn escaping   
"We should take the castle off-world. So it doesn't spread. If everyone evacuates, we should all be like safe. But someone has to stay behind and make sure Pidge gets in and out of the pod"  
"Lance, you can't"  
"I... I don't want anyone getting hurt and I have the strongest Bayard. If there's too many people, there's a risk it'll ignore the pure quintessence. I didn't mean to upset Keith... I don't want to die. I want to... I just want my family to be ok"  
"I think there's some parts of this that have a fair chance of working. It'll take a lot logistically, and that's if Lotor is willing to help us at all"  
"Didn't you say something about him coming to visit?"  
"Yes... though I didn't get the feeling it would be a particularly happy meeting"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"He was distant..."  
Shocker. Lotor being an arsehole. Who knew?  
"I get that it might not work, but I can't just not try and help. I'm not as smart as you all, but I can outshoot you all with my eyes closed"  
"It looks like that's what they're doing right now. Hunk, how do you feel about this? She is your mate"  
"We're just dating... not even officially courting..."  
"You love her. That's Allura's point"  
"I can't be responsible for her life... what if something goes wrong? I don't want to lose her"  
"Oh... that's right. Keith said Hunk should get a scan. We all probably should... that goop isn't something too be messed with"  
Yawning again, he really was struggling to keep his eyes open  
"Coran, can you please keep watch over Pidge. Lance needs to rest"  
"I can sleep here"  
"No, we'll take you down to the nursery"  
"Not the nursery..."  
"Your quarters?"  
"I don't want to upset Keith. We were going to hang out in the games room. Can we go there?"  
"Of course we can. How's Kelance doing?"  
"Oh, he should be ok. He's too focused on feeding"  
"If you take Laneith, I'll support Lance"  
"You don't have to support me. You're the one I should be supporting"  
"Lance, you're more asleep than awake. Let me help you"  
"Do you promise you'll get scanned?"  
"Will you agree to sleep if I say yes?"  
"Yep"  
"Then I have no choice"

Thank's Allura and Hunk's help, they set him up in the games room with his pups up against the inner wall of the bed. Laneith was already asleep, but Kelance didn't want to. His son staring at him so intently Lance felt like he was being watched by Keith. Insisting he'd be fine on his own, his friends left to start planning out how to put his plan into action. It felt good to be able to help... but it would have also felt good to have been able to eat, and not be falling asleep when his best friend needed him.

 

*  
Lance managed a few vargas sleep before being woken by Laneith, his son's screams were like nothing he'd heard before. Rushing to grab the pup, he held him close as he kissed him  
"Shhh, mummy's here... come on baby... I'm here"  
Looking down to Kelance, he was confused as to why his second son wasn't crying. When one started, the other always followed. That's just how they were. But Kelance was silent, his sons face slightly flushed. Placing Laneith back down, he placed his palm against Kelance's forehead. No... no... no... the pup was burning up. Lifting him up, Kelance was limp in his arms, his son not stirring at all as he rubbed his chest   
"Kelance?"  
Rubbing slightly harder, he got no response at all  
"Kelance?!"  
Laneith continued to scream, but Kelance didn't respond at all. Leaving Laneith behind, Lance scrambled into the bathroom. He had to get his son's fever down.

Without stripping down, Lance climbed into the shower. His eye were full of tears as he cranked the taps on  
"Come on baby... come on..."  
Wetting down Kelance's small lips, he rocked him with one arm  
"Baby... come on... don't... don't do this to me"  
Parting his son's lips in an attempt to hydrate him, Kelance's gums were black. No... no... with a shaking finger he slid it into Kelance's mouth, scooping out black spit. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't... what was he supposed to do... lifting Kelance on to his shoulder, he shook as he tried to get his communicator to work. Sobbing and shaking, he didn't know what to say... what to do, and he had no idea who he was calling   
"Lance?! Hello?!"  
Hunk... out of everyone... Hunk  
"H-Hunk... Hunk, I... it's..."  
"Lance, what's wrong"  
"I... I need..."  
As vomit rose in his throat, he leant over his son to vomit   
"Lance, I'm coming to you. Stay on the line"  
He tried to thank Hunk, but he couldn't. Instead he sank down to his knees, kissing and nuzzling his son, whispering repeatedly to the small boy, begging him to wake up.

"Lance?! Lance!"  
That was Allura... why were they both here? Trying to rise, he couldn't move  
"Lance...?"  
The water flowing over him and his pup came to an abrupt end  
"Lance... what's wrong? Is there something wrong with the pups?"  
"K-kel..."  
He couldn't get the words out between his sobs. His mouth wouldn't move properly, and his tongue felt too heavy  
"Allura, what's going on?"  
"Lance is in the shower with one of the pups"  
"I've got Laneith"  
"Lance, what's wrong with Kelance?"  
Grabbing his shoulder, Allura tried to lift Kelance from him. Jerking back, he hit his head against the shower wall as he half kicked out towards her  
"Lance?!"  
Crying out his name, Allura was both hurt and confused  
"Allura, let me"  
Trying to keep the distance between Kelance and his friends, Lance held his leg out  
"Buddy, what's going on? Is Kelance? Is there something wrong"  
Nodding, Lance looked back down   
"Is he sick?"  
"I-In..."  
It was just one word. One word he needed to get out, and then they'd all understand   
"In? Hunk, what's he trying to say? In?"  
"In... Lance..."  
He could tell Hunk got it, which meant he didn't have to say it out loud  
"Hunk?"  
"Allura, take Laneith and get out"  
"What? Why?"  
"He's trying to say Kelance is infected"  
"H-how is that possible?! Lance, are you sure"  
Allura went to reach down towards them, but Hunk wretched her back  
"Take Laneith to Keith"  
No. Keith couldn't know. If he knew, his mate would try to save them. He'd try to do something... and he wouldn't think about the consequences...  
"Lance?"  
"I think he's panicking"  
"Lance, it's ok. We'll figure something out"  
"We need to take him to the pod room. Allura, clear everyone out. We don't know how he was infected, and we don't know how it's spreading"  
Lowering his leg, Lance nodded again.

Walking through the castle in his wet uniform, Lance barely felt the cold. His body was frozen as it was. His whole world had shrunk to the size of Kelance. Nothing else existed outside his son. Not Laneith. Not Keith. Not Krolia. Not Shiro. Not Allura or Coran and not Hunk walking behind him. Nothing. Pidge wasn't even registering in his mind. It was all just Kelance. He'd changed the pup into a blanket, but by now that too was wet. He didn't care. He just... nothing mattered. Reaching the pod room, his steps faltered, completely terrified that if he placed his son down, that would be the end. He'd never feel his warmth, or hear his heartbeat or feel his sleepy breath against his shoulder. It would all just come to an end and he'd never feel it again. He'd never get to teach him to talk, or walk, and he'd never see Earth or their family waiting back home for them... he'd...  
"Lance?"  
Hunk's voice sounded so far away. He knew what he was supposed to do, but he loved his son too much. What if they couldn't save him? What if he'd condemned his son to death instead of saving him. For some reason, he couldn't figure out how many steps it would take to get the pod. He didn't know why his mind needed to know, but his breath hitched as he realised he couldn't count them. Why couldn't he count? What kind of mother didn't know how to count?! His chest heaved as sweat or water dripped into his eyes, blinking, he looked to Kelance's hair. Brown. It was brown. He needed to remember that  
"Lance, the pod's open"

17 steps. 17 steps to reach the pod. 17 steps to reach the pod next to Pidge's. Lance's hands shook violently as he placed Kelance down. Kissing his son's forehead, he silently promised to find a way to save him. He wouldn't lose another pup. Not... not like this. Throwing his head back, he howled in despair as the glass slid into place, locking Kelance away from him.


	73. Chapter 73

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keith has the struggles...

"Keith!"   
Slamming his bloody hands down against the castle wall, Keith didn't even head Shiro yelling his name. He was so angry and hurt that all he felt was pain, and the pain felt good. It felt real. It felt solid and it was what he needed. As far as he could remember, he and Lance had never fought like that, even before they were together. They'd never fought in a way that cut so deep. Even a knife to the heart would hurt less  
"Keith, stop!"  
Before his hands could hit the wall again, a strong arm wrapped around his waist and hefted him on his feet. Snarling and scratching at his captors arms, his heart was pounding so hard and loudly his head throbbed in response  
"Krolia, help me with him"  
"Let me go!"  
"Keith"  
"Let me the fuck go!"  
As his bloody hands slipped from Shiro's arm, his mother grabbed his wrists. Howling in anger, he kicked out, hitting her in the stomach, but failing to dislodge her. If anything, her grip tightened  
"Keith! Calm down!"  
"Get off of me!"  
"Krolia..."  
"Don't let him go"  
"I said get off!"  
"What do we do? Do we get Lance?"  
Lance. Yeah right. Like he would care. For some reason the thought of Lance caring was just about the funniest thing in the universe. Laughter bubbled up, and fell from his lips in a half-twisted screech   
"You think Lance cares? Lance and I are over!"  
"Keith, what do you mean? What happened?!"  
"He wants to die! He never gave a shit about me or our kids! He just wants to fucking die!"  
"That's not true..."  
"Then why did fuck Lotor? Why did he fuck Shiro? You're the one who told me about it?! Why mum?! If he loved me..."  
The crack that sounded as his mother slapped his face left him stunned. Spitting the blood from his mouth, he snarled at the woman  
"He's the one who tried to break our bond. Guess what mum? Your son's a fucking failure! I couldn't even keep my own fated omega from wanting to fuck everyone else!"  
"Keith, calm down. I'm sure there's an explanation"  
"Yeah. That he never wanted me to begin with. He tried to tell me and I never fucking listened!"  
"Shiro, get him out of here. I don't care where you take him. Keith, I am so beyond disappointed in you right now"  
"Good! Walk away! Walk away and forget me like you did before! I never meant anything to you! I never meant anything to anyone"  
Releasing her hold on his wrist, Krolia looked him up and down  
"You need to cool your head before you say or do something you regret!"  
"I regret ever being born!"  
Shiro's arm tightened around his waist, the alpha beginning to walk down the hall. Even with one arm, he couldn't compete with the crushing hold around his waist. But at least it was pain, and the pain was better than nothing at all.

Carrying him into the training hall, Shiro threw him down on the mats. Pushing himself up, he launched himself at the alpha   
"When did you become her dog?"  
Clumsy from blood loss and fatigue, the punch he threw at Shiro was easily dodge, and returned with a knee to his gut. Dropping to the floor, he coughed as his fingers tried to find purchase   
"Get up!"  
"Fuck off!"  
"Get up Keith!"  
Looking up at Shiro, he spat towards him  
"You've always liked looking down on us. Haven't you? Always acting like you're so much better than the rest of us"  
Pushing himself up, he rolled his neck slowly as he shook his hands  
"I'm so sick of you"  
"At the moment, the feelings mutual"  
Lashing out again, he roundhouse kicked Shiro as hard as he could. Catching his leg, Shiro flipped him, and Keith ended up face first on the mats again  
"Get up Keith!"  
"Why? You've already taken everything from me!"  
"What? What have I taken from you? Lance? At the moment you aren't even fit to lick his shoes"  
Scrambling up, he kept his stance low as he drove his shoulder into Shiro, sending them both toppling onto the floor  
"How dare you say his name!? He's my mate!"  
"Then why aren't you with him? Do you know how lonely he was without you? But you couldn't even call him! You didn't even help him with your own son's"  
"He didn't want me!"  
"Of course he did! You know Lance! He tries his hardest until he falls apart, but you know, he did so well when you were gone. He was eating, and dancing and smiling. Maybe you can't make him happy"  
Grabbing Shiro by the collar, Keith straddled his lap. Lifting Shiro up, he slammed him down to the floor, over and over  
"You stay the fuck away from him! You can't make him happy!"  
"Of course I can't! You're the one he's in love with! You're the one he's been in love with since before he even admitted he was an omega! But all you did was kick him down. Then bam. He presented and suddenly he was your everything! Every time he chased after you, you had nothing nice to say, but he kept trying. That's what he does! And if he's picked a fight with you, then you know he's gotta have a quiznakking good reason for it!"  
Releasing his hold on Shiro's collar, the alpha dropped to the floor with a groan   
"He wants to die"  
"It's been a long time since Lance has wanted to die"  
"He has a plan to save Pidge, but it means putting his own life at risk..."  
Keith's anger dropped away, tears from and raced down his face. With a mournful howl he slid from Shiro's lap, so he kneeling beside him. Covering his face with his bloodied hands, he screamed into them. He didn't want Lance to die. He wanted his happy beautiful mate by his side. Climbing up from the floor, Shiro wrapped his arm around him, guiding him against his chest. It'd been so long that Keith had forgotten what it'd been like to be friends with Shiro. Rubbing his shoulder, Shiro buried his face in Keith's hair   
"It's just a plan. It's not reality. We're not going to do anything until we've all talked about it. Now, have you calmed down enough for me to look at your hands?"  
"They're fine"  
"They're bleeding"  
"It's fine. I deserve this"  
"I doubt Lance would be happy that you think that"  
"You don't know what was said"  
"No I don't. I know you still don't like me for what happened, but you can at least let me clean your hands up. You can't see Lance like this"  
Sniffling, Keith nodded. He needed to see Lance and apologise. Even if his omega didn't want him anymore, he had to make sure he knew he was sorry.

With both his hands cleaned up, Keith eyes his bruised and swollen knuckles. He was definitely going to be feeling it once the adrenaline coursing through him faded. It was a disgusting mess, and one he still felt he deserved. Shiro had wanted to bandage them, but he wouldn't let him. Some part of him still wanted Lance to know how much he'd hurt him, and his alpha was in complete agreement. Letting Shiro lead the way, they'd made their way to the kitchen. He didn't particularly want to see anyone, and being this close to Shiro was messing with his head. Keith honestly just wanted to find Lance, apologise and then take a long ride in Black, but that wasn't his things were going to play out.

Entering the kitchen, Allura, Hunk and his mother was there. He couldn't deny he didn't feel both disappointed and relieved at Lance's absence   
"Have you cooled down?"  
Nodding at his mother, he wrapped his arms around his waist in a very Lance way  
"Good. Now come have something to eat. Allura and Hunk have been telling me about this plan Lance came up with"  
"Where..."  
Clearing his throat, Keith tried to rid the softness from his voice   
"Where's Lance?"  
"He's in the games room with the pups. I'm making him something to eat when he wakes up"  
Looking to the door, it was so tempting to flee   
"Keith, Lance told us about his plan. I know you don't like it, but if we figure out the finer details, we might be able to help Pidge"  
"Did he tell you he's fine with dying?"  
His tone was dripping with bitterness  
"Keith, Lance doesn't want to die"  
"You could have fooled me"  
"He said so himself. He wants to live. He wants to be with you and the pups. Now sit down before you fall down"  
Crossing to the empty stool, Keith sank down. Taking his hand, his mother laid it flat on the counter in front of them  
"They're not as bad as I expected"  
"I deserve it"  
"Perhaps"  
"I'll get you some ice for them"  
"It's fine Allura. Let's just talk about what we're going to do"  
"Hunk, Krolia and I have all been scanned for signs of infection, we're clean"  
"That's something..."  
"And as Lance was with you, you're both more than likely to be clean which means we just need to check Coran and Shiro"  
"And then what?"  
"We call Lotor. Even if he loans us a sample of pure quintessence, we should be able to lure the black goop from Pidge"  
"How do we trap it?"  
"We know Honerva trapped it before, using Altean technology..."  
"She's not exactly going to help us"  
"I know you don't want to hear it, but Lance did have a point. He has the strongest Bayard of all us"  
"I know he does. I also know he's likely to take a risk, even if there's a chance it won't pan out. I didn't mean to make it seem like Pidge isn't important, but we do need to think about everyone on this castle. Especially since we don't know what exactly caused the infection"  
"See. That's all you had to say. You don't have to be so angry"  
Shooting his mother a glare, he looked back down at his hand  
"So we contact Lotor and get the sample. We also need to take the castle off-world so we don't risk the Olkari..."  
"I can stay behind with the sample..."  
"No you cant Allura. You're the only one who can fly the castle"  
"Then I will"  
"Mum..."  
"No, I'm Galra. Even if I'm infected, I should be able to withstand long enough to notify you"  
"How do we get Pidge out the pod and to the quintessence without putting anyone in danger"  
Humming, Hunk suddenly slammed his hands down   
"Hunk?!"  
"Pidge was rebuilding a sentry, or even better, if Lotor will lend us one, we don't need anyone physically on the castle. We get the sentry to handle the pure quintessence"  
"We don't know what will happen to its systems. They might be overloaded by the power of the quintessence"  
"If we use the container the quintessence is in, it won't even have to touch it. Or we can attach it to the sentry and have it move through the ship. If we can get it to the airlock, we can just flush it into space and destroy it out there with Voltron"  
"Hunk, how confident are you with your reprogramming skills?"  
"I'm not as good as Pidge, but with Matt's help..."  
"So it comes down to Lotor..."  
"He owes us a favour. If it wasn't for Lance, he'd still be stuck down in that rift with Shiro"  
"Thanks"  
"I didn't mean anything by it..."  
"Lance said he felt like this would work. It was his "feeling" that lead us to Shiro and Lotor... I think we need to trust in this plan of his"  
Keith swallowed as he nodded  
"If someone has to stay behind, I'll do it. It's my job as the Black Paladin to protect our team"  
"I could..."  
"Shiro, you only have one arm. What happens if you need both of them?"  
Snorting, Shiro shook his head   
"I still beat you with one arm, and you were verging on going feral"  
"Keith, Buddy, you need to stop going feral when it comes to Lance"  
"I can't help it. You know what was said"  
"I do. And you both had valid points, and I know he was trying to push you away, but that doesn't make it ok"  
"Do you think he's ok?"  
"I think he's asleep, and I think if you wake him, it's not going to be pretty"  
"He's going to yell at me again?"  
"I'm going to yell at you"  
"Allura, you and Shiro contact Lotor. Remind him about the rift if you have to. Mum, can I trust you to take a look at them work Pidge was doing without getting infected?"  
"I don't plan on dying any time soon"  
"I'll take that as a yes. Hunk..."  
"Hunk will be here figuring out what to do with all these cookies"  
"Thanks. I'm going to check in on Lance, and then Shiro, Coran and I will meet in the medical bay for our scans. Once they've come back clean, we'll send message to Matt, as well as to Ryner and inform her of what's happening here..."  
"Don't forget dinner is mandatory"  
"And it can wait until we've left Olkarion..."  
"Keith... you can't mess with my food, man"  
"I'm not messing with your food, I'm just delaying dinner a few vargas so we can get everything organised"  
"Hunk, just call us when dinner is ready"  
"Will do, Shiro"

Parting from the others, Keith headed down to the games room alone. His mother had forced to him eat before letting him off, and the meal of cookies wasn't sitting well in his stomach. As the alpha walked, he tried to play out all the different conversations. Lance didn't want him to let him go, even if he had to yell at him, but yelling in front of the pups... he could not do that again. It was horrible and they didn't deserve to hear it.

The door to the games room appeared far too soon for Keith's liking. The feeling in his stomach had only gotten worse and now it felt a thousand butterflies were trapped inside. One or two butterflies he could handle. When Lance laughed or smiled genuinely, they always seemed to pop up, but this... this wasn't a nice feeling at all. Placing his hand on the door pad, he nearly let out a laugh as the door opened, and the first thing he heard was a long snore. Lance was sleeping. He didn't have to worry about what he was going to say, because his mate was asleep and he was too much of a coward to wake him. Walking over to the bed, he sank down on the edge, examining Lance's sleeping face. He was pale, and exhausted, but there was a smile on his lips... one Keith chose to believe was for him. Letting his eyes roam his omegas form, he found Lance's jacket had hiked up to expose his hip and part of his snail trail. Reaching out, his fingers hovered over Lance's hip, before he finally shook his head, and pulled his mates jacket down for him. Even if he wanted to touch Lance, Lance probably didn't feel the same way anymore. With a heavy heart, he rose to his feet, gathering up as the closest blanket as he did. Laying it over Lance, he made sure his mates shoulders were covered, before finally crumbling slightly. Running his fingers over Lance's soft brown hair, he smiled at the running joke it'd become between them. They still hadn't cut each other's hair, and Lance's had hit they awkward not long, but too long to call short stage. Nuzzling his pillow in his sleep, Lance let out a sleepy huff  
"Keith..."  
It was like Keith had been shocked. Yanking his hand back, he stumbled away from the bed before fleeing. He wasn't ready to talk to Lance...

 

*  
Having carried out his duties, Keith left Allura and Hunk in the Kitchen. Lotor had agreed to help, but only because his soldiers were dropping like flies. The emperor had used much more graceful language, almost managing to make it sound like he actually cared about them. With everyone except Pidge having come back clear, Keith now found himself stuck waiting and it didn't sit well with him. He could go back to Lance, but that ran the risk of waking his mate. He didn't want to hear the words he was sure Lance would say, "It's over", two tiny words with so much weight behind them. Lance was supposed to be his for the rest of their lives, and a few doboshes of anger had ruined everything they'd built together. The morning had been so amazing, so how had they ended up like this... yes, once again, he was back to that. The fact that when Lance had woken up, it had been just them. Just Lance and Keith. Omega and Alpha. Not mum and dad, or Black and Red Paladin's. Just the two of them in their own little world. With a jumble of feelings and no real outlet, he headed to the training room. Even if he couldn't grip a blade or a gun, he could still work out... or just wander around aimlessly until he fell down from exhaustion.

Keith was doing just that when the door to the training room opened, and a sobbing Allura rushed inside. In her arms were one of the pups... Why did Allura have him?! And why was she crying. Striding straight up to him, Allura was trembling badly as she tried to wipe the tears away with her left hand   
"Allura?"  
"Keith, you should take him"  
Half offering and half placing the pup in his arm, the screaming boy finally started to settle. It was really kind of hard to tell who was more upset   
"Allura, it's ok. Babies cry"  
Shaking her head, she took a deep breath, but Keith caught a whiff of Lance's scent. His mate... his mate was devastated? No... it was more than that  
"Allura, what happened?"  
"I'm so sorry Keith..."  
Grabbing her shoulder, his fingers dug into her suit  
"Allura. Tell me what happened? What happened to Lance?"  
"It's... it's not Lance. It's Kelance"  
Snarling, he leant right in  
"What happened to my son?"  
"He's... he's infected"  
Stumbling backwards, Keith sank down around Laneith as he tried to remember how to breathe. Kelance was infected? How? Why?  
"Keith. Keith, he's alive. Lance seems to be ok, but they're putting Kelance in a pod"  
"What do you mean Lance is ok?"  
How could Lance be ok, when their son was dying?  
"He doesn't seem to be infected"  
"Where is he?"  
Allura stared down at him  
"Where is he?!"  
Allura squeaked as he snapped at her  
"In the pod room..."  
"Get the castle off of Olkarion"  
"Keith?"  
"Get it off! I'm going to check on Lance"  
"You can't... he might be carrying the black goop. He doesn't want Laneith near him"  
He didn't want his own son? Was that just because of the infection or because he regretted giving birth to them? His anger and fear was robbing him of rational thought  
"He's my mate!"  
"Exactly! He's been with the pups. He could have been infected, and for all we know, Laneith might have too. The pups are always together, so we need to scan Laneith"  
Cradling his son closer, Keith nuzzled into his chubby cheek. He felt physically sick knowing Laneith might... might die  
"Right. Right... ok. Keith, is it safe to help you up, because I can feel the anger coming from you"  
"I... just... let's get to the medical bay"

Laneith really didn't like being scanned. His pup wriggled as he cried, as if trying to escape the small amount of warmth from the machine  
"Keith, there's no sign of infection. I think Laneith is alright"  
"Allura..."  
"Look for yourself. He looks perfectly... human. I mean, if I'm reading these scans right, it's hard to tell because I only have experience really with full-sized humans, and he's so tiny. I'm really sorry, I don't know why I am not able to be quiet"  
"Allura, it's called relief. You're not able to be quiet because of your relief. Turn the machine off, I don't think he likes it too much"  
Pulling Laneith's shirt over his chubby belly, Keith lifted him back into his hold. He was beyond relieved Laneith was alright, but Lance still needed to be scanned, and they still needed to save Kelance and Pidge... and maybe even Lance   
"I've got you. Shhh, it's alright now. Daddy's here"  
"Do you think he's hungry? Is that why he's crying?"  
"That would probably be part of it. He needs a nappy change too"  
"The formula's in the cupboards. Shall I get it?"  
"And the bottles. They need to be clean before we make the formula up. And nappies, I think there were some hidden away in here"  
Would Laneith even take formula? They'd tried it before with no success, but maybe because he was older now?  
"Lance insisted on keeping nappies in here, he made sure everything was stocked in case of an emergency"  
Of course, his mate did. Lance was an amazing mother, even on his bad days.

From the medical room, they headed up to the Kitchen. Allura hovering as Keith went about changing Laneith. His son was somewhat calmer once his nappy had been changed, but even if his cries had quietened, he was definitely not happy  
"You miss your brother and your mum, I know. I miss them too..."  
"Keith, what can I do?"  
"Can you sterilise the bottle and make the formula? The instructions are on the tin"  
"I hope Hunk won't mind me using his kitchen"  
"Allura, you're the queen. You own this castle. If anyone can use this kitchen without Hunk's supervision, it's you"  
"Sometimes I forget"  
How could you forget your the queen of an entire race!? Just because Allura was gentle and friendly to them all... and followed orders... ok, maybe he could see how it might on occasion slip her mind  
"Allura... I don't know how to be a dad. Lance is so amazing at all of this. He's been amazing with the pups since he birthed them..."  
Bustling through the kitchen, Keith could only stare down at Laneith   
"Keith, you're amazing too. You stayed with Lance as he birthed the pups, the first set of twins. You stayed with him, you held him as he cried and even though they were fathered by Shiro, you loved them like they were you own. You love your pups, and if you weren't a good dad, you wouldn't be worrying like this. You're a good person Keith. A good Paladin and a good partner to Lance. Try having some more faith in yourself"  
"If only it was that easy. Lance never improved when he was with me. Yet a phoeb with Shiro and some how he's eating, sleeping and training. Maybe I shouldn't be his alpha..."  
"If you keep this up, Shiro might just swoop in steal Lance away"  
Keith growled at Allura's jab  
"I'm joking. Lance was only trying so hard for you. Even if Shiro had feelings for Lance, it's Lance's choice and he chose you... I just put too much powder in the bottle?! Is that ok?"  
"It should be fine... I don't see why not? We don't even know if he'll take it"  
"Maybe we could put something sweet in it?"  
"No, just the powder. Laneith, it's alright. Your Aunty Allura is making you a nice bottle right now"  
Patting his son's back, Laneith's small fingers gripped his jacket. His heart skipped a beat. He couldn't imagine not having both boys, and Laneith... even if they were so tiny and ignorant to the world around them, Laneith was always with Kelance.

Laneith really didn't like the bottle, his son firmly smooshing his lips together as Keith tried to feed him. Feeling like a failure, he tried to swallow down the lump of emotion in his throat. What was he going to do if Laneith wouldn't eat?   
"Please, you just have to try it. You'll like it, and I know you miss mummy, but you'll see him as soon as this is all over"  
Still Laneith refused to take the bottle. Allura thought he could do this, but he couldn't  
"Please Laneith... please, you need to eat?"  
"Keith?"  
Jerking his head up to look at Hunk, the alpha looked exhausted and concerned  
"I... I can't get him to eat. What do I do?"  
"Let me try"  
Walking over to him, Hunk forced a smile as he lifted Laneith   
"Hello, I hear you're not eating"  
"I thought perhaps we could sweeten the milk? Perhaps with that yellow bee syrup?"  
"Allura, you can't give babies honey"  
Taking the bottle from Keith, Hunk dripped a few drops of milk on his finger, before transferring it to another finger and placing that finger into Laneith's mouth as he went to cry out. Laneith's eyes widened in surprised before sucking on Hunk's finger  
"How did you do that?"  
"I borrowed Lance's baby book"  
"Is... is Pidge?"  
"No! No, no... no. I just wanted to know how to be a good uncle"  
Hunk had probably read more of the book than he had. He'd read a few chapters, but for the most part, Lance would read out the paragraphs he found interesting, or point out diagrams with a bright red face. Squeezing a little more formula out, Hunk left it on the teat as he rubbed against Laneith's lips, until the pup finally began to drink. He didn't look impressed, but at least he was feeding. Sinking down, Keith let out a long breath  
"Keith?"  
"I was worried what to do if he didn't take the bottle"  
"Well he is"  
"Thank you Hunk. Just... thank you"  
Hunk laughed, though it sounded slightly strained  
"How's Lance?"  
"Devastated. He doesn't know if he's infected, but Kelance definitely is. Is Laneith?"  
"No. His scans were fine... I... I should go see Lance"  
"You can't. He doesn't want anyone going near the pod room..."  
"I can't leave him there, he's my mate"  
"And he doesn't want anything happening to you or Laneith"  
"What about clothes and food? And blankets?"  
"Shiro's going to drop some at the pod room door for him"  
"Shiro?"  
"I ran into him in the hall on the way up. He's taken Coran with him"  
It was Keith's job to look after Lance, not Coran  
"I hope he doesn't take too long. Lance must be cold in his wet uniform"  
"He stripped it off before I left. He's got his communicator though"  
"That's good. He will be able to let us know if anything happens"  
"Maybe I should go see him..."  
"Keith, he doesn't want you to. Just focus on this plan and Laneith"  
"Quiznak. Allura, did Lotor sign off?"  
"Yes. He's suffered significant losses, and is loaning us a sample of the pure quintessence. He's agreed to meet with us two quintants out of Olkarion, in a section of space with nowhere the goop can go"  
2 quintants? Seriously? Couldn't they just jump?  
"It's the best he can do. With the rift collapsing in on its self, we can no longer open it. Quintessence has become a valuable commodity again"  
"Great. You think they would have made the most of it while it was open"  
"They couldn't get past the black goop..."  
Keith resisted rolling his eyes at Allura. He knew full well that it was their fault the black entity was loose in the universe. Surely Pidge and Kelance being infected was karma for it.

 

*  
Unable to sleep, Keith rolled over. The space either side of him was too big, and too devoid of Lance. He hadn't even been able to apologise to his mate and he didn't like leaving things hanging like they were. Looking to Kelance's cot, he pushed himself up. Laneith had refused to settle when he'd placed him in his own cot, and it wasn't until he laid his son down in Kelance's that he'd finally slept. Careful not to be loud, Keith grabbed his communicator and Lance's favourite blanket, no longer caring if he was risking infection. He wanted to see Lance.

The hallways of the castle were cold and empty as he made his way up to the pod room, though Keith had the feeling he was being watched, he didn't see a single soul. They'd all probably think him weak for not being able to sleep. It wasn't like Lance was on the other side of the universe, his mate was only floors above him. Pulling the blanket tighter around his shoulders, he wished he'd at least bothered to put his boots on as his his feet were freezing.

Arriving in front of the pod room, Keith took a deep breath before going to place his hand on the door pad panel, only instead of touching smooth glass, his hand met paper. Pulling his hand back, he half smiled at the note scrawled on the piece of paper in Lance's terrible handwriting  
"Don't even think about it"  
That was so Lance... thinking of everyone else and their welfare above his own. Readjusting his hold on the blanket again, Keith moved to sink down against the door, before knocking twice on it. It was only ticks before Lance called through to his communicator   
"Keith, was that you?"  
"Maybe..."  
"You're not supposed to be here"  
"I know, but Lance... I didn't want to leave things like that"  
"Keith, it was my fault. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm sorry"  
"That's not playing fair. I came up here to apologise to you"  
"You don't need to apologise"  
"Yes i do. Baby, I love you so much. I don't want what was between us to end like this. I don't want to break up like that"  
"Keith... you're my husband. We're bound to fight"  
Keith had forgotten that the word "husband" existed, Lance was his mate. His omega... and his husband  
"I might be your husband, but I never should have yelled it at you"  
"Do you regret it? Falling in love with me?"  
"My life might have been easier if I hadn't, but no. I don't regret you, or the pups"  
Lance paused before replying   
"How's Laneith?"  
"We got him to take a bottle. Well Hunk did, and his scans came back clean"  
"What about your scans?"  
"I'm ok. Lance, you might not be infected"  
"And I might. I touch that black stuff. Kelance's mouth was full of it"  
"I have no idea how it happened... he shouldn't have been infected. Laneith isn't infected"  
"I was thinking you might have been right"  
"I usually am"  
"Ha ha. I mean. Pidge was placed into a pod, and the pups were in a pod. Maybe it got into the castle?"  
"We've left Olkarion, and we'll be meeting Lotor in a couple of quintants..."  
"So you're going with my plan?"  
"It seems like it. Everyone except you, me, Kelance and Pidge are going to leave"  
"Keith, you can't stay"  
"I'm not leaving you here alone"  
There was a thud against the pod room door, causing Keith to jump   
"Was that you? Did you just kick the door?"  
"No. I hit it. Don't laugh at me, I'm sitting with my back against it and I'm mad at you"  
"I'm not laughing. I'm sitting with my back against the door too. It's the closest I can be to you"  
"Now who's not playing fair?"  
"Don't look at me"  
"It's your fault"  
"No, it's your fault. You're the one who married me and bonded with me"  
"You're the only one out here who would have me"  
"We both know that's not true. You're beautiful and funny and I... I love you"  
"I love you too. So what else has been happening?"  
"Nothing. I couldn't sleep so I came to see you"  
"I'm ok... I just... I just can't leave him"  
"I know you can't..."  
But apparently he could. He could leave Laneith sleeping so he could sneak off to see Lance. Letting out a long yawn, Lance mumbled an apology   
"I'm sorry. I'm just really tired"  
"Then get some rest baby. We can't do anything until we see Lotor"  
"Will you stay with me? I mean, will you stay on the line?"  
"Yeah, baby. I'm your husband, right?"  
"Mmmm. My alpha. I love you, Keith"  
"I love you too, Lance"


	74. Chapter 74

With a kind of quarantine in effect, Lotor refused to set foot on the castle and Keith was fine with that. Actually, he was more than fine with it. Lance was taking being cooped up in the pod room badly, and though Keith had offered to risk a visit more than once, his mate refused to see to let him. So, the alpha found himself becoming a stalker of sorts, setting himself up in the bridge where he could watch Lance constantly on the castle feed. For the most part, Lance seemed alright, at least functional, his mate would eat and sleep, but when he wasn't, he was staring at Kelance. That's all he did... and for vargas at a time, not even noticing when Keith would call him. If it wasn't for the fact Allura and Lotor had him looped in with current conversation, he'd be talking to Lance right now, though Keith couldn't deny he was tempted to just hang up... it wasn't like he'd actually listened any of the conversation, he could hear it, he could hear Shiro laughing at something stupid Lotor has said, but he was too focused on Lance and if any sort of emergency did arise, he really wasn't in any form to respond. He just wanted his mate and for this ridiculous day to be over.

"Earth to Keith!"  
Torn out of his thoughts, Keith blinked in surprise as Shiro waved his arm in front of him. He hadn't even heard the alpha finish his conversation with Lotor, nor realised that Shiro had stood in front of him for a good 10 ticks before finally attempting to get his attention. Tearing his gaze from the screen, he sighed as he looked up at Shiro   
"How'd it go?"  
"We've got the quintessence. Lotor didn't want to part with it, but we couldn't exactly invite him back to the castle without risking him becoming infected"  
"I wouldn't mind if he was. I'm sick to death of him"  
"Keith, he's emperor of the Galra Empire. We can't afford to make an enemy of him"  
"You can only say that because you don't know the finer details of what happened between him and Lance"  
"No I don't, and I may not act like it, but I don't like him all that much either. I just know when it's more important to keep my mouth shut"  
"Yeah. Sure. How's Hunk going with moving the lions?"  
"He's towed Green out and was just preparing to move Red. Krolia and Laneith are already on board Yellow with Hunk and Matt. Allura headed straight down to Blue, where Coran is waiting, which means we're only waiting on you now"  
"What about you?"  
"I'm going with you on Black after I've dropped the quintessence sample off to Lance"  
"Did you call him?"  
"Not yet. I came to see you first"  
Keith nodded, his mouth dry from the nerves of what came next. Lance would take the sample and open it, hopefully trapping the black entity inside the container, though they didn't actually have any idea of how much black goop was on the castle. It was entirely possible the whole castle had already become corrupt and if that was the case, then they had bigger dramas than Pidge and Kelance... or rather, they should have bigger dramas, but all he cared about was his son. Laneith had started crying again and was back to refusing to take the bottle, which was more than likely due to the fact he hadn't seen or felt his brother and mother in days, and he really was failing as a father  
"Then we should move. I'll walk with you down to the pod room"  
"No, it's alright. You go on ahead"  
Keith just about pointed out that Lance was his mate, not Shiro's, but instead sullenly bit his lip. When Kelance was finally better, he was taking him, Lance and Laneith down to the village on Olkarion and having family time. The universe could go to hell for all he cared. 

 

*  
"Lance, it's Shiro. Open up"  
Running his hands through his hair, Lance was starting to panic. The pod room was kind of a mess, and now that it was finally time to put his plan into action, he felt physically sick with worry. What if it didn't work? What if it killed not only Pidge but Kelance as well?  
"Lance?"  
Quiznak. Breathe. In and out. He hadn't allowed himself the luxury of crying since Kelance had been put in the pod, so why was he so close to tears now? Jogging across the room, Lance paused to wipe his face before opening the door to Shiro  
"Sorry, I was just..."  
He didn't know where he was going with his sentence, so trailed off with a shrug. Frowning down at him, it felt like Shiro could straight through him, and all his anxieties about the mission were right on display  
"Lance, you don't have to stay here alone"  
"No... no, it's ok. I mean, I don't even know if I'm infected or not, so I'm the best candidate"  
Trying to smile under Shiro's gaze, he failed miserably   
"I can tell you're scared, and I don't mind staying behind to lend a hand. You don't have to be alone"  
"It's fine Shiro. Can I have the quintessence now?"  
Reaching into his jacket pocket, Shiro pulled out a small containment cube. There was no way all the black goop from Pidge would fit in there, let alone the goop from Kelance... taking the cube, he was surprised by just how cold it was  
"Don't forget, wait 5 doboshes before opening it and if anything goes wrong, we'll come running"  
"Um, Shiro... just in case something goes wrong..."  
"Don't worry, we'll look after Keith and Laneith"  
Shaking his head, Lance took a deep breath, his words falling out in a long garbled sentence  
"Iwantedtosaythanksfornotdoinganythingwheniwasinheat"  
Shiro raised an eyebrow  
"Do you want to try that again?"  
"God your alpha's are jerks. I was trying to say thank you"  
"For what?"  
"For... not, you know..."  
Wincing he continued   
"For not mounting me when I was in heat and throwing myself at you"  
When Shiro didn't reply, Lance slowly opened his right eye to peak at the alpha   
"Shiro?"  
"I... I don't want to hurt you Lance"  
"I know, but I wasn't in my right mind and all I could think about was... that"  
Cupping his face with his large cold hand, Shiro rubbed at his right cheek as he smiled almost sadly. Leaning in, Lance didn't know what to do as Shiro's lips pushed against his  
"I'm sorry for everything Lance. If you ever need help, I hope you know I will be willing to help you"  
Shiro's lips were against his as he spoke  
"Shiro, Keith is my husband"  
"I know. Just don't forget you aren't alone. I truly care for you Lance, and I have for a long time"  
Pulling back, Shiro gave a nod  
"5 doboshes"  
"Uh, right. Yeah. You better go"  
Stepping back, Lance placed his free hand on the door panel, shutting Shiro away from him. What the quiznak had that been? Wandering over to sit on the centre platform, Lance sank down. His heart was racing uncomfortably in his chest. What did that kiss mean? And why now? Did Shiro think he was going to die? Why... why has Shiro done that? And why hadn't he pushed him away? Groaning at his own confusion, he cursed alphas and their stupid and confusing dynamic.

5 doboshes felt like forever. Leaving the cube sitting beside the central platform, Lance crossed to open Pidge's pod. The moment the glass slid away, the female alpha collapsed on the floor, her awful wheezing for breath had him wanting to cover his ears and look away. This wasn't fair. Pidge hadn't done anything wrong. Leaving her laying where she was, he opened Kelance's pod, his son completely silent as black goop tendrils tried to crawl from his ears. Suddenly Lance wished he wasn't alone. He should have begged Keith to stay, or maybe even accepted Shiro's offer. Who was he to be in charge of two lives? He was no one, just a male omega in a huge, seemingly endless universe. Jumping as his communicator crackled, it hadn't been working well since he'd showered with it on  
"Lance?!"  
"Lance, can you hear us?"  
"I can hear you"  
"Have you done it yet? How's Pidge?"  
"I just opened the pods"  
"You're behind schedule"  
"Excuse me for being nervous"  
"Lance..."  
"Just shut up. I'm trying to concentrate here"  
"Baby, you can do this"  
"I know I can now be quiet!"  
Despite snapping at his friends, he was relieved not to feel so alone. Ending the call, he really had no idea why his communicator had a mind of its own.

Picking up the small cube, Lance looked at Pidge and Kelance, trying to judge how far away to place the quintessence. He needed it close enough that the goop would go to it, but not so far that he couldn't reach his friends. Deciding it was probably best to place it in the centre of the platform, he shakily popped the lid. The effect was almost instantaneous. The whole castle seemed to shake as the lights flicked on and off, before finally staying off. Stumbling in the dark, Lance activated his Bayard, the soft red glow barely making a dent in the darkness. Even the blue of the pure quintessence was soon swallowed up in darkness. Shit. This was intimidating. Waving his broadsword in front of him, he moved at snails pace over to Pidge. The female alpha's mouth was open, as black goop poured from it, the sound coming from the entity was like a hundred buzzing flies. Turning around, he knelt down to look at Kelance properly. Nothing was coming out... what was he supposed to do?! Placing down his Bayard, he gripped his son's jaw and forced his mouth open, causing the black goop to fly from his son's mouth in a swarm. The moment the swarm ended, Kelance screamed... the first scream his son had made since this all started  
"Good boy... good boy, you've done so well baby boy"  
Feeling around his son's eyes, nose and ears, he didn't find any more traces of the black goop, and was confident that his son's screams meant he was now infection free. Lifting him back into the pod, the glass slid down into place. So... that just meant the lights were affected, and not the pods. At least that had gone right. Taking his Bayard up again, he turned back to Pidge, her body spasming, though nothing was coming out...   
"Pidge? Pidge are you awake?"  
No reply. Shit. Quiznak wasn't strong enough of a word. Holding the Bayard about an inch above the alpha, he ran it up so Pidge's face was illuminated. Her eyes were wide and her mouth open, like she was screaming silently. Something was wrong. She should... she should be moving or something... anything. Placing his hand on her stomach, he felt like he'd been shocked, and it was accompanied with the knowledge the goop was still inside of her  
"Sorry, Pidge... I... I need to get the stuff out..."  
Pushing up Pidge's shirt, Lance felt around her stomach. He felt like a total pervert for touching her like this, continuing to feel, her skin finally rippled under his touch. There. That's where it was  
"Pidge, this is going to hurt you just as much as it's going to hurt me"  
Moving his Bayard over the spot that was rippling, Lance closed his eyes as he pushed his blade into the female alpha, before yanking it out and throwing it without thinking. He... he'd just stabbed Pidge. Falling on his arse, he rocked as he waited for something to happen  
"Come on Pidge! Come on!"  
The goop ran and dribbled from the room, the puddle forming under Pidge slowly edged away from her, but she didn't move  
"Pidge! Come on. Come on. We don't have time for this! You've got to wake up! You've got to wake up for Hunk! And for Matt... and your family... come on"

Pidge came too all at once, screaming loudly as her hands flew to her stomach  
"Pidge!"  
Pulling Pidge's hands away, they were slick with warm blood  
"L-Lance..."  
"Yeah, Pidge. I'm here. I'm here"  
"Why's it so black?"  
"It's my fault. I'm so sorry Pidge"  
"What happened?"  
"I promise I'll explain, but for now, this might hurt"  
Letting go, Lance pushed down on her stomach, spilling more of her blood as he tried to milk out the last of the black goop. This would have been so much easier if he could actually see  
"Lance... I don't feel good"  
"You'll be ok Pidge"  
Surely enough time had passed that it was safe to put her back in the pod  
"Pidge, I'm going to move you now. It's probably going to hurt, but I'm going to put you in a pod"  
"Ok... ok Lance, we can do this. Team Pance"  
"Pance? Close enough, ready"  
"On three?"  
"Or now"  
Lifting Pidge, he practically shoved the alpha into the pod, cutting off Pidge's cry of pain mid-scream. Right. Right. Now they were both out the way, he had to find his Bayard and figure out what came next.

Spinning around in the darkness, he could really use some support right now. He could neither see the quintessence or his Bayard. He needed to think and clear his mind... like that was possible. Closing his eyes to the darkness, he continued to spin slowly, before finally feeling something. Opening them again, he could make out the tiniest sliver of red, though he was sure he hadn't seen it there before. Rushing to it, a wind seemed to pick up around him, and the pitch darkness moved. It was only then that he realised how much of an idiot he'd been. The castle lights hadn't gone out, he was surrounded by black goop... well that wasn't good. He needed help but didn't want to drag his friends into danger. Switching from his blade to his gun, he shot towards where the quintessence container was. Even if he couldn't see, he still knew where it was approximately. The blackness didn't appreciate his shot at all, its shapeless form rushing in on its self as it tried to protect the quintessence. Tapping on his communicator, he hoped he was doing the right thing  
"Lance?!"  
"I'm in trouble! There's way too much of that goop here and it's angry!"  
"Baby, get out of there!"  
"I can't!"  
Throwing himself to the side he dodged as a tendril shot towards him. Yep. It was definitely mad  
"Lance, what do you see?"  
"The whole rooms practically full! It's all being drawn towards the quintessence!"  
"Leave the quintessence! Get out of there!"  
Keith sounded just as panicked as Lance felt, and his mate couldn't see a thing  
"I can't!"  
"Lance, we're coming to you. Hunk, stay out here"  
"Don't come in..."  
"We're not leaving you!"  
"I need a plan! Not you in danger"  
"We have a plan, we're coming for you"  
Mentally yelping as he tripped over his own feet, he cursed his cloak for getting in the way. Krolia was definitely not finding out about this, she'd tease him to no end over it. The cloak was cool and it was staying. Firing again, his shot hit the floor as the blackness parted. Why wasn't he hitting the stupid container? He was the best sharpshooter in the galaxy! He could do this!

 

*  
Running through the halls, Keith was cursing the fact he couldn't just crash his lion into the castle and save Lance. Instead, he had more than enough time for a ball sickness to form in his stomach, and it didn't help that thanks to his stupidly long legs, Shiro was in front of him. He'd wanted the alpha to stay on Black, but the moment Lance said he was in trouble, he'd damn near had to fight for the controls of his own lion. It also hadn't helped that he could smell Shiro's fear, anger and felt his hot breath across the back of his neck as Shiro panted out growls.

Reaching the pod room, Shiro ripped the paper signs off the door and opened the door, before coming to a stop. Unable to stop in time, Keith ran squarely into Shiro. Growling, he shoved Shiro to the side as he activated his Bayard. Kneeling in the middle of the room, Lance had the cube container of quintessence in his hands like he was offering it up to the blackness around him  
"Lance?! Lance, can you move?"  
Like a storm cloud, the black entity had filled the top of the pod room, with long tendrils shooting down like lightning. His mate didn't even seem to notice him  
"Lance!"  
Stepping forward, he was halted by Shiro grabbing his arm  
"What the hell!"  
"He's got a plan"  
"His plan is going to get him killed! You might not care about him, but I'm not about to lose my husband!"  
Shaking off Shiro's hand, Keith plunged into the room as Lance poured the quintessence from the box into his hand. The marks on his face shone, before the quintessence disappeared as if absorbed directly into his mate. Throwing his head back, Lance's eyes glowed bright blue before Keith was thrown backwards as blue blast emanated from his mate. Above him, the black goop vanished  
"What. The. Quiznak. Was. That?!"  
"Lance!"  
Running across the room, Shiro caught Lance as he slumped sideways. His mate panting hard as his Bayard deactivated. Climbing to his feet, Keith limped over to Lance, sinking down beside his mate and nuzzling his face  
"I'm ok... but... it just wants to go home"   
"You just took pure quintessence into you. You're not ok"  
"I am. I promise"  
Reaching for him, Keith pulled Lance from Shiro   
"Is it gone?"  
"Yeah..."  
Grabbing Lance's bloody hand, Keith's eyes widened  
"What happened?!"  
"It's not my blood. I had to stab Pidge. Make sure she's ok!"  
"I will. Shiro, call the others back, I'm taking Lance down to our quarters to clean up"  
"Stay with Pidge..."  
"You can't stay with Pidge, you're covered in blood"  
"I was telling Shiro too. I don't want to hold Kelance with bloody hands, not again"  
"We're going to need to talk about what happened"  
"Shiro, leave it. Not now, and don't tell the others until things have settled"  
"But..."  
"Leave it! Just, do what I said"

 

*  
Carrying Lance down to their quarters, Keith pressed kissed to his mates hair, stupidly happy to be holding Lance again. Lance seemed to feel the same way as he was purring lightly as he nuzzled Keith's neck. Neither of them spoke, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, instead, it was a mutual silence as their actions spoke loud enough for the pair of them. Pausing momentarily to open the door to their room, Keith carried Lance straight through to the bathroom, before sitting him down on the bathroom counter and taking his face in his hands  
"Baby, are you sure you're ok?"  
"Yeah... I'm sorry I worried you"  
"It's ok. I'm glad you didn't try to do everything on your own"  
"It still played out that way. I didn't know what to do, there was so much of that black stuff that I didn't... I didn't even realise it was all around me, I thought the castle lights had been knocked out"  
"Well, you dealt with it. But what did you mean what you said "it wants to go home"?"  
Lance shook his head  
"I don't remember. Can I please shower now? My hands are starting to shake"  
Releasing Lance's face, Keith took his hands in his and squeezed  
"Sure baby. Do you want me to join you?"  
"I wouldn't say no..."  
"Good, I want you so bad baby. I was going crazy without you"  
Lance rolled his eyes with a small sigh  
"It was only a couple of quintants"  
"It was way too long..."

Racing to undress each other, they crashed into the shower. While Lance scrambled to turn the taps on, Keith gripped his mate's slim hips and rutted up against him. He wasn't exaggerating about wanting Lance, but he hoped his mate wouldn't mind that he wanted to try something a little different. Pulling back, Keith turned Lance to face him before claiming his lips as he tried to steady his nerves  
"Keith?"  
"Lance... I... I want to try something different"  
"Different?"  
"Mhmm. I've... I've been thinking about it off and on since my rut"  
Lance frowned in obvious confusion  
"You're not making sense"  
Taking Lance's right hand in his, he guided it down his side and to his arse, gently pressing Lance's fingers to his opening   
"Keith!"  
Squeaking, Lance blushed brilliantly  
"You're my husband and my mate. My equal. I don't want you to feel like you always have to be the one bottoming..."  
"I... what?"  
"I might have tried fingering myself... I want you, Lance"  
"But... it might hurt. No. It's going to hurt... and it might not even feel good. I don't know what to do"  
"Baby, its fine. If it doesn't work out, we can go back to what we normally do. Running up to the pod room, I was scared I was going to find you dead. There are so many things I feel like I haven't told you and I... I want us to be equal"  
"Are you sure you want this?"  
"I am, because it's you"  
Lance blushed even redder as he nodded  
"I don't know what to do"  
"Just do the things you like to me"  
"I like it when you eat me out"  
Lance mumbled the words like he had was a blushing virgin. It was completely adorable and Keith felt some of his nervousness ebbing away  
"You can do whatever you want to me. I'm yours baby. Completely and totally yours"  
Nodding again, Lance slid his hand back, placing both against Keith's stomach before sliding his hands down as he sank to his knees. Already hard from the prospect of burying and losing himself in Lance, his eyes rolled back as Lance's lips sank down over the tip of his erection. Yes they fucked... a lot... but usually they were in too much of a hurry for oral sex. Silently, Keith vowed to give Lance the best blow job of his life for stepping so far out of his comfort zone. Gripping the base of Keith's penis, Lance pulled back before lapping at his slit and then taking him completely in his mouth again  
"Shit baby... you feel so good around me"  
Staring at up him with wide eyes, Keith smiled down at his mate   
"I trust you, so go ahead"

Whoever taught Lance to give such amazing head was an arsehole. Alternating between sucking and using his tongue, Lance soon had him bucking into his mouth while Keith snarled and panted. The tension from the last few days was now pooling in the base of his stomach as his fingers clawed at the wall. He was feeling way too good and didn't want to mess things up by holding Lance down and making him feel like he didn't have the option to pull back at any time. Nudging his legs apart with his free hand, Lance massaged at his inner thigh  
"Baby... I'm going to cum..."  
Nodding his head, Keith's rhythm began to grow sloppy as he chased the feeling of pleasure mounting. He was so close and was losing his battle lasting. Unable to stop himself, he growled as he came in hot bursts down Lance's throat, until Lance was unable to swallow and he thrusting into his own cum. Riding out his orgasm, Lance jerked out the last few drops of semen, before pulling back with a mischievous smile, cum dribbling from his pouty lips. Spitting his cum into his hand, Lance looked up at him with lusty eyes, the look sending a shiver down Keith's spine   
"Lance?"  
"Put your hands against the wall. Since it's your first time, it'll be easier like that"  
"Oh. Um. Sure"  
Turning to place his hands against the other shower wall, Lance ran his hand up from Keith's knee and massaged at his arse. Keith was secretly hoping it wasn't the one with a palm full of cum but had already figured Lance intended to use it for lube. They had actual lube somewhere, but Lance was usually so soaking wet by the time he got his pants off that they didn't need it  
"Stick your arse out a bit for me"

The feeling of having someone else's fingers against his tight opening was weird, and his alpha was confused as hell as to what was going on. After rubbing at his opening, Lance finally breached him with the tip of one finger. His first instinct was to pull it out, but as he hung his head, he forced down a breath. He wanted this. He wanted this for both himself and his husband  
"Keith?"  
"It's ok... it just feels a little weird"  
"I know. You... you still trust me, right?"  
"Yeah baby"  
"Ok... you know, your arse is really sexy"  
Snorting, he flinched as Lance slid his finger in further  
"I'll keep that in mind"  
Wriggling his finger, Lance pulled it almost all the way out before pushing it back in and making him gasp. Yeah. His half-hard penis had wilted in confusion, and he was finding it hard to relax  
"Lance, just.. just skip to two"  
"No, I'm not going to hurt you"  
"I'm an alpha, I can take this"  
"I don't want to have to explain to everyone why you can't sit properly"  
"Fair point"  
Working his finger back in, Lance's free hand came to massage the small of his back as he tried to make him relax. Slowly Keith felt himself loosening, but that was gone the moment Lance slipped two fingers inside of him, even if they were somewhat more lubed than the first one had been  
"Cum makes a terrible lubricant"  
"I'm using my slick. I'm so wet right now"  
Closing his eyes, Keith sniffed the air, finally picking up on the scent of slick. Fuck. He wanted to throw Lance down and fuck him right into the bathroom floor until he screamed. He was about to suggest it, when he felt a different sensation against his opening and realised Lance was now slightly tonguing him as his fingers slid back and forth. Groaning at the mental images the action brought, he felt Lance snort against him  
"Everything ok back there?"  
"Yep. I'm enjoying myself just fine"  
Here he was, with Lance's tongue and fingers in his arse... fuck he had it bad for his mate. Curling and scissoring his fingers, Lance seemed to be searching for something and when his fingertips brushed Keith's sweet spot, Keith saw stars as he moaned   
"There it is..."  
Pulling back, Lance's grew more confident as he began to slide his fingers in and out faster, only hitting Keith's sweet spot a few more times before sliding out completely and sliding three fingers in. Keith's breath caught, and Lance immediately crooned gently  
"Shhh, it's ok. Just breathe"  
Realising Lance was waiting for him to adjust warmed his heart, after a few ticks the burning faded enough for him to nod  
"My good alpha. Look at you. You look so good swallowing my fingers"  
Hitting his sweet spot, Keith cried out   
"Only for you!"  
"That's right. You're all mine..."  
Rising up behind him, Lance continued to fuck him while grinding his erection against Keith's arse cheek. He knew how big his mate was, not as big as him, but definitely on the larger side for an omega  
"Keith..."  
"It's ok... I want you too baby"  
Whimpering as Lance's fingers slid out, he couldn't quite believe how empty he suddenly felt. Reaching behind him, he grabbed for Lance  
"I'm still here. I'm just making sure I'm well lubed up so I don't hurt you"  
Accentuating his point, his mate ran his slick covered fingers across Keith's stomach and gripped is slowly rehardening penis  
"Lance... I want you"  
"I know. I know alpha, here we go..."

Rubbing the tip of his blunt erection against Keith's opening, Keith tried not tense as Lance slowly sank into him with a long groan. Scrambling to grab onto the wall, Keith gritted his teeth as Lance sank all the way inside before stopping  
"Breathe. I can smell you remember"  
"Sorry... I just... I feel so full"  
"It feels good, doesn't it? It feels like you were made for me"  
Keith knew that feeling all too well. Lance was always so tight and hot around him  
"You can move now"  
Taking Keith's hips in his hands, Lance drew back before slamming in, his omega mewing as he did  
"Shit... Keith, I don't think I'm going to last very long"  
"It's ok baby... just let go"  
Humming in reply, Lance rested his forehead against Keith's back as he tried to gain some kind of rhythm, and it wasn't until his moves finally grew more confident that Lance started hitting his sweet spot. Losing themselves in the pleasure, Lance grabbed his leg and hefted up, before plunging in deeper, his chest pressed firmly against Keith's back as he panted against his ear, chanting the word "alpha" over and over so sweetly. God this felt so good and right, and still somewhat weird, but not weird enough that he wouldn't say no if Lance wanted to experiment some more at a later point  
"Keith... I'm going to... can I?"  
"Cum inside me"  
Biting down hard on Keith's shoulder Lance did just that, his hand sliding from Keith's hip to his half hard erection as he jerked him frantically until Keith was shaking and moaning mess, as he finally came down the shower wall in small pulses. He'd definitely blown twice is hard down Lance's throat, but his second orgasm left him wrecked   
"I can feel you... I can feel you around me... so good"  
Slumping against him, Lance peppered his bitten shoulder with kisses  
"Fuck... that... I..."  
"That good?"  
Keith's voice was croaky, and his head lolled back against Lance's shoulder  
"I..."  
Giving him a huge dopey smile, Lance awkwardly kissed his nose   
"It's the best I can do right now"  
"You look wrecked"  
"I feel it... I'm... I'm going to pull out now"  
"Catch your breath first"  
Dropping his forehead back to Keith's shoulder, Lance groaned as slowly slid out. Keith expected the cum to trickle out immediately like it did with Lance, but was kind of aroused by the fact it didn't. Turning shakily, he wrapped his arms around Lance as his mouth sort his mates out. 

After several long kisses, Lance sighed into his mouth   
"We need to clean up. The others will be mad if we take too long"  
"Fuck them"  
"No... no... but I... I wouldn't mind trying that again... I mean, if it's ok..."  
"Yeah baby, but maybe not straight away... I need to be able to walk"  
"I'll carry you"  
"Someone's horny"  
"Only for you... god... I can't believe we did that"  
Pulling back slightly, Keith smiled at Lance  
"Is it so wrong that I might want my sexy husband?"  
"No... it's just... on Earth, we omegas are kind of taught that our alphas didn't like being touched like that... that we shouldn't... we shouldn't get it in our heads that we're equals"  
Keith growled, accidentally scaring Lance in the process, the omega trying to move further away from him  
"Baby, no. I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at every idiot alpha out there who doesn't know how special and amazing it is to be with the one they love"  
"You're not mad?"  
"Lance, you're standing in front of me after wrecking me with your dick. I am definitely not mad at you"  
"Ok... I just thought maybe I said something wrong"  
"No baby. They're the ones that are wrong. You're right. You're perfectly all right"  
Laughing, Lance moved back to wrap his arms around him again  
"Thank you for loving me"  
"You kind of mostly make it easy... but I think you're going to have to help me shower. I can't feel my hips"  
"That good was it?"  
"You have no idea"

Cleaning each other thoroughly, Lance insisted on making sure he wasn't torn or bleeding, before "helping" him from the shower. Yes, his back hurt, but it was a good pain, and he definitely didn't regret it... even when Lance had to help him step into his underwear in jeans. When the pair of them were both dressed, Lance took his hand and kissed his palm  
"What's that for?"  
"Because I love you... and because I'm probably going to drag you along. I want to make sure Kelance is ok... and Pidge..."  
Lance's happy smile faded as he yanked his hand back  
"Baby?"  
"I... sorry. I just got a little nervous"  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
"I just realised everyone is going to know I stabbed Pidge... Hunk's going to be mad"  
"Baby, I think Hunk is going to understand that you did what you had to, I mean, you did have to, right?"  
"The goop was trapped inside of her... I don't even know if I got it all out"  
If it wasn't for how genuinely upset Lance looked, Keith would have pried a little further and asked how Lance knew it was there. Something had happened inside the pod room, and it felt like Lance was moving further away from him. When they'd come out to space, he'd been the pilot that piloted as if on a whim, now Lance was racking up all these new skills and developing leaps and bounds ahead of him. Taking his mates hand again, he gave Lance a small smile  
"It'll all be ok. I'm going to be right there with you"  
"I know, I'm just..."  
"Nervous"  
"Yeah"   
Tugging Lance's hand gently, the pair of them made their way up to the pod room.

 

*  
Lance's omega was still drunk off Keith. His mate had been so tight and warm around him and though he has no idea what he'd been doing, it had felt kind of amazing. His alpha had let him mount him... he couldn't believe it, but at the same time, he was so completely touched by the fact Keith considered him an equal. Him, an omega, had mounted his alpha! And more importantly, Keith had not only cum, he'd agreed to let him do it again. Unknown to the omega, he wore the same dopey grin all the way up to the pod room, the same dopey grin that only made Keith fall more in love with him. He wanted to scream out what he'd done, but instead, he could only do so mentally as Keith would probably turn bright right and pass out on the spot  
"Um baby, we're at the pod room. Are you going to be ok?"  
"What? Yeah. I'm totally fine!"  
"Imagining fucking my arse again?"  
Lance blushed, leaning in to kiss Keith on the cheek and whispering  
"Maybe"  
"We could just turn around and go back to our room"  
"No, I know how rough it feels the first time. You don't need to push yourself so hard"  
Kissing Keith's cheek again, Lance released his hand and placed it on the door panel. His happiness fading when the door slid down to reveal all their friends, and Lotor, standing there. Well Pidge wasn't, she was in the healing pod still  
"Uh, hi?"  
Taking half a step back, he flinched as Hunk's eyes narrowed in on him. He knew his friend would be mad, but now he was copping the very rare and heartbreaking "Hunk glare"  
"Come on in Lance, we were hoping you could explain a few things to us"  
"Like what happened to my quintessence"  
"And more importantly, what did you do to Pidge! That's her blood on the floor Lance! Her clothes are covered in it! What did you do to her?!"  
"Hunk..."  
Stepping between him and Hunk, Shiro held his hand out as if telling Hunk to stop, while looking at the pair of them   
"I know you're mad Hunk, we all are. But we should at least hear out what Lance has to say"  
"He stabbed Pidge!"  
"You don't know that"  
"You said it yourself! You said he had Pidge's blood on his hands!"  
Ignoring what was going on, Krolia walked over to them  
"Here, he's been crying for you"  
"Laneith!"  
Eagerly taking his son into his arms, his chest ached. He'd expressed out of necessity, but the last time he'd done so was early that morning  
"Don't give him Laneith! He might hurt him"  
Hunk's words felt like a slap. His head jerked visibly as he tore his gaze from his son  
"Lance isn't going to hurt Laneith, and didn't stab Pidge to hurt her"  
"Then why did he stab her! What did she ever do to deserve you betraying her!"  
"Hunk, it's not like that. I didn't want to stab Pidge"  
"Then what? You had an episode, so it's magically ok!?"  
His best friend did not just go there and beside him Keith growled in warning  
"Keith, it's ok. Hunk, you want to know why I stabbed Pidge? The black goop was trapped under her skin, and couldn't get out. I only did it to get it out, and I put her straight back in the pod once it was gone. That's it. And if you think I would stab her for any other reason, then I don't know you at all"  
His voice was several degrees colder than he intended, but it had the desired effect. His friend closed his mouth as he drew his brow   
"Most of it came out of her mouth, but she didn't start responding until the rest came out of her stomach. It was the same with Kelance, he started screaming the moment it was all out of him, and do you want to know what happened to your precious quintessence, I absorbed it. It's inside of me, so go ahead and run your sword through me if you want it back that badly. That container you supplied was never going to be enough. It filled this room so much I thought the lights were off. So yes, I'm sorry I stabbed Pidge, but no, I'm not sorry the quintessence no longer exists"  
Shooting the group his best glare, Lance then looked down to Laneith. He'd missed his son so much, and now all he needed was Kelance to wake up  
"Lance, Hunk didn't mean it. We're all just confused over what happened here"  
"Don't you get it? The whole castle was infected. When I started firing at it, it got mad and tried attacking me back. That's when I called Keith, he and Shiro showed up just after I got my hands back on the quintessence"

Allura was the first to move, walking over to him and placing her hand on his shoulder   
"Lance, you touched pure quintessence. How do you feel?"  
"I'm fine. I touched the black stuff too, but it doesn't seem to have affected me"  
"We should do a scan, just in case. Even though it was a small amount, it's still a huge strain on the body"  
"Allura, I am fine. I feel fine. The only thing that seems to be different is that my marks haven't faded. Right now, I'm going to feed my son and wait for my other son to wake up, while you all go away"  
"Lance..."  
"No! You all thought I hurt Pidge intentionally... I mean yes, I did, but you thought I did it for a bad reason. Do you know how much that hurts? I don't want to see any of you"  
"We didn't mean..."  
"Allura, maybe it's best you guys head up to the bridge or something. I don't know if there's camera footage of what happened, but Lotor's giving us both filthy looks and I don't think he believes that the quintessence was absorbed into Lance, despite the fact both Shiro and myself saw it"  
Stupid Keith. Couldn't he just be on his side, like right now, when he needed it  
"Alright, if you think that's best"  
"I do. You might be our friend and family, but you're not the one who has to soothe the angry omega"  
"Ha. Ha. You can go with them"  
"Lance"  
"Nope. My good mood is completely ruined, and I don't want anyone around me now"  
"I was joking"  
"Then get a better joke than me"  
"Ok, I'm sorry. Can I please stay with you until our son wakes up?"  
Dammit. He was trying to stay mad here  
"Fine, but everyone else goes. Matt included. Kelance wasn't as badly infected as Pidge was, so he shouldn't be in the pod for that much longer.

Taking him by the arm, Keith guided him over to the central platform. The pair of them both having to rely on each other as they sat and the small growl Keith let out made him feel a little guilty. He hadn't held back, though given it was Keith's first time, he probably should have. No one dared say anything as they left, instead, he was just left with a bunch of angry scents  
"Baby, they're gone"  
"I shouldn't have gotten mad, but I would never intentionally hurt Pidge. I wanted to save her. I was so scared when she didn't come too immediately"  
Quiznak. His hands were shaking again, and he couldn't undo his maternity bra  
"Keith..."  
"I've got it"  
Gently undoing the small hook near the strap, his breast fell free  
"Thanks... I'm just..."  
"I know. I'm not impressed either"  
Rearranging Laneith, he moved his son so he could latch to feed. The relief instant as his milk began to flow  
"I've missed you baby boy. I know you miss your brother, but he's going to be just fine now"  
Wrapping his arms around him, Keith nuzzled into his arm  
"Keith, are you ok? I mean, does it hurt?"  
"It's alright. I just feel like holding you"  
"I'm usually the clingy one"  
"I don't mind, but if you want me to let go..."  
"No, it's nice. I've got two of my three loves with me"  
"So you don't love Red?"  
"You know what I mean. I missed you both so much. I wanted to take Kelance from the pod and just run to you"  
"This might be kind of weird, but I watched you. Both my alpha and I couldn't settle without knowing how you were"  
"That's sweet, but kind of stalkerish"  
"So you wouldn't do the same?"  
"No. I definitely would, but I wouldn't tell you about it"  
Lifting his arm, Keith took the hint and snuggled in closer so he could wrap his arm around his alpha completely, rubbing Keith's side as he did. Clingy Keith was rare but incredibly adorable, and it was kind of hard to believe he'd been buried inside his mate not that long ago... though the lingering pain could explain why Keith was seeking physical comfort from him.

It was only half a varga later that Kelance's pod opened, and Lance scrambled to his feet. Keith had been dozing against while holding Laneith, so his sudden movement left both his husband and his son confused  
"Lance?"  
"Kelance is awake"  
Not looking back, Lance jogged over to the pod and scooped up his crying son  
"I know baby boy. I know. All the bad stuff is gone and now mummy is going to feed you"  
Smiling down at Kelance, he hushed him softly as he bounced him  
"How is he?"  
"Hungry and probably really confused"  
"Oh? So he's like the rest of us"  
"Pretty much. Doesn't that make you feel better, yes, tell mummy all about it"  
Lowering himself back down next to Kelance, Keith automatically slid his hand down his shirt and undid his bra for him  
"You're getting good at that"  
Keith nodded, his alpha grabbing his shirt from the inside and pulling it up so he could freely move Kelance to his best. Unlike his brother, it took Kelance a couple of attempts before he tried to inhale Lance's nipple. Hissing slightly, Lance shook his head  
"You do know I'm attached to that nipple"  
"I don't think he cares"  
"Nope. He just loves me for my milk. Yes, you're going to grow up big and strong, just like your daddy"  
"And your mummy"  
"I think I'd rather they be like you"  
"Nah. They're fine, no matter who they take after"  
"Even if they turn out like Zarkon?"  
"No. Maybe not Zarkon, but you know what I mean"  
"I do, now come back here. I've got my three loves again"  
"And I have mine. I should warn you, I might just fall asleep like this"  
"If anyone should be tired, it's me"  
"Babe, you completely wrecked my arse after giving blowing me. My body is so boneless, I don't think I can even stay upright"  
"I will drop kick you if you drop our son"  
"I know"  
"Besides, not only was I stuck running around in circles trying to shoot the goop away from the quintessence, it then decided to sink into me. And before you ask, I don't know how I did it, I just had this feeling I should pour it in my hand"  
"You and your feelings again"  
"I know right"  
Keith kissed his chest as he let out a soft sigh, the conversation falling silent as Kelance continued to feed.


	75. Chapter 75

"We're going to Honerva's base"

For Lance, it was way too early in the morning for this. Keith had clung to him all night, and then Pidge had popped by first thing in the morning to let him know she was awake and to thank him for getting the black goop out of her. At least she understood. Hunk understood on an intellectual level, but his friend was still learning when it came to understanding on an emotional level, so things were still a little awkward. But the highlight of his craptastic morning was at breakfast when he'd accidentally caught Shiro's eye, and remembered that Shiro had kissed him. He'd totally forgotten he'd cheated on Keith, and then he'd... now he was trying to avoid his still slightly clingy husband, and almost everyone else on the team, expect for Pidge  
"Lance, are you listening"  
Jumping at Allura's commanding tone, Lance quickly pretended he was busy with Kelance and Laneith, both pups in his lap as he sat in his seat in the bridge  
"Sorry, baby stuff. You said we were going out to kick Honerva's arse?"  
Allura sighed at him, crossing her arms as she did   
"I said we were heading out there to do some long-distance reconnaissance, and Lotor will be coming with us"  
"Can't we just go back to Olkarion? Let Pidge and Kelance both recover, and then go kick her arse?"  
"Pidge has recovered, and her scans came back completely clean. How about your scans?"  
"I... we haven't quite gotten there yet. Was kind of busy looking after two babies"  
"That's exactly my point. We still don't know how the quintessence has affected you, and you could be carrying that black goop inside of you"  
"Allura, you worry too much. You're going to get wrinkles if you keep this up"  
"I'm not getting wrinkles!"  
"I didn't say you were, I said, "you're going to". I feel perfectly fine"  
"Then why haven't your marks faded?"  
"Because I can't control them? I don't know, but it's not like it hurts"  
"If you're not going to take yourself, Keith or Shiro will have to take you"  
"I don't need a babysitter"  
"Then go get the scan"  
"Fine! God. What are you, my mum?"  
Mumbling down at the twins, he really didn't want either alpha taking him  
"What was that?"  
"I said Coran can do the scan so can we please just move on from talking about me?"  
"Excellent. Now that's sorted, we can discuss what to do about Honerva"  
Stepping forward Shiro cleared his throat, causing Lance to wonder if he'd be a terrible mother for pinching either one of his sons and making him cry, that way he wouldn't have to put with what Shiro was doing to his heart   
"This mission is primarily recon. Ideally we would like to capture Honerva, and ask what she knows, but from Krolia and Keith's report on the matter, that doesn't seem currently possible. So I repeat, this a recon mission. We will be observing and not engaging with Honerva"  
What a crappy plan. Honestly. Honerva wasn't going to just let them spy on her, and Shiro was stupid if he thought the woman would just let them  
"What if she attacks?"  
"Lance, the aim of the mission is to not be detected"  
"I know that. I'm just asking what happens if she does? She was down in that rift long enough to harvest all the quintessence she needed, and she seems to now be collecting that black goop. If she can do all that, I'm sure she can find a ship as big as the castle, or one of the Lions"  
"We'll be using greens cloaking abilities, and Pidge will be gathering planet readings in real time. Those will be sent directly back to the castle for analysis by Hunk and Matt"  
"You still haven't said what happens if she attacks. We can't just send Pidge out there alone. No offence Pidge, I just don't want you getting hurt again"  
"I'm not going to get hurt"  
"If she does attack, Lotor will contact her directly"  
"Does she still think you're the clone?"  
Lotor smiled   
"Indeed. She does not know both Shiro and I were retrieved from the rift, and believes me loyal to her"  
Lance severely doubted that was the case  
"And what will you do?"  
"Lotor will use his own ship to "pursue" Pidge, and push her from Honerva's territory"  
"But how? It's not like she's expecting you to be out here"  
"I will simply tell her we tracked you to this quadrant of space, and due to the fact you think us still in an alliance, I was able to convince you to leave"  
"This isn't going to work"  
"Lance!"  
"Well, it's not! Honerva is smarter than all of this. She probably already knows you're not the clone because you've been too nice about us reclaiming planets that Galra tried to retake. No. I won't let you put everyone in danger over this"  
"Lance, this is a solid plan"  
"No, it's not"  
"So leaving you alone with both pure quintessence and the black entity was?"  
"Yes, because there was a risk I was infected from sleeping next to my son! I was the best choice for that mission"  
"Yet you still called for help"  
"Because the whole castle was infected! That cube never would have contained it all. Find another way. Find a better way, because right now all I'm hearing is you underestimating Honerva, and the last time we did that, Shiro came back as some kind of time bomb. Quiznak this. I'll be in the medical bay"  
Struggling up with both his pups, Lance strode from the bridge. He might not come up with the best plans, but this one was scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Reaching the medical room, Lance crossed over to the closest bed and set the pups down. He was definitely a professional at carrying them both on his shoulders, and loved the fact he was confident enough to. He just wished he was confident enough to work the scanner on his own when it came to them. Kissing both their foreheads, he rolled his eyes as he span around thanks to the door opening behind him. Instead of Keith, Allura or Shiro, the top three he was avoiding, it was Pidge and Coran   
"Shouldn't you guys be in the meeting? For that plan that's not going to work"  
"I thought you might need a hand"  
Taken back by Pidge's words, Lance blinked before nodding   
"Actually, that would be great. We'll have to scan them one at a time, so if you could hold the pup not being scanned, it'll make it so much easier to hold the one that is, if that makes any sense"  
"I get it. Hey, can we talk?"  
"Aren't we doing that right now?"  
"I just want to ask about what happened? I mean. Hunk filled me in, but he's pretty upset because you two had a fight"  
Walking over to him, Pidge lifted Laneith into her hold, before looking back to him  
"It doesn't matter now. He was just upset because you were hurt. He loves you a lot, Pidge"  
"Oh young love, it's so sweet to have two such couples on board. It reminds me of my younger days..."  
Both Lance and Pidge rolled their eyes  
"Coran, can you please do the scans?"  
"Even better, I can do both the scans and tell you about my first crush. Did I ever tell you about her? She was from the planet Uluu, her hair was fierce red, and her skin the softest green you've ever seen..."  
Letting Coran waffle on in the background, Lance pulled Kelance's shirt up to expose his belly  
"He's so chubby"  
"I know. I love it though"  
"I can see why. Anyway, can you please tell me what happened?"  
"Do you remember what happened in the pod room?"  
"No, something happened?"  
"Hunk told you what the plan was right? How we were using the pure quintessence to lure the goop out of both of you?"  
"Yeah, what about it?"  
"Well, when I opened the box, the goop began to leave you, but some of it was stuck in your stomach. When it all left Kelance, he began screaming, but you, you were so silent, your mouth was open, but the goop stopped coming out your mouth and you were completely unresponsive"  
Hushing Kelance as he started to cry, Lance paused until Coran hummed  
"Coran, humming isn't talking. Is he alright or not?"  
"I see no traces of lingering infection"  
"Then why were you humming?"  
"Because he's just so small"  
Coran sounded like some kind of fan girl as he span around. His eyes sparkling ridiculously  
"If you want to hold him, you can. Just tell me there's nothing wrong with him first"  
"He's as fit as an Uluu dar'juk"  
"Pidge, do you have any idea what that means?"  
"No, but I think it means he's healthy. Here, I'll take him while you hold Laneith in place"  
Trading pups, Laneith started crying before the scan even started. It was a few short moments before he too was given the all clear and Lance and Pidge could finally resume their conversation, with Laneith now in Coran's hold so Lance could lie still for his own scan  
"Lance, you said I was unresponsive"  
"Yeah, like nothing was happening and when I put my hand on you, it was like I just knew you were still infected. I... I had to cut you open to drain it out, and it was so scary because you started screaming. I never wanted to hurt you Pidge, I just wanted to get that stuff out of you so you'd be alright"  
Sniffling slightly, he did feel better having confessed to Pidge   
"Are you mad?"  
"No, I mean, I would totally stab you too, to you know, get that infection out"  
"I hope so. I was so worried about you, and about Kelance. I just wanted all my family to be alright"  
"I'm fine. I understand that you did what you had to, and Hunk does too. Now we just need for you two to make up"  
"Pidge, I've never seen him that mad. I've know Hunk for deca-phoebes... and I have never seen him like that. Ever. He really loves you"  
"I know he does. Thanks for saving me Lance"  
"Any time... and Coran, why are you crying?"  
"Because it's so nice to see you getting along"  
"You're supposed to be scanning me"  
"I did! I can't find any traces of the black goop, nor of the quintessence"  
"What? Like none at all?"  
"No. All your readings are completely normal"  
"Then why haven't my marks faded?"  
"I couldn't say. Perhaps because of your stress levels?"  
"Coran, I have two babies. I'm always stressed, if I didn't have the whole team to help, I wouldn't stand a chance"  
"Uncle Coran is always happy to help"  
Lance wasn't completely sure what to say back, Coran did help. He babysat, even when he shouldn't have to   
"So now that's done, we should probably head back to the bridge and you can tell me why you're avoiding Shiro again"  
"I'm not avoiding Shiro"  
"He tried to talk to you at breakfast twice this morning"  
"He did? I didn't get all that much sleep with three kids to look after"  
Pidge's eyes went straight to his stomach  
"No. No. No. Nope. No, I meant the twins and Keith. Trust me, we aren't having any more kids, not for a very long time"  
"You say that now"  
Raising his right hand, Lance tapped his Olkarion ring   
"Since Krolia returned it, it hasn't come off, and it's not coming off"  
"Until you forget"  
"Pidge, stop teasing me. I won't let you fix my communicator if you keep going"  
"What's going on with your communicator?"  
"It got wet and it didn't like it. Kelance came down with fever, so I climbed into the shower fully dressed, trying to lower it"  
"It should be fine, but I'll take a look at it for you"  
"If you could not tell the others, that would be great. I'm ok enough trouble over absorbing all the quintessence as it is"  
"It's a shame it's not still in your body. It would have been fun to find out what kind of things you can use it for"  
"Weapons of mass destruction come to mind"  
"Other than that"  
Climbing off the table, Lance straightened himself out, before looking to Coran, then to Pidge and back to Coran, wondering which one was more likely to return one of his son's   
"Lance?"  
"I just don't know what to do when I'm not holding them"  
"You'll be fine. Besides, I think he likes me"  
"Of course he does"  
"Hmm. Lance, do you think you could let me work in peace?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"When I'm trying to work, you usually hound me with questions"  
Because that right there didn't hurt. He only asked because he cared   
"I want to spend more time with the pups, but we need to fix your communicator"  
"Oh, sure. I've already got it on. Coran, are you going to come with us?"  
"I do not think Allura will be requiring my assistance"  
"That's a yes. Let's head down to my workshop"  
"Your quarters?"  
"Quarters, workshop, same difference"

It had been so long since Lance had been in Pidge's room that he could barely remember how to get there, but once he was, he was greeted by Muffin. The tiny kitten that had loved to sleep on his stomach, was now the size of a small dog and a rumbling purr that matched his own. Sitting down with Laneith in lap, Muffin immediately tried to headbutt his son, wiping her cat drool across his forehead as she did  
"Six, get down"  
"You still call her Six?"  
"What else would I call her?"  
"Muffin was a great name"  
"You're still on about that?"  
"I'm just saying. Cats are basically demonic muffins with claws. That's what makes them so adorable"  
"I don't think I will ever really understand boys. Now, give me your communicator"  
"Pidge, you don't need to upgrade, I just need it to work and not to answer calls whenever it feels like it. Unless it's Krolia or Keith"  
"What about me?"  
"I doubt you're going to be stuck on the castle babysitting or participating in a mission for the Blades"  
"Fair point. I'm still going to upgrade it"  
"Coran, please... you know what, I can see you're just as excited, I'm just going to sit over here with Muffin and keep my mouth shut"  
"I'll believe it when I see it"  
Going to open his mouth, he nearly swallowed the bait as Pidge tried not to laugh   
"That's what I thought, arm"  
Holding his arm out, Pidge took his communicator off, wrinkling her nose as she did  
"It's still wet, you could have warned me"  
"Pidge, my communicator is still wet"  
"You're not funny"  
Glaring at him, Lance grinned back  
"Come on Pidge, you know you love me"  
"Sometimes I have to wonder why"  
"My charm and dashing good looks?"  
"I'm not going there. I'll leave that to Keith and Shiro"  
"Pidge!"  
"Just tell me what happened?! I ended up in a pod and missed all the excitement"  
"Now you know how I feel"  
"Lance..."  
"Nope. There's nothing to talk about. I've just been thinking about Keith. I really missed him"  
Pidge hummed, not believing him in the slightest, but finally dropped the subject the moment her screwdriver touched his communicator.

Watching Muffing "playing" with Laneith, he couldn't tell who was more curious. Laneith's tiny fingers grabbed at the cats thick fur, and each time he did, Muffin would smack it away before looking to Lance as if to ask "Are humans supposed to be this small? Or is there something wrong with it?". The highlight of their interaction was when Kelance began to cry, and Muffin jumped, before bopping Laneith on his nose like it was an off button. Coran didn't seem phased in the slightest as he rocked Kelance and hushed him  
"Coran, he's hungry... unless you can suddenly feed him, you should probably pass him over"  
"How do you know the difference?"  
"I don't know, I just do. Plus, they've been getting more vocal lately"  
"They've been pretty vocal since day one"  
"That's not what I mean, they like coo and stuff now"  
Passing Kelance down to him, Coran crossed his arms like he didn't know what to do without the pup in his hold  
"Why don't you hold Laneith? I'll probably have to feed him next. Won't I baby boy"  
Muffin didn't like the tiny human being taken away from her, even if she didn't seem to like him that much. Stretching up, she swatted at Coran's hand  
"Pidge, what is Six doing?"  
"She's just curious"  
"Yeah, what Lance said. I don't think she's going to hurt the pups"  
"Alright then. The twins are getting big"  
Ignoring Coran for the moment, Lance arranged Kelance against his breast   
"Yeah, they say between 4 and 6 months they double in size. I guess they can't stay tiny and adorable forever"  
"I wish they could..."  
"Can you imagine what they're going to be like when they're up and running"  
Lance groaned  
"I'm screwed. I can barely keep up with them now. What am I going to do when they both take off in opposite directions"  
"Pick the one you like better?"  
"That's not funny Pidge"  
"I thought it was, now will you two go back to being quiet? I'm trying to concentrate"

"Concentrate on what?"  
Stepping into Pidge's room, his friend's eyes flicked to him and a small sad frown tugged on Hunk's lips  
"We were just offering Lance some parenting advice. I thought you were spending the morning with Matt?"  
"He and Shiro are talking about the mission, and I kind of missed you"  
Blushing lightly, Hunk scratched the back of his head   
"I missed you too. I'm just fixing Lance's communicator, but that shouldn't take too much longer"  
"Oh. I'll just um... I'll be in the kitchen"  
"You don't have to leave..."  
"No..."  
"Hunk, just sit down already. Pidge wants you here and I'll be gone as soon as she's gone"  
Turning towards them both, Pidge looked somewhat dangerous as she waved her screwdriver around  
"You two are best friends, yes Lance stabbed me, but it was for a good reason. I would have stabbed him too. Now Hunk, please make up with Lance. You're miserable without him"  
Hunk spluttered and stammered, before not being able to get anything out at all, leaving it to Lance to offer the olive branch  
"Hunk, there's plenty... maybe not plenty, but there's enough space on Pidge's bed"  
"Are you sure?"  
Lance rolled his eyes as he jerked his head towards the space Muffin was occupying  
"Just sit already"

Sneaking glances at Hunk as he fed Kelance, his friend was definitely nervous. His coconut and lime scent was soured by what seemed to be aniseed, while he pressed his two pointer fingers together hard enough that his hands were trembling. Quiznak. He was the cause of Hunk's current anxiety, and he knew his friend probably wanted to apologise for his behaviour, but as Lance watched him, he didn't know if he was ready for Hunk to apologise. His friend had hurt him... like, really hurt him. He'd always, always, thought Hunk would be right there and on his side, even when he'd done something stupid and needed to be scolded, it always turned out just fine in the end, but yesterday had been too raw. The all might have been mad at him, but it was his hands on the blade as he'd stabbed into Pidge and her blood that had covered his hands and uniform. Swallowing down anything he might have let slip from his big mouth, he forced himself to stop looking  
"Lance, can you rein your scent in?"  
"Huh?"  
"Your scent. I'm trying to work here and the scent you're letting out is making my alpha want to hug you and tell you everything's alright"  
"Oh, I didn't realise. You can hug me if you really want"  
"I think I'd rather hug your communicator"  
"That's because you're seriously addicted to technology"  
"Excuse me, Altean technology is absolutely incredible and there's just so much to learn. I could spend my whole life time trying to figure it out, but never get there"  
"Or you could just finish with my communicator"  
"You never appreciate the artist, only the art"  
"I have no idea what you mean, but I appreciate this..."  
Pidge mumbled something about men, before starting to reassemble his communicator   
"Are you done already?"  
"The physical side is"  
"Pidge, you are a god. I'm in awe of your work"  
"So you should be, I still need to upload the new software, but that's going to take a few vargas"  
Vargas... he didn't want to be trapped in this room for vargas. He actually wanted to go train, but didn't want to run into Keith or Shiro... or even worse, both of them together   
"Vargas?"  
"You can't rush perfection"  
"Now you tell me. I think I might head up to the training room. Coran, can you carry Laneith for me?"  
"You don't have to go"  
"It's fine. I feel like working out, and it's not like I won't see you at lunch"  
"Your communicator should be done by then"  
"Thanks, Pidge"

 

*  
After running himself exhausted practicing his hand to hand combat, Lance just wanted to join his pups on the training room floor for a nap. It was definitely one of those days where time seemed to be running on half speed, as if to draw out every awkward encounter he'd experienced, and the way he saw it, he was now avoiding three alpha's, and possibly Coran, thanks to Pidge prying into why he was avoiding Shiro. If Coran asked Allura about it all, all Allura had to do was ask her mice and he'd be screwed. The mice definitely saw and knew way too much for his own good, and once they told Allura, Allura wouldn't be able to keep from lecturing him about how he was with Keith and how wonderful Keith was. Something he already knew and didn't need reminding about... after all, his mate had stayed with him through absolutely every quiznakkingly awful thing he'd experienced and definitely didn't need to know he'd cheated on him again with Shiro, despite the fact Shiro had been the one to kiss him. Groaning, Lance dropped to the floor beside his pups  
"You guys have no idea how lucky you are! I didn't even really do anything wrong, and here I'm worrying about what your daddy is going to say and do. We've only just found a way for all of us to get along again, and if I open my mouth and tell him, he's going to get so mad and I don't want things getting all weird again. I'm glad you two are alpha's, you have no idea what it's like being the only omega out here... I'm not saying that I won't love you just as much if you are, but I want a better life for you both than what I had and being an alpha is your best chance at that, and now mummy is rambling because he's just a hot mess of I don't know what"  
Leaning in, he kissed both boys on the forehead, before flopping back and letting out a sigh. Whoever thought that people needed those tiny internal voices was a dick.

"Lance, you're late for lunch"  
Rolling over to look at the door, Keith was staring down at him, his mate's brow drawn as if confused  
"Is it that late already? I got caught up watching the boys"  
"I didn't know you were in here, I would have joined you if I had"  
"It's fine. Pidge was fixing my communicator, so I thought I might practice some hand to hand... but then these little guys wanted some love"  
Padding over to him, Keith squatted down. His mate reaching out to glide his fingers lightly across Lance's cheek  
"Keith, are you ok?"  
"Yeah... I just... feel like you might be ignoring me after yesterday"  
"What? No. I'm just... trying to organise my thoughts"  
Praying Keith didn't see through his white lie, his alpha nodded slowly  
"That's alright then. I thought maybe you felt like I forced you yesterday"  
"Keith, no. You never forced me, I... I really liked um... touching you like that. Unless you regret it"  
"I don't regret it. Here, let's get you up"  
"I'm ok, just take one of the boys"  
Keith looked momentarily hurt, making Lance feel even worse about cheating on him  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to... I just. My heads a bit of a mess and but I'm ok"  
"You have nothing to be sorry for baby, do you want me to give you some space?"  
Why did Keith have to be so perfect!? Feeling tears forming in his eyes, Lance scrambled up, picking up Laneith as he did  
"Let's just go to lunch"

Keith didn't try to talk to him as they walked up to the dining room, instead, his mate just hovered by his side, occasionally brushing his hand against Lance's, though Lance didn't dare take it. He needed to talk to Shiro properly, and find out just why he'd kissed him. Then he'd be able to figure out how to go about everything... but the thought of that had him wanting to run for the hills. Walking into the dining room, everyone else was waiting for him, all staring in his direction as the door opened  
"Lance, you're late"  
"Sorry. I was with the boys, and didn't have my communicator"  
"Why not?"  
Shiro didn't sound impressed   
"Because I had it. Lance, it works perfectly now"  
"Awesome, thanks for that Pidge"  
"What happened to it?"  
"Water damage, though they are supposed to be waterproof"  
"Water damage from what?"  
Why was Shiro hounding him with questions? His tiny bit of resolve to talk to the alpha was fast vanishing   
"Shiro, perhaps we should start lunch? The important thing is that it is now working again"  
Following Keith, Lance darted around him just before he could sit, stealing the end seat of the table, so he wouldn't have to sit beside Hunk. Ignoring his stunt, Keith sank down between the pair of them  
"So Lance, how did your scan go?"  
"Fine"  
"Just fine"  
"Shiro, let him eat. His scan was fine, so were the pups. There's nothing wrong with him or them. You get so cranky when you're hungry"  
"I'm just making sure there's nothing to worry about"  
"Lance is fine. I'm fine. Now, can we please eat!"  
Pidge scolding Shiro never got old, and the amused look on Allura's face perked his spirits up. Allura was so beautiful, especially when she smiled. Falling into conversation around him, Lance served himself a plate of salad before slowly beginning to pick at it. He should have been ravenous from training, but really wasn't  
"Baby, you ok?"  
"Yeah, just thinking"  
"Do you want anything else to eat?"  
"No, I'm good for now"  
"Lance, you should really eat more, we have training after this"  
"I thought you guys would be reworking this plan of yours"  
"We decided to continue without change"  
"It's a bad plan"  
"Which you've repeatedly said"  
"I do believe Pidge once agreed that if I think it's a bad plan, it's a bad plan"  
"Don't drag me into this"  
"I'm just saying"  
"We won't know if it's a bad plan or not until it's actually implemented. If we're done eating, it's time to train"  
Cursing Shiro under his breath, Lance looked down to Laneith, brushing aside a small piece of space lettuce off his son's beanie   
"I need to change the twins first, I'll meet you guys down there"  
"Do you want some help?"  
"No, I've got this... though I might totally flake and take a nap"  
"Lance, I expect you to be at training"  
"Relax, I'm just joking. Keith, let me take Kelance"  
"It's a long walk down to the nursery"  
"That's why I'm taking them to the medical bay, it's closer than the nursery"  
"Actually, I'll come with you..."  
Smiling, Allura rose to her feet. Could this day get any worse? Now Allura was going to have a go at him, and he didn't feel like he could say no  
"We could all walk together..."  
Pidge! Noooooo...  
"I'm fine in on my own"  
"It's no trouble. It'll help settle our stomachs before training"  
"Or, and here's a radical thought, you could all just stop interfering and give me some space!"  
Leaving Kelance in Keith's hold, Lance stormed from the dining room, knowing he was making things probably a million times worse for himself.

After changing Laneith, Lance lifted his son into his arms, kissing his cheek as he nuzzled against it. He loved his pups so much that it was kind of crazy. Tracing the bow of Laneith's pink lips, his son parting them as he cooed  
"Are you hungry again? I swear, you and your brother eat more than all of us combined. Mummy doesn't mind though, because when you're feeding, you're not crying"  
Settling against the bed, he stripped off his jacket and shirt, before unclipping his bra and offering Laneith his nipple. Instead of feeding, his son squashed the nub with his palm before starting to cry  
"Laneith, didn't we just have this conversation? Beside, these are mummy's nipples, and you have your own. Yes you do... they're tiny and pink and adorable, just like you. Oh, mummy loves you so much, you're going to grow up and be so handsome, just like your daddy"  
Laneith just continued to cry, refusing to take his nipple. Placing his pup back down on the bed, he went about pulling his shirt back on  
"I think you just want to see mummy with his shirt off..."

"Are you alright, just talking to yourself like that?"  
Quiznak. Shiro. Forcing himself to keep an even tone, he lifted Laneith again   
"I was talking to Laneith"  
"He's a pup, he can't reply"  
"He understands and that's enough. Why aren't you training?"  
"You forgot your communicator, and I was hoping we could talk"  
Alone with Shiro sounded dangerous. He did not want to be kissed again  
"Shiro, there's nothing to talk about"  
"You've been ignoring me all day, and I wanted to apologise"  
"For what?"  
"For kissing you yesterday. I know I upset you, and I'm sorry"  
"Then why did you do it? Keith is my husband's and I cheated on him!"  
"You didn't cheat on him. I kissed you, you didn't kiss me back"  
"It still feels like I cheated on him. He's the best husband I could ask for, and he's been worried about me all day. Why did you kiss me Shiro? I don't understand"  
"I just. I care about you a lot, and wanted you to know you aren't alone"  
"You could have just told me"  
"I suppose. Look, you don't have to feel bad. You didn't cheat on Keith"  
"You're not the one who's bonded to him"  
"Lance, since I came back, I've been trying to meet you half way. I have the memories of what I did to you, but not of what the other me did. Please don't hold that against me"  
"I'm not. I'm trying to make this work for the sake of the team. They missed you, they all missed you. Keith included, even if it doesn't seem that way, he did. But you have to understand, he's protective of me because we went through so much together to get to where we are"  
"I've always cared about you, even if it didn't show..."  
This sounded dangerously close to a confession and he wasn't having it. Leaving his jacket on the bed, Lance took the two steps forward to close the distance between them, and then... leant in and pressed a small soft kiss to Shiro's lips  
"I'm sorry Shiro, but I can't ever love you or see you as anything more than a friend. Keith is everything I could ever want or need, and he makes me happy. Our sons make me happy... even when I feel like I don't deserve to be loved or to be happy, he... he just gets it"  
Catching movement behind Shiro, the medical bay door slid closed. Lance's stomach dropped at the realisation that someone had just seen him kiss Shiro without knowing the reason behind it. Pushing past Shiro, he slammed his hand down on the door panel, copping a lung full of Keith's hurt scent as he did  
"Lance?"  
"Keith... Keith was here. I have to go find him"

 

*  
Running through the castle, Keith had no idea what he'd just witnessed. Having headed to the training room with everyone else, he hadn't noticed that Shiro was missing until Matt had pointed it out, so he'd left Kelance with his mother and back tracked to the medical bay. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. His mate willingly leaning in and kissing Shiro like it was nothing. Was this why Lance had been so distant all day? Because he and Shiro... how had he missed it? And why? Why Shiro? Shiro hurt Lance and he... he got his mate pregnant... was that it? Because they weren't trying for another child soon, Lance had gone to Shiro?

Reaching their quarters, Keith's alpha was roaring at him to go back and beat the ever living quiznak out of both Lance and Shiro... but he couldn't do that, so instead he first picked up a photo of him and Lance, and tore it in two. From there, he went about destroying their room in a way that made Lance's previous tantrums look minor. Sinking to squat in the middle of the room, he grabbed his hair as he howled. How had it all gone so wrong?

When Lance didn't return within the varga, Keith's anger turned to emptiness, and he went about straightening up the room like nothing had happened there. He wasn't with Lance to shackle him down, or tell him he couldn't be himself... he was with him because he loved him... and if Lance loved Shiro... he'd have to keep his mouth shut until his mate finally told him as much. But fuck. It hurt.

"Keith? Can we talk?"  
Having buried himself under the pile of blankets on their bed, Keith had hoped Lance wouldn't notice he was there. His eyes hurt from how hard he'd cried, and he didn't want Lance seeing him like this  
"Keith?"  
The side of the bed dipped, and the blankets covering his face were pulled back. Lance's face softened when he saw him, his omega letting out a soft sigh before sliding in next to him  
"Can we talk?"  
"What's there to talk about?"  
"About what happened in the medical bay, I know you saw"  
"You mean "I know you saw me kissing Shiro?""  
"Yeah. We need to talk about what happened"  
"Why? So you can tell me how you love Shiro? Were you thinking about him while you were fucking me?"  
"What?! No. Keith, it's not like that at all"  
"Then what is it like?"  
"Shiro... Shiro kissed me yesterday and I didn't understand why. Today, he wanted to talk about it... he was going to confess, but I stopped him before he could. That kiss was a goodbye kiss! I told him I'm sorry, but I can't return those feelings. That's it. That's all it was. I promise"  
"You didn't have to kiss him"  
"I know. I just... I wanted him to understand that there was nothing ever going to happen between the pair of us, and I wanted to let him down easy so it wouldn't impact the team"  
"Right"  
Rolling away from Lance, he didn't even want to look at him. It was so totally something Lance would do, kissing Shiro so as not to hurt him  
"Keith! Didn't you hear any of our conversations?! I was trying to tell him how much I loved you and only you. I didn't mean for it to end up like this"  
"Do you have any idea how much it hurt?"  
"No. I don't. I only know that I've been thinking all day of how to deal with it, so no one misunderstood, but I messed that up. You are literally the last person in existence I want to hurt"  
Rolling back, Keith bit his lip. Lance's hands were shaking, and his mates eyes filled with unshed tears  
"You did. You did hurt me. Lance, I can't have you kissing Shiro and you thinking it's ok. You cheated on me with him"  
"It was a goodbye kiss! I'm sorry!"  
Wailing, Lance made to crawl from their bed, but before he did, Keith looped an arm around his waist and yanked him back  
"I'm so mad at you"  
"I'm mad at me too"  
"You left me for vargas to think you didn't love me"  
"Laneith wouldn't stop screaming and I wanted to talk to you alone"  
"Don't even kiss Shiro again. You are not to go near him. You are not to touch him or be alone with him. I don't want him sitting near you or holding the pups"  
"Keith"  
"Lance! He loves you!"  
"He never got the words out, I might have been too hasty. I just wanted him to know it wasn't an option"  
"Whatever. Just. I'll deal with this"  
"How?"  
"I don't know, but I will"  
"Please don't cause a scene. I don't want things to go wrong, not when we have an already awful mission to complete"  
"You really don't think this is going to work, do you?"  
"I think everyone's underestimating Haggar"  
"What would you do?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"What would you do then?"  
"Well, Haggar is going to see us coming from a mile away and I wouldn't be surprised if she's found some way past our cloaking. I think, if we really need that intelligence, it would be better to infiltrate the facility covertly. Like you do with the blade missions. If you can get in, and find a way to stay hidden, you'll be able to plant listening devices, or maybe even a camera, or a sentry... a decoy of some sort in case something goes wrong and we need an out. Haggar is insanely powerful, and she feeds on the life force of living things to raise her own power... which makes fighting her head on practically impossible. The best solution to the whole thing would be to just kill her... but I want to find another way, because I'm so sick of people getting hurt and dying... sorry, I'm babbling. I just really don't agree with this whole "Lotor chases Pidge away thing". It makes no sense when Lotor would have had plenty of chances to drive us away before we got too close... and I don't want anyone getting hurt. Keith, can't we maybe just turn back? Not run away, but regroup and come up with a better plan?"  
"We're already on our way out there, the others won't listen now"  
"Then make them listen. You all got sick from the quintessence, and I seem to be the only ok... I don't know... maybe I'm just selfish"  
"You're selfish, but that's ok"  
"Geez. Thanks"  
"You just don't want us getting hurt, but it our job"  
"Our job sucks. I mean. I love helping people, but this bit sucks"  
"I know. Quiznak... I left Kelance with mum"  
"I'm sure he's alright with her. She'll come get us if he isn't"  
"That's beside the point"  
"Keith, it's fine. Let's just lay down for a bit... I want to hold you"  
"I'm still mad"  
"I know. But you're the one who called me selfish and I selfishly want to hold the only person I could ever love"  
"Off you go then"  
His own bad joke backfired when his heart skipped a beat in pain  
"Keith, that's not funny"  
"I know. God. I feel like an idiot"  
"I feel stupid too... we've been all over the place lately. One minute we're yelling at each other, the next we're having sex, and telling each other how much we love each other. I think you're allowed to be confused, because I am too"  
"Yeah... it's just... I want to keep hating Shiro for what he did, but he was my best friend and then he does something and..."  
"Keith, you don't have to hate Shiro. I know he was your best friend. You came out here to find out what really happened to him. You locked yourself up in a shack and researched the quiznak out of what happened to him. I'm your husband and your mate, and I understand you miss your friend"  
"He made another pass at you"  
"Because I'm just that damn sexy. I hate to break it you, but we are on a castle of alpha's. My scent affects almost everyone here, and they won't always be able to control what they say or do because of it. Even when I don't want to smell, it just has a mind of its own. You know it's true"  
Breathing in fore mentioned scent, Keith nodded against Lance's back  
"Some days I want to take you and run away. I want to make a real life with you, but it's hard on this castle. It's huge, but somehow we're always living on top of each other"  
"I feel the same way. I had this stupid dream that we could borrow another house, and live off ship when we could..."  
"It's not a stupid dream"  
"It is when we don't know when this magical era of peace is supposed to be coming. It's been anything but peaceful, and I'm so over dealing with Lotor"  
"Maybe I can talk to Ryner, about having a house down in the village?"  
"With a bath?"  
"A big bath where we can spend vargas watching the stars through the window"  
"And no visitors... without calling ahead"  
"And no clothes..."  
Lance laughed as he turned in his hold, his hand coming to rest on Keith's hair  
"I do need clothes. I don't have as hard of a time dealing with my stomach as I did, but I do want the option to cover up"  
"I wish you didn't"  
"I know... so can we maybe cuddle now?"  
"Yeah. Forgive this grumpy brooding alpha?"  
"If you can forgive this misguided omega"  
"I wouldn't say misguided, more like crazy and trouble attracting"  
"Wow, that's nice. I know someone who's never getting laid again?"  
"If I'm not getting laid, that means you aren't either"  
"Have I told you how much I hate it when you're right?"  
"Only all the time?"  
"Good. Just making sure, now move over"

Letting Lance slide in and spoon around him, Keith still couldn't let this Shiro thing go. Lance didn't want him making a scene, so maybe a covert trip to Haggar's base was just what Shiro needed to wake him up from whatever delusions he was suffering.


	76. Chapter 76

Leaving his husband snoring his head off, Keith showered and dressed before stopping by the nursery to say goodbye to the pups. He'd left a note for Lance, and he knew his mate would be seriously pissed once he woke up, but he felt he was the best one out of all of them to sneak into Hag-Honerva's base. He really needed to stop falling back into the habit of calling the witch Haggar. She was Honerva. And Honerva was in the way of him and Lance forging a peaceful life back on Olkarion. Moving first to Kelance, he lifted his son from his crib  
"Hey baby, your daddy is going on a super sneaky mission, and your mummy is probably going to be pretty angry, but daddy will be back"  
Kissing Kelance's soft brown hair, he placed him back in his cot, before moving over to Laneith and repeating the same thing to his second son. He really didn't like leaving them sleeping without being guarded, but the safest place in the whole universe for them to be was in their cots  
"Daddy's going to come back really soon. I love you guys"  
He felt a fool for talking to his boys, when he knew they couldn't understand, he just... he needed them to know how much he loved them, and that he would be back. There was no way he wasn't going to be there to watch them grow. They'd already grown so much... he wanted to be there when they started crawling, and he wanted to hear their first words. He just... he wanted all of it.

Leaving the nursery, Keith headed up to the bridge, knowing there was a 90 percent chance Shiro would be there. He was still angered over Shiro making a move on Lance, so now he was going to take Shiro as back up... partially because right now, he didn't care what happened the alpha. Lance had kissed him, and he'd kissed Lance. It stirred up such violent emotions that he wasn't completely sure he'd kept his anger in check before Lance had fallen asleep. They'd had sex, but he'd been rough with Lance, pining him down and teasing him until he cried for release, before pounding into his mate as he held his hips hard enough to bruise them. Yeah. He'd let his temper get the better of him, and being Lance, he hadn't complained at all. He hadn't even taken care of cleaning up his mate properly, instead he'd let Lance fall asleep before sneaking off to shower... maybe he was still ever so, a lot, mad over the kiss. Entering the bridge, he found Shiro standing there, moving objects around on the sensor screen used generally for tracking mission progress. He'd kept his tongue at dinner, though he knew that Shiro knew he knew  
"Keith, do I want to know why you're dressed in your blade gear"  
"Because you and I are going to infiltrate Honerva's base"  
Swiping across the screen, it turned off, leaving his seeming somewhat more imposing   
"That's not the plan"  
"I know it's not the plan. The plan is awful, like Lance said"  
Shiro hefted as sigh as he scrubbed his face with his hand  
"So what? Your solution is a potential suicide mission?"  
"It's not a suicide mission. I can get close using a Galra fighter jet, much closer than Pidge could in her lion"  
"Her lion has cloaking abilities"  
"That Honerva probably already knows about. She's waiting for us"  
"You don't know that"  
"Lance is right. We haven't been thinking as she would. She is obsessed with power and knowledge, meaning she's more than likely kept tabs on all of us. She'll be expecting the lions"  
"On the same hand, doesn't that mean she's also expecting us to think like that, and will be expecting some kind of Galra based craft"  
"Not necessarily. Well, actually yes, due to the infection that is. She's collecting that black goop and we need to know why. I refuse to put anyone else in danger"  
"Pidge, Lance and the pups are fine"  
"But it's always them being hurt. If it means they stay here where they are safe, it's for the best"  
"So your happy to gamble both our lives"  
It was a statement, not a question. Shiro's eyes hard as he stared at Keith   
"Yes. It's my role as leader of Voltron to be the one most in danger. It's your role as the alpha who made a move on my husband to back off and listen to me"  
"I had a feeling Lance told you"  
"I know all about both kisses and you have no idea how much I want to tear your throat out"  
"Keith"  
"No. You can at least keep look out. You don't need two arms to open your mouth at the first sight of trouble"  
"I would feel better if you would calm down and rethink this"  
"There's nothing to think. We are doing this"

"Not without me, you're not"  
Turning to look at Allura, Keith sighed to himself   
"Allura, it's too dangerous"  
"So dangerous you'd just take Shiro and leave?"  
"I want to protect everyone"  
"You don't need to protect me. I can protect myself, and if you encounter Altean Alchemy, you will need an Altean to work it"  
"And what about the castle? What if it comes under attack? You're the only one who can activate the teladuv"  
"Coran can activate the shields once we've left. You and Lance are continually running off into battle, thinking you're protecting us, when in reality you're alienating yourself from the rest of the team. We're all tired of this martyr attitude you've both adopted and how many times has Lance fallen apart because of it. He's finally getting better, and working at finding a balance. I will not allow him to fall back into depression because you thought you could handle it all on your own"  
"Actually, Shiro is coming with me"  
"No offence Shiro, but in a fire fight, you'd become a liability. We need him coordinating between us and Voltron"  
"We can't transmit back to the castle without the frequency waves being detected"  
"Then let's not mess this up"  
Looking from Allura to Shiro, Shiro shrugged   
"You can't really say no to the Queen"  
"I can and I am. Sorry Allura, but your the only reason we are in an alliance with the Galra. You can't be seen acting like this. I'm not saying Lotor will turn on us if things go from bad to worse, but he's definitely only hanging around to be with you, and if we end up captured or something, you're the only one who can convince him too help"  
"But Shiro..."  
"Shiro owes me"  
"How? What does Shiro owe you for? For Lance? For something that happened deca-phoebes ago?"  
"Not quite deca-phoebes, and not even in a quintant ago"  
"What are you talking about?"  
"He kissed Lance, and Lance kissed him. That's why Lance was so spacey, because he was scared to talk to me. So Shiro's coming for a nice little flight, so we can sort this out"  
"Keith"  
"Allura, you know I don't like pulling rank or being a quiznak about it all, but this is what's happening. Shiro and I will get close to the barrier, and if we can get in, we will"  
"You're putting both your lives in danger"  
"Allura, he's made up his mind. And he's right, I did kiss Lance. As his mate and alpha, Keith has the right to call me out on this"  
"But..."  
"It'll be fine"  
"Can't he "call you out"? in another way?"

"It's his right, as his husband"  
Sprung in the act yet again, Pidge and Hunk walked into the bridge. Great. He was trying to involve as few people as possible, and now almost everyone was here  
"Keith, buddy. Want to tell us what you've got going on here?"  
"Not really"  
Placing her hands on her hips, Allura looked like a mum who'd completely had it with her shitty kids behaviour   
"He and Shiro are going to check Honerva's base up close"  
"You can't take Shiro, he's only got one arm"  
"Thanks, Pidge. I hadn't noticed"  
"Sometimes I have to wonder"  
"If anything happens, he can't pilot his way out of there"  
Seriously? Keith really just wanted to say he was completely ok with that, buuuuut it wouldn't go over well  
"This plan is worse than ours and ours is awful"  
"I thought you agreed with the plan, Pidge?"  
"I agreed because I believe in Green. I don't believe in Lotor"  
"Guys, can we just go... before Lance wakes up?"  
"You didn't tell him?"  
"I left him a note, he needs to rest"  
"Keith..."  
"Enough. Fine. I'm going in on my own. Stay here with Shiro then, but if he goes near Lance, I will go for his throat"  
"Well, that escalated quickly. Shiro, what did you do?"  
"He kissed Lance"  
Hunk groaned   
"Seriously! Haven't we had enough Lance/Shiro/Keith drama for a lifetime? Shiro, bud, not cool. He's married"  
"I am well aware of that fact"  
"Then why did you kiss Lance?"  
"I was trying to reassure him..."  
Hunk groaned again, crossing over to Shiro, he wrapped an arm around Shiro's shoulder  
"I think you and I need to have a little talk about my best friend. Keith. Take someone with you..."  
"Krolia needs to be here to help Lance. Allura needs to be here to be able to use the castle to its full capacity. Pidge... Pidge is not getting hurt again anytime soon and I am not going to be responsible for Matt's life. Which leave Lotor, you and Lance. None of which I want up close with Honerva"  
"Then don't go"  
"Lance and I both agree that your plan is flawed. I'm just going to check things out and if I can get in, I'll go from there"  
"Keith"  
"I'm doing this"  
Though the whole point of him angrily storming around in the middle of the night was to mess with Shiro... and now that had been ruined. Turning towards the door, Keith stalked towards it with his hands firmly clenched into fists.

Though half tempted to take Black, Keith headed down to the castle's main hangar instead. Though most of the room there was taken up by Lotor's ship, there was still plenty of space to manoeuvre one of their acquired fighter jets around it. Double checking his gear as he went, it didn't take him long to cross over to the nearest Galra jet and climb in, immediately wrinkling his nose as he did. He could still smell the stink of his rut in the small confided space, and memories of masturbating in front of his own mother turned his cheeks bright red. Shaking his head to rid himself temporarily of the memories, Keith slowly went about flicking the jet's controls on. He could do this...  
"Keith! Wait!"  
Jerking his head up, he was surprised he even heard Allura yelling out for him. Powering the jet back down, the woman jogged over and opened the cockpit glass  
"What are you doing?"  
"I can't sit here and do nothing, so I'm coming with you"  
"Allura, we talked about this"  
"Yes, and I've given it thought. Honerva is an enemy to the whole universe, and it is my duty to stop her, not only as a Paladin, or as the queen, but as a fellow Altean. There was good in her once, perhaps we can find it again"  
"Allura, I know you see the best in everyone, but she was by Zarkon's side for 10,000 years. I think any good that was in her is long gone"  
"Perhaps. I still need to try, so I'm coming with you, or I'll enable the ships defences, making it impossible for you to leave"  
"Seriously?"  
"Let's just say I have learnt a thing or two in our time together"  
The wrong things by the seem of it... though Allura could be quite the rebel when she wanted to   
"Allura..."  
"I know you don't like it, but it's happening and I want to see for myself what Honerva is up to"  
"We don't even know if we can get close"  
"And we won't, as long as we're sitting here"  
Groaning internally, Keith started the fighter jet back up.

 

*  
Well quiznak. This could be a small issue. Like with Daibazaal, there was a stupid amount of black goop spread the shield around Honerva's planet... moon... base... thing. More than enough to prevent them getting close, and they hadn't even been contacted Honerva, despite the proximity to her base   
"Do you think we can get close enough?"  
"I don't know. This feels off. Why hasn't Honerva tried to contact us?"  
"Perhaps she can't?"  
"This is Honerva, if she can drain the castle of power and destroy Oriande, I'm sure she has a plan for this, and the way the black entity is clinging to her base, I think it's fair to say, there's a massive amount of pure quintessence in there"  
"That is troubling... let's get closer"  
Keith snorted to himself, entirely sure that those words weren't supposed to be used together so easily. 

Continuing the descent towards the shield, the black goop ignored them almost completely, allowing them to get close enough to see what was actually happening under the blue shimmering shield. Honerva had established a large circular central base, with five out branching corridors each ending in clear domes, though they seemed to be empty, there were clear pipes of Blue quintessence running along the top of them, so they were clearly practically...  
"Allura, what do you see? Anything Altean?"  
"No... the layout she's using isn't traditionally Altean. Perhaps we should have brought Lance with us?"  
"Why?"  
"Because he seems to have a special connection to quintessence. He wasn't affected by withdrawal like we were, and you said he absorbed it into himself with no ill effects. Perhaps he'd get a better feel for what's happening here than we would"  
Keith was more than happy to leave Lance back on the castle, where he was safe and hopefully staying out of trouble. Steering the conversation back away from Lance, Keith pulled up on the jet's controls  
"I don't think we're getting in there without an invitation"  
"Neither do I. Perhaps Lotor will be able to contact Honerva?"  
"And say what? "Hi mum, its me, just popping by to spy on your super secret base?", I don't think it's a smart idea relying on Lotor to remain loyal"  
Allura sighed, clearly tired of hearing the same thing a hundred one times   
"He did supply us with the quintessence we needed to save Pidge and Kelance"  
"Which I'm grateful for, but it just as easily could have gone wrong. Besides, he didn't look happy at all about it being absorbed into Lance"  
"That's probably because we promised to return it. Though I do have to worry about why Lance in particular has developed the ability to withstand it"  
"Most probably it's because of the blessing your father bestowed on him. He's been the only one who can fully tap into the power we received at Atlantis with relative ease"  
"But doesn't it worry you?"  
"Of course it worries me, but Lance has improved so much. His mental health is in the best place it's been... probably since his first heat out here"  
"I just don't understand. Quintessence is life. It's found in every single living thing, and if anyone should have any particular connection with it, shouldn't it be Shiro or Lotor?"  
"Shiro and Lotor are both quick to anger, though Shiro hides it better than the most alphas. Lance is... well, Lance is Lance. When he gets kicked down, he takes it until he can't take anymore. He cares about everyone before himself, and maybe that's why?"  
"Are you saying Shiro doesn't?"  
"No, I'm saying Shiro has his own agenda"  
"You make it sound like we can't trust him"  
"I'm not saying that... though he hasn't exactly proven himself trustworthy with Lance. I don't care if he loves him. Lance doesn't love him back"  
"The heart is a complicated thing"  
"And being in love fills you with anxieties you never knew existed. It's probably for the best you came instead of Shiro. I was about ready to dump him out in space"  
"Is this going to affect the team?"  
"No. Not as long as he keeps his distance from Lance..."  
Allura sighed again, settling back in her chair as she did  
"I wish we knew what Honerva had planned, and what her end game is"  
"Don't we all?"

As expected, Lance wasn't impressed with him in the slightest. His mate was standing in the hangar, waiting for them alone. One look at the teens face told him was in deep quiznak. Leaving the pair alone, Allura probably had the right idea. Pulling his helmet off, Keith approached Lance, trying to act as casually as he could while his heart raced  
"Hey baby"  
He'd barely stepped within range of Lance before he slapped him across the face. Yep. Lance was mad and he probably... definitely... deserved it  
"Don't you "Hey baby" me. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"  
Grabbing Keith by his jacket, his mate pulled him close, sealing their lips together for a moment, then grabbing him by the hair and yanking hard  
"Lance!"  
"I'm so mad at you!"  
"I get that, but can you please let go of my hair"  
"No! If I let you go, what's to say you're not going to take off again"  
"I said I was coming back"  
"You said you intended to infiltrate Honerva's base. Thank god the shield was up"  
"How do you know the shield was up?"  
"Because you came back"  
Finally releasing his hair, Lance plucked the hairs he'd ripped out from between his fingers with a frown  
"I didn't mean to actually hurt you"  
"It's fine. I mean. I might have deserved it"  
"No. You were just doing what you thought was right. I'm just cranky because..."  
Lance shook his head, letting out a long breath as he did   
"Because of what?"  
"It's nothing. I just ate too much, and then having sex, my stomach just feels a little gross"  
Keith raised his free hand to check Lance's temperature. His mate didn't look or smell sick. Capturing his hand, Lance shot him an annoyed look  
"I'm fine"  
"Baby"  
"I'm fine. Like I said, too much food"  
"Are you sure?"  
Rolling his eyes, Lance turned and started leading him from the hangar  
"Yes I'm sure. Now tell me what happened"  
"Nothing. The goop was over about a quarter of the base's shield, and Honerva didn't try contacting us. At this point, she probably can't even leave her base because of it"  
"So what does that mean for us? We came all this way"  
"We could have Lotor contact her. That's what Allura wants"  
"You know, if we could trap him there with Honerva..."  
"That wouldn't accomplish anything... unless we blew the planet up"  
"Then who would lead the Galra? Can you imagine Kolivan? He'd be ruthless. You're 5 ticks overdue, better shoot you out the sky"  
Keith smiled softly, Lance's anger was fading   
"He's not quite that bad"  
"How many times did he nearly leave you behind?"  
"Well..."  
"Nope. Don't answer, I don't want to know"  
"That's probably for the best... where are we headed?"  
"Down to the nursery. Your son's haven't stopped crying for vargas"  
"Vargas? Allura and I weren't even gone that long"  
"You were gone for 8 vargas. I know she's beautiful and bewitching, but you really should keep better track of time"  
There was no way he and Allura could have been gone that long. They'd chatted off and on, but definitely not enough for it to have been 8 vargas  
"Are you sure it was that long?"  
"Going on the fact the bed was cold by the time I woke up and that was 6 vargas ago... I'm going to go with yes"  
"Sorry baby..."  
"Don't say sorry. It only makes me mad at you again"

Krolia was trying to hush both boys as they walked into the nursery. His heart ached as they screamed unhappily   
"Keith! Good, take one of the pups"  
Lifting Kelance from his mother, he rocked the boy as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed  
"Hey. Hey it's ok. Daddy is here. Daddy came back, just like he said he would"  
Kelance didn't care in the slightest, as he continued to scream. Looking up from his red-faced son, he frowned at the fact Lance hadn't taken Laneith  
"What's wrong?"  
"Nothing. I'm just watching the pair of you with them. I really wished we had more family photos"  
"That's nice and all Lance, but perhaps you should take Laneith. I'm sure he'd be happier with you"  
Stumbling over his own feet, Lance lifted Laneith from Krolia, the woman's eyes locking on his for a fraction too long as his omega took their son  
"Is something wrong?"  
"Lance tripped"  
"I stumbled. I'm tired and my stomach feels gross"  
"Didn't you two go back to bed after dinner?"  
"Mum, do you really want to know what we were doing?"  
His mother sighed dramatically  
"You already have two pups..."  
"Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with showing Lance just how much I love him"  
"Keith!"  
"What? You're beautiful and you know it"  
"Krolia, you should probably go. I think I'm about ready to murder your son"  
"Please don't. You'll need all the help you can get when my next grandchild comes"  
"Ugh. No. No babies for a very long time. Thanks for watching them Krolia"  
Krolia hummed before leaving, leaving Keith puzzled over his mother's behaviour.

With Lance leaning against them, both of them were still trying to settle the boys. They'd been fed, changed, bathed and were still screaming. Lance had tried singing them some soft Spanish song that Keith had never heard before, and secretly he loved it. He had no idea what his mate was saying, but the love on his face was evident as he sang. That was what they should be taking photos of, not of him and his mother. Now, however, they were just both exhausted. The pups were probably just as exhausted, yet their lungs were perfectly fine... closing his eyes, Keith tried to will away a headache that had formed from all their crying  
"Keith?"  
"Lance"  
"Are you ok? You smell pained"  
"It's just a headache"  
"If you want to go back to bed, I can stay with them"  
"No. They're my sons too. I'm not leaving you to deal with this alone"  
"Is it selfish I'm relieved you said that? Because I really need to use the bathroom"  
Keith would have laughed if his head hadn't hurt so much. Taking their second pup into his hold, he laid back onto the bed with the pair of them staring down at him  
"I know. I know it's awful, but mummy doesn't feel great. So, can you guys please give us a little break?"  
It made no difference at all, the pair were still crying when Lance returned. Climbing onto the bed, Keith frowned at Lance hissed  
"Baby?"  
Sniffing cautiously, he smelt very faint traces of blood  
"Lance, what's wrong?"  
"Nothing, give him here"  
"I smell blood"  
Too tired to even blush, Lance just huffed  
"What you smell is from you pounding me like there was no tomorrow"  
"I hurt you?"  
"It's just a little tearing... probably because I was trying to keep rocking even though you'd knotted me. I'm fine. Sheesh, now gimme a baby"  
This time Lance took Kelance, the omega positioning himself with his back against the wall of the bed  
"Yes baby, I know. Mummy just doesn't get it, and he's sorry"  
"It's ok, daddy doesn't get it either. Do you think they'd settle down if we took them for a walk?"  
"You just want to pass them onto Uncle Hunk and Aunty Pidge"  
"Maybe... it's been vargas and they won't settle. We both haven't eaten or had anything to drink"  
Lance sighed and looked across the nursery  
"What is it?"  
"Getting up seems too much effort"  
"Hunk would probably bring us food..."  
"No. I don't want him going out of his way, especially if he's got to listen to these two. We'll head up to the kitchen, and see what the others are doing... besides, I'm too tired to pick a fight with anyone right now"

 

*  
The moment they'd stepped into the kitchen, Hunk had rushed over and lifted Kelance from Lance. For some unknown and magical reason, the pup finally stopped. Kelance finally stopped crying and without his brother crying, Laneith's howls also came to an end. Dropping his forehead against Hunk's shoulder Lance let out a huge sigh of relief  
"Hunk. You are the baby whisperer"  
"That bad buddy?"  
"How long has Keith and Allura been back?"  
"Roughly 5 vargas"  
"They started screaming about 11 vargas ago... 11 vargas. How is that even humanly possible"  
Slinging his arm around Lance's shoulder, Hunk guided Lance to sit, before finally looking to him  
"Keith, you should sit"  
"I don't know if I'm going to be able to get back up if I do"  
"You'll have to. Shiro, Lotor and Allura have been talking about what to do"  
"Oh joy"  
Lance's words summed up his own personal feelings perfectly. Crossing his arms on the countertop, Lance buried his face against them   
"Is he alright?"  
"I'm fine. I'm just tired"  
"And his stomachs a little upset. Can you make him something easy to eat?"  
"Dobber. Hunk, I ate too much... your food is too good"  
"Bud, you didn't eat that much at dinner"  
"Yes, I did. You just weren't paying attention"  
"Sure. What do you feel like eating?"  
"So we have something like rice porridge? Or normal porridge. I don't feel like chewing"  
"We have goo..."  
"No goo... I miss earth food"  
"Baby, your body didn't love Earth food"  
"Maybe I'll throw up and feel better... I never thought I'd miss throwing up"  
Keith shared the same concerned look as Hunk did. Neither of them liked how easily Lance mentioned vomiting intentionally  
"I'll see what I can do"

Keith watched as Hunk began rummaging through the kitchen cupboards while trying to think of something to say... only he had no idea what to, especially since he couldn't ask Hunk what he and Shiro had talked about when it came to Shiro kissing Lance. So he just sat there in awkward silence, until Lance let out a long and loud snore  
"Well, that's great. I was about to make him porridge"  
"He needs food just as much as he needs sleep. Is there anything I can do to help?"  
"Make sure he doesn't fall off his stool while cook?"  
"That's the last thing we need. He actually slapped me for sneaking out"  
"Do you blame him?"  
"No. Did he come see you guys while we were gone?"  
"No. I just thought he was still sleeping. I'm glad you found him though, I had no idea what I was going to say"  
"I didn't either... is it safe to ask what you said to Shiro?"  
"Nothing really. I just reminded him that Lance was married to you and that we're living in the same castle, so maybe hitting on Lance wasn't the smartest decision"  
"How did that go?"  
"We talked a little. Did you know he loved Lance before what happened? That's why he was sort of distant with him"  
"Not-Shiro said as much. I was hoping it was just a lie"  
"No. He's struggling with everything because he can't remember what happened, but now Lance is married to you, and you have twin pups. He cares a lot for Lance, and he knows he overstepped his bounds"  
"Overstepped? You mean leaped over and kept running..."  
Hunk let his comment hang unanswered as went about putting the porridge on to cook  
"It's hard for him too. I definitely do not approve of what he did, especially not to Lance, but... it can be hard. When you love someone, I mean"  
"Yeah. I know I shouldn't be so angry when it comes to Lance, but he's just suffered so much. We were talking about getting another house on Olkarion, maybe something more permanent"  
"You were?"  
"Yeah. It all depends on Lance though... what about you and Pidge?"  
"We're fine on the castle. We have figured out how to connect most Earth things to the castle's electrical system now"  
"Nerds"  
"Pidge is more of a nerd than I am"  
"Where is she?"  
"With Matt. Spending quality brother-sister time bonding over coding"  
Letting out another long snore, they both lowered their tones as not to wake Lance  
"Do you want me to call Pidge, or Coran or Allura? Lance looks like he'll be out for a while, and you'll probably want to be the one to carry him"  
"Allura would probably be mad if we didn't call her for babysitting duty. I think mum's still sleeping. She was looking after them so Lance could wait for me"  
"Allura it is, I hope you don't mind honey in the porridge"  
"You didn't have to make me anything"  
"Keith, you haven't eaten either. It's fine"

Allura arrived in the kitchen, just as Hunk placed two bowls of steaming porridge down in front of him and Lance  
"Something smells good"  
"It's called porridge. Lance asked if I could make him some"  
"Before falling asleep. Is he alright like that?"  
"He hasn't fallen down yet, but I was hoping you'd be up for a little babysitting..."  
"Of course I am. Which one is this?"  
"Laneith. One day you'll be able to tell them apart"  
"Perhaps"  
Lifting Laneith into her hold, Keith held his breath as he waited for the boy to cry. Giving it a few long moments, he released it in a long whoosh  
"I think we're good"  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
"Nothing's wrong, they were just crying before"  
"Aw, how adorable"  
"Tell that to my head. I think I'm going to wait until this cools before waking Lance up. He'd probably forget it is hot and try to eat it right away"  
"What did he say about Honerva?"  
"Nothing really. He was more relieved that we didn't sneak into her base than anything"  
"Shiro, Lotor and I have been talking about that. I left the pair of them still discussing it. I think we've managed to go around in circles as you would say and the whole thing is very frustrating"  
"Is Lotor not cooperating?"  
"It's not that. We'll discuss it once Lance wakes up. We wouldn't want you being slapped again"  
"How did you know about that?"  
"I heard it as I left"  
"It was pretty impressive, though I can't say I didn't deserve it"  
"Maybe, but you were doing your duty as the Black Paladin"  
"I don't think we accomplished much"  
"We learnt we can't get in as the shield encompasses the whole moon base"  
"And that the amount of quintessence must be substantial if the goop was more interested in the base than us"  
"Indeed. Lotor is hesitant about contacting Honerva, but we've explained we have no other choices if we want to know what's happening"  
"What's he got to be hesitant about? She wants him to go to her"  
"I don't really know. Perhaps he fears he'll be killed"  
Keith bit down saying that might be for the best, instead he stared down at the porridge in front of him, with the feeling he wasn't going to like whatever Lotor proposed.

Finishing his porridge, Keith looked at Lance, brushing his hair back from his face with a small smile. Lance looked so innocent when he slept... even if he snored almost inhumanly loud  
"Should we wake him?"  
"No, I'll carry him. Do you think Lotor and Shiro are still up on the bridge?"  
"Possibly"  
"Then we should head up, and so should Pidge and Matt. Whatever Lotor has planned, we all need to be part of the conversation"  
"And Lance?"  
"I'll wake him up when it's time. He wasn't feeling very well before, so he needs to rest"  
Sliding off his stool, Keith slipped his arm under Lance's legs and lifted him into his hold. His husband's eyes fluttered open for a moment, before giving him a small smile and burying his face against Keith's neck while his fingers curled around the alpha's jacket. Kissing Lance's soft chocolate locks, Keith then looked to Hunk and Allura, both smiling softly at the scene  
"Don't act like you haven't seen this a hundred times"  
"It's just sweet how much he loves and trusts you"  
"You do remember he slapped me right?"  
"Only because he loves you"  
He wasn't winning this one. So there was no point even trying. 

Carrying Lance up to the bridge behind Hunk and Allura, his mates rumbling snores announcer their arrival before Shiro or Lotor even noticed the door had opened  
"Is Lance asleep?"  
"Yes, and I'd like to keep it that way. What did you two decide?"  
"We would like to Lance with us"  
Keith blinked, hoping he'd misheard  
"What?"  
"We would like to take Lance to Honerva's base"  
"No. Come up with a new plan"  
"Keith, hear us out"  
"I'm not letting you two take Lance anywhere!"  
His angry tone and tightening of his hold caused Lance to whine against him  
"Keith, please. We have a plan"  
"To what? Let Lance die?"  
"Lance is not going to die"  
"Why him? And who's this we?"  
"Lotor and myself. Look, Honerva doesn't know I'm out of the rift..."  
"Oh come on. If she knows enough to send Lotor's clone after us, she has to know you're out of the rift too. You're not taking him anywhere"  
"This isn't about you. This is about Lance and this is his choice"  
"And we all know what he's going to say. So I'm saying no"  
"You're not even listening to us. We plan to take Lance because of his relationship with pure quintessence. Lotor is going to present us as if he'd captured us in order to get close to Honerva. Then use Lance to interrupt the flow of quintessence in the base"  
"Use! You plan to use my husband! He's not a pet or toy"  
"No, he's a Paladin. It's part of his duty to help stop Honerva"  
"Why can't we send Lotor in on his own?"  
"Because we don't know if Honerva will let him in if he is. That's why Lance and I will be his "prisoners""  
"She already knows we're in an alliance, so that's not going to work"  
"It will if we appear to be unconscious"  
All of this was completely stupid  
"No"  
"Keith?"  
Lance's voice was soft and somewhat fearful as it drew his attention back down to his husband   
"It's alright Lance, just go back to sleep"  
"You're mad"  
"Lance, we want to send you on a mission. Will you be ok with that?"  
"What mission?"  
"Shiro, that's enough"

Trying to struggle up in his lap, Keith held Lance tight  
"Keith? What's going on? Why didn't you wake me?"  
"Because you needed rest and Shiro's..."  
Shiro cut him off mid sentence   
"Lance, we want to head down to Honerva's base. Would you be up for coming with us? Your relationship with quintessence could be vital to the mission"  
"What? My relationship with quintessence? I don't even know how that's supposed to work. I don't even know what to do..."  
"Hopefully you won't need to do anything. We just need to get inside, so you and I would be posing as Lotor's prisoners"  
"I'm sorry, I'm not up for a mission right now. I can barely keep my eyes open"  
"We don't intend to leave immediately"  
Lance hummed as he nodded. His husband was actually considering it!  
"Lance, you can't. What if something goes wrong"  
"I'm the only one that doesn't seem affected by the quintessence..."  
"And what if the next time you're exposed, you are. No. I don't want you to go"  
"Keith, let him make his own decision"  
"Let me think about it... I'm too..."  
Letting out a cry, this time the interruption came from one of their pups, and Lance let out his own cry in response. Clearly still exhausted from the earlier performance   
"Perhaps we should let Keith and Lance take care of their children?"  
"We'll need an answer soon"  
"Fine. Whatever. I just can't deal with this right now"  
Climbing from Keith's lap, Lance swayed. He'd never gotten to eat, and despite Hunk holding both a pup and the porridge, Lance didn't seem to notice the food at all as he made his way over to lift the crying pup into his hold  
"Lance?"  
"I'm going to take him down to the nursery. Do whatever you want to do"  
Yawning halfway through made it hard for Keith to remain mad at him  
"Don't take his word for it. The pups cried for 11 vargas straight and he's only had about a vargas nap... Allura, I'll take Laneith back now"  
"Alright. If you need help, just call"

Hunk insisted he took the porridge with him, which ended up mostly on Laneith before they made it back to the nursery. His son sticking his hand in the congealed goop, before wiping it across Keith's chest, much to Keith's delight. He should have just woken Lance up, made him eat and then carried him to bed. Now Lance was going to get all these stupid ideas in his head about Shiro and Lotor's plan. How could they think it would work?! Shiro wasn't stupid... and Lotor... had at least the IQ of a teaspoon. This wasn't happening.


	77. Chapter 77

Keith hadn't let him leave his side all morning, his mate seemingly convinced if he held him close and tight, Lance wouldn't leave with Shiro and Lotor. Lance really didn't love the plan, but it meant getting in and knowing what was really going on with Honerva, he had to swallow down his nerves and get on with it... even if it meant making Keith worry. Given the fact things could go terribly wrong, the two of them had spooned up on the twins playmat, while Laneith conquered rolling onto his stomach. The whispered feeling was that soon both boys would be crawling, even if Keith and especially Lance weren't ready for it... their pups were growing up way too fast for him, and their Galra strength would have them up and walking way too soon after that... he was starting to feel clucky all over again. No. No more pups. Mission first. Mission. Olkarion. Happy times... 

Swatting away Keith's hand, his mate nuzzled his neck as he tried to draw away  
"Keith, I have to go"  
"No you don't"  
"I'm the only one who can handle the pure quintessence"  
"I don't want you getting hurt"  
"And I won't. I'll be back as soon as I can be"  
"I don't want you being alone with them, especially when you're going to be Lotor's prisoner"  
"Keith, I'm practically drowning in your scent... literally, I smell like an alpha. I smell like you. You can't even smell the twins on us, or that Kelance vomited on my uniform"  
"That doesn't mean they won't try anything. Promise me if anything goes wrong, you'll put yourself first, and you'll get out"  
Turning in Keith's hold, Lance kissed his alpha's cheek, whispering against it   
"I promise. Now, be a good alpha and wait for me, and if you're extra good, I promise I'll make it all worth it"  
Tugging on Keith's earlobe with his teeth, Keith growled in response  
"You. Me. Me riding your face as you fuck me with your tongue"  
Keith's scent went from concern to arousal in less than a tick, moaning as Lance slid his lips down and mouthed his neck  
"Shit baby..."  
"Now be a good alpha and wait for me to come back"  
Keith was bright red as Lance pulled away completely, walking towards Shiro and Lotor   
"That wasn't cool"  
"I know! Love you! Make sure the boys don't start crawling without me!"  
"If you let him get hurt, I'll hunt you both down"

Boarding Lotor's ship, Lance let his wrists be cuffed together, with absolutely no give in the chain at all. This was the worst part of the whole plan in his mind. Pretending to be Lotor's prisoner was easy enough as he was more than happy to make his dislike of Lotor known as loud as he could, but the feel of the cuffs and being sat next to Shiro was just... it was awkward and his omega didn't like it all. This wasn't his alpha, and even though their shoulders were touching with two layers of fabric between them, Shiro's touch was still just as uncomfortable and upsetting as it would have been if the fabric wasn't there at all. Closing his eyes, he let out a deep breath through his nose  
"Are you alright, Lance?"  
"Me? Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"  
"Because you're handcuffed. I can't smell you over Keith"  
"That's because Keith insisted on covering me with his scent..."  
His mate's scent was probably the only reason he wasn't freaking out as externally as he was internally. All he had to do was breathe in and Keith's loving scent filled his senses, and best of all, he couldn't even smell Shiro   
"He loves you"  
"Yeah... he was ready to kill you and Lotor though. And he really didn't want me to come along"  
"This plan wouldn't have worked without you"  
"That's the only reason I'm here. Once we get back to Olkarion, Keith and I are moving off the castle"  
"Moving?"  
"Most of our stuff will be here still, but we want the pups to be able to run around and feel the real sun. To explore and play"  
"Lance, they're still babies"  
"They're four and a half phoebes, and just about crawling. The Galra blood means they're big for their age and much stronger than a premature baby should be"  
"They were premature?"  
"By 9 movements I think... I don't think they would have made it without the healing pods or their Galra blood"  
Why was he telling all this to Shiro? Yes part of him wanted to rub it in, but he knew Shiro's next question before he even asked it  
"Do you still think of them?"  
"How could I not? I was only able to get through everything because of Keith. He kept me going and never gave up on me... he even loves them, even though they weren't his"  
"I'm sorry, for my part in all of this"  
"Shiro, it's done and they're gone. I've moved on with my life, and now I have two perfect sons and Keith. I found how to be happy, so you should too"  
"Do you think we could have ever been anything more? If I hadn't attacked you"  
"I don't know. I always thought you were cool and handsome, and you were dripping with alpha pheromones. You were pretty much the ideal alpha. But Keith... when I ran out of suppressants, I knew he was the one for me. Even though I was a mess, he kept pushing me"  
"So probably not"  
Lance didn't want to say he was sorry. What had happened in the past was best left there. Forcing himself to relax, he left himself doze as it would be a few vargas before they reached Honerva's base, even with Lotor's high-tec ship.

Feelings Lotor's ship begin to descend, Lance forced his eyes open as he yawned   
"Lotor must have got the go-ahead from mummy dearest"  
"Do you have to make your hate for him so obvious?"  
"Um, you do know we're his prisoners. We have literally been cuffed, and cuffed people don't usually enjoy it"  
"You could at least wait until we reach the base"  
"Or I could start now. I'm an omega, I kind of have to smell upset and angry"  
"There's upset and angry, and then there's compromising the mission"  
"Are you serious right now? No. Don't answer that"  
"Lance"  
"Serious Shiro, you're the one who's not playing his part"  
Shiro sighed and rose to his feet. With one arm, it was kind of hard to cuff him, so he got to walk around free. Totally not fair. Sure he had his Bayard hidden inside his jacket, but he couldn't exactly do much with it  
"Just don't oversell it"  
"You don't need to tell me. Oh wow. Do you feel that?"  
"Feel what?"  
"I think we just passed through the shield"  
"You can't know that"  
"I can. I'm kind of getting a really bad feeling now"  
It felt like his stomach had dropped, like when you miss a step and momentarily wonder if this is how you die. Even if Shiro didn't believe him, the sinking feeling was creeping up his spine and its tendrils were worming their way into his brain. Gagging as bile rose in his throat, he scrunched his eyes tightly together  
"Lance?"  
"I feel sick. Something's wrong here"  
"Do you feel sick sick or just sick with fear?"  
"Both"  
"I'm sure it's just nerves"  
Meaning Shiro probably didn't believe he got these strange feelings. It wasn't like he liked being even stranger than he was, but he couldn't deny it was happening  
"It's not just nerves..."

There was a small bump as Lotor's ship set down, and the man in question appeared smiling  
"Are we prepared?"  
"Lance says he has a bad feeling"  
Lotor clicked his tongue, and Lance wished he'd never mentioned it  
"It's too late now. Honerva is expecting a present, and that's what you two are. So please try to act accordingly"  
Striding over to him Lotor seized him by the arm, yanking him almost savagely to his feet  
"Hey! You do know I'm connected to this arm!"  
"It's all part of the act"  
"Then why does Shiro get to go free?"  
"One of you needs to be, in case something goes wrong"  
"That's why you're supposed to choose the guy with two arms!"  
"Shiro is no threat to me as he is. You, on the other hand, are a Paladin of Voltron, with your Bayard"  
"I'm pretty sure you could snap my neck with one hand"  
"While that is true, you are much too interesting for that"  
"I'll try to keep that in mind when you both need me to save you and my hands are stuck together. Can we get off this ship and into the base? I want to hurry up and see my kids"  
"Don't forget Lance. You're his prisoner"  
Lotor hummed as he frowned down at him  
"He doesn't look roughed up enough to be a prisoner"  
"What... wait!"  
Lotor didn't wait. The Galra first pushing him down as kneed him in the stomach, and then kneed him in the face, splitting his lip in the protest   
"Are you serious!"  
Kneeing him a third time, Lance was sure his brain rattled in his skull as the man's knee met his eye  
"Enough!"  
Pulling him back up to stand, Lance whimpered as he glared at Lotor   
"Keith is going to be pissed"  
"It's for the good of the mission, now walk"  
Shoved forward, the trio descended the ship's ramp and into an empty dome. Other than the occasional crackled that seemed to come from well above their heads, the whole complex was empty... and really cold. So cold his breaths came out as small huffy clouds  
"Where is she?"  
"In the main base, the hallway will lead us there"  
"You know. It's not too late to leave. Go home. Forget all this happened"  
"Lance, grow up. You're not a child and you can't keep running away"  
"It's a joke, Shiro. Don't tell me you've forgotten what a sense of humour is"  
It wasn't a joke. It wasn't a joke in the slightest. Lotor hadn't helped the sick feeling infecting him, and even standing upright was a struggle. 

With Lotor's firm grip on the back of his neck, Lance was marched down the corridor leading to the main base. The whole complex was bathed in the blue light of the quintessence, giving it the feeling that you were underwater... or at least that's what Lance told himself as he tried to make himself feel better, unsuccessfully. If he was right, there was more than enough quintessence to blow this quadrant of the Galaxy up, and more than enough to erase all traces that they'd ever stepped foot here  
"Let me go!"  
"L-Shut up! You will remember your place"  
Lotor had nearly called him Lance, but as the centre console of the main base was coming into view, he supposed he should really start putting on a show  
"My friends are going to find you and kill you"  
"How? They can't even form Voltron without you. You might be useless, but that alone is your one redemptive feature"  
"We don't need Voltron to kill you!"  
"Your friend here sold you out. Do you really think they'll rescue you?"  
Glaring up at Lotor, the man smiled coldly  
"Those eyes of yours are like pure quintessence. It makes me want to pluck them out and eat them"  
Lance's breath caught. He'd thought Lotor was following his lead, but the man seemed so serious and genuine in his words, that Lance was shaken  
"Cease your pathetic show"  
Jumping at the unexpectedly ragged voice, Honerva darted from the shadows of one of the other corridors  
"Lotor, my son. What is the meaning of this?"  
"I have brought you a gift. Not only the champion, but the Red Paladin of Voltron"  
"Unlike your father, I have no interest in the Paladins of Voltron and I have no interest in mere humans"  
"Even if I told you think one, this male an birth children. His physique is like nothing we have encountered"  
"If you wish to breed him, take him. Though your seed would be too strong for one like him. I have no use for him. I have no use for any of them"  
Lotor smirked, as if he was more than happily mount Lance right there... and as if he'd expected this  
"Did I mention he can channel and absorb pure quintessence with no side effects"  
Honerva flashed in his vision before he was behind held up by his throat. His whole narrowing in on her face and blocking out the pulsing and bubbling tanks of blue quintessence   
"He could process pure quintessence"  
"He can not only withstand it, he can absorb it into himself"  
"I'll never help you"  
"I think that you will. Kill the champion"  
"Shiro, run!"  
Turning on the spot Shiro went to grab Honerva's arm, but Lotor stepped forward, driving the alpha back into the wall. It was all over in the blink of an eye. Shiro was now half slumped on the floor, impaled on Lotor's sword   
"Shiro!"  
"Your friend cannot help you now"  
Using her free hand, Honerva held it over his forehead, blasting tainted quintessence directly into him. Screaming at the unexpected burn, it seemed like he couldn't process the tainted stuff, and his brain felt like it was boiling. By the time she stopped, he was gasping for breath and his whole body was covered in a fine layer of sweat as he shook uncontrollably. Mother-quiznakking-ow  
"Yes. I think he will work quite well. A normal human would have expired"  
"I will never help you"  
Forcing the words out, Lance ground his teeth together. This wasn't how any this was supposed to play out  
"I think once you understand, you'll see differently"

Dragged along by his throat, Lance stumbled trying to get his feet under him, the assault from the tainted quintessence and growing feeling of dread left his legs dangling almost useless. Honerva was just one woman, he should be able to fight one woman...

Thrown against the central console of the room, the word thrown didn't seem to adequately explain the jarring action before he fell limply. Looking around, the world was a blurry grey mess, and he could barely tell which way was up   
"Why... are... you... doing... this...?"  
"I want my family back"  
Out of everything Honerva could have said, he didn't expect that from the knowledge-driven woman  
"What family? Zarkon's dead! Lotor hates you! Everyone hates you! You ruined everyone's life!"  
The next blow came from Lotor, as he stomped on Lance's knee  
"Silence. Let her speak"  
"My son doesn't hate me as much as you seem to believe. Though I was never the mother he deserved. Zarkon was so proud and excited when he found we were to be parents. When Zarkon died, I found my memories returning. Memories of the days spent in pursuit of knowledge with him by my side. We had so many plans for the future..."  
"Well good for you. Now go join him"  
"At Oriande I learnt the truth about quintessence. Every living thing contains quintessence. It's the spark that brings everything into existence, and when one dies, it's released. It exists between the realities, the glue as such keeping everything together. Without quintessence, nothing could exist"  
"We already know that. Altean's knew that 10,000 years ago"  
He should really shut up. He couldn't breathe as it was. It was that horrible struggle that came before vomiting, and if he kept opening his mouth, he might just do so  
"Quintessence is life. Without quintessence, neither I nor Lotor would be alive today"  
"Yeah... I'm not seeing a problem with you both dying"  
Grinding down on Lance's knee, the omega was determined not to cry out in pain  
"I found myself looking back to those days. That's why I had Lotor placed on the throne. Why I called for his return once Zarkon grew ill. My husband was a good man"  
"Your husband was a psychopath that killed and tortured people for fun!"  
"With the use of quintessence, I've been working on a device that will take me back to that day. That day when it all began"  
Honerva was so far over the deep end, Lance doubted a lemming had ever fallen as far as she had  
"At Oriande I learned what I needed to do, and now you're the final piece of the puzzle. You who can absorb and process quintessence will act as the conduit that will allow me to tear time and space apart, so I might return to that day. With you here, my reach is advanced by phoebes"  
"Sorry lady. Not interested. If go want to blow yourself up, go ahead"  
"Place him on the table"  
Lance was like 90 percent sure he wasn't going to like whatever this table was. Lifting him, Lotor carried him over to the table that was hidden by being built into the back of the central console. Dropping him down like a sack of potatoes, the man undid his handcuffs. Did that mean Lotor was on their side? And this was all an act? Or was he actually trying to help his mother? Shivering, he tried to curl in on himself, only to find he really couldn't move, his limbs leaden. Left "alone", both Honerva and Lotor back around the central console so Lance could only see their faces   
"How do I help?"  
"Stay out of my way"  
"Lotor, she's using you!"  
"She's my mother. You have children, you must understand"  
"I do understand. I understand that she doesn't love you. Nobody loves you"  
"Perhaps you can show me what it's like to be loved..."  
"Or you can go jump"  
"Silence him. We do not need him conscious for this"  
"Very well"  
Walking back around the console, Lance traced every moment with his eyes. Reaching out and grabbing his throat, Lotor squeezed, giving him a small nod as he did. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Was he supposed to go with it? Or did he like the idea of killing him? Opting for the first thought, he closed his eyes slowly, and moments later Lotor lowered him back down. Now "unconscious" on the table, Lance was forced to listen to Honerva babble on about something to Lotor about doing things differently and being a better mother. He really needed to listen, but his sluggish brain just wasn't processing the words properly.

Thanks to how long it took for Honerva to work on whatever it was she was working on, Lance was on the verge of passing out when a jolt of blue quintessence forced his eyes open as it passed through him  
"Incredible. This is incredible. Quintessence is life, yet it flows right through him"  
"Is it his Altean blood?"  
"Even Altean alchemists could not accomplish this... no matter. The final stage is now in place"  
Placing her hand on the flattest part of the console, quintessence began to flood the pipes along the ceiling. Squinting down the closet tunnel, he could see something filling with it. This had to stop. He'd let Lotor do his thing for long enough, and he might have slightly forgotten about Shiro  
"Yes. Yes... as the other realities become unstable, more quintessence is drawn into this one. With the great flood of quintessence, I needed a regulator able to process and control the flow, without causing feedback or overheating. All my research to date ended with failed test subjects, but you. You might just work"  
Unstable realities didn't sound good... the mental image of a dozen Slav's scared him more than a dozen Zarkon's invading their reality   
"What's happening!"  
Scurrying around, Honerva moved to a platform built into the floor that he hadn't even noticed. Then again he hadn't noticed the bed either. Tilting the bed up, she exposed thick tubes filled with more pure quintessence running from the console  
"In a few ticks, this reality will cease to exist as you know it"  
"Like I'm letting that happen"  
"You are powerless to stop it"  
Throwing back her hood, Honerva stood proudly, despite the fact she looked like a wrinkled old hag again. The markings on her face now looking more like wounds, and her skin... she could definitely stand to work on her daily routine. Letting her head loll back, she raised her arms as if in worship as quintessence began to swirl around her. This needed to stop and Lotor wasn't going a damn thing. Fighting to control his body, he felt like the quintessence was passing straight through him like he a colander   
"Do something!"  
"Perhaps she is right..."  
"She's going to kill everyone!"  
"If she can go back to that day..."  
"She's crazy!"  
Arching his back, he felt like pins and needles were raining down on his fingers and toes. So this gift of his had a limit? Quiznak. Fighting harder, he managed to get his up, before it was drawn back down to the table like it was magnetised. Come on. He just needed his Bayard. If he could his Bayard. Biting his lip, he soon abandoned it to scream as he pushed against the force. Little by little, he forced himself to roll, finally falling to land face down on the floor. Shaking, he tried to breathe, despite being winded from the small fall  
"It's too late Red Paladin"  
"My name is Lance, and I won't let you do this!"

Grabbing his Bayard out, he activated it. The pressure of armour helping to contain his injuries enough that he could move his body. Rising to his feet, he gripped his broadsword  
"You look just like that accursed man"  
"Alfor failed to stop you, but I'm not him!"  
"Lotor, cut him down. His purpose has been served"  
Rising as the quintessence whirlwind increased, he was fast running out of time. Throwing himself forward, he swung through the quintessence without making a difference. Before he could try again, he was thrown across the room by Lotor   
"My son! I've always been so proud of you... I promise to be the mother you deserved"  
Pushing himself back up, Lance swung again, trying to cut through anything that might give him an advantage  
"Fool!"  
As the whirlwind expanded, Lotor was thrown back by it, while Lance moved forward. He had to get to Honerva. He couldn't let her do this... raising his arm to shield his face, he continued until he reached the eye of the storm  
"Stop this!"  
"Don't you understand! I never wished for the destruction of Daibazaal"  
"Yet you killed hundred of civilisations!"  
"How is that any different from the Galra you've killed?!"  
"The quintessence has corrupted you!"  
"Quintessence is life! Like you have life inside of you!"  
Blue light shot from Honerva fingertips like lightning as she began to scream. Her skin opening into thick wounds as the quintessence began to overpower her. Now he was faced with a dilemma. If she died like this, he wouldn't be to blame. But if she did die, there was a chance the quintessence would become even more unstable and explode. Stowing his Bayard, he took a couple of steps back, before running forward and launching himself at Honerva with all his might. Landing hard on the woman, they slid to the outside of the quintessence, barely millimetres away from it. As she gasped for both Lotor and breath while trying to reach towards the whirlwind, Lance's hand went straight through her arm. She didn't even seem to notice, undeterred by the way her body spasmed and caved in on its self. Her body couldn't take it anymore. The years of tainted quintessence abuse had changed her, the effects of Oriande gone and now the pure quintessence was breaking her down. Rolling off of her, Lance looked to the control panel. He'd hoped the quintessence would stop if he removed Honerva from the equation, but it hadn't. Drawing his sword back out, he grimaced as he gripped it. Honerva's flesh and blood smearing on the handle as he did. Revolting. This was revolting and he didn't get paid anywhere enough for this. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and swung at the centre console, the reverberations shook his whole body, his armour holding him in place as the sword slice through the tech. There was a moment of complete silence before a boom and he was hurled backwards by an explosion. Shit. It was supposed to disturb the power supply and whatever was happening, not blow up! The whole base was going up! He needed to get out of there! Red! No. They hadn't come on Red! He could even fly Lotor's ship?! And why couldn't hear anything? 

Coughing as smoke began to fill the place, Lance stumbled forwards, using the wall for support as he did. When a large hand landed on his shoulder, he span around, prepared to cut down the wielded, instead his eyes widened at the sight of Shiro. There wasn't a single drop of blood on him at all. Shaking his shoulders hard, he realised Shiro's lips were moving   
"I can't hear you!"  
He couldn't even hear himself, just the same kind of submerged sort of ringing. Shiro's eyes widened, his hand coming up to touch the side of Lance's face, before pulling back and showing him his bloodied fingertips. He must have blown his eardrums in the explosion. Keith was going to be so mad! Grabbing his hand, Shiro began pulling him along, not looking back for Lotor as he did. In front of them, a large section of roofing collapsed, bringing Lance up short as he tried to backtrack and stop in time. Grabbing his Bayard, Shiro swang down, cutting through the wreckage. That worked. They were about to continue when Lance felt something grab his leg. Looking down, Shiro released him, leaving him nearly collapsing on the spot as the alpha pulled Lotor up. Lotor looked the maddest Lance had ever seen him. His eyes so cold that Lance swallowed despite having a mouthful of smoke and dust. Shoving Lotor ahead of them, Shiro took his hand again, pulling him towards the ship.

Only they didn't make it to the ship. Barely ticks before they did, Lotor's ship blew, with large chunks of molten metal were sent flying in every direction. Even if the team noticed, there was no way the could get there in time. He wondered why he thought that as both Lotor and Shiro threw themselves back, and pulled him down to the floor with them. Above him the sky turned red and yellow, and a real sense of fear filled him. He didn't belong here. He should be home with Keith. With Keith and their sons. Trying to push both men off of him, his eyes widened at the hunk of metal embedded in Shiro's shoulder. Lotor didn't seem hurt, his hair was half singed off, but other than that and the fact he was unconscious... he was fine. Feeling for his wrist communicator, he cursed himself for having left it at home. Part of the whole "prisoners wouldn't have communicators" thing. Screaming out mentally for Red, he pushed both men off his legs and slid free. Shiro didn't have a helmet, and neither did Lotor... he had his, but how long would the shield around them last? Once it cracked, that black goop would flood in. Looking back down the hall, he found the whole corridor collapsed and that there was definitely no way he they were going back that way. Forward was just as bad, but they couldn't stay where they were. Trying to find a way to stand, the whole planet beneath him seemed to shake, making it basically impossible to find his feet. There came another two larger shakes, before the wall to his left disappeared... and Red stuck her head in. Momentarily struck dumb, he reached out for her, knowing he couldn't make it. Keeping her eyes on him, Red leant down, opening her mouth around the three of them before snapping her jaw shut. With everything black around him, he wondered if he'd died, before realising his eyes were closed. He really was too far out of it  
"Red! We need to get out of here!"  
He didn't know if she heard him, but he was practically screaming it in his mind. Crawling across the floor, he pulled himself into his chair, before slumping over. He was such a mess. His pants were soaked in blood. His uniform was torn to shreds and he felt as if every bit of dust and debris was coating his skin. With shaking hands he took Red's controls, even though he knew he couldn't pilot her  
"Red, you're going to have to help me, girl. We need to get home"  
Feeling her in his numb brain, he left her to do her thing, knowing she'd get them home, no matter what happened to him, or Lotor and Shiro. He just had to stay awake. 

Reaching the castle, Lance had fought the whole way to stay awake. Even if his nausea had turned to vomiting, and his head felt like it had been cleaved in two. Upon Landing, Red immediately opened her mouth, causing Shiro and Lotor to tumble down her ramp. Mentally thanking her, Lance didn't even try to move. If he did, he either throw up again or pass out... or even worse, throw up and then pass out in it. Staying where he was, was the best option.

Keith was the first to appear, Allura right behind. His mates eyes widened as he rushed over to him, taking his face in his hands  
"I can't hear!"  
Keith cringed and Lance figured he must have yelled it. Tilting his head first left then right, his mate looked positively murderous as his lips moved, probably saying something to Allura. Lifting him from his seat, Lance's eyes finally started to close, but a sharp slap from Keith had them wide open in a moment   
"Don't close your eyes"  
That's what he assumed Keith was mouthing, though it could have been anything.

 

*  
When Red had left the castle on her own, Keith knew something had to be horribly wrong. He'd gone to her Hangar to feel closer to Lance, but when he got there, she'd already left. After running back up to the bridge, he'd yelled at Coran to track down Red, only to find she was already on her way back. Confused by what had happened, they'd all rushed back down to her hangar. When Lotor and Shiro had fallen down her ramp, Keith swore his heart stopped. He'd told them this was a stupid plan, yet they'd gone ahead and gone anyway... and now... leaving Hunk organising immediately treatment for the pair, Keith had run up Red's ramp, only to for his heart to skip a beat again. By the thick smell of smoke, and burnt flesh, they're had been some kind of explosion, but what had him more concerned was the glassy look in Lance's bloodshot eyes. The left one in particular as there was no white at all  
"I can't hear!"  
Cringing at his mates yell, Keith moved to take Lance's face in his hands, tilting his head to as he looked for signs of fresh blood from his mates ears. There didn't seem to be any. That was a start  
"Allura, I think he might be bleeding into his skull. We need to get him into a pod"  
"Hunk and Coran are helping Lotor and Shiro down there"  
He didn't care about them. Not when Lance was like this. Lifting Lance into his arms, his mate sighed   
"I want both Shiro and Lotor kept asleep until after Lance has told us what happened"  
"Keith?"  
"I never liked this mission, and if something happened, I want to make sure I hear the truth from Lance first"  
Looking down, Lance's eyes were beginning to slide closed. No. Not good. Slapping his mate slightly harder than intended, Lance's eyes shot back open  
"Don't close your eyes baby"  
His mate seemed to understand.

Careful not to jostle Lance too much as he rushed him up to the pod room, Keith had more than enough time to grow angrier and angrier. He'd told Lance he didn't want him going, yet he still had. He'd told Lotor and Shiro he'd kill them if they let Lance get hurt, but sure enough, his mate was hurt. This all better not have been for nothing. If Lance woke up and told him Honerva was still out there doing whatever she was doing, he was going to take Black and personally destroy her base.

Lotor and Shiro were both in pods by the time he arrived with Lance. Carrying his mate to the closest pod, he rested Lance inside before kissing his bloodied lips. Despite being somewhat broken and beaten, Lance still managed a smile for him. God. How could Lance smile when he looked like he'd been to hell and back   
"Keith, did he say anything?"  
"He couldn't hear. He was bleeding from both ears and popped blood vessels in both eyes. I think he was also burnt in whatever happened"  
"What did happen? We pulled a piece of metal from Shiro's back, and it looked like it was from Lotor's ship"  
"I have no idea. Red took off on her own, and there was clearly some kind of explosion. But until Lance wakes, we'll be in the dark"  
"Shiro will probably wake before Lance. His wounds were pretty superficial. He had burns across his back, and that piece of metal..."  
"Shiro and Lotor are to remain in their pods until we've had a chance to ask Lance what happened"  
"Keith, are you sure? They were there"  
"Yeah. Funny that. They were there, yet once again, Lance ends up like this"  
"If there was an explosion, then maybe there was nothing they could"  
"Or maybe they let it happen. Honerva's been holed up for phoebes and now this? I knew sending him in was a bad idea"  
"Lance wanted to do this. He knew the risks"  
"It doesn't matter!"  
"You were prepared to do practically the same thing!"  
"I was going to go on my own, unlike him..."  
"Unlike him what? You don't matter? You're just a pilot? What is it, Keith? You're happy to leave your children without a father?"  
"It's better than leaving them without their mother! Lance has always, always been a better person than I am!"  
"And you don't think he'd be crushed if something happened to you? He wants this all to be over, that's why he went. Now go clean up. We'll all keep watch until you return"  
"He's my omega!"  
"Who's going to freak when he sees you covered in blood"  
"That's all the more reason to stay!"  
"We'll be right here. Go shower and come back, use the time to cool down"  
"I am not reversing my decision over Shiro and Lotor"

Not wanting to spend too long away from Lance, Keith showered quickly and headed into the nursery to let his mum know what was going on. Pursing her lips and sighing, Keith wasn't sure how to take her response. Perhaps she was tired of watching the boys? Or maybe of Lance being hurt? If they were was an explosion, he probably couldn't have stopped it  
"Mum, can I ask you something? Why have you been acting so strange towards Lance"  
"I haven't"  
"You have, and just now you looked annoyed. If he's done something, then tell me"  
"Lance has not done anything"  
"Then what is it?"  
"Keith, Lance hasn't done anything. You should head back up to the pod room, I'll watch over the boys"  
"Is that it? Because we keep asking you to watch over them? Mum, I know we don't always show it, but we really appreciate your help. Both Lance and myself. We both love you, and so do the pups. I know the last quintant was rough without Lance here to feed them, but I really do appreciate it... Quiznak. You think I'd be better at this by now, with Lance for a mate"  
His mother gave him a small smile, that wasn't altogether convincing   
"You're doing just fine. Now go on, make sure he's alright"

 

*  
Pulling Lance against him the moment the glass on the healing pod slid up, his mate nuzzled his neck as the omega wrapped his arms around him   
"Hey Keith"  
"Hey, baby. Can you hear now?"  
"Yeah... my head's a bit sore, so can we keep it down?"  
"You scared me again"  
"There was an explosion. The quintessence went out of control... Honerva's body couldn't take it. Where are Lotor and Shiro?"  
"In pods. What do you need?"  
"A shower, and sleep"

"How are you feeling Lance?"  
Interrupting their moment, Hunk and Pidge came to their side  
"Hey guys. I'm ok. Just a little dirty"  
Wrapping their arms around them, Allura cried out in the background   
"Don't forget me"  
The woman running over and throwing her arms around them  
"Guys, this is too much. I'm ok"  
Squeezing Keith tighter, Lance nuzzled at his neck. His mates scent beginning to spike with hues of agitation, and pain  
"Ok guys, I'm going to take him down and clean him up"  
"We still need to debrief about what happened"  
"Honerva's dead. Her base blew up, but we need to make sure nothing's left of it. That's about it"  
"Baby, that's hardly a debriefing"  
"It's the best I can do until I've had a shower. I feel gross"  
"You smell gross too"  
"Thanks Hunk, way to make a guy feel good about himself"  
"Just being honest"  
"Hunk. You, Pidge and Matt scout out Honerva's base, without getting too close. Allura, you'll be on standby. I'll help Lance clean up and then we'll meet you up on the bridge. Call me if anything happens in the meantime"  
"Will do"

Lance wouldn't let him carry from the pod room down to theirs, so instead Keith had to content himself with wrapping his arm around Lance and practically supporting him down there. His mate wasn't exactly steady on his feet, but he also didn't go sprawling so that was a win.

 

*  
All Lance wanted to do was shower. His stomach still felt gross from being hit by Lotor, and his ears felt grimy from the dried blood, but being able to hear again was nice. It wasn't until he could hear again, that he'd started to wonder what it would have been like to stay deaf. To never hear Keith's voice again or hear the pups first words. Shaking his head, he sighed to himself. He was fine. His brain didn't need to start all this "what if" quiznak. Make wheeling straight for the shower, he stripped out of his ruined uniform, before Keith was wrapping his arms around him again  
"Keith, I'm ok"  
"I know, doesn't mean I don't want to hold you"  
Nuzzling his neck, his husband's scent told him he wanted more than just to hold him  
"I'm sorry. I'm too tired for much more than showering. Would you get the pups for me? They've got to be starving"  
"You don't want me to help you shower?"  
"Not this time. I'm sorry, I'm just too tired"  
"Ok baby, I get it. I'm sure our boys have missed you too"  
"Thanks. I won't be too long"  
Detangling himself from Keith's hold, the omega really needed to use the toilet but didn't want to go in front of his mate. Especially when he felt so sick. Waiting patiently until Keith closed the bathroom door, Lance then rushed over and collapsed down on the toilet. His arse felt wet, and he couldn't believe he'd slicked just from walking down from the pod room.

Only, it wasn't slick he cleaned up but blood. Being hit by Lotor must have done more damage than he'd thought. It was definitely a good thing that Keith wasn't there, or his mate would be worrying himself over nothing. Finishing up, he moved to the shower and cranked both taps to nearly full, before stepping under. Thanks to his fatigue the water felt like it was stabbing into him, though after a few long moments the sensation finally faded enough for him start scrubbing God only knew what from his skin. Taking the time to first thoroughly was his hair, Lance slowly soaped up the rest of his body, finding he was still bleeding in the process  
"Lance?"  
"Still showering!"  
"Ok, the boys are waiting!"  
With blood on his fingers, Lance didn't know if he should call out for Keith or not. He'd assumed the blood he'd passed had been there for a while, or at least since Lotor hit him, now he was kind of scared. His mate would worry, and probably insist he be scanned, and Keith would flip if he told him Lotor hit him, but he really wasn't supposed to be bleeding   
"Keith, can you come here!"  
No sooner were the words out his mouth was he regretting saying them, and the bathroom door was opening  
"What's wrong?"  
"I..."  
Looking down at his fingers, he raised them to show Keith   
"I'm bleeding and I don't know why"  
"Ok baby, it's ok. Let's get you out the shower and I'll check you over"  
Reaching in to turn the shower off, Keith then took his arm and "helped" him out, leading him over to the bathroom counter where he wrapped his towel around him  
"Where are you bleeding?"  
Biting his lip, Lance looked down. Seriously. The fellow teen had seen every single part of him, why did have to get so embarrassed over the stupidest of things?  
"From down there?"  
"It's stupid. It's probably nothing... I probably just hit my stomach in the explosion or something"  
"It's not stupid. Let me see"  
Lifting him up and onto the counter, Lance spread his legs while trying to hide at the same time, without having an escape route, he was left hiding his face behind his hands as Keith's fingers ghosted over his opening  
"You're still bleeding... but I can't see any external trauma..."  
"I'm going to hit if you say I have to have a scan"  
"Baby"  
"I shouldn't have told you"  
"Lance, I'm relieved you did. Obviously not because you're bleeding and we don't know why, but because you didn't try to hide it from me"  
"I... I was going to, but... um... can I get down now? I want to see our boys"  
Instead of letting him get down, Keith lifted him off the counter, causing Lance to whine as his stomach protested the movement.

Carrying him into their room, Lance's eyes went straight to the boys. Both were laying on their stomachs, while Kelance had his hand in his mouth  
"Is everything alright?"  
Jumping at the fact he hadn't even Krolia, Lance forced a smile in her direction  
"Yeah. I'm just a bit tired. Thank you for looking after the boys, I'm sorry you seem to have turned into our glorified babysitter"  
"He's not alright, he's bleeding"  
"Keith, you don't have to tell mum that. It's probably from the explosion or something. I'm ok"  
As Keith sat him down next to the twins, Lance tried to cover himself up with the towel the best he could  
"Keith, why don't you give Lance and I moment"  
"What? Why?"  
"Because I would like to talk to him"  
Lance was just as confused as Keith was, and all he wanted to do was feed his son's. Both boys were looking up at him with cheeky smiles on their faces, that even Kelance's drool covered hand couldn't ruin  
"Keith, it's ok. Why don't you grab the boy's blankets from next door? You said we were going to head back up to the bridge"  
"That's before I knew you needed a scan"  
"Mum, how long's this conversation going to take? Keith seems to think it's going to vargas by the way he's acting"  
"Not long"  
"See, now go get the boys their blankets"  
"But..."  
"Keith, I love you, but this is only going to take a couple of ticks. I promise you can scan me after I talk to mum"  
"Keep an eye on him..."  
Krolia sighed, making shooing motions with her hands. Lifting Kelance up, Lance wiped his son's hand off on his towel, before immediately moving him to feed. His breasts were so heavy and tender, he moaned at the immediate relief of his milk starting to drain   
"Mum, is everything ok with you? I haven't seen you much, we keep relying on you to look after the boys. I'm sorry we've been so busy"  
Moving to sink down next to him, Lance found himself pulled up against the woman's chest as she buried her face in his hair  
"Krolia?"  
"I know why you're bleeding"  
What?  
"Um..."  
"You're miscarrying. I thought you smelt different, but you weren't acting any different so I wondered if it was in my head"  
"Krolia, I can't get pregnant at the moment"  
"Yet your scent has definitely changed again... I'm sorry Lance, but I'm almost certain you were carrying"  
If he was, he wouldn't have been much more than a movement or two, and he highly doubted he was. This didn't feel like last time, he just felt gross  
"I can't. I haven't taken the ring off. Maybe my hormones were out of whack or something. I mean, my heat lasted 3 movements and I was sick during it"  
Rubbing her cheek against his hair, she held him tighter   
"Perhaps. I hope for your sake I am wrong"  
"Is that why you've been acting weird around us? Because you thought I was?"   
"That... and... I want to leave"  
"You want to leave?"  
"Don't get me wrong, I love both you and the boys, but I'm not used to a peaceful life. Here I have no chance to be of real use"  
"Are you going to tell Keith?"  
"I think he already knows how I feel"  
"You still need to tell him... but just about you leaving. Not about that other thing. He... he'd worry too much if he thought it was true"  
Lance knew that nearly three-quarters of pregnancies ended in a miscarriage, but he highly doubted this was the case. Krolia would never have let him go on missions if it was, and the healing pod would have stopped it. To him it was much more likely it was just connected to the explosion and stuff  
"Lance"  
"Krolia, please. Look, he's making me have a scan, and I just had a whole heap of quintessence go through me. I'm not having this conversation"  
"He has a right to know"  
"No, he doesn't. You know he'd worry, and worry over nothing!"  
Snapping at Krolia, Kelance pulled back from feeding as he started to cry. Patting his son's bottom, he shrugged Krolia off of him. He'd know. He'd just somehow know  
"There's nothing to be ashamed..."  
"I'm not ashamed!"

"Is everything alright in here?"  
Standing in the doorway with the boy's blankets and a neat pile of clothes, Keith looked less than impressed  
"Lance?"  
"It's fine"  
"Yelling that you're not ashamed, doesn't equal fine"  
"I'm not ashamed to feed my son's. Krolia has some stuff to talk to you about"  
"Mum?"  
"Not now. You help Lance and I'll see you later?"  
"We're going to the medical room after this, and then the bridge to wait for the others"  
"Than I'll see you on the bridge"  
Kissing the top of his head, Krolia walked past Keith and out of the room like nothing was wrong.

"Baby?"  
"It's nothing. I'm just cranky because I'm tired and Kelance stopped mid-feed"  
Moving his son so his lips brushed his nipple, Kelance soon relatched  
"Do you want to tell me what happened during the mission?"  
"Nothing much. We got there, and Lotor roughed me up so I actually looked like a prisoner. Honerva didn't want Shiro or me, until Lotor told her how quintessence doesn't affect me like everyone else. She blasted me with tainted quintessence before telling Lotor to kill Shiro. Lotor stabbed Shiro, then put me on this table thing. Her and Lotor tinkered with the control panel, but I can't tell you what happened, my head was too foggy from the quintessence. She kept going on about going back to that day and being a better mum to Lotor. After that, she activated the quintessence, but she couldn't handle it in its pure form... kind of like how I couldn't handle it when it's tainted. It went out of control, she died and then things started blowing up. I was praying that Red would come save us, and somehow she did"  
"Is that all?"  
"That's the reader's digest version, with expanded footnotes... sorry, I'm just too tired to report it properly"  
"Maybe you should stay down here and sleep?"  
"I'll be fine. I want to know what the others find"  
"If you're sick"  
"Keith, I'm fine. I mean, I'm ok. Just really drained"  
"Then you definitely need to sleep. I'll set you up in the medical day, and I'll run an IV, you probably need the fluids"  
"You're worrying again"  
"How can I not? You were in an explosion"  
"Which I came out of better than Shiro and Lotor, they're still in pods"  
"That's because I ordered they be detained until I found out what happened"  
Lance bit down an annoyed sigh. It'd been a mission that went sideways. They hadn't gone out of their way to physically hurt him  
"Keith, they didn't hurt me. It was the explosion and quintessence"  
"They should have done more to prevent you being hurt"  
"How? Shiro was playing dead in the corridor and Lotor was keeping Honerva preoccupied. We all played our part"  
Lifting Laneith up, Keith swaddled him in his blanket as their son grabbed for his hair  
"No baby, that's daddy's hair"  
"You don't have to tell him no"  
"Don't come crying to me when he tries to pull it out then"  
"He's just curious. He and Kelance both conquered rolling over, and wriggling like they were trying to escape while you were gone"  
"That's my boys! You probably wanted to come save mummy, but mummy was already on his way back"  
Striking Kelance's face, Lance beamed down at his son. Yes. No one could deny he was very much a proud mum, and his omega was definitely feeling clucky... it wanted Keith so badly, and it was practically begging to be bred. If he really was miscarrying, he wouldn't be feeling that way  
"Lance, are you... what's wrong?"  
"Huh? What do you mean what's wrong?"  
"Your scent. You smell upset and confused. Did mum say something?"  
"No. I'm just having a fight with my omega. Just holding the boys and watching them grow, it wants more pups already, despite the fact the twins are still so young"  
"Being in heat probably threw your hormones out of cycle... that and all the stress you were under"  
"Mmm, maybe"  
"Besides, we are definitely not ready for more kids, not for a long time..."  
It seemed to Lance that Keith wanted to end that sentence with "if ever", and his heart ached as his omega grew agitated over its alpha's clear rejection   
"What would you, if I did... I mean. What would we do?"  
"I told you I'd support you, but we don't need to think about it right now. Here, I'll take him while you feel Laneith"  
Exchanging pups, Laneith was just as "starved" as his brother. His son practically sucking his whole nipple into his mouth as he began to feed. Pulling back enough that just the nub was in Laneith's mouth, Lance hated the swirling thoughts and emotions he was now being subjected too. Stupid Krolia should have just kept her mouth shut. She had no right doing this to him, especially given his history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ding Dong, the bitch is dead!


	78. Chapter 78

Something was definitely going on with Lance, something that was more than simple tiredness. Lance wouldn't even look him in the eye after talking him through how to perform a scan with the castle's equipment. Keith hadn't seen anything wrong with Lance, still he'd gone ahead and set up an IV line for his mate, staying by his side until the sedatives had kicked in and Lance was out cold. Normally Lance didn't require sedatives to sleep, but Keith had a feeling his mate would insist on dragging himself up to the bridge to wait for the others if he hadn't administered it under the guise of painkiller for Lance's still aching head. From the moment the machine stopped it's scan, right up to the moment Lance fell asleep, his mate stared across the room at their son's on the other bed. Maybe Lance was just trying to calm his omega down? He said it was feeling clucky... did that mean Lance wanted more pups already? He said he couldn't go through birth again, so Keith had kind of accepted that the twins might be the only children they'd have, and he'd made peace with that. Lance's health and safety came first, as well as the fact it was Lance's body, so at the end of the day, his mate had full control of what happened to it... it just confused him that Lance was bringing it all up again after going on a mission with Lotor and Shiro, both of which had slept with his mate at some point... well Lotor was a maybe, he'd definitely touched Lance, but neither of them knew how far he'd taken it.

Leaving Lance sleeping, Keith carried the boys up to the bridge. With their energetic movements, the last thing they needed was for one of the pups to fall from the bed, or even worse, for them both too and be seriously hurt. Allura, Coran and Krolia were all standing, waiting for Pidge, or Hunk to call through  
"Any news?"  
"No. How's Lance?"  
"He's sleeping in the medical bay, despite being in the pod, he's still a little uncomfortable"  
"Nothing too bad, I hope"  
"No Coran, thanks to all your help, we now know how to work the scanner and nothing came up on his scan"  
"Are you sure? I mean, Coran is the expert when it comes to scans"  
"That's true, but Lance and I didn't see anything"  
If Keith was honest, he was just going off of Lance's previous scans and was no expert like Coran, but the scanner hadn't highlighted anything  
"Perhaps it would be best to conduct another scan once Lance wakes"  
"He'll be out for a while, I gave him a shot for pain... that was actually a sedative. He would have wanted to wait for Pidge, Hunk and Matt if I hadn't, he also said that Shiro and Lotor didn't hurt him. So once they've returned, we can release them"  
"So do we just wait?"  
"You can go ahead and call Pidge and Hunk, I doubt they'll be discussing anything too exciting"  
Moving over to his console, Coran went about calling their three friends. Pidge's face filled her half the screen, while Hunk looked somewhat more relaxed  
"Hey guys! How's Lance?!"  
"He's good. He's sleeping at the moment, Hunk"  
"I'm surprised you got him to sleep"  
"Keith drugged him"  
"Mum, you don't need to dob me in"  
"Well you did"  
Forcing an exerted sigh, Keith had no idea why his mother insisted on telling everyone  
"What does it look like?"  
"We're just arriving, here let me switch view"  
The scene in front of them was floating chunks of earth  
"Well. It's gone. I don't see how anyone could have survived this, and we aren't reading any life signs in the area"  
"Though we are getting some unusual energy readings"  
"Unusual?"  
"It's emitting the signals one would have expect from a black hole, and radiation is continuing to rise"  
"There's no way she could have survived?"  
"No. Nothing could have survived, and there's no trace of that black goop or pure quintessence"  
"Alright, take as many readings are you and then fall back. We'll need to contact our allies and let them know to avoid that quadrant"  
"Do we know what Honerva was trying to do?"  
"She wanted to go back in time"  
"Ugh. Why can't bad guys ever be original?... ow! Matt!"  
"Keith, we'll take the readings and return. Do you mind if I use Green to contact the rebel forces?"  
"Why are you asking him? She's my lion"  
"No, go ahead"  
"Guys, Green is mine!"  
"No ones saying she's not"  
"Then stop..."  
The call was ended, presumably by Matt. Shaking his head at his friend's, Keith couldn't quite believe that Honerva was dead. Just like that...  
"Hunk, just make sure they don't kill each other"  
"Will do"  
Ending his call, there was nothing else for them to say  
"So what now?"  
"We wait for them, mum, can you contact Kolivan. Let them know to avoid any missions concerning infected ships and that quadrant of space. Once that is done, why don't you guys get some rest? It'll be vargas before Pidge, Matt and Hunk return"

Still agitated from Lance being hurt, Keith headed down to the training deck to work his anger into something more constructive than cursing Lotor and Shiro.

*  
After waking from an amazing sleep, the only thing wrong was the cramping in his stomach. Pushing himself up, Lance slid the IV from his arm as he winced  
"Lance, lovely to see you awake my boy. How are you feeling?"  
Rubbing his face, Lance yawned as he nodded at Coran  
"Oddly refreshed, I can't believe I fell asleep"  
"You certainly needed it"  
"How long was I out for? And are the others back?"  
"Yes. Honerva's base was completely destroyed. We've decided to cordon off that quadrant of space for now, as by Pidge's calculations, it's turning into a black hole"  
"I thought they happened instantaneously"  
"Yes, well, this one hasn't. Now that you're awake, are you up for a scan"  
"I already had one"  
"There's no harm in being thorough. Young Keith only just left before you woke. He's been worried for you"  
Talk about guilt tripping...  
"Coran, if I tell you something, can you swear you won't tell anyone"  
"Lance, what is it? What's wrong?"  
Placing one hand on his stomach, Lance sank back down  
"I've been feeling sick lately, and my stomach is cramping... um... Krolia said I... she said I was... that I was miscarrying. I haven't taken off my ring, so I don't see how I could be, but I need to know"  
"Does Keith know?"  
"No. So please don't tell him. I don't want to upset him when it might just be nothing"  
"Alright, just lay back and get comfortable. You know the drill"  
"I wish I didn't"  
"We all wish you didn't. Don't worry, I'll get to the bottom of this"  
Closing his eyes, Lance took a deep breath as he waited for the heat to fill his stomach.

"Coran. You're not saying anything"  
"Lance, I don't see a foetus, but there does seem to be evidence that your womb lining is "shedding". I can't not say that you were, but it is thicker than your previous scans"  
"So I might have been?"  
"Or it may just be your hormones returning to normal levels"  
"Ok... thanks Coran. I'll um... I'll talk to the doctor when we get back to Olkarion"  
Though Coran probably knew more than the doctors did  
"Lance, perhaps you should tell Keith?"  
"No. It's ok. If it's something serious, then I'll tell him"  
Climbing off the bed, Lance was in shock. The ring on his finger was supposed to prevent this kind of thing. Internally his omega was having a breakdown over it all. He needed to see his kids.

Heading down to the nursery, he found it empty, as was his and Keith's quarters. Walking all the way back up to find Keith and the pups was too much effort, so he remade their bed and gave Keith a call. In the background, he could hear Hunk and Pidge laughing. Jealousy flared inside of him. Why did they get to be happy? When there was possibly something wrong with him... he still didn't want to believe it could be a miscarriage. Promising to be down soon, Lance changed into a pair of Keith's black track pants and one of his mate's singlets. He really wanted Keith. He wanted his mate curled around him, kissing him, telling him everything was going to be ok. It was hard to choke down his tears, and it took forever before Keith came in with the boys. Laying them on the bed, Keith went to climb on the outer side, effectively blocking them in. Reaching out, Lance tugged his hand as he stared up at his mate  
"Hey, what's up? Did your scan not go alright?"  
"It... I just, I really want you to hold me"  
Keith was confused, but still did as asked, climbing around him and the boys before spooning up behind him and kissing his nape  
"Baby, you can tell me anything"  
"I know. Just... I really love you Keith"  
"I love you too"  
"And the boys. I love them so much"  
Lance placed his hand over Keith's, squeezing firmly as he did  
"You're scaring me"  
"Sorry. I just really wanted to see you and the boys"  
"You don't need to be so upset over that. We missed you too"  
"We're on our way back to Olkarion, aren't we?"  
"It's still going to take a couple of quintants"  
Quintants... which meant this might all pass before they reached Olkarion. He could only hope so. Leaning in to kiss Laneith, his son stuck his fingers up his nose  
"That's gross"  
"Do you have a problem with my snot?"  
"No, but maybe it's better that it's not on Laneith's fingers"  
"I haven't got anything to wipe it on"  
"I'll get a tissue"  
"It's fine. We'll live. Won't be baby. Yes we will, look at you, you think it's all a big game"  
Laneith cooed happily, his other hand grabbing for Lance's face, capturing his hand, Lance kissed his palm as he made nomming noises  
"You're an amazing mother"  
"It helps these guys are so adorable, just like their daddy"  
"I am not adorable"  
"Sexy. Perfect. Adorable"  
"I'm definitely none of those"  
"You are to me"  
"That's because you're weird"  
"That's not nice"  
"Just calling it like I see it"

*  
For the most part, his cramping had passed during the trip back to Olkarion. With nothing to do, Lance spent most of his time down in the nursery with the boys. They loved wriggling on their play mat, and being just the three of them, Lance opted to let them play naked. It wasn't healthy to keep them in nappies all the time, and Kelance has a small rash forming from it. Even if he was in pain, he definitely enjoyed spending time with them, and reading to them, and watching them inch their way closer to crawling. So far there had only been two accidents, both of which were pee, so it wasn't too hard to clean up. 

The evening they arrived on Olkarion, Lance was the first one off the castle, taking his pups with him while Keith dealt with finding a way home for Lotor and Matt. Making his way down towards the village, he ran into the person he was seeking out as he went  
"Ryner!"  
As always, Ryner didn't know to deal with perky persona, the old woman smiling thinly as she nodded  
"Lance. What news from the castle?"  
"Everyone's ok... hey, do you happen to have a few doboshes? I was actually coming to find you"  
"What can this old lady do for you?"  
Fidgeting with Laneith's blanket, Lance hated asking  
"I think there might be something wrong with the ring you made for me. Is it possible you can take a look?"  
"Did something happen?"  
"Uh... possibly. I was... I need to see a doctor too"  
"Why don't we take a walk down to the hospital?"  
"Thanks. I'm sorry for all of this, especially when just got back"

Walking tensely beside Ryner, neither of them talked as they made their way down to the hospital and inside. A few of the Olkarion came to ask how the pups were, so when Ryner took him by the elbow and led him away, he was more than a little grateful. He didn't know what to say. The pups were fine. Lead into a small examination room, the doctor was already waiting  
"I'll take that ring of yours now"  
"Oh, hang on. I need to put the boys down"  
Trying to appear normal, the omega laid both pups on the bed, before sliding the ring from his finger and dropping it into Ryner's palm  
"I will return it to you later, if that's acceptable"  
"That would be awesome. Thank you"  
"No worries"  
Nodding to both of them, the woman shuffled from the room, leaving him with the same doctor he had after birthing the boys  
"Red Paladin, what seems to be the problem?"  
"I... Ryner created a ring so I wouldn't fall pregnant, but recently I took a blow to the stomach and I've been bleeding since"  
"So you think you're miscarrying?"  
"I've been bleeding and cramping for the last 3 quintants. It's lightening up, but we weren't sure if I did miscarry of if it's hormone related"  
"I'll need to examine you. Please lower your pants and place your hands on the bed"  
Because that wasn't embarrassing... gritting his teeth, he did as he was asked.

After being poked and prodded in ways he definitely didn't like, Lance focused all his attention on his boys  
"There's no sign of internal or external trauma. You may pull your pants back up, and please lay on the bed"  
Holding two pups and trying to climb onto the bed was nearly impossible and the old man didn't move a finger to help him as he did. Both boys were just as cranky as he was by the end of it  
"I'm going to perform an ultrasound. It will also measure your hormone levels, and test for any traces of lingering foreign matter"  
"Um. Ok"  
The look he got clearly said he didn't need to speak. Couldn't the man at least be a little nice? He was completely freaking out! And the gel pad he placed on his stomach... Oh Lordy... his whole body clenched.

"You're not pregnant. If you were, you have already passed the foetus. There is still some lining of the womb shedding, which suggests a pregnancy has occurred"  
"So I lost a baby"  
The old man sighed as he nodded  
"For now take comfort in the knowledge you have two boys already"  
Packing everything away, just as efficiently as he'd unpacked the portable scanner, Lance was too shocked to move. The ring was supposed to protect against falling pregnant... this wasn't supposed to happen. Sliding off the bed, he mumbled his thanks, before fleeing. His omega just as shocked as the rest of him, and he didn't know what to say or do.

Blindly fleeing up to the castle, luck wasn't on his side as he walked into Lotor and Shiro. Bouncing back, Shiro grabbed his arm so he wouldn't fall  
"Lance! What are you doing out here?"  
"I just went for a walk..."  
"On a cold night like this? The pups aren't dressed for such cool weather. You better get them inside"  
"That's what I was trying to do"  
Ignoring the angry look on Lotor's face, Lance pulled away from Shiro  
"Lance?"  
"It was just a walk. Lay off of me"  
"I didn't..."  
"You didn't what? Mean to imply in a bad mother?! Just leave me alone"  
Shiro and Lotor could both...  
"Lance, what's wrong?"  
"Nothings wrong! If you've got time to stand here and yell at me, then you've got time to go away!"  
"I wasn't yelling at you"  
"What's going on here?"  
Appearing from the castle entry, Allura walked to his side  
"Lance?"  
"Can't you all just leave me alone! I went for a walk! That's not illegal, I wasn't doing anything wrong"  
Allura took half a step back, concern written all over her face  
"Lance, no one said you did anything wrong"  
"Shiro did. And I can tell Lotor's mad because I didn't save Honerva"  
This was their first time seeing each other since the incident, that was another reason he'd stayed down in the nursery with the boys  
"Lance"  
"Stop saying my name! God. Can't you all give me some space?"  
Pushing past Allura, Lance strode into the castle, making his way straight back down to the nursery. The night wasn't that cold, and both boys were in full length onesies with beanies on. He knew how to take care of his kids. He didn't need anyone sticking their nose in his business.

*  
After talking with Allura, Keith sought out Lance. His mate was hidden under a pile of blankets, with the twins laying on his chest. Pulling the pile back, the glare his husband shot him had him sighing  
"If you're going to hell me off, I don't want to hear it"  
"Allura said you were upset. You've been upset for days... are you ready to tell me what's wrong?"  
"No"  
"Baby, please talk to me. Not only did Allura say you were upset, Shiro said the same thing, and apparently villagers saw you at the hospital"  
"I don't want to talk about it!"  
Keith flinched as anger rolled off Lance  
"Baby, I'm worried. Mums worried to"  
"That's funny"  
"What's so funny about that?"  
"That mum would be worried. If she hadn't told me, I wouldn't have even known"  
Breaking down into sobs, Lance tried to curl around their son's  
"If she hadn't told you what?"  
"I... I had a miscarriage. I think I had a miscarriage, it... there wasn't any evidence of carrying... but... I was down at the hospital hoping they'd tell me I didn't. Mum smelt it on me. And. Just. I'm a broken omega, so just leave"  
Keith was floored. The thought had crossed his mind for a moment when Lance started bleeding, but the ring was supposed to prevent him falling pregnant. If Lance had conceived, he wouldn't have been very far along  
"Baby"  
"Don't! Don't be nice to me! Not now"  
"Hey, come here"  
Climbing into their bed, Keith pulled Lance up against him, with the pups still on lance's chest as he cried  
"I didn't even want another kid so soon, so I don't know why it hurts!"  
"Because you love so much baby..."  
"I wasn't supposed to fall pregnant!"  
"I know. But we were using technology not built for our exact make up. There are no one hundred percent contraceptives"  
"How come you don't hate me?!"  
"Because these things happen. Your body was probably drained for your extended heat, and it didn't know what to do"  
"Why me! What did I do with wrong?"  
"You didn't do anything wrong baby. Nothing at all. I'm here, I'm here without"  
Pressing kisses to Lance's temple, he rubbed his mates arm at the same time. Losing another pup was rough, but he wasn't the one who to physically deal with the effects of doing so  
"I'm here. I've got you. I love you"  
"You shouldn't... I'm wrong"  
"You're not wrong"  
Let holding his crying mate, Keith struggled to hold down his emotions, eventually giving into his own tears.

With Lotor and Matt both leaving the following morning, Keith let Lance sleep in. His first stop of the morning after seeing two of them off, was a trip down to see Ryner and the organising a house to borrow. He'd make good on his promise that they'd live off the castle, and with a little string pulling, the Olkari woman had an even better plan. They were going to construct a house for them, from the ground up using vines and Olkarion technology. Keith didn't care what it looked like, to him a house was a house, he'd only stipulated that it needed to have a bath, but the rest of it was left to her discretion. Returning to the castle, he found Lance was up and about, eating breakfast in the kitchen while Hunk was baking. Blinking at him, Lance blushed as Keith walked over to his mate and kissed him deeply  
"Guys, it's too early for this"  
"It's never too early to kiss Lance. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up"  
"It's ok. Hunk explained you were seeing off Matt and Lotor"  
"Yeah. We had to piece together a ship for Lotor, so we didn't have to part with the fighter jet. Matt had his own ship, so he left first"  
Nodding, Lance went back to what seemed to be space cereal  
"So what's the plan now? I mean. We have no big bad at the moment... who do we fight now?"  
"There's still some factions that are more than likely to cause trouble, but for the most part, we'll be continuing to offer aid and support to the planets in the coalition"  
"It feels weird not having anyone to fight"  
"I thought you'd be happy Hunk"  
"I am. It's just... it's been one adventure after another since we came out here, and now there seems to be some stability in the Galaxy. What do we do?"  
"Isn't that what I just asked"  
"For now, I think we have all earned a well deserved break. We'll monitor Lotor's movements until we're sure he isn't planning to move against us"  
"He's still mad I couldn't save Honerva"  
"What makes you say that?"  
"Because he didn't say anything. He didn't yell at me or ask me what happened in her final moments. He just accepted it"  
"He is half Galra"  
"Keith's half Galra and if something happened to his mum? He'd want to know"  
"Keith likes his mum. I don't think Lotor liked Honerva"  
"He liked Honerva. His problem was mostly with Haggar. You weren't there. I think he actually supported her trying to turn back time"  
"Something like that, it can't be possible"  
"It's happened before. Remember, Allura and Coran were trapped in that time rift before. I'm worried Lotor will want to pick up where Honerva ended"  
"He doesn't have the quintessence or knowledge to do so"  
"But he talked to her... he would have seen what she was doing. And there's probably more of that black stuff out there..."  
Placing his spoon back down, Lance shook his head  
"I think I might go read to the boys for a bit"  
"I'll come down with you. Did you leave them sleeping?"  
"Yeah. They'll probably be awake now"  
Sliding off his stool, Lance winced as he wrapped an arm around his stomach, leaving Keith wishing he could do more than just watch. Hopefully Ryner would get back to him sooner rather than later, and Lance would be able to take a nice long bath to ease his pain. Taking his mates free hand, he stayed close to his husband as they left the kitchen and headed down to the nursery.

As Lance had predicted, both boys were awake. Kelance was sucking on his hand again, while Laneith was mouthing at the soft toy bear in his cot. Not missing the way Lance was still holding his stomach, Keith guided Lance to sit before moving to lift Kelance from his cot  
"Someone's gotten bigger"  
"Mhmm, they both have... sorry you had to pick them up, my stomachs still a little tender"  
"I don't mind. I've missed the three of you all morning"  
Taking Kelance from him, Lance smiled at their baby boy, before lifting him high and blowing a raspberry on his stomach. Kelance squealed at the action, kicking his feet out as he did  
"Hey, I don't suppose you saw Ryner while you were out?"  
"How come?"  
He didn't want to mention the house thing until he could actually take Lance down to see it, but his mate didn't seem to notice him smoothly dodging the actual question  
"I gave her my ring yesterday, and she was going to take a look at it to see why it didn't work... she was supposed to return it to me last night"  
"Oh. I didn't even notice you weren't wearing it"  
"I've still got the important one on"  
"I know. Does it ever feel weird under your gloves?"  
"No, I've gotten used to it. I think it'd feel weirder if I didn't wear it... besides, it reminds me I have you waiting for me"  
After lifting Laneith in his hold, Keith crossed to sit by Lance. His husband immediately placing his forehead against the alpha's right should and kissing his arm  
"Hey, it's ok. I'm here"  
"I know. I guess we know why I wasn't feeling great, and why my omega was feeling so clucky"  
"Yeah... baby, you know I'm not mad at you, don't you? Neither of us suspected you might be, and mum... I can't believe she'd be able to smell the change in your hormones so soon"  
"I didn't think it was possible..."  
"I know baby. Are you up for helping with bath time?"  
"I'm not missing bath time. I'll just sit on the edge of the shower, but... there might be some blood. I mean. Most of its passed, and it's just spotting now, but I get if it's gross"  
"Lance, it's not gross, and I was there last time this happened. You have no idea how proud I am of you, do you?"  
"For losing another pup?"  
"For letting me in"  
"I practically had a mental breakdown and sobbed at you"  
"But you told me, and that's the main thing. I love you so much"  
"I love you too. Can we stay inside today? The boys have really liked playing on their play mat"  
"With Lotor and Matt gone, it's just admin work, and Shiro has probably already started on that. I think mum wanted to talk to me, but she'll find us when she's ready"  
Humming, Lance nuzzled his arm as he kissed it again  
"Thanks. I really just need to feel safe at the moment, and while the castle's home, I still feel best when I'm with you and the boys"  
Keith's heart swelled at his mate's words. He wanted to sweep Lance off his feet and spoil his mate rotten, while also wanting to tuck him up in bed and do whatever Lance wanted or needed him to do. So if his mate wanted him there, he wasn't going anywhere.

*  
Laying on the floor, Keith was spooned up against him as they watched the boys. It was a race now, as both pups had rolled onto their stomachs and were in the process of conquering holding themselves up. The moment was so magical, and so intimate that Lance wished he was filming it, but didn't dare track down a camera in case he missed seeing who crawled first. Behind him, Keith was tense, as if holding back a cheer at the boys progress... or maybe he wanted to yell at them to hurry up. They were both so close. Reaching out for his brother, Kelance fell down, while Laneith reached a chubby hand out, crawling ever so slightly before Kelance grabbed his arm and Laneith fell on his butt. Laughing at their boys, Lance reached out and lifted Kelance up  
"You're not supposed to sabotage your brother"  
"Hey, he just wanted to do the same thing as Laneith"  
"I think this means Laneith crawled first. Keith, how can they be getting so big? I can't believe it... our sons are crawling"  
"They're not crawling yet"  
"They're close enough. I don't want them growing up. They're so adorable"  
"So you like dirty nappies and temper tantrums?"  
"I like their chubby faces and how curious they are about everything... how about I take care of them when they're this big, and you can take care of them when they're moody teenagers like you"  
"I'm not moody"  
"Mhmm... I suppose you've gotten better"  
Nipping his shoulder playfully, Keith reached up and took Kelance's hand  
"It's being with you that did it"  
"Oh, so you love our sons more than me. I see how it is"  
"I don't think I'm physically capable of loving anyone more than I love you"  
"Just remember that next time I do something wrong"  
"If you didn't mess up, you wouldn't be you"  
"Hey! Did you just insult me?!"  
"Maybe. What are you going to do about it?"  
"Ummm, I don't know. Actually, yes I do. You can make me lunch"  
"Lance..."  
"Nope. You've never cooked for me. Not proper food"  
"Probably because I didn't really bother with proper food. It's not exactly high on the priorities when you live alone"  
"Keith, I was joking. If you really want to do something to make it up to me, I wouldn't say no to a kiss"  
"I can cook"  
"And I'm telling you I was joking"  
"No. You don't believe me"  
"I do. Now give me a kiss"  
Rolling in his hold, Lance closed his eyes expectantly. Biting his mates lower lip, Keith cut off Lance's yelp with a hard kiss, that soon turned heated. Almost forgetting the pups were even there, the alpha rocked his hips suggestively as he dominated Lance's mouth, before breaking the kiss to smirk down at him  
"Keith... that's not fair"  
"What's not fair"  
"You know we can't... while I'm like this"  
"I know. Doesn't mean I don't love and want you"  
Pouting Lance rolled back and placed Kelance back next to Laneith, wriggling his arse against Keith's half erection as he did  
"Now who's being a tease"  
"Me. You deserve it though"  
"Maybe"  
"No maybes about it"  
"I think it's time the boys had a nap. Laneith looks like he's about to fall asleep"  
With his bum in the air and his eyes firmly closed, Laneith really did look like he was trying to sleep through their shenanigans. Nodding his agreement, Lance pushed himself up  
"I'll place them in their cots"  
"It's ok. I'm not as sore as I was before"  
"You're still recovering. Let me take care of you for a change"  
"You're always taking care of me"  
"Because I love you"  
Climbing to his feet, Keith moved both pups to their respective cots, before sweeping Lance off his feet and into his arms, letting out a giggle the omega found himself staring into Keith's eyes. He really did have the sweetest mate, even if he was starting to creep him out  
"Keith?"  
"What?"  
"You're staring"  
"Because you're adorable"  
"I'm not adorable"  
"You are, and you're mine. I know we can't do anything, but how about we go back to our room. I can massage your lower back for you"  
"That would be nice"

Stripping down to their boxers, Lance laid on his stomach as Keith straddled his legs from behind, if didn't take long for his alpha to have him purring as Keith's fingers gently, yet firmly, massaged his tense muscles. He knew Keith wanted more than just this, but he really wasn't up for having his mate between his legs...  
"Keith?"  
"Lance"  
"Can we do that thing again?"  
Hissing as Keith worked out a particularly tight knot, his husband waited until the pain lessened  
"What thing?"  
"Where, you bottom? I mean... I want to make you feel good too"  
"I'm fine with this"  
"Have you ever considered I might not be?"  
How Keith hadn't realised he was hard and aching, he had no idea  
"You want to do that?"  
"Only if you want to..."  
"Are you sure you'll be ok?"  
"Mmm, I'll be fine... besides, thinking about it makes me want to try it again"  
"Hold still then"  
Climbing off the bed, Lance propping himself up some he could watch as Keith walked over to their wardrobe, his husband started rummaging through it, before pulling out a small bag  
"What's that?"  
"After last time, I found the condoms and lube from Earth..."  
"We bought condoms and lube? Why didn't I know about this?"  
"Because I thought we only bought lube, it wasn't until I found the bag that I found out we got condoms too"  
"Wow. You really do think of everything"  
"I try... though you made it pretty hard to think"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means you were so excited to be back on Earth, and so happy that I spent more time patting attention to you than anything else"  
Ducking his head, Lance blushed. He might have been a tad excited at being home, and triply so because he got to experience everything with Keith. Rolling onto his side, he patted the spot he'd just vacated, while Keith paused  
"Boxers on or off?"  
"That depends. Do you want me to cut a hole in them, or just pull them down as soon as you get on the bed"  
"... right... stupid question"  
Dropping the back on the bed, Keith hooked his thumbs in the waist band of his underwear, freeing his erection. Groaning at the musky and earthy smell, Lance crawled onto his hands and knees, over to the edge of the bed  
"Fuck you're big"  
Grasping Keith's erection, his alpha moaned as he jerked it lightly, before sinking his lips over its crown. Giving a few tentative bobs, Lance pulled back so he could look up at Keith properly  
"Get on the bed"  
"Is that an order?"  
"Maybe. I want to pounce on you and lick you all over"  
Wrinkling his nose, Keith let out a snort  
"Or not"

With Keith laying on the bed, Lance's head was buried between his mates legs as he sucked his alphas erection. Having breached Keith with a lubed finger, he was trying to make the experience as comfortable as possible for his mate. Probing his finger deeper, Keith's hands grabbed his hair  
"There!"  
Nodding around his mates erection, he rubbed at Keith's sweet spot until he started to rock hard into Lance's mouth. Risking gagging, Lance pulled back and nudged Keith's legs further apart, as he slid his finger back  
"You weren't supposed to stop"  
"Just be patient"  
Lubing up his second finger, Lance slid them both in slowly, Keith's back arching off the bed as he did  
"Quiznak!"  
"Do you want me to stop?"  
"No! No... don't stop"  
Grateful Keith couldn't watch what he was doing, Lance began to move both fingers as he scooted down and began to nervously lick at Keith's stretching opening. He wasn't as confident as he'd managed to be the first time around, and he wasn't even sure if he was doing it right, but Keith hadn't told him to stop. Sliding his fingers so close to his tongue, he wondered how stupid he looked as he covered them in drool. This wasn't working well enough. Pulling out his fingers, Keith groaned at the loss, so Lance moved to mouth and lick at his lovers opening  
"Feels... good"  
Encouraged by Keith's words, he slid his tongue in, ignoring how weird the lube felt in his mouth as he slowly began tonguing Keith's opening  
"Baby! You're going to make me cum..."  
Pulling his tongue out, he thrust his fingers back in, Keith's insides clenching and rippling around him as he gasped. Sitting back up, Lance locked eyes with his mate as he fucked him with his fingers  
"Shit baby... I can't..."  
Without any direct stimulating to his penis, Keith came across his stomach with a long growl. The sight so erotic that all Lance could think was how lucky he was to be the only one watching Keith fall apart beneath him, leaning in, he kept slamming his fingers into his alpha as he lapped his way up a long trail thick of cum  
"Lance, I want you..."  
"I need to have at least three fingers in you"  
"Then hurry up"  
"You sound like an omega, so desperate to be filled by me"  
Growling, Keith shot up, his hand grabbing a fistful of Lance's hair as he smashed his mouth against his, kissing him hungrily until Lance whined  
"Who's the alpha?"  
"You are"  
"And who's the omega who's going to be fucking this alpha?"  
"I am"  
"Mmm, good omega"  
Releasing him, Keith wrapped his legs around Lance's waist, angling his hips up as he did. Prep time was over. He wanted to be in Keith, because there was no way he was going to be able to last much longer. 

Shimmying his boxers down to free his erection, he coated himself in lube, before lining up teasing Keith's opening with the blunt tip  
"Don't forget to breathe"  
Not waiting, Keith howled as he impaled himself on Lance, forcing him inside his alpha until he swallowed to the very root. Shuddering as he tried to hold off his orgasm, Lance took a few deep breaths of his own before looking up to Keith's face. He hadn't even moved and his alpha already looked wrecked  
"I'm not going to last"  
Nodding, Keith's hands fisted the blankets as the alpha impatiently began trying to rock against him. Taking hips firmly in his hands, Lance rose so he could actually begin to find his rhythm. If he didn't pull out all the way, his back didn't hurt, but Keith was growing impatient for more. Flipping them over, his alpha began to ride him, and Lance was sure he'd died and gone to heaven. This was all too much. His alpha fucking himself openly as lewd moans poured from his lips, when Keith took his erection in his hand and began pumping himself, that was it for Lance. His toes curling as he came hard, Keith not even slowing down as he filled him. Wrecked from his own orgasm, he watched Keith cum across his hand, a satisfied smile on the alphas face as he immediately slumped forward and started nuzzling Lance's neck  
"Mmm, so good to me baby. I love you"  
Purring, Lance kissed a sloppy kiss to the side of Keith's head. He'd supposed to be making Keith feel good, but he'd needed the release just as much as his mate had. Wrapping his arms around Keith, his alpha ground down in his lap, keeping them joined together  
"I love you, I love you so much"  
Nuzzling his neck, Lance groaned as Keith's nuzzling turned to his mate sucking a painful and possessive hickey, before dropping back against him with a low laugh.

Their post-coital bliss was interrupted by a scream as the door to their room slid open, revealing all to Allura  
"I'm sorry! Ryner's here! I'm sorry!"  
"Allura, go away!"  
"I'm sorry!"  
Blushing bright red, Lance tried to hide from the world against Keith's shoulder. His happiness turning to embarrassed distress in an instant. Sliding off of him, Keith immediately repositioned them so he was sitting in this alphas lap  
"Shhh, it's ok"  
"Allura... Allura saw"  
"I know"  
"She saw!"  
"Lance, I'm well aware of what she saw"  
"But... how am I meant to face her?"  
"Baby, it's fine. We weren't doing anything wrong or shameful"  
"But..."  
"No. You don't need to be upset. It's her fault for not knocking"  
"I was still in you"  
"I know"  
"I..."  
"Lance, it's ok. Let's get cleaned up and see what she wants"  
"I don't feel very well"  
It was true. He now felt like he was going to throw up, probably from having Keith's hands pressing down on his tender stomach, and the fact he was terrified of what Allura would say. There was also now a throbbing in his head that hadn't been there before Allura walked in...  
"Baby?"  
"Give me a few doboshes before coming in"

Climbing from Keith's lap, Lance stumbled through to the bathroom, pulling his boxers down as he sank onto the toilet and wiped began cleaning up. The bleeding was a little thicker, but not as bad as it had been, and respecting this need for a few moments alone, Keith came in as he was turning the shower on  
"Are you ok?"  
"Y-yeah. Sorry. I think my stomach didn't like that as much as the rest of me did"  
"No. I should have said no. You're still recovering"  
"I thought the worse of it had passed"  
Why were his eyes filling with tears?"  
With three large steps, Keith was wrapping his arms around him as Lance started to cry  
"I've got you"  
The release had broken the final part of the wall keeping the dregs of his emotions at bay. He'd lost another pup, and acting like it didn't hurt hadn't helped. He was just so confused, and so shocked. Nuzzling and kissing his hair, Keith whispered all kinds of things under the running water, but for the life of him, Lance couldn't say what. He just knew he didn't want to let Keith go.


	79. Chapter 79

With Lance half hiding behind him his omega still looked upset, with his red-rimmed eyes and sniffles, Keith wanted to lock Lance away, but with Ryner being there, Lance insisted on coming to see the old woman. Pausing outside the door to the bridge, Keith wiped the tears from Lance's eyes  
"You don't have to be here"  
"Yes I do. She... she might have my ring and be able to tell us what happened"  
"Alright, if you need to leave, just go. I'll sort everything out"  
"Thanks... let's, um, do this?"  
"Team Klance?"  
"Team Klance all the way"  
Smiling bravely, Keith couldn't be prouder. Opening the door to the bridge, he found Shiro, Allura, Coran and Ryner waiting for them, Allura blushing bright red as she looked away  
"Keith, Lance. You took long enough, sorry for the wait Ryner"  
Keith was instantly on edge. How dare Shiro have a go at them! He had no idea why they were late! He had no idea how upset Lance was over everything   
"It's fine, it looks like Lance here needed a moment, understandable really"  
"Sorry Ryner, we really didn't mean to keep you waiting"  
Scowling at both of them, Lance clenched Keith's hand harder as Shiro continued to be a pain in Keith's already tender behind   
"Perhaps you would like to tell us why you're here"  
Sliding her hand into her robe, Ryner drew out Lance's ring  
"Why don't you guys give us some time with Ryner?"  
"Keith, you're being rude"  
Raising her hand to silence Shiro, Ryner nodded  
"Is there somewhere can go to talk?"  
"The lounge room would be the best..."  
"Shiro, this doesn't concern Voltron"  
"If there's something going on, we all deserve to know"  
"And if it concerned Voltron, you would"  
"Keith..."  
"Ryner, would you please come with us"  
Unperturbed by their bickering, Ryner followed Keith's lead, her face neutral as she left with them... Shiro trailing behind them as if he was going to be invited in. Which he most definitely wasn't.

Taking a seat at the lounge room table, Ryner slid Lance's ring across the table, the omega shaking as he picked it up  
"Lance, have you been exposed to any high or large quantities of energy?"  
"Pure quintessence. He's also had a three-movement long heat, and has been generally unwell"  
"Keith, I can talk for myself. Ryner, he means well, he's just protective because it's still raw"  
"Pure quintessence. Yes, I suppose that would cause the fluctuations in your hormones, as well as cause a fault to occur inside the ring. I am sorry you have been made to suffer because of this old woman's carelessness"  
"What? No. You're not to blame. The whole quintessence thing was my fault... but why did it cause the fluctuations?"  
"Pure quintessence is life. With Lance's unusual physique, it spurred a surplus of life within him, one the ring was not able to handle"  
Keith was so over hearing quintessence was life. He got it already... but by the sound of it, Lance was actually experiencing side effects, in a way completely unexpected an in a way that hadn't been picked up by the ship scanner at all... quintessence was making his mate more fertile? Since when was that an actual thing? Wait. They were in space. Everything in space was a thing... Lance would have been proud how much like him Keith's internal monologue was as he gripped his jeans with sweaty palms  
"Keith?"  
"I was just processing. Will this cause problems in the future? If we want to have pups in the future?"  
"We do not know, Lance does seem to be able to process it, the ring registered the intake and fluctuations in hormones, all of which do seem to return to what is "average" for Lance. I would recommend avoiding coming into contact with quintessence in general until we know more"  
"So... will the ring work?"  
"We have recalibrated it to withstand higher ranges in Lance's hormones, so yes. Once again, I am sorry you had to go through this"  
"At least know why it happened..."  
Ryner nodded, a smile finally playing on her lips   
"Now, about the other matter, we discussed. That is if it is alright to proceed"  
"Keith, what's she talking about?"  
"Well, you know how we wanted to move off the castle, or at least have our own space when we're here, I asked Ryner about it"  
"So we can borrow a house?"  
"Not borrow"  
Lance shook his arm, his mate confused   
"Keith, what does she mean?"  
"I have prepared a residence I think you will find most agreeable"  
"Wait. What? Keith, what?"  
"I asked her about a house for us, one to keep"  
"What? We can't do that. The Olkari have done so much for us! That's too much!"  
"We Olkari would honoured if you and your family were to call our planet home"  
"But... it's so much..."  
"Perhaps you would like to see the house before making your final decision?"  
"C-can we? Is that ok?"  
"It's up to you. Are you up to walking?"  
"I... yeah. I want to see it"  
"Thank you, Ryner. For the house, for helping Lance, for everything..."  
Ryner shuffled as if uncomfortable, but looked quietly content at the same time  
"Are you ready to head down?"  
"The boys are sleeping, so they'll be alright... do we really get a house?"  
"It depends if you like it"  
"Is there a bath?"  
"Keith was very insistent there be a bath"  
"I wouldn't say very insistent..."  
Mumbling, his words were lost on Lance. His mate's face radiating hope for what seemed to be the first time in a long time, and it certainly wasn't expected after the breakdown Lance had had in the shower, and his timidness when they'd walked up.

Shiro was standing in the hallway when they existed the lounge room, the alpha straightening himself up as Ryner came into view   
"I trust everything is alright?"  
"Yep. Nothing for you to worry about. We're going to head down into the village with Ryner, but we'll be back later"  
"What's going on?"  
"It's nothing..."  
"Ryner, if there's any kind of issue, all of us in the castle are more than happy to help"  
Ryner looked to Keith, and Keith resisted murdering Shiro in front of a witness  
"Thank you, but just your Black and Red Paladins will be sufficient"

 

*  
Instead of heading down into the village, Ryner lead them to a small clearing near the base. It wasn't really a clearing, but it was hidden behind a line of thick shrubs and a few tall trees. Built out of the same substance as the castle terrace, or that's how it looked to Keith, the house was long with a thick vine roof, and vines around the windows and doors, giving it a very earthy feel  
"Is this? Do we really get to live here?"  
"Yes, provided its to your liking"  
"It's beautiful! Can we head in? Is that ok?"  
Tugging him towards the door, Ryner finally broke out a smile as Keith was pulled along.

The first room was the main living, kitchen and dining area, the furnishings made from vines, while the "oven" and "fridge" seemed very basic, but that was to be expected given Earth-ware was even more alien that what passed as common out here. There was an eight seater dining table, lounge, coffee table and bookcases, all made of vines  
"This is amazing!"  
Pulling him along again, the rest of the house consisted of three simple bedrooms, that they'd have to bring their own blankets down for, and a bathroom with not only an oversized bathtub, but a smaller one suitable for the twins, and free standing shower, and toilet. Keith had to admit he was well and truly impressed with how fast everything had come together  
"Baby, do you like it"  
Spinning around, Lance jumped on him, wrapping his legs around Keith's waist as his lips found his  
"It's incredible!"  
"I'm glad you like it"  
"Like doesn't come like close to describing it! There's so much space, and the pups won't have to spend their whole lives in the castle!"

Carrying Lance back through the house, Keith missed his mates hold the moment Lance scrambled out of his hold and ran over to Ryner, throwing his arms around the old Olkari woman  
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! It's perfect!"  
Pulling Lance off Ryner, Keith nodded, trying to wrap his arms around him while Lance bounced on balls of his feet  
"He's right. This is amazing. Thank you so much, it's beyond anything I could have imagined"  
"Ryner, you have to come to dinner as our guest! I have no idea how I can thank you enough for this. I was so worried our boys would live their whole lives on the castle, so thank you!"  
Breaking down into tears, Ryner patted Lance's shoulder   
"It warms this old woman's heart to see you smiling. As for dinner, I'm sorry I must decline tonight"  
"Are you sure? Hunk's cooking and his cooking is amazing"  
"I know, but I have work to take care of tonight"  
"Then soon. Please. I don't think I can ever thank you enough"  
"Soon, I must take my leave. Please be assured that no one will pry or trespass"  
"Oh, I wasn't even worrying about that. The Olkari have been so amazing that it didn't even cross my mind and I'm babbling, Keith, help I can't stop I'm too excited"  
"Sorry Ryner, this is the happiest I've seen him in a long time. We understand you have work to do, but once again, thank you"

Walking back the way they came, Keith and Lance were left alone with their house as Ryner disappeared   
"Keith! It's a house! I've been here before, and it lead to a clearing, but now there's a house here"  
"I know baby. Our house. I mean, I know we'll be off world a lot, and I honestly didn't think it would be built so soon, I only spoke to her this morning"  
"You didn't tell me that"  
"Because this was supposed to be a surprise. After what happened, I thought we'd have time before I would be showing you"  
"This is so cool... hey, do you think the others will be mad?"  
"Be mad about what?"  
"If we stayed down here?"  
"I think they'd probably prefer it. I mean, you're the one who didn't want to wear clothes"  
"Mmm, as much as I like the sound of that, I'll have to take a raincheck. I definitely over did it jumping around and tugging you along"  
"Are you ok?"  
"Yeah. Just a little sore. How about you? I didn't even think about you before jumping on you"  
"I'm fine baby, besides, it was worth it to see you so happy"  
"There's so many things I want to do. I want to start making a nest, I want to take a bath, I want to get the boys and bring them down, I want to eat because I'm starving even though my stomach feels really gross and I don't want to walk back up to the castle, but I'm so happy"  
Keith mentally noted how telling anyone wasn't on Lance's lists, not including the pups of course. Quiznak his husband was beautiful when he was so full of energy, he was beautiful all the time, but Keith felt his heart do the stupid weird thing it liked to do when Lance was smiling just for him  
"I'll make you a deal"  
"What deal?"  
"I'll piggy back you up to the castle, if you promise to eat a real meal tonight"  
"Done. Wait. What?"  
"You already agreed. Is it easier if I piggy back you, or carry you in my arms?"  
"Piggy back, my backs pretty sore..."  
Kneeling down so Lance could climb on, his omega nuzzled at his bonding mark   
"I was feeling so done in the shower. It all kind of hit me again, and I really needed to just cry it out, but now I'm still sad about losing the pups, but I feel better because I understand why it happened now... does that make me a bad mum?"  
"No baby. I feel better now we understand what happened, but you can't go putting yourself at risk with quintessence any further"  
"I won't... not now I understand. I don't know why the castle scanners didn't pick it up... Coran said I was clear and all my levels were good..."  
"I don't know either baby. Is this alright? It doesn't hurt, does it?"  
"No, I'm ok. Now let's go get the boys and get food please"

 

*  
Lance was ignoring the pain in his back, and the grabbing hand in his face as he bumped Keith playfully. He had no idea how living off world would work, especially with Krolia leaving again, but he told himself he had time to make everything perfect for his future with Keith. Sure the house wasn't on Earth... and sure he had no idea how to work the tech... but it was theirs for them and it had a huge bath! Kissing Kelance's cheek, his son smacked him in the eye   
"Thanks baby. I feel so loved right now"  
"What did he do?"  
"Smacked me in the face"  
"Kelance, no hitting mummy"  
"But he's so cute!"  
"You're both cute"  
"Nooo, you and the boys are, I'm just me"  
"Lance, I know you love it when I say you're cute"  
"Whaaa..."  
He did, and his mouth wasn't cooperating when it came to denying it  
"See. Don't worry about telling anyone if you don't want to yet. I kind of like the idea of sneaking away and having some time alone"  
"Mmmm, I want to take a bath and watch the stars with you"  
"I remember how star watching on the terrace went"  
"Not in front of the pups"  
Moving in front of him, Lance placed his hand down on the door pad  
"It's fine. They've got the most beautiful mum in the Galaxy"

"Barf! Guys, it's dinner time"  
"Pidge, you don't need to pick on us every time"  
"I'm just kidding. Besides, you seem in good mood"  
He was, buuuut he didn't want to talk about the house   
"I am. The pups were nearly crawling earlier. Can you imagine how cute it was?"  
"Crawling?"  
"Yep"  
Crossing to take their seats, Lance lifted Kelance away from the fork he was trying to grab   
"No, you don't get to use the fork until you're bigger"  
Kelance looked at him and burst into tears  
"Now you've done it"  
"I knew it was too quiet too last"  
"That's what happens when you leave them sleeping. What did Ryner want to see you about?"  
"Just stuff. It's all organised now, so nothing to worry about"  
"Ryner was here?"  
Allura nodded at Pidge's question   
"Indeed, she had something to discuss with Keith and Lance"  
"Oooh?"  
"Yes, Keith and Lance were just about to explain"  
"There's nothing to explain"  
"Then why were you down at the hospital yesterday? We had concerned civilians coming to the castle to ask if Voltron's Red Paladin was sick. I had no idea what they meant until I headed down there. What's going on Lance?"  
The colour drained from Lance's face. Shiro had no right to be snooping  
"Nothing"  
"Then why did Ryner have your ring? I saw her slide it from her robes"  
"Because she was just checking the tech was still working"  
"Really? If I was to ask her, would she say the same?"  
"Shiro, leave him alone. It's none of your business"  
Growling at Shiro, Keith threw his arm in front of him as if it was going to protect him from the alpha's verbal attack   
"Lance, bud. Are you alright?"  
"I'm fine. Ryner was going to the hospital, so I just walked with her"  
"I know you were seen as an "emergency" patient. And I know whatever you were told, it wasn't good. You yelled at both Lotor and I for no reason, as well as being incredibly rude to Allura"  
"Shiro, just leave it alone"  
"If you're sick, or hurt, or heaven forbid pregnant again, we need to know"  
Lance narrowed his eyes as temper got the better of him. He'd been feeling better!  
"You'll be happy to know I'm not pregnant and this may come as a surprise, but not everything in the universe revolves around you! You have no reason to be acting like you're the leader of Voltron when that is Keith's job! If you were the leader and if it risked the team, I would tell you, but I can tell you I'm perfectly fine!"  
"Then why won't you just tell us what happened?"  
"Have you ever thought you don't need to know everything!?"  
"Guys, can we not fight! Lance, are you ok? Yes Pidge, I am. Shiro, are you upsetting Lance? Yes, I am. There. Now we're all on the same page. Can we just eat in peace? We're all together again, and we haven't even talked about what comes next"  
Biting his lip, Lance patted his son's butt as he tried to hush him, Pidge's little speech didn't slow Shiro down, the alpha opening his mouth while still scowling, so the female alpha tried another tactic  
"Shiro, do you think Lotor will remain in the alliance with us?"  
"I don't know. He was upset over the death of Honerva, and about being unable to recover her body"  
"Her body didn't even exist by the end of it all"  
"Lance, you don't know that there wasn't a way to save her"  
"Actually, my hand went right through her arm as she fell apart. The quintessence was pulling her apart"  
"It might have stabilised. She was exposed to quintessence for thousands of years"  
"Yeah, tainted quintessence. The pure quintessence wasn't going to stabilise"  
"How do you know that?"  
"I tried to get her out the quintessence, but it didn't change anything"  
"Then what triggered the explosion?"  
"Me trying to stop it. Though with that much quintessence it was bound to happen. I still can't believe she just wanted to go back in time"  
"Me neither. It's seems... anti-climatic"  
"Right, Pidge? I mean. Lotor didn't even like her and she kept going on about how she wanted to be a good mum and be with Zarkon..."  
"We could have learnt a lot from her if we'd captured her"  
"And she wanted you dead. I still don't know how Lotor stabbed you without killing you"  
"He angled the blade so it only looked like it went through me"  
"Thanks for the heads up"  
"We were maintaining strategic silence..."  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means you let your emotions get the better of you"  
"I am so done with this. So what if I went to the hospital? So what if Ryner was checking to make sure my ring still worked after all we've been through. None of this is you business"  
"Shiro, you've gone too far. Lance is entitled to his own personal and private secrets. I'm sure if it would affect us, Keith would let us know"  
"That's assuming he told Keith"  
"I know exactly what's going on with my husband. Now either eat your meal silently, or leave"  
"The dining room? Or the castle?"  
"I..."  
"That's enough Shiro"

Dinner was awkward and Lance had no appetite after Shiro had opened his big fat alpha mouth. Now everyone knew he'd been down to the hospital, and that Ryner had been checking his ring. Unfortunately for him, he was the dumbest person in the whole castle, and he had the feeling everyone would be trying to put the pieces together. Even Krolia was silent, the woman staring at the Keith the entire meal. She must have planned to talk to Keith about leaving after dinner. In that case, he should make himself scarce... he could take the boys down to the house, they only needed the bare essentials for the night, blankets and nappies... and some snacks... no. He'd wait for Keith. That way his mate wouldn't be left behind by him as well as Krolia. Finishing his food because that's what Keith wanted him to do, Lance was the first to rise   
"I'm going down to the nursery..."  
"Do you want any help?"  
"No, I'm just going to organise some stuff. I'll see you all tomorrow"  
"I'll come with you"  
"It's alright. Krolia looks like she wants to talk to you, and I'll be fine with the boys"  
"I'll watch Laneith, you go ahead"  
"Ok... I don't mind taking him"  
"No, it's ok. Go get some rest and I'll be down soon"  
"So he is sick!"  
"Telling me to rest doesn't equal me being sick. I'm fine... just tired from playing with the boys"  
"Ok bud, I'll see you tomorrow"  
"Yeah, see ya"

 

*  
"Shiro, what was that?"  
Letting Lance leave, Keith moved Laneith to his shoulder so he could glare openly at Shiro. His mate was finally happy, things were finally going right, and then Shiro just had to try and start something   
"We're all worried about Lance. He was barely around on the flight back to Olkarion"  
"That's because he was with the boys, you know, our sons"  
"Then why did he smell so pained? And why was the first thing he did when we made planet fall was go down to the hospital? He was feeling sick before the mission, then he spent days hiding..."  
"He just as a sore back. It's not like you need to know everything. It doesn't affect his ability to pilot Red, nor his ability to do his duties"  
"Keith, is he really alright? I thought I smelt blood on him"  
Looking to Hunk, there were times he wished the alpha wasn't so sharp. The smell of blood had been just as persistent as the trace amounts of sour strawberries since Lance had told him he was bleeding, neither scents were something Lance could control, and something polite society wouldn't mention... but as much as they were all strangers in some respects, they were also family   
"I promise you that Lance is fine. He's just coming to term with watching the pups growing a developing, and his backs been sore, so he's spent most of his time with the boys. You know how he gets, he always thinks he's in the way. Today was the first day that he was feeling better, until Shiro had a go at him over it all"  
Avoiding the look his mother gave him, Keith instead looked to Hunk and Pidge   
"Guys, he's really ok"  
"But what about the ring? Why was Ryner checking it? Was it something to do with the tech?"  
Trust Pidge to be more focused on the technology side  
"We've been in space for a while, and she just ran a few diagnostic tests on it to make sure it was still working as it should be. There were a few faults caused by the mass amounts of quintessence logged, and she's made adjustments"  
"So it wasn't working as it should have been?"  
"Shiro, before you get the wrong idea. Lance isn't pregnant"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes. I'm going to head down and get Laneith ready for bed, mum, do you want to come with me?"  
"I wouldn't say no to more time with my grandson"  
"Good. We'll see you all tomorrow"  
Ignoring the pain in his arse as he rose, Keith supposed he might have over indulged when riding Lance. Each time Lance pulled back, Keith could see the slight wince from pain, and he just wanted to make Lance feel good too... but even he'd surprised himself by riding his husband. They'd both needed the release, and Lance falling apart in the shower had allowed his mate to finally scream and sob out all his anger. Yeah. They'd both definitely needed it.

Leaving the dining room, Keith passed Laneith to his mother, the Galra woman immediately smiling as he held him high   
"Hello cutie. Keith, he looks more and more like you everyday"  
"I'm beginning to see that, but don't tell Lance. He'd never let me live it down"  
"How is Lance? I know you couldn't tell them the truth"  
"Up and down, about as much as to be expected. He's in pain, but not as much as last time, probably because he wasn't as far along this time. Ryner said the quintessence increased fertility or something and the ring couldn't handle it"  
"I wasn't completely sure he was, he wasn't exhibiting any signs or symptoms"  
"I know. I still wish you'd told me. Now, what else are you hiding from me?"  
"Not hiding per say, more waiting for the correct time"  
"Mum, we're on the front lines of a war... that I don't even know if we're still in. There's no such thing as the right time"  
"I suppose you have a point, doesn't he Laneith, yes he does. You're so cute"  
Bringing Laneith down, Krolia settled him against her chest as she stroked his face  
"I'm thinking of leaving. Before you say anything, hear me out. Honerva is dead and that infection is still out there. Lotor now knows my face, and I'm confident that he will employ me in an attempt to grow closer to you all. Keith, he's not to be trusted"  
"I don't trust him. Especially given how Shiro made it sound like Lance didn't even try to save Honerva"  
"Exactly. If Shiro is thinking so, then what is Lotor thinking? If I'm employed in his ranks, I will be able to stay close to him, and report back to you"  
"He's probably going to listen in on your calls"  
"I know. I'm not made for so much peace, and I truly don't believe Lotor intends to honour his side of this alliance"  
Keith nodded, wishing he was holding Laneith again. His body felt cold from the impending parting from his mother, even though she was still right there with him  
"I wish you could stay... I want you to stay. Lance and I both love you, and we don't want to lose you, but I understand... even if I wish I didn't"  
"You're a good man Keith. Your father would be so proud of you, and of Lance and your boys"  
A lump formed in Keith's throat at the unexpected mention of his father. He missed him... he missed him so much  
"I've already told Lance my plans to leave"  
"I figured as much already. Before you go, there's somewhere Lance and I want to take you"  
"Oh? Should I be worried?"  
"No. Not worried"  
"Does this have something to do with why Lance was so happy earlier?"  
"It has everything to do with why Lance was happy earlier"  
He didn't know when his mother planned on leaving, but knowing her she'd sneak off in the middle of the night again to avoid awkward goodbyes. Wanting the night to be special, mentally began to list everything they needed.

Walking into the nursery, Lance had already folded what seemed to be every blanket from the room into one huge pile, beside it the nappy bag was bulging so badly Keith wasn't sure the zipper was going to hold  
"You've been busy"  
"Yep... did you talk with mum?"  
"I told him I was leaving"  
Lance nodded as he hummed  
"Is mum coming with us?"  
"That was the plan, is that alright?"  
"Yep, but we're heading straight down. I don't want to spend another second on the castle tonight"  
"I told Shiro he was out of line, and that you had a sore back, that's why you've been hiding away with the pups"  
"And he listened to you? That's not fair! I know I'm an omega and I'm a spaz, but he doesn't need to know everything going on!"  
"I know, now, are you sure you've packed enough?"  
"More than enough. Our Bayards are in the pile of blankets, and there's snacks too... clothes for the pups are in the nappy bag... I think we have everything, can we go now?"  
Lifting Kelance, Lance stared at him pleadingly  
"Yeah baby, I'll grab the blankets. Will you be alright with Kelance?"  
"Of course I will. I'm not dying, well I'm dying to get off the castle, but not physically dying. Let me grab the nappy bag"  
"Mum can carry the nappy bag, you just carry your pretty little self"  
Lance raised an eyebrow before turning and failed to hide his laughter  
"It wasn't that bad"  
"It's definitely up there..."  
"Shut up"  
"Boys, no fighting"  
"We aren't fighting. Since Keith and I got together, he's been attempting really cute and cheesy lines, sometimes they just sound so funny when he says them, especially with such a serious face"  
"That's it. We're staying here"  
Lance sobered immediately, his mates smile gone in a flash as his tears welled in his eyes  
"Lance..."  
"No. I took it too far. I get it... I'll be quiet"  
Quiznak. He should have thought more about Lance's mental state. Getting off the castle was all his mate wanted to do, buuut at the same time, Lance was ripping into him as joke, shouldn't he be able to take a jab back  
"Baby, it was a joke. We're still going"  
"We don't have to if you don't want to"  
"Lance, ignore my son. We can go without him"  
"You're not going without me. Mum, grab the nappy bag, we're going before anything else happens"   
Moving to collect the pile of blankets, it was big enough that he could barely see over the top, but the alpha wisely kept his mouth shut so as not to set Lance off again. Lifting the top blanket off the pile, his mother it dumped it on his head  
"Oi! What's that's for?"  
"Because it suits you"  
"That makes no sense"  
"Maybe you should have stuck it in his mouth?"  
"Hey!"  
"I think you're right. In any case, let's pick up the pace. I want to know what's going on"

Keith let Lance lead the way, his husband now holding Krolia's hand as he lead the way into the clearing, the lights at the front entrance of the house glowing light blue, while soft white light came through the windows  
"Do you like it? Ryner had it built for us!"  
"You have a house?"  
"We do now! No more being stuck in the castle all the time, and the kids can play outside!"  
"They're a bit young for that"  
"You know what I mean... and best of all, you're our first guest"  
"Then let's get inside. I never would have guessed you'd build a house here, I thought you'd eventually find a way to settle on Earth"  
"I want to take the pups back, and have them meet everyone, but with things the way they are, we can't just take the time to head all the way out there and Olkarion is a nice planet, everyone here's so friendly, and seeing we always come back here, it kind of makes sense... right?"  
"Sure baby, can you get the door? These are starting to get heavy"  
"Oh! Right, sorry, I forgot I put stuff in between the layers. Can we sleep in the living room tonight?"  
"Why the living room?"  
"So we can all sleep together... I want to spend as much time with you, mum and the boys as we can..."  
"That's if mum doesn't mind"  
"It's up to you Keith, you're not going to go feral on me if Lance starts cuddling me, are you?"  
"I might let you cuddle him, but just this once"  
"Guys, I can still hear you"  
"We know"

Inside was lit by flowers growing off the vines that made the roof, like small stars they twinkled above. Placing the pile of blankets down on the couch, Keith sighed in relief   
"We have a kitchen, that I have no idea how to work, but more importantly, we have a bath!"  
"I'll watch the boys while you give mum the tour"  
"Ok!"  
Sinking down to the floor, Keith took Laneith first, laying him down before taking Kelance. Lance was already dashing away to show Krolia their house before he had time to say anything. Yawning sleepily, his son had the right idea. It hadn't been a particularly physically hard day, but it definitely felt like a long one  
"I know baby, but we have to wait for mummy to organise our bed, he likes to have things a certain way and it'll probably help calm him back down"  
"Keith! Can we have a bath?!"  
"Who? You and mum?"  
"No! You and me, later, you can see the stars!"  
"Alright, but the boys are tired!"  
Poking his head out the bathroom, Lance was all smiles again  
"You should see it. This place is so amazing"  
"It is rather nice..."  
"Mum, its more than nice. It's a place to call home and somewhere you can always come back to. No matter what"  
"Just because I intend to go work, doesn't mean I won't visit or call"  
"Call my communicator if you're going to call. Pidge set it up so calls from you and Keith are automatically answered, though it's always had a mind of its own"  
Returning to the living area, Lance grabbed the first few blankets and dropped the down beside Keith   
"I should have brought pillows and cushions... I don't want to walk all the way back to the castle"  
Chewing his lip, Lance slowly turned around on the spot  
"Baby, it's ok. We can just use extra blankets as pillows for tonight"  
"It's not like you need one. I'd bet GAC that you'll end up falling asleep using him as your pillow"  
"Who, me or Lance?"  
"You"  
"I'm not that bad"  
"It's because of the boobs, isn't it? My chest is all soft and squishy"  
"Mmm, you're all soft and squishy"  
"No I'm not. I've been working hard to get my pre-baby body back. Don't go telling me I'm fat"  
"You're not fat"  
"I know. I wonder if they'll notice we're not on the castle"  
"They or Shiro?"  
Lance sighed as he laid the first blanket down on the floor  
"I really don't get him. I told him I'm fine... he didn't have to keep pushing things"  
"I think he was worried in his own way"  
"Well he doesn't need to. I have Keith for that, and he worries too much as it is"  
Hissing as he lowered himself to the floor, Lance ruined his own argument  
"Baby, if your backs too sore, I can help"  
"You're helping by keeping the boys out of trouble. Did Keith tell you they've started trying to crawl?"  
"Already?"  
"I figured it must be the Galra blood... they're way too smart to be my kids"  
"Babe, you're smart"  
"Not when it counts. Krolia, can you pass me that grey blanket? The fluffy one? Yep, that's it. With the floor being so soft, I think two blankets for the base will be alright, and it's really warm in here, so we shouldn't need that many blankets"  
It wasn't that warm... it was warmer than it was outside, but not quite as warm as the castle had need  
"Lance, sit still for a minute"  
"What? Why"  
Holding Kelance with his left arm, Keith reached out and placed his right hand against Lance's forehead  
"You're a little warm"  
"I don't feel sick... like feverish..."  
"Baby"  
"I feel ok. I just want to set this up and have a bath. Mum, can you watch the boys while we take a bath? Then you can take a bath"  
"Are you trying to say I smell?"  
"I'm trying to say that I have no idea when you'll get the chance to just enjoy taking a bubble bath"  
"That's true..."  
"In the morning, we can bath the twins. They're going to love having a bigger bath"  
Keith nearly warned Lance not to expect Krolia to be there when they woke, but his mother nodded as she handed Lance another blanket   
"That would be nice"  
"I know. I'm so excited... no more heats on the castle. No more being interrupted or walked in on. No more sneaking around when I want to take a walk... I can train without anyone seeing me..."  
"No clothes..."  
"Keith! Not in front of mum!"  
"Hey, if you get to be excited about things, I do to"  
"But my things are reasonable"  
"And getting to see you naked isn't?"  
"Let's just keep our clothes on for now. Mum, there's an extra pair of sweat pants and a shirt in there. I packed extra in case I bled or leaked in my sleep, but I'm sure you'll be much more comfortable sleeping in them than what you have on"  
"Are you still bleeding?"  
"The worst has passed, its mostly spotting now"  
Sitting back, Lance took a deep breath before shaking his head. Taking his mates hand, he squeezed  
"I'm ok. It just hits sometimes"  
"Baby, it's not your fault"  
"I know... let's get the boys ready?"

 

*  
With Krolia watching over the boys in their oversized nest, Lance let Keith help him off the floor. More like the alpha picked him up and began walking to the bathroom without giving him any choice. Kicking the door closed behind them, Keith carried him over to the bathroom counter, before setting him down gently   
"I could have walked"  
"I know, but you're so cute when you get excited"  
"I'm just really happy. This place is so beautiful and we don't have to worry about being disturbed"  
"Is that an invitation?"  
"Not with mum in the house..."  
Sliding his hands down his sides, Keith tugged on the bottom of his shirt  
"I'm sure she won't mind"  
"And I'm sure she can hear everything we're saying"  
"Ah. Good point. Here, lift your arms for me"  
"I can undress myself"  
"I know"  
Pouting as he did as he was asked, Keith kissed him gently once his shirt was gone, his mates hands moving to massage his breasts as he tried to deepen the kiss  
"Keith!"  
"Sorry. You're just so perfect"  
"And you're horny"  
"Maybe"  
Massaging harder, Lance moaned at the stimulation  
"Tomorrow..."  
"Tomorrow what?"  
"We can fool around tomorrow. Tonight I just want to have a bath and relax"  
"Fine. I'll start the taps"  
Pulling back, Lance watched his alpha strip his own shirt off in a fluid motion as he turned to walk over to the bath. Lance loved watching the way Keith's muscles ripped under his skin and he shot a glare at his crotch. He kept saying he was fine, but he was honestly feeling gross and his head had started to throb. Hence why he wanted to take a bath and then go to bed  
"Baby, which ones the bubble bath? Ryner left all different bottles along the side and I don't know which ones which"  
"Is there a white one with pink flower stopper and purple stuff inside?"  
Keith took a long moment as he rustled through the bottles  
"Yep"  
"That's the bubble bath. What else is there?"  
"A green bottle, a blue bottle and a purple one"  
"I think the green is shampoo, and the blue is conditioner. I don't know about the purple one"  
"We'll save that for another time. How much do I put in?"  
"Not too much or bubbles will go everywhere"  
Undoing his bra, Lance let it drop to the floor, before remembering he hadn't brought towels down   
"Quiznak!"  
"What's up?"  
"I don't have any towels. I don't think I packed them..."  
"There might be some here... check the cabinet"  
Cursing himself under his breath, Lance slid off the cabinet and squatted down, his back screaming in protest as he opened the doors  
"I don't see any..."  
Stupid. He was so stupid! He'd just wanted to get off the castle...  
"Baby, it's ok. I'll go get some"  
"No! The whole point of getting off the castle was so we could both have some space!"  
There was a light knock on the bathroom door, which opened as he rose  
"I don't mind heading back and grabbing some"  
"Mum, you're our guest. I should have packed them!"  
"Lance, I don't mind. I can be in and out before anyone notices"  
"But that means you have to walk all the way back up and back..."  
"Hey, you don't need to get to upset. These things happen"  
Stupid Keith and his being nice  
"I... I just wanted this to be perfect"  
"Mum, that would be awesome. Thanks"  
"Now that I've been thinking about that bath, it's all I'm thinking about"  
Lance tried but failed to smile at Krolia before she disappeared. With the bath filling, Keith came back to his side, wrapping his arms around him as he kissed his cheek   
"See, sorted"  
"I should have thought about it..."  
"Baby, you had other things on your mind"  
"Still..."  
"No. You're being too hard on yourself. Why don't we get you undressed and into the bath? I'm sure the warm water will help"  
"I'm sorry for... being so moody"  
"It's ok. It's a lot to process"  
"I just wanted tonight to be perfect"  
"I know, and it will be"  
Sighing, Lance sank against Keith   
"I love you"  
"I love you too"

Stepping into the bath, Lance moaned as he grinned at Keith. The water temperature was perfect, and his alpha had been a little heavy handed with the bubble bath, so there were bubbles every where  
"I don't know if I like the bath making you moan like that"  
"It feels sooooo gooood"  
Sinking down slowly, Lance's eyes rolled back with pleasure, another long satisfied moan spilling from his lips   
"I didn't think it was possible to be jealous of an inanimate object"  
Jumping at the sound of Krolia's voice, Lance sank down to hide his burning face. Walking over, Krolia placed a pile of towels on the counter  
"Wow. That was fast"  
"That's what she said... or he said"  
"Mum, did you just...?"  
"Maybe. I grabbed towels for the boys too, so take your time"  
"Thanks mum. We owe you"  
"Just keep it down and we'll call it even"  
Sinking even lower, Lance spluttered as bubbles and water went up his nose. Krolia just smiled mischievously as she walked back across the room, pausing to wave at him  
"Have fun!"  
Closing the door behind her, Lance cautiously rose back up as he wiped at his face  
"I swear she's trying to kill me"  
"She loves you too much for that"  
"Sure. Whatever. Are you getting in now?"  
"No, I thought I'd just watch"  
"Keith, that's not funny"  
"I'm plenty funny"  
"Just hurry up!"  
"Ok, ok"  
Smirking, Keith went about painfully slowly stripping, never looking away as he did. Swallowing hard, Lance forced himself not to touch himself, and remind himself that sex wasn't happening with Krolia right there, well not there, but still within hearing range. Groaning as Keith finally stripped his underwear off, he cursed himself for acting like a stupid omega over such a sexy alpha. It was his husband... but damn, he was lucky. Crossing to the bath, Keith stepped in at the opposite end, and sank down   
"Oh wow. This feels great"  
"Mhmm... but why are you down there?"  
"I thought it might hurt if I sit behind you"  
"I'm not made of glass"  
"I know. Do you want me to wash your hair?"  
"What's in it for me?"  
"What's that suppose to mean?"  
"I don't know..."  
Rolling his eyes, Keith splashed water at him  
"Oh no, it's wet. I'll have to wash it now?"  
"Seriously? What about your hair?"  
"It's fine"  
Putting a little too much force behind it, Lance splashed back, showering Keith in bubbles  
"Lance!"  
"You started it!"  
Splashing him back, they were acting more like kids than adults as water and bubbles went everywhere. Their water fight taking a semi-serious edge as half the water spilt from the tub. Laughing openly until his stomach hurt, Lance wiped the mess from his face. Keith's face was just as bad and bubbles were hanging off his alphas eyebrows and chin, making it hard to even pretend to take Keith's fake scowl seriously   
"Enough! Enough, I can't breathe"  
"So you give up?"  
"No!"  
Grabbing Keith before he knew what happened, Lance dunked his mate under the water. Keith came up coughing as he laughed   
"That's not fair"  
"You snooze, you lose"  
Raising an eyebrow, Lance shrugged  
"Don't ask me. We both know sometimes my mouth decides to move on it's own and I'm just there for the ride"  
Sliding forward, Keith pulled him towards him with his heels so he could wrap his arms around him. Nuzzling his face, Keith's lips found his as he kissed him sweetly, though Lance had half expected him to nip at his bottom lip   
"I love you"  
"I love you too..."  
Kissing him slowly, Keith's hands slid up his back. Moaning into the kiss, Lance was regretful to break it  
"Keith, not tonight"  
"I know. Let's wash our hair, and then we can watch the stars"  
"I'll do yours first"  
"Ok, just don't get shampoo in my eyes"  
"I'm not promising anything"  
"Should I be worried?"  
"Noooo. I've got this"

Bowing his head, Keith kept still for him as he shampooed his mates black locks, normally alphas wouldn't dare submit for their mates like this, and Lance's omega was doing all kinds of crazy things over the shock of it all, though he really should be used to Keith breaking the mold   
"I love your hair. It's all soft and shiny"  
"Alphas aren't supposed to have soft and shiny hair"  
"Alphas aren't supposed to be so loving and amazing, but somehow you are"  
"I thought we were talking about my hair"  
"Hair, personality... there's not much difference between the two. Now close your eyes so I can rinse"  
"It's only going to be with bubbly water"  
"You could stick your head under the tap"  
"Nah, its fine"  
Dunking himself under the water, Keith came up with bubbles handing off his nose. Reaching out, Lance wiped them away   
"Thanks babe. Do you want me to do your hair now?"  
"I still need to condition yours"  
"I don't need it"  
"How can your hair be so perfect if you don't condition it?"  
"It's not?"  
"Not only are you gorgeous, you don't even have to try. Where's the fairness in that?"  
"Don't look at me..."  
Sighing dramatically Lance rose his hands as if surrendering  
"Fine. You can do my hair..."  
"Good. Don't move"  
With a whole lot of manoeuvring from the both of them, Keith sank down so he was now sitting behind him, pulling him back against his chest, Lance purred as Keith began to massage his scalp  
"I've missed you purring"  
"I still find it weird. Being so happy and relaxed that it happens... who would have thought a human could purr?"  
"I never really believed omegas did until I heard you. You have no idea how proud my alpha is each time you do"  
"I guess we both discovered a lot of firsts together"  
"Mhmm, sit forward and i'll do your hair properly"  
"No, it's ok. This feels so nice that I don't want to move"  
Wriggling closer to Keith, Lance nuzzled his chest as he looked up the night sky through the window  
"Ok baby. You were right about the stars"  
"Don't they look amazing? I mean, I know we fly around in space, but there's something about laying down and watching them... it seems too amazing to be true"  
"You're the amazing one. My amazing omega"  
"You're using my word again"  
"I know"  
Dropping a kiss on the top of his head, Keith moved to wrap his arms around his waist, before settling on holding his hand under the water, his other hand being against Keith's chest   
"I wish things could always be this peaceful"  
"Someday they will be"  
"Yeah. And we'll grow old together, and be the kind of parents who annoy our kids with all our war stories"  
"Back in my day, your mother stole my heart and he still hasn't given it back"  
"And your father stole mine"  
"I think we're going to be that disgustingly sweet couple"  
"I'm down with that..."  
"Good, because I'm going to love you for the rest of your life"  
"You better. I'm not raising two moody alpha teens without you"  
"We have to survive them being babies first. I don't know if I my nerves can survive them walking, let alone running around"  
Lance nodded against Keith's chest as he let his eyes slide close  
"I know right. Going into battle isn't anywhere nearly as scary as the idea of those two up and walking"  
"They're going to be escape artists, aren't they?"  
"Just taking after their father"  
"I think I remember your mother saying something about your own escape antics"  
"I was a perfectly charming baby, it all went down hill from there"  
"I don't know, you still have your charms"

Sighing against Keith, he tilted his head up, his shameless penis hadn't gotten the "no sex message" and being hard for so long had started to get painful  
"Keith, I know I said I didn't want to, but touchings ok? Isn't it?"  
"I thought you didn't want to"  
"I... um, I'm hard and it hurts"  
"Here, we'll take it slow"  
Releasing his hand, Keith wrapped his fingers around his erection, his penis twitching in need as his stomach clenched. For the first time in a long time, he felt empty. Whining, Lance rose enough to rub against Keith's own trapped erection. His mate doing a much better job of hiding his own arousal than Lance had  
"Baby, I don't want to hurt you"  
"Please... I need your knot"  
"Are you sure?"  
"I feel empty... I don't know how to explain it..."  
"Ok baby, we'll take it slowly and if it hurts, I can stop"  
Nodding, Lance lined himself up with Keith, using one hand to brace himself and the other to hold Keith's erection as the tip breached him. Sliding slowly down, he shook in both pain and pleasure as he whined  
"Lance?"  
"I'm ok. I'm slick so it didn't hurt too much"  
"It's not supposed to hurt"  
"Keith, its fine. Don't forget how much bigger than me you are"  
Wrapping one arm up and behind Keith's head, he thrust his fingers into his mates hair, letting his whole weight rest against his alpha as he groaned   
"Keith... slowly"  
Keith was both gentle and slow, alternating between kissing him and rocking his hips, the whole time making sure Lance felt loved and needed, and the omega didn't know if his husband realised it or not, but Keith kept one hand firmly against his stomach with his fingers splayed as if protecting the area. Being empty hurt. They're been a life there and they hadn't even known until it was too late. Placing his own hand over Keith's, Lance whined as his husband's knot began to form  
"Baby?"  
"Do it. I want to feel it"  
Nodding, water sloshed as Keith's last few thrusts were more like rough slams, bringing them both to orgasm, before immediately nuzzling and pressing open mouth kisses to his neck and shoulders  
"My precious omega, I love you baby. I'll always love you"  
"Mmm, I love you too"  
Despite the water growing cold, the feeling of Keith's knot being buried deeply inside of him had Lance purring again. Hiding his face against Keith's neck, his arm slid back down and Keith caught his hand, intertwining their fingers as he moved to kiss the back of it. With a smile still on his face, Lance let himself doze off against Keith.


	80. Chapter 80

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know... It can't all be action all the time

After Lance had fallen asleep in the bath, Keith had cleaned his omega carefully, before taking Lance back into his arms and climbing from the bath. Barely stirring in his hold, Keith carried him over to the toilet, pacing him down so he could take the plug from the bath, and fetch a towel for both of them. Once Lance was dried, he made sure his mate was covered by the towel and carried him out to the living room where Krolia was playing with the twins   
"I thought it was quiet. I didn't think he'd fall asleep"  
"Yeah. He fell asleep after we watched the stars for a bit"  
He didn't need to say they had sex. His mother probably already knew, and technically that was after watching the stars  
"The pups didn't want to sleep, so I tried to keep them quiet"  
"I can see. Did they crawl?"  
"Nope, they were happy enough just rolling around"  
Kneeling, Keith laid Lance down in the middle of the nest   
"I need to dress him"  
"Then that's my queue for a bath. I hope you two didn't make too much of a mess"  
"We might have had a water fight"  
"You guys do realise you're adults now?"  
"It doesn't matter. You can't just back down from a challenge, even when it's a water fight"  
Sighing, his mother smiled softly   
"You two are so lucky to have each other"  
"Trust me, I know. When dad passed away, and without knowing who you were, I never really understood the family thing. It's because of Lance I know what it's like to have a real family"  
"I better take that bath"  
Grabbing the clothes Lance had mentioned, his mother left them alone. He probably shouldn't have mentioned his father, but that was something they hadn't talked much about, or about his death. Shaking his head to scatter the thoughts, Keith forced himself to get up and find clothes for him and Lance.

Keith had pretty much fallen asleep the moment he'd spooned around Lance. Both their boys were curled up on the edge of the nest, so they wouldn't be rolled on in the night, given how much Lance liked to toss and turn. Waking in the morning, the boys were still there, but Lance now had his arms around Krolia and his face smooshed against his mother's stomach as he snored. Catching his mother's eye, he yawned as he nodded  
"How long's he been like that?"  
"Since the boys woke up for a feed?"  
"They woke up? I didn't even hear them"  
"You were sleeping pretty soundly..."  
"Did they cry?"  
"No. Lance woke up and just seemed to know they wanted to be fed. The three of them fell back to sleep pretty much straight after"  
"He looks happy"  
"He should be. He's been drooling so much that the shirt is wet"  
"He's good like that... I suppose I should see what there is to eat"  
"You need to check your communicator too. It's been going off since sunrise"  
"Sunrise? How long ago was that?"  
"A varga of so..."  
"Then it can wait. It's probably Shiro wanting to know where we are"  
"Then it can wait. Should I wake him?"  
"No, let him sleep. He'll wake up soon enough"  
Crawling out of the nest, Keith stretched as he yawned again. Despite being in a new location, he'd let his defences drop complete and had actually gotten a really good nights sleep. Keeping his steps light, he moved to rummage through the pile of snacks Lance had packed. Most of it was junk food, but there were a few of the weird orange apple things Lance liked, and a couple of other weird looking fruits  
"Anything good?"  
"If you like fruit. Breakfast is in a varga or so"  
"I'll wait then"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah, I'll be fine"  
Gathering up the fruit, Keith carried it over to the kitchen, realising he really had no idea how to work anything in it. He'd have to ask Ryner about it... starting to open random draws, he slammed the top draw closed unintentionally hard as a loud pounding landed on the front door  
"Expecting anyone?"  
"No"  
With a loud yawn, Lance sat up  
"What the quiznak?"  
"Don't look at me. I was letting you sleep"  
"Ugh. You better answer it. They don't seem to be going away"  
Flopping back down, Lance let out a groan as Keith rounded the kitchen island and walked over to the front door. Opening it, he crossed his arms and glared openly at Shiro standing there  
"What do you want?"  
"Why weren't you on the castle?"  
"Because we spent the night down here"  
"I can see that"  
Shiro's voice was just as cold and frosty as the dew drying on the grass outside   
"Is something wrong?"  
"What is this place?"  
"It's a house"  
"I can see that..."  
"If you can see that, you can see we're all fine. We just woke up not that long ago, so I haven't had the chance to check my communicator yet"  
"Why are you down here and not on the castle?"  
"Because this is our house"  
"Are you serious?"  
"Shiro, it's too early for this. Just go back up to the castle and we'll talk about this later"  
"Not until I know why you've had the Olkari build you a house. Do you have any idea about what they've done for us? How could you be so rude?!"  
Snarling, Keith made his annoyance felt as he bared his teeth  
"Rude. You want to talk about rude?! You come down here and start banging on the door, waking Lance and the pups up. You start demanding all these answers to questions that have nothing to do with you, and you act like it's your right to know everything. It's not. Like it or not, I am the Black Paladin. If Lance and I wish to live off castle, that is our choice. So you need to back off and cool down"  
"It is my right as a member of the team to know where everyone is. What if there had been some kind of emergency?"  
"Then I'm sure you would have found a way to come down here and yell at us"  
"Do you think this is funny?"  
"No, I'm honestly tired of it. Even if you love Lance, he doesn't love you back. He doesn't want or need your concern"  
Shiro looked ready to hit him, which was exactly what Keith wanted. He wanted to get under Shiro's skin like he'd done with Lance   
"I'm not the only one worried about him, but at this stage, I am more worried about Voltron"  
"You don't need to be"  
Closing the door in Shiro's face, Keith ran his fingers through his hair  
"Well that went well"  
"Don't start"  
"I'm just saying"  
"Krolia, it's ok. It's my fault... maybe if I'd told them..."  
"Lance, you don't have to. It's ok to not tell them everything, and not when you're not ready to"  
"But now it's causing friction between the team"  
"That's just Shiro sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong"  
"I guess we better get up and get ready. Do you want to bath the twins with us? Or do you need to head up to the castle?"  
"The castle can wait. They waited this long before figuring out we weren't there. I doubt anyone but Shiro is really going to mind"  
"I was kind of hoping we'd have this place all to ourselves for a little longer..."  
Walking from the door to the side of the nest, Keith nodded  
"I know what you mean. So did I. Mum, do you want to pass me one of the boys? I'll start filling their bathtub"

Bathing the twins was just as hectic and fun as it normally was... doubly so when Laneith peed all over Krolia. The boy giggling and cooing as he did, and his mother glared at him for laughing. Lance, on the other hand, was sympathetic. They'd both been peed on and pooped on during bath time before, so it was only fair it happened to Krolia too. Finishing up their bath, they carried the pups into the living room while Krolia showered, an awkward silence hanging between them as they both thought about what Shiro had said.

"I wish I could take that shower with me. It has amazing pressure"  
Towelling her hair, Krolia completely ignored the awkward atmosphere as she walked up and slung her arm around Lance's shoulder  
"Don't let it get to you. Shiro's not the only one on the castle, and Keith said the others will understand. It's not the first time you've stayed off the castle while here"  
"See, even mum thinks there's nothing to worry about"  
"I just want one day where he backs off and actually listens"  
"Do you want me to kill him?"  
"No..."  
"I can maim him, or knock him out and drag him into a pod"  
"Mum, you're not knocking him out. That's my job"  
Lance rolled his eyes at them  
"Guys, I know you're trying to make me feel better, but it's really not. Let's just head up to the castle for breakfast? He's only going to be worse if we're late"  
"Baby, you shouldn't have to feel this way"  
"It's fine. Shiro will get over himself eventually... and maybe Hunk will know how to work the kitchen?"  
"Pidge is going to lose her mind over the tech in here"  
"Don't say that. I don't want her destroying the house"  
Double checking both boys were ready, Lance took his hand  
"Let's go get this done"

 

*  
After his rude wake-up, Lance just wanted to go back to sleep. The previous night was like a dream, and he wasn't ready for reality. He wanted to spend the whole day hidden away in their own secret world, but that wasn't going to happen. So now he had to mentally prepare for the inevitable barrage of questions from their friends. Keith might have asked the house to be for them, but that wasn't how it would play out, not once the rest of the team knew about it. Instead of being their house, it would be the whole teams, and he knew it was pathetic, but for once he just wanted to be selfish and say no. He wanted it to himself, and his family. Sure they could visit, but for the most part, he wanted it to be him, Keith and the twins. Not him, Keith, the boys and whoever decided they'd had enough of the castle and wanted to stay... but if he voiced his own desires, he risked hurting his friends. So he was left in this kind of festering self-imposed hell, that even the previous night didn't make him feel better about.

Arriving at the dining room, he forced himself to hold his head high. Keith's scent was already full of worry and anger, it'd been that way since he'd closed the door in Shiro's face. Reaching around him, Krolia opened the door, before nudging him forward   
"Say the word, and I'll take him out"  
"It's ok mum... maybe it won't be so bad?"  
Lance hadn't even stepped into the room before Pidge was on her feet  
"You guys have a house?! When did this happen? Can we see it?"  
"Pidge, it's too early for this. Just sit down and eat your breakfast"  
"But Hunk, its Olkarion! There's gonna be so much tech!"  
"Ignore her. She's just jealous... but on a brighter note, I made pancakes"  
So Pidge just wanted to see the tech and Hunk didn't seem phased... nudged along by Krolia, Lance took his usual seat  
"Um, Keith knows more about it than I do. He's the one who organised it"  
"Keith. Details. Now"  
"What do you want to know?"  
"What's it like? Does it float? Does it have power? How long did it take to build? Is that where you were last night?"  
"A few vargas to build. I asked Ryner about it yesterday morning, and by the afternoon it was done. So yes, we slept there last night. No, it doesn't float and we were too tired to check everything out last night. We'd hoped to keep it ourselves for a little longer, but Shiro came down and had a go at us over it this morning"  
"Shiro, you need to relax. Lance and Keith have stayed down in the village before. They've got kids remember and they're married. I mean I don't know why you'd want to live off the castle, but it's their choice"  
He could have kissed Pidge for putting Shiro in his place. Shiro, on the other hand, didn't let it get to him   
"They still should have consulted the rest of us. What if there had been an emergency?"  
"Then we would have tracked them down. It's not like we can't ping their location"  
"That would have taken time we might not have had..."  
Hunk sighed as he stabbed his fork into his pancakes   
"Shiro, Buddy, it's ok. So when do we get to see this house?"  
"Umm, we can head down after breakfast if you want to? Like Keith said, we wanted to keep it to ourselves for a while, but now everyone knows"  
"We have training after breakfast"  
"Shiro, I think we can move training to this afternoon, we don't have any upcoming missions at the moment"  
"No, it's important to keep a routine. If you want to see the house, you can do it this afternoon while I'm touching base with different planets in the coalition"  
"That's not your job!"  
Clamping a hand over his mouth, Lance scolded himself for his outburst   
"Well both you and Keith seem to busy to deal with these things, so someone has to"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means you're not placing Voltron first..."  
Pushing his chair back, Lance jumped to his feet  
"I can't do this. I'm sorry if you guys hate me, but I don't want my kids spending their whole lives on the castle. I want them to be able to run around and explore and play outside. Just because we want to build a family and have a home doesn't mean Keith isn't giving Voltron everything he can, and just because I've been with the boys doesn't mean I wouldn't have dropped everything if something had come up. I don't know why you're being so mean, but I'm sick of being made to feel this way. We couldn't even have one good morning in our new home because you had to show up! You have no idea what I've been going through, and now you've ruined the one good thing we have"  
Words vomit threatened to turn into actual vomit as bile rose in his throat. Swallowing it down, he glared down at Shiro   
"Lance, we don't hate you. We all understand and we all know how seriously you take your role as Red Paladin"  
Rising to her feet, Allura came around the table and wrapped her arms around him  
"It's fine, really"  
"Then why is Shiro making this into something?"  
"I don't know"  
Rubbing his back, Lance buried his face against her neck as Laneith started to cry from being squashed between them  
"Sorry baby, mummy's sorry. I shouldn't have yelled"  
"Lance, why don't we take a little walk. It's been a while since we talked"  
"Yeah. I'd like that"  
"Here, I'll take him, you grab your breakfast"  
"I'm not hungry"  
"Baby, you need to eat"  
Skilfully taking Laneith from him as Lance took his plate of pancakes, he wasn't sure if leaving his husband with Shiro was the right idea or not  
"Keith, do you want to come with us?"  
"Do you want me to?"  
"I don't want you and Shiro fighting. I'm sick of fighting"  
"Then Shiro needs to apologise"  
"I might have been a bit forceful, but I'm not going to apologise for trying to act in Voltron's best interests"  
"I guess I'm coming with you. We'll see you guys at training"  
"Oh right. Yeah"

Somehow ending up with both plates of pancakes, Allura lead the way into the lounge room, while Lance continued to kick himself. Setting the two plates down, he sank down with a groan  
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped"  
"No, I think it's warranted. Shiro has been acting strangely aggressive since returning from that mission"  
"Probably because he thinks I didn't do a good enough job. I'm sorry you guys keep getting caught up in whatever this is"  
"Baby, just focus on eating"  
"I'm honestly not even hungry. I had all these plans for waking up this morning, and now everyone knows about our house"  
"We don't have to come and visit right away..."  
"No, I don't want to be selfish..."  
"Lance, it's ok to be selfish, though I don't think wanting to spend time with Keith and your boys counts as selfish"  
"Really?"  
"Yes"  
"Thanks, Allura. I know I haven't been around much..."  
"Keith said you hurt your back, are you feeling better?"  
"I... um..."  
He didn't want to lie to Allura, not when she was going out of the way to make sure he was actually alright  
"I'm feeling better now. Better than I was... I'll be able to keep up with training"  
"Training doesn't matter that much if you're still recovering"  
"I'll be ok. Maybe training will settle Shiro down? Seeing that I can keep up and stuff"  
Forcing himself to start deconstructing his pancakes, he slowly started to eat, while Allura played with Laneith. The boy giggling as she tickled his belly  
"He's so cute"  
"They both are"  
"That's true. It's nice having them around. Our two junior Paladins in training"  
"Noooo, they're going to be lucky if I even let them near a sword. I'm scared enough about them learning to walk"  
"Baby, it's better they learn to protect themselves from a young age"  
"Or, it'll be even better if we can bring peace to the Galaxy so they don't have to learn to protect themselves"  
"They still have to be able to protect themselves from Pidge and Hunk"  
"Hunk's fine. Pidge... yeah, that might be a problem..."  
"I don't think Pidge would harm the boys"  
"Not intentionally, but when she starts experimenting, anything could happen... I'll have to tell her experimenting is banned in the house..."  
"How did the boys like sleeping down there?"  
"They didn't want to sleep to begin with, I suppose it was all new and exciting to them, so Krolia watched them while we took a bath. They slept through most of the night, which was a relief"  
"Lance fell asleep in the bath, and I fell asleep the moment I curled up with him"  
"I was surprised about that. I mean, waking up in the nest and being clothed"  
"You needed the rest, and you seem to be feeling better today"  
"Yeah. It's passed. Last night really helped, wait until you see the bathtub Allura, it's massive"  
"What's passed?"  
Lance frowned at Allura   
"You said "its passed"?"  
"Oh... just the pain. It's nothing. Keith, you better finish your breakfast"  
"Lance, if you want to talk, I'll listen, no matter what you have to say"  
Looking to his alpha for direction, Keith gave a single nod   
"It's up to you baby"  
"Umm... I suppose it might come out anyway, I mean, Coran knows what's going on and I'm surprised the mice haven't told you... I've been lying"  
Lance took a shaky breath, lowering his fork as he drew his knees up   
"You've been lying?"  
"I... I'm still not ready to really talk about it, but you're going out of your way to help me, and I hate lying to you. I mean, you're like a sister to me and... well..."  
Wrapping his arms around his legs, Lance rested his chin in the "v" between them  
"Lance, if you're not ready or comfortable, you don't have to tell me. As long as you're ok, that's the main thing"  
"I lost another pup. I didn't know I was pregnant again, but apparently, pure quintessence makes you super fertile or made me super fertile. I wasn't bleeding when I checked this morning, so I think it's passed, and I wouldn't have been very far along... it just really sucks. I tried to do the right thing, and I haven't taken the ring off, but the quintessence messed with it. That's why I went and found Ryner about the ring and went to the hospital. With Shiro on my case, I just really wanted some time away from everything, and with mum leaving... I just needed space. I know I've been moody and snappy and I'm sorry for being so rude to you the other night, I was coming back from the hospital and... it's just... it was a shock"  
"Oh Lance, I'm so sorry..."  
"Thanks, Allura, but it'll be ok. I just need you to know it wasn't planned or a spur of the moment thing"  
"Is there anything I can do?"  
"No. I mean, I think it's passed. I just want to get back to normal"  
"Alright, but please let me know if I can help in any way"  
"We will, won't we baby?"  
"Yeah... I actually feel better having told you about it. I don't want you to think it was personal, but I wasn't ready to talk, I'm still not really"  
"Oh no, no, Lance. I understand. Thank you for trusting me"  
"Now she knows, do you think you can finish breakfast for me? I know you said you're not hungry, but you need to eat"  
"I know, but only if you finish your pancakes too. Shiro's probably going to make us train at like level 7 or something ridiculous"  
"Will you be up for that?"  
"I can shoot stuff. I don't think he wants me activating my Bayard in the castle..."  
"I don't think any of us want you activating your Bayard in the castle"  
"You're just jealous my sword is cooler than yours"  
Unfolding himself, Lance picked his fork back up  
"I don't know. I'm pretty sure mines bigger"  
"Nuh uh! Yours is curved"  
"I thought you liked it curved"  
Lance blushed as he promptly stuffed his mouth full of pancakes, ignoring the fact the conversation had turned sexual. Thankfully Allura didn't get it, or maybe she just didn't want to think about it.

Having finished breakfast, and then having fed both boys, the group was running late as they entered the training room. Shiro already had Hunk and Pidge running laps, both of which looked ready to collapse  
"Guys! What took you so long?!"  
"I had to feed the boys"  
Noting the absence of Krolia and Coran, Lance sighed to himself   
"Guys, just be careful. The twins have been attempting to crawl. So just make sure you don't trip over a baby"  
"Great... something... else to worry about"  
Wiping his face, Hunk panted the words out  
"You'll be fine. They're not that hard to miss"  
"Right, now the rest of the team is here, we'll be starting on level 5. Lance, you'll be working on your hand to hand combat"  
Groaning, Lance set Laneith down, while Allura placed Kelance down next to him  
"Allura, do you have your Bayard or do you need a training sword?"  
"I have my Bayard"  
"Lance, you'll be using your Bayard. You won't need a training sword"  
"Shiro, I don't think that's a good idea. Allura will kill me if I damage the castle again"  
"Then don't damage the castle"  
"He makes it sound like it's easy... sorry guys, you'll have to stay away"  
"Shiro, it's not practical for Lance to practice with his Bayard. You know how over-powered it is"  
"That's why he needs to work at controlling it. If he had, Honerva's base might not have been destroyed"  
"You destroy one evil lair and they never let you live it down"  
"Baby, you don't have to"  
"No, it's fine. Just stay back. I don't want to hurt you again"  
Giving Keith a quick kiss, Lance jogged over to the furthermost part of the training room  
"Lance, what are you doing?"  
"Getting in position! Start level 5!"  
If Shiro wanted him to put on a show, then he was going to put on a quiznakking good one.

 

*  
Keith was only training half-heartedly. Shiro had already been knocked down twice by training sentries, which had made it hard not to laugh, but his eyes kept finding their way back to Lance. His mate slicing through the sentries that kept forming. The moment one was cut down, two would take their place. Though his mate's sword skills had improved, Lance would have definitely benefited from using a training sword instead of his Bayard as he was relying on the weapons power too much and the strain of the extended activation was beginning to make his moves sloppy. If Lance really wanted to conquer using his sword, it was better to nip the bad habits forming before they became too ingrained. Abandoning his own position, he jogged towards Lance, intending to point out what his husband was doing on wrong, and help him correct his stance. Only it didn't work that way. Too busy watching Lance, he didn't notice Pidge, running straight into her. Falling over each other, their weapons were sent flying, the sentries they'd both been fighting loomed over them  
"Pidge, get off!"  
"I'm trying!"  
Yelping as she was hit, Keith flipped then over, using his own body to shield her as sentry shots rained down on them  
"Keith!"  
"Stay back Lance!"  
Lance ignored him, jumping over the pair of them as he kept running  
"End level!"  
Watching Lance, he realised what was about to happen as it did. Laneith was on his hands and knees, grabbing towards Keith's sword. It was like everything slowed down, and he wouldn't get there fast enough... unable to watch as Laneith grabbed the blade, he flinched back. Screaming, Lance grabbed their son up, curling around him as if trying to protect him. Everyone was silent as they watched Lance and Laneith. Keith swallowed hard as he forced himself to move, his heart was pounding and he didn't know what to do. He'd messed up. He'd messed up so badly... jogging over, he lifted Kelance, leaving his sword on the floor  
"Lance?"  
Shooting him a glare, Lance moved towards the door   
"Keith, is Laneith alright?"  
"I don't know. Training's over for today"  
"Keith..."  
"Can it Shiro. I don't want to hear it"  
"What did I do?"  
"Nothing! That's the problem! You saw Lance wasn't using his sword properly because he's exhausted, and you ignored it. I was trying to get to him when I ran into Pidge. You're the one who wanted us to train and for Lance to use his Bayard. You're the one who should have been talking him through what he was doing wrong while the rest of us were training, instead of ending up on your arse and not doing anything constructive!"  
Stalking towards the door, he had to resist the urge to run so as not to upset Kelance. 

With the scent of blood in the air, it was easy enough to find Lance and Laneith in the pod room, their son already in a healing pod by the time he got there  
"Lance? Is he ok?"  
"What do you think?!"  
Wincing at the coldness in his husband's voice, Keith forced himself to remain calm as he walked over to him  
"How bad was it?"  
"He nearly cut his finger off..."  
"Whoa!"  
Grabbing Lance as his knees buckled, Keith lowered him down by his arm. He couldn't believe what he'd just seen, nor how badly Laneith was hurt from just a fraction of a moments contact with his blade. Sinking down next to Lance, Keith wrapped his arm around his mate and pulled him close, nuzzling into his hair as he rubbed his arm  
"I'm so sorry baby. I never imagine this would happen"  
It was like they'd jinxed themselves by joking about it earlier   
"It's my fault. If I hadn't been..."  
"Lance, it's not your fault"  
"It is! I should have been paying more attention to the boys!"  
"Baby, we were training"  
"So?! Does that just magically make everything alright? I was so focused on training because I wanted to prove Shiro wrong... I'm a bad mum..."  
"You're not a bad mum. It's my fault. I knew you were getting tired, and I was so focused on you, I didn't see Pidge"  
"You shouldn't have to focus on me! I should be better than this!"  
"You're a good mum and you're a good Paladin. This... this was an accident"  
"It's still my fault"  
"I promise it's not. Here, do you want to hold Kelance?"  
"I... I don't deserve to"  
"Yes, you do. Come on, he's looking at you"  
Raising his head, Lance stared at their son before finally reaching out and taking him  
"Training's over for today, and I think everyone's feeling shaken by what happened. When Laneith's healed, we'll head back down to the house"  
"Won't we get in trouble?"  
"As the leader of Voltron, I can honestly say I don't care. You and our boys are more important than anything"  
"I don't know about that"  
"I do. Quiznak. My heart is still racing"  
"Mine too. I thought my heart was going to stop"  
"I didn't even realise why you were yelling my name"  
"I noticed..."  
Wiping his face with his free hand, Lance smeared blood across his face as he did  
"Here, hold still"  
Using the sleeve of his jacket, Keith wiped the blood and tears away  
"He's going to be ok"

Sitting together with Kelance, Keith didn't know what else to say. When the others turned up, they all sat down next to them silently, waiting the few vargas it took for Laneith to heal. Even his mother was quiet, but it angered him that Shiro couldn't even make an appearance. This day was such a mess and it wasn't even lunchtime. When the pod door finally opened, Lance stared at Laneith prompting Keith to get up and lift the boy from the pod  
"His hand's completely healed"  
"Oh thank quiznak! I didn't know what to say"  
"I think you just said what we're all thinking Pidge"  
Kissing Laneith's palm, his son started crying   
"Is he ok?"  
"He's probably in shock over what happened"  
"From now on, I'll have Coran come to training. He can keep an eye on the boys"  
"I don't want them in the training room"  
"Lance?"  
"I don't want them in there! It's too dangerous!"  
"Ok baby, we get it. How about we head down to the house now? We can give the boys a bath and we play with them?"  
Nodding, Lance rose to his feet, stumbling to his side as he hid his face against Keith's arm  
"Do you guys need anything down there?"  
"All we have down there is baby stuff and blankets and towels..."  
"Then I'll bring lunch down. We can save the proper tour for another day"  
"Yeah, you guys go on ahead"  
"Thanks for coming to make sure he was ok"  
"He's part of the team too. Both of them are"  
"Come on baby, let's get them home"

Lance was like a zombie as they made their way down to the house. Stripping down both himself and Kelance's, he went about filling the bath and climbing in as it filled. Kelance immediately giggled and grabbed at Lance's chest as Keith was left watching them  
"Are you getting in or watching?"  
"Do you want me to get in?"  
"Laneith is covered in blood, or didn't you notice?"  
Their son wasn't covered, but he definitely wasn't blood free. Nodding, Keith went about stripping them both down before joining Lance and Kelance in the bath  
"Baby, this was an accident and Laneith is fine"  
Mostly fine... he was trying to "eat" the bubbles on his chest  
"I just feel really stupid"  
"You're not stupid. It was as much your fault as it was mine"  
"I... never mind. I don't want to keep thinking about it"  
"Well, what do you want to do after we finish having a bath"  
"Honestly, I want to curl up with the boys and watch a movie. But that would mean heading back to the castle and the games room"  
"I could ask if Pidge could set something up here"  
"And risk her shorting out the house. In case you haven't noticed, it's mostly made from wood and wood is flammable"  
"Yeah. Fair point. I think the boys are loving this"  
Kelance was splashing his happily, his little legs kicking as Lance held him   
"Mmm, I would say so too. I'm surprised he didn't start crying when Laneith was hurt"  
"He probably didn't even realise what happened"  
"That's good... yeah, you like this baby boy. Mummy's cute little men are growing up too fast"

Not wanting the pups to get cold, they got out while the bath was still warm, and seeing no one was around, they waitied until they were in the living area before drying and dressing both boys and then themselves, Lance then climbing into their nest and pulling all the blankets over himself and the boys   
"Do I get to join you?"  
"Yeah... just, just don't take them where I can't see them. My Omega is still in meltdown mode, and I'm likely to lose it if anyone tries to come near them or you try to take them away"  
"Baby, I'm not going to take them away"  
"I... just. Come and lay behind me. I need to feel safe so I can start to calm back down"  
"Why wouldn't you feel safe?"  
"Because one of our pups were hurt, in a room full of alpha's no less, and Shiro turned up here this morning. I know the others are coming, but I really need you next to me or I'll lose it"  
"Ok, baby"  
Clambering into the nest, Keith awkwardly spooned up around Lance, his mate wasn't really laying in the most spooning friendly position. Resting his head on Lance's shoulder, he watched the pups fighting to stay awake  
"If you're sleepy, I don't mind watching over all three of you"  
"No. I don't want to close my eyes..."  
"Ok, then I guess we'll both watch over them sleeping"

 

*  
It was mid-afternoon by the time Hunk and the others came down to visit. Hunk had gotten completely carried away baking, his arms laden with food, while Coran, Allura and Pidge all had somewhat smaller piles of various things in their hold   
"This place looks amazing! I can't wait to see the tech-"  
"Pidge, we agreed this was just a short visit. No playing with the new house"  
"But Hunk... look at this place! Look at these vines!"  
"Perhaps we can progress from standing at the front door?"  
"Come on in guys, Lance is laying in the living area with the boys, but I suppose this is all the living area, so he's hidden behind the sofa, you can put that stuff down on kitchen bench... just what do you have there?"  
"The Essentials. Books, toys, movies, dataslates, food, clothes, but more importantly Lance is still awake"  
Placing the piles of stuff on the bench, Pidge was quick to start poking around in the kitchen as Allura looked towards the nest  
"How's Laneith?"  
"Holding me hostage"  
"Holding you hostage? How does that work?"  
"Come take a look"

Both Kelance and Laneith were laying across Lance. Kelance on his legs, while Laneith was laying across Lance's chest with his small hands clutching Lance's hair  
"Oh my gosh, that's adorable. Is he alright now?"  
"He seems to be... sorry for being so..."  
"That's fine, I think we were all scared... um, how bad was it?"  
"He nearly cut his finger off"  
Allura paled alarmingly   
"I didn't even know... how could this happen?"  
"It's Shiro's fault for wanting to use our Bayards instead of training swords. Or Keith's Galra blade in this case"  
"It was an accident... I have to keep telling myself that, or it hurts too much"  
"May I join you down there?"  
"Oh, sure... I thought you guys would want to take a look around the house?"  
"This was only going to be a quick visit. We didn't want to intrude"  
"You're all here now, you may as well take a look around. Pidge, please don't start poking at things. Not today"  
Looking to Pidge, the female alpha ducked her head in guilt, her fingers hovering over what Keith assumed was the oven   
"Sorry Lance. It's just so tempting"  
"Pidge, no means no"  
"Huuuuunk, I know you want to see it too"  
"I do, but not today. Today's been scary enough. I don't want to explain why the house is on fire"  
"I'm not that bad"  
"Yes you are, but I still love you"  
Pidge pout, crossing to wrap her arms around Hunk   
"Fine. Let's have a look around?"  
"Coran, you coming?"  
"Of course"

With their three friends poking around the house, Keith returned to Lance and the boys, and Allura, settling himself down next his husband and lifting Kelance off Lance's legs   
"So, where's Shiro?"  
Allura sighed  
"He went down to the hospital. They might have a mission for us, but their message didn't make much sense"  
"A mission?"  
"Yes. I can't say when or what it is yet"  
"Never a moments break"  
"I doubt it will be that hard, perhaps patient transfer of something to that effect... oh, hello Laneith, do you want my communicator"  
Pulling Lance's hair with his left hand, Laneith was reaching determinedly towards Allura's arm  
"You think he would have learnt"  
"Don't even joke about it. Laneith, mummy needs his hair!"  
Sitting up, Lance "untangled" Laneith's fingers from his hair  
"You're so lucky I love you baby"  
"Can I have a hold?"  
Keith fully expected Lance to say no, but his mate placed Laneith into Allura's lap. The boy looking momently confused before grabbing at Allura's longer locks. Giggling, Allura caught his hand  
"You're so cute. Yes, you are, and I have a surprise"  
Lifting her hair, the mice ran down her arm  
"You brought the mice?"  
"I thought they'd enjoy the change in scenery"  
"Here that Keith, we've got mice already"  
"I heard. At least they're house trained. I think Kelance wants them"  
"He's a bit too young for mice"  
"They're too young for everything they're accomplishing"  
"I keep telling you it has to be the Galra blood. My little half-alien babies, making mummy proud"  
"Half-alien?"  
"Yep. I wouldn't have them any other way. I mean, they're just so adorable"  
"And mischievous"  
"They get that from their mother"  
"Hey! You can be just as bad"  
"They got their marks from you"  
"I thought you liked my marks, besides, I have no idea why they won't go away"  
"I do like your marks. I like all of you"  
"I like all of you too"  
Giving Keith a quick kiss, Lance stole Kelance out of his hold, flopping backwards as he did  
"So what are you guys up to this afternoon?"  
"This. That's about it. We might do something after dinner, but that all depends on what Shiro has to say about the mission"  
"Has mum left already?"  
"I don't think so, though I didn't see her as we were leaving"  
"I guess that means uncle Coran's babysitting"  
"Baby, we don't even know if we all need to go"  
"So you want to leave me at home with the kids, it begins!"  
"Mmm, I could get used to that"  
Kicking him, Lance glared  
"I'm not staying home and letting you have all the fun"

"Guys, have you seen how big your bath is! This is soooo cool!"  
"Isn't it. And there's a bath for the boys, they completely love it"  
"I'm so jealous. I wonder if the Olkari will build us a house too"  
"Go have some kids first Pidge, besides, could you really leave behind all the tech on the castle"  
"Noooooo... ugh. I hate it when you're right"  
"It happens so rarely"  
"Baby, don't put yourself down like that"  
"I was joking. I know it's early, but do you guys wanna eat? I can smell Hunk's cooking"  
"He got a bit carried away"  
"Hunk, I love it when you get carried away. I don't think we have plates or anything though..."  
"We brought them down with us"  
"Sweet! Keith, take the baby. I need to use the bathroom and then I need food"  
"What if I needed to use the bathroom?"  
"You'll wait. You're nice like that. I'm not"  
Smiling at Lance, Keith took Kelance from his husband. Today had scared them both, but Lance was getting there. His husband was just too amazing.


	81. Chapter 81

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Purely indulgent angsty Keith!

"Keith, wake up... come on, you have a mission and I want to spend time with you before you goooooo"  
Cracking a smile as he failed to ignore Lance, he reached up and pulled his husband down across him, slapping Lance's arse for good measure... though it didn't stop his omega from continuing to try and wake him   
"I'm awake, you can stop shaking me"  
"Noooo, I love you, so wake up"  
"Lance, I'm going to spank you again if you don't stop shaking me"  
"Keith, we have about half a varga before our sons are going to wake up screaming, and I'm not going to see you until tomorrow. Wake up and give me attention already"  
Finally opening his eyes, Lance's smirked as he squirmed his way into straddling Keith's lap  
"Someone's awake"  
"Someone's awake, and someone woke him up, and then refused to wake up"  
"Baby, that makes like no sense"  
"You were rutting up against me so hard in your sleep, that you woke me up..."  
"I wouldn't do that"  
Sliding his cold hands across his stomach, Keith hissed as he shot Lance a glare   
"You could have warmed your hands up"  
"And you could actually put your mouth to a good use"  
"I could, but you look like you're having enough fun as it is"  
"Keith, I swear, if the boys wake up before you knot me, I will hurt you"  
"We can't have that"  
Flipping them over with a growl, Keith nuzzled Lance's neck vigorously until Lance burst out laughing   
"Ok, ok! I give up"  
"Good. Now behave"  
"I don't want to behave"  
"What am I going to do with you?"  
"Wreck me and knot me so deeply I feel you inside all day"  
Licking his lips, Keith nodded  
"Yeah... I think I can manage that"

Pulling the blankets up over his shoulders, Keith kissed his way down his husband's chest and stomach, while thumbing off his boxers. It was there third morning day in their house, and so far his favourite. Breathing in his mate's scent, he groaned in need. If he could spend all day in bed with Lance, things would be perfect, especially when Lance was soaking wet for him  
"Keith..."  
"Sorry baby, I'm just enjoying the view"  
"Enjoy the view while inside of me"  
"Wow, someone's horny"  
Trying to kick him, Keith caught his leg and placed it over his shoulder, his left hand sliding between Lance's legs before stopping with his fingertips against Lance's opening   
"Keith!"  
"Screaming my name before I've even made you cum"  
Grabbing his pillow, Lance covered his face  
"I hate you so much right now"  
"Even when I do this"  
Ducking down, Keith buried his face between Lance's legs, sliding his tongue into his mate  
"Fuuuuuuck..."  
Smirking, Keith lapped and drank down Lance's slick, thoroughly enjoying eating Lance out. He'd missed this, Lance falling apart under him so honestly and without the effects of quintessence or heat. Working his fingers in, Lance began to rock against them  
"Keith... feels so good"  
Humming, Keith pulled back, immediately being hit with Lance's pillow for it   
"Why did you stop?"  
"I thought you wanted my knot"  
Kissing Lance's shaking inner thigh, his omega moaned when he nipped the smooth caramel skin   
"If you don't do something right now..."  
"I know. Now hold still baby"  
Purely because he could, Keith took his time shrinking into Lance, the omegas back arching as the moaned in unison  
"Quiznak baby... you're soaked"  
"It's your fault for getting handsy in your sleep"  
"You're so beautiful, can you really blame me?"  
"I can blame you if don't move"  
Driving his hips forward, Lance grabbed his pillow again, biting down on it. Tugging it free, Keith threw it across the floor  
"I want to hear you"  
"But the kids"  
"Will be fine..."  
Dragging his erection back until only the tip was still inside Lance, his mate screamed as he thrust forward, smiling Keith repeated the action half a dozen times before Lance moaned  
"Keith, hard and fast"  
"Got it"  
Letting his alpha take control, Keith hoisted Lance into his lap, his hips moving desperately as he devoured Lance's mouth. Rocking against him just as desperately, Keith slid his hand up, grabbing Lance's left breast and massaging it hard until milk began to ran between them, throwing his head back his husband panted for breath between whines and mews  
"Keith, I'm going to... going to..."  
Spurred on, he didn't slow as he continued to fill the room with the sound of slapping skin and the squelch of slick, while Lance slumped back in his hold as his cumming across both their stomachs in thick bursts. Growling as Lance clenched down and rippled around him, Keith's knot finally popped, his own orgasm hitting him just as hard as Lance's had wrecked him. Pulling his mate back against him, he sank his teeth into Lance's neck, his mate whining as he came again  
"Alpha... so good to me"  
Sliding his teeth out of Lance's neck, Keith licked at the wound   
"My Omega. Quiznak... Lance..."  
"Yeah..."  
Laying Lance back down, Keith rested his head on his husband's chest, listening to his racing heart as Lance held him loosely, his fingers ghosting across his back causing his muscles to ripple   
"That was some wake up"  
"I don't know what I'm going to do without you for a whole day"  
"Stay out of trouble"  
"I don't always get into trouble"  
"I love you, Lance"  
"I love you too, Keith"  
Leaning down, Lance kissed his forehead  
"Do you think we have time for a second round?"  
"Probably not... but we could shower before we get the boys up?"  
"Right, hold on"  
Hefting Lance up, his husband giggled as he scrambled to grip Keith's back   
"I'm too tired for this!"  
"Then job well done"  
"Noooo, I have boys to chase after today"  
"And I have herbs to pick"  
Wrinkling his nose, Keith really wasn't looking forward to picking herbs, but Shiro has signed them up for it, and it was too late to bail out now... even if he wanted nothing more than to spend the day destroying Lance's arse.

 

*  
Keith's alpha was still cockily strutting around in the back of his mind. They hadn't had a second round, but his knot had stayed buried inside Lance for the entirety of their shower. His husband super affectionate right up to the moment Keith had to leave. It was probably a bad thing how much he enjoyed seeing Lance standing in the doorway with their two sons, and knowing they'd be waiting there for him. Lance would definitely yell at him if he knew... but Quiznak... he couldn't get the image of his mate from his mind, and that lead him to get stuck on the thought on how much more perfect that scene would be if Lance's stomach was swollen with another pup... growling as he ran his hairs through his hair, he shook his head. He needed to get his mind back to reality, even if this mission wasn't going to be particularly hard, he still had to act the part of the Black Paladin. With no need for Lance to come up to breakfast, Keith wandered into the dining room alone. Shiro had finally realised how much of a pain in the quiznak he'd been and had stopped busting Lance for everything he did, either that, or he was scared Keith was going to blow up at him over what happened with Laneith the other day. His silence made a refreshing change, and because he was no longer copping Shiro's rage, Lance had begun to perk back up   
"Good morning Keith. Is Lance not with you?"  
"No, he's home with the pups. Thanks for the books the other day, the boys didn't want to sleep last night, but reading to them put them right out. They even slept right through until this morning"  
"Aw, that's sweet. Do you think he'll be up for visitors later?"  
"Provided he doesn't come wandering up here first, I'm sure he'd love some company"  
"Excellent. It's only you and Hunk off castle today, and preparations for Krolia's departure have been made"  
"Oh, what time are you leaving?"  
His mother finished her mouth full of cereal as she nodded  
"After breakfast"  
"We're going to miss having you around"  
"I'll miss all of you too"  
"Are you going to drop by and say goodbye to Lance and the boys?"  
"No, I said goodbye last night after dinner"  
"Ah. Ok..."  
"Yeah... if I head down there, I'll want to spend the day with the boys, and it'll only make leaving that much harder"  
"I know what you mean. I didn't want to leave this morning to come up here, and I had to promise Lance that Hunk and I were going to be just fine"  
"I still don't see why I couldn't go. No one really knows I'm a girl"  
"Pidge, we discussed this. The people on planet Zaidal only respect strong males. I can't go because I have one arm, you and Allura can't go because your both female, and Lance can't go because he's..."  
"Because he has breasts. We know. It's just so outdated though"  
"We can't force them to change their ways overnight, just because Zarkon is gone. They've spent thousands of years surviving the only way they knew how"  
"It's still stupid"  
Yeah, Pidge was less than impressed over being left out, especially when Green had a natural affinity for nature. Keith had thought Lance would be angered over it too, but his husband was still recovering from the shock of Laneith hurting himself, so was seemingly happy to stay home with the boys, while he and Hunk went and picked herbs for the hospital. Why the Olkari couldn't grow them themselves, he had no idea, but he couldn't just say no  
"I promise if we find anything interesting in the way of tech, we'll bring it home for you"  
"Fiiiine. But seriously... Lance didn't even know I was a girl"  
"Lance is a little backwards in a lot of things"  
"Hey, don't pick on my husband!"  
"Relax Keith, he knows I mean it lovingly"  
"You're lucky you're his best friend Hunk"  
"I know. Is he really alright on his own down there?"  
"He's fine. I think he wanted to sort through all the blankets and organise the beds today, we slept in ours last night, but he wasn't happy with the pups"  
"Oh? What's wrong with them?"  
"I think it's just him being all omega like, and having a home, I think he's feeling a little nesty"  
"He's nesting?"  
"Not like that. But it's nice, having the house"  
Pidge smirked   
"You're just saying that because you're drenched in his scent"  
He shouldn't still smell like sex but wasn't going to complain if he did. He was proud of his mate and wasn't going to hide that fact from anyone   
"You're just jealous"  
"Ew, no way. Lance is like a brother..."  
Shuddering, Pidge's smirk faded. Picking the container of cereal, he went about organising his breakfast   
"You have no idea what you're missing out on"  
"Oh my god! Keith, stop it!"  
"I just mean..."  
"Hunk, make him stop!"  
"Keith, Buddy, we're trying to eat"

"Enough about Lance. Are you both prepared for the mission? Do you have your Bayard's and you've checked your communicators?"  
Hunk rolled his eyes with a huge sigh, obviously, the alpha was thrilled about a whole day of physical labour   
"Yes, dad. Black and Yellow are both loaded with the containers for them"  
"And you know which ones you're looking for?"  
"The ones that the people on Zaidal point out. He makes it sound like we've never gone and picked space herbs before"  
"Probably because we haven't"  
"He's got a point. You don't know what conditions you'll be entering, so you need to be careful"  
"Shiro, we've got this. Lance would kill me if either of us got hurt, and I for one hate seeing him upset"  
"No one likes an upset Lance"  
"Exactly. Now can we please just eat breakfast. The sooner we leave, the sooner we get back... no offence mum"  
"No, I understand. I'll walk with you down to Black"  
"You don't have to"  
"Maybe I want to spend some more time with son?"  
"She's got you there. Krolia, I've already put extra snacks in your ship"  
"Thank you, Hunk. Hopefully, this will all good smoothly"  
"Well I spoke to Lotor last night, and he's expecting you"  
Keith frowned   
"You called Lotor?"  
"Allura and I checked in with him last night after you and Lance had left"  
"How is he?"  
"Much the same..."  
"Allura, how was he?"  
"He did ask why Lance wasn't there, and how he was..."  
Keith bit down his growl. Lotor had no right asking after Lance  
"Keith, are we going to have this problem every time Lotor is mentioned?"  
"No. I just don't trust him. But we all know that"  
Making a point of pouring milk into his bowl, he brought further conversation to an end. Leaving his mind to wander back to Lance, and how much he was going to miss his husband.

 

*  
Getting out to Zaidal took longer than expected, and the turbulent weather of the upper atmosphere made landing hard. Finally finding a spot wide enough to accommodate both lions, he and Hunk landed side by side, both glad to be away from the lightning strikes for now. Keeping his helmet on, Keith made his way down from Black's mouth. He'd told Lance he was going to call in if possible, but a quick check of his communicator showed it wasn't possible, most likely thanks to the electrical storm. Jogging over to Yellow, he waited for Hunk to disembark, the alpha not looking happy at all  
"Are we sure this is the right place?"  
"According to the coordinates Shiro received from the hospital it is"  
"Then it must be. I thought someone was supposed to meet us?"  
"They're probably inside thanks to the storm. Of all the days..."  
"I know. It doesn't seem to be raining, so that's in our favour. Did you getting anything on your scanner?"  
"Yeah, it's a long walk to the village"  
"Maybe they want to know we can make it?"  
"If that's the case, just leave me where I fall"  
"I can't do that. We're definitely not separating. Not when we don't even know these people"  
"They can't be too bad, not if the Olkari trust them"  
"I suppose so. Look, let's just do this"  
"So you can get home to Lance"  
"Don't tease me. I know you feel the same way about Pidge"  
"Touché. You know, being with Lance has been good for you. You're not as broody as used to be"  
"We should probably start walking"

It was a solid half a vargas walk from where they'd left the lions to the closest village. Greeted by three stupidly tall men, Keith tried not to stare at their green skin, or the fact they all wore necklaces that seemed to be made from bones  
"Paladin's of Voltron, welcome to Zaidal, I am Inok"  
"Thanks for having us. I am Keith, and this is Hunk"  
"Keith, Hunk, you have come for our herbs, yes?"  
"By request of the coalition hospital on Olkarion"  
"It's been a long time since they have asked us for aid..."  
"Isn't that a good thing?"  
Scratching his head nervously, Hunk was struggling with not staring at the bone necklaces, as he very obviously looked everywhere else   
"Yes, yes. Come, we will show you our fields"  
Hunk groaned at the fact it involved more walking, but Keith's attention was caught by a small boy. Waving at the child, the kid shook his head and raised his finger to his lips as if trying to tell him to ignore him. Confused over why such a small kid would be so scared, Keith kept his mouth closed, followed Inok and the two other nameless men through the village to a steep cliff at the far edge. Below them, countless colours stretched for as far as his eyes could see  
"That's amazing"  
Laughing, Inok nodded  
"Yes, we grow all species here. Some very dangerous. Some will even eat you"  
"You're-you're joking right?"  
"I would not joke about such things, Yellow Paladin. The herbs you seek are in the far fields, we will work the fields while you wait"  
"Oh, no. We can't let you do all the work on your own"  
"We do not allow outsiders in our fields"  
Inok was so serious, the hairs on the back of Keith's neck stood on end. If he didn't already feel uneasy about the whole atmosphere of the place, he definitely would have now, from Inok's tone alone  
"We understand. Is there anything we can do to help?"  
"No, you're our honoured guests. Please, wait in the village"  
Escorted by Inok's two nameless goons, they were lead to what seemed to be the biggest building of the small village. Entering, they both took a seat as gestured to be the men  
"So I'm Hunk, what are your names?"  
Opening their mouths, Keith's eyed widened. Both their tongues had been cut off, and the ends cauterised by the seems of it. It wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing to look at, but it did explain why they didn't talk   
"Ok, never mind buddy. We'll just wait here"  
Nodding the pair moved outside the doorway.

"What the quiznak is going on here?"  
"I have no idea"  
"Something's wrong. I know they're supposed to be friends of the Olkari, but, this doesn't feel right"  
"My alpha's on edge, is yours?"  
"Yeah. And I think I can smell something"  
"Something sweet?"  
"You smell it too?"  
"It's like its overly sweet"  
"Do you think they're trying to hide something?"  
"Possibly, but I don't think we can take a look around. Those two are still out the front"  
"Then we'll have to look around in here. Did the Olkari say how long it's been since they did trade here?"  
"No, but I don't think Zarkon would have allowed it..."  
"Which means it's probably been decades. Great. We've been sent straight into a trap"  
"Either that or we're just at the point in life where we've begun to suspect everyone"  
"Keith, man, that's too heavy"  
"I'm just saying. Here, there's a few cupboards, let's start with those"

The cupboards were empty, and poking around the house didn't reveal anything out of the ordinary. When the two tall Zaidals came back inside, they both raced to pretend nothing was wrong. But the lack of evidence had only strengthened their feeling that something was wrong. Everything was too clean, and they couldn't even find the source of the sweet scent. Waiting until they were left alone again, Hunk let out a huge breath  
"Ok. So what do we do?"  
"We wait. That's all we can do. My communicator isn't working, and we technically don't have evidence something is happening"  
"Man, now in hungry again..."  
Keith hung his head, he didn't have a good reply, and it was so like Hunk to default to food.

It seemed to take vargas before Inok returned, the man splattered with something that looked suspiciously like blood. Fingering his Bayard, Keith moved to place himself between Hunk and Inok  
"The herbs are picked my friends, it is time"  
"Already, that was fast"  
"Yes, come see"  
Walking out the house, there were great bundles of them  
"Wow, buddy. Good work"  
"You take the herbs and leave, it is time"  
"Time for what?"  
"For you to leave"  
"We need to move our Lions closer..."  
"No need, we carry for you"  
"Keith, I feel like they're trying to get rid of us"  
"So do I. We should pull back for now"  
"Ok"  
Whistling, Inok summoned a small army of people, all looking like they'd seen better days. Gathering the bundles, they winced as Inok whistled again. Now was their best chance to actually ask one of the villagers what was wrong. Falling into step with an older villager, the green man shrunk away from him  
"You've got nothing to fear. We're with Voltron. You know Voltron?"  
Stumbling the old man slipped, Keith immediately leapt into action, only to be pulled away by Inok  
"Leave him! You insult him by helping"  
"He tripped"  
"He is clumsy fool. You shame him by making a scene"  
"Sorry. Sorry, I didn't know"  
Yelling something at the man in Zaidal-ese? Or was it Zaidal-ian? Whatever it was, he was using their native language. With him distracted a small hand grabbed his arm  
"Voltron? Are you really from Voltron?"  
It was the same kid as before  
"We are. Is something wrong?"  
"Can you save my mother and my sister? Inok took them away because they aren't men"  
"Inok took them?"  
"Inok takes all the women... can you save my mum?"  
The kid hardly looked older than 5. No kid that young should be asking for help, especially not to save his mum and sister   
"Do you think you can get onto the big Black lion?"  
"No! We have to save my mum!"  
"And we will, but I need to know what's going on"  
Moving in front of the kid, Hunk hid him as Inok turned around. Forcing fake smiles, they shuffled sideways  
"Just talking storage space. Go on ahead"  
"We will pack"  
Nodding Keith moved first, taking Inok's attention away from Hunk and the kid.

Not given a chance to speak to the kid again while the Lion's were being loaded, Hunk smuggled him onto Yellow, while Keith "oversaw" things. Inok silently standing by his side. He wanted nothing to more than to call Inok out on his crap, but without knowing more about what was happening or how to free the village's women, he forced to bite his tongue, while clenching his hands into fists so hard that it hurt. Maybe it was having his own family that made him so disgusted with Inok, while he sympathised with the boy and his mother. If that was Laneith or Kelance, he'd want someone to do whatever it took to save Lance... and he couldn't imagine just how hard it had been for the kid. His mother had never been in the picture, he didn't know what it was like to have a loving mother until recently, but he saw them way Lance loved their sons. He was completely devoted to them, and the boys clearly adored their mother. Not being able to act physically hurt, and he could smell his own scent turning dangerous. Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself he couldn't do anything with so many Zaidal's around. He had to wait. No matter how hard it was.

When the herbs were loaded, and the goodbyes said. Keith and Hunk both returned to their respective Lions, flying straight up from the planet like nothing was wrong, the moment they exited the electrical storm, Keith moved Black to Yellow's side and prepared for manual entry. He had to know. He had to know just what was happening on that planet. Confirming with Hunk that the kid was in the cargo hold, Keith climbed from Black, firing his anchor into the top of Yellow and making for her hatch, the whole process over in a matter of doboshes. Lowering himself down, he pulled the hatch closed as he did, and removed his helmet   
"Has he said anything?"  
"He wants his mum"  
"I'll talk to him"  
"Are you sure? You might scare him"  
"Hunk, if this was the twins, I would want someone to step in and save Lance. Right now, we're the only people who can help him"  
"Just don't go glaring at him"  
"I wasn't going to"  
Placing his helmet down, Keith opened the door to the cargo bay  
"Hello? Kid, you in here?"  
There was scrape and the sound of running before the kid was jumping on him. Caught off guard, Keith fell backwards as the kid began to sob  
"Hey, it's ok. You're safe now and I promise we're going to help find your mum"  
"Inok took her"  
"I know. Do you know where? We need to figure that out, then we can save her"  
"He takes all the women, but no one stops him. I want my mum!"  
"Hunk, do you think you can scan the planet?"  
"Not with that electrical storm. I'll need to be below it"  
"We'll need to re-enter where they can't see us, or wait until night"  
"We can't wait. We don't know what's happening as we speak"  
"Do you know where he takes them?"  
"No! I want my mum!"  
"Hey, we're trying to help..."  
Collapsing against him, the poor kid was exhausted and silent tears rolled from his eyes, despite having passed out   
"Hunk, do you have any blankets or anything?"  
"No, I cleaned Yellow out"  
"Ok... I'm going to lay him down in the cargo hold, so be careful when you're flying"  
"No pressure"  
"Hunk"  
"I get it..."  
Lifting the boy, Keith carried him into the cargo hold. Nowhere looked particularly comfortable, so he laid him close to the doorway, that way if the kid woke up, Hunk would be able to hear. Closing the door, he grabbed his helmet   
"Keith, what do we do if it's too late?"  
"I don't know. I don't want to think about that"

 

*  
Hunk's scanner had picked up two small groupings of life signs not far from the village, but the problem was they couldn't just approach the village. The Lions were too big to go unnoticed, which meant waiting until darkness fell, and entering by foot. Leaving the boy in Yellow, both Paladins activated their Bayards before beginning towards the closest of the group... which turned out to be a total bust. Huddled together, the old group of Zaidal's had obviously been shunned by the village. Torn between saving them and continuing the mission, they withdrew silently, swearing to come back for them once they'd checked the second group... which meant entering the endless fields of herbs.

The first thing that struck Keith was the smell. That same sweet smell was all around them, leaving him wrinkling his nose as he walked through a crop that looked like Castor Oil Plants, feeling their way through the dark, every so often the ground beneath them would crunch, bringing them to a stop. It was slow and tedious work, and Keith was sweating profusely by the time Hunk broke the silence   
"They're right ahead of us"  
"Ok. You back me up, and if anything goes wrong, you get back to Yellow and get help"  
"Great. Running"  
"Hunk, I know you can do it"  
"I'd still prefer nothing went wrong"  
"You and me both. Ready?"  
"Ready"

Bursting forward and striking heroic poses... sort of, they found the space in front of them filled what seemed to be ash from multiple fires, shining his light over the sight, he grimaced at the sight of bone mixed in with the ash  
"I think we know what Inok's been doing with the villagers"  
"That's wrong. We need to do something about him"  
"Where are those readings coming from?"  
"From behind that pile of ash"  
Nodding, Keith went left, while Hunk went right. Behind the pile of ash was a grate covered pit, filled with women and children, all female. Whimpering and drawing back from the light, they stirred up the blood and whatever else was in the pit, the stench of which was nauseating   
"We're from Voltron. We're here to help you. Hunk, can you see some way to get this grate off the pit?"  
"I think it's going to be manual labour"  
"Ok, on three?"  
Moving to their respective edges, the two alphas gripped the grate, both surprise it didn't seem to be made of metal, but of some kind of plant  
"One"  
"Two"  
Both lifted on three, sending a red dust down over the people in the pit. Pulling back, it was only seconds before they started screaming   
"Hunk! What's happening?"  
"I don't know"  
Shining the light down, Keith couldn't see anything wrong  
"I'm going to try and cut the vines"  
"Good idea"  
Using his Bayard blade, Keith stabbed down into the vine, thick blood like fluid pouring out of it, which seemed to seal it the moment he moved his blade   
"Quiznak. It's healing its self"  
"Keith, I think someone's coming"  
Jerking his head up, he caught sight of a light in the sea of herbs  
"We need to hide"

Grabbing Hunk's arm, Keith dragged him into the herbs as Inok appeared, and a sadly familiar voice piped up  
"I want my mum!"  
Both of them looked at each other in horror  
"If you want her so much, be with her"  
Dashing from their hiding spot, they watched as the kid passed through the vines and into the pit below  
"Let them out!"  
"The snooping Paladins returned"  
"Of course we did! We can't let you continue to treat people this way"  
"How we live is none of your business"  
"It is when you're burning your villagers to death!"  
"Women are weak. They exist to serve us. It's for the good of the planet they give their lives"  
"You're murdering them!"  
"Once a woman births a male, she knows her time has come!"  
Keith threw up in his mouth. This was disgusting   
"How could you understand? Flaunting how much better than us you are, with your big ships! You know nothing"  
"We know what you're doing is wrong. Now let them out"  
"Let them out? It's too late for them!"  
"Let them out, or I will kill you"  
"Even if you kill me, you can not stop this"  
From the pit came more screams  
"Hunk, shoot the sides, we need to get them out!"  
Beginning to shoot, Hunk was effectively filling the bottom of the pit while creating an incline for the prisoners to exit through, beneath the vine. Furious, Inok leapt forward, his tall form making the three-metre jump like it was nothing  
"Keith!"  
"On it"  
Rushing forward, Keith swung at Inok, the man jumping back with a hiss  
"Fools!"  
"Yeah, because we've never heard that one before"  
Hissing again, Inok turned, taking off running into the herbs, feeling his alpha rising to the surface, Keith howled as he started towards the direction Inok had disappeared   
"Keith, leave him. They need help over here"  
Doubling back, he struggled to bring his alpha under control as he reached down and started pulling Zaidal's out. Many of them were bleeding, the red dust having done something to their skin  
"Do you see the boy?"  
"Not yet!"  
Continuing to pull prisoners out, Keith grew restless as the last one was pulled out, but it wasn't the boy   
"He's not here"  
"Then he has to still be down there"  
"Hunk, do what you can for them"  
"What are you doing to do?"  
"I'm going to see he's still down there"  
"Keith"  
"I'm not leaving him down there!"  
Sliding under the grate, Keith dropped to the bottom of the pit silently. Pinching his nose, he shone his light around the place. So many people had died down here... shining it towards the pile of dirt, he finally found the kid, beside a very dead woman, a baby in her arms. Rushing over, he lifted the boy up, shielding him from the sight of what he assumed to be his mother and sister  
"Keith"  
"She's dead!"  
"The kid?"  
"I'm passing him up!"  
Moving to the edge, he passed the boy up to Hunk, the poor kid completely out of it. Looking back to the woman, he knew she was dead, but he couldn't check. His conscious would never give him a moment of peace again if he did. Steeling himself, he held his breath as he approached, kneeling down beside her and placing his fingers on her neck. No pulse. Like he'd expected. Looking to the bundled up child in her arms, he shook as he reached out and turned the bundle. She was pale... but... but she was warm? Brushing the dirt from her face, he placed his fingers on her chest, feeling the ever so slight rise  
"Hunk! We've got a baby!"  
"What?!"  
"I think it's the sister! She's breathing!"  
"Keith, we need to go, pass her to me"  
"I'm sorry we couldn't save you... but I'll do everything I can for your children"  
He didn't know why he felt the need to tell her that, but making his way back to the escape hole Hunk had made, he carefully passed the baby girl up to him, before taking Hunk's arm and climbing out  
"Where's the boy?"  
"Here, he won't let go of my leg"  
"I'll take them both. Everyone, we need to move before Inok comes back"  
Taking the girl back, Keith leant down and lifted the boy onto his hip with this free hand. The kid burying his face against him, whimpering for his mum as he did  
"We are from Voltron, if you want to get to safety, you need to come with us"  
None of them moved. Not a single one  
"We need to move! Inok will kill you like he killed the others!"  
Finally one of the women spoke up  
"We give our lives to this planet. We stay"  
"He's going to kill you!"  
"Men are our leaders"  
"Women can be leaders too! The Blue and Green Paladins of Voltron are both women!"  
"You're way is not our way. Now go"  
"But you'll die"  
"Better to die where we were born than elsewhere"

Beyond in the inky darkness, voices were coming closer  
"Keith, he's coming back"  
"You need to run!"  
"Do not concern yourself with us"  
"But..."  
"Leave!"  
"Keith, what do we do?"  
"Get back to the Lions! We'll take him it with them"  
"But we might hit civilians"  
"I don't know! I don't know what the right thing to do is! We need to protect these two! We need to protect all of them!"  
This was supposed to be an easy mission. Go to the planet. Pick herbs. Take herbs. Go home. Done. Not get swept up in planet politics! Where was Allura when he needed her! Growling, he looked to the two kids in his hold  
"Hunk, fall back!"  
Hunk was just as torn as he was as they plunged into the herbs, making their way back to Yellow and Black. Keith couldn't accept the way things had turned out, it left him feeling so repulsed and so very desperate to see Lance again. Running as fast he dared, he prayed to whatever forces out there that the little girl would survive. With all the orphans of the war, Ryner would know what to do with the pair of them, but it still sucked knowing he couldn't save the kids mum. 

Sinking into his chair, Keith balanced the little girl in his lap as the boy clung to his arm   
"Black, we have some trash to take care of girl"  
Feeling her probe his mind, his alpha instantly tried to block her out. It's anger only growing at what it concluded was an unwanted intrusion. Not waiting to confirm Hunk was moving, Keith flew straight to where they'd found the woman. Torches were now lit, and the women all huddled together. Filled with so much anger and disgust, he fired at Inok, or what he took to be Inok as he let out a mournful howl. This planet had been so close, but this had... it had happened right under their very noses. Firing a few extra shots Inok's way, he forced himself to keep going, and not to re-engage. The two kids had been through enough, and he had to get them help.

 

*  
By some miracle, the little girl was still breathing when they touched down on the terrace outside the castle. Ignoring everything going on around him, Keith took off running towards the hospital. Hunk would fill the others in, and he needed to... he had to help the kids. That was literally the only thing in his mind. Bursting into the hospital's emergency room, he snarled loudly as people stared  
"Help. I need help!"  
A young nurse was the first to come to his aid  
"What's happened?"  
"We were on Zaidal, they've been... no, their mum died. I don't know when they last ate or how hurt they are"  
Lifting the tiny girl from him, the woman called for help, and the boy was taken from his hold. Collapsing on the spot, Keith started to sob. He'd failed both of them.

At some point, he was moved from the floor to a chair. Still unable to calm, he kept his face buried in his hands. How could they all just give up like that? It made no sense. If they'd gone in earlier, would the kid's mother be alive? No, she'd been dead for a while... but... he should have done something!  
"Keith!"  
Looking up at the blurry world, Keith blinked as he tried to wipe his eyes  
"Keith..."  
Warm arms wrapped around his shaking and exhausted frame. Burying his face against Lance's neck, he cried in earnest   
"I failed them"  
"No, you didn't. No. Hunk told me all about it..."  
"I should have done something"  
"There was nothing you could do"  
"But there should have been! You would have found a way"  
"Keith, you're being to hard on yourself"  
"I should have found another way"  
Guided down from the chair, Lance pulled him into his lap, rocking him as he stroked his hair  
"It's ok. You're ok. The kids are going to be ok"  
"You don't know. They probably haven't eaten in days... all he wanted was someone to help his mum"  
"Shhh, I'm here"  
"I kept thinking if it was our boys, I'd want someone to help you... but I didn't help"  
"I'm fine. I'm fine, the boys are fine. Uncle Coran is watching them. Come on, you need to take a shower"  
"I don't want to move until I know they're ok"  
"Ok... hold on"

Lance's hold on him loosened slightly, his mate turning against him   
"Allura's here now. Allura, can you ask them what happened to the kids from Zaidal?!"  
"Is Keith ok?"  
"He needs to know what happened with the kids"  
"I'll find out"  
"Here they, she's going to find out"  
"I must look so pathetic"  
"No. From what I heard, it was pretty horrific"  
"They were burning their own villagers. In a great bonfire thing... and the women, he locked them away, leaving them to die... and then burning them"  
Gagging as the smells came back, Keith tried to push Lance away as he vomited. His mate rubbed his back as he hacked and coughed   
"You're ok. You're not there, and we're going to help them"  
"They didn't want help"  
"Shiro, Allura, Pidge and Hunk are going to head in"  
"Hunk's going back?"  
"They're going the moment the lions are unloaded, Allura came down to check on you"  
"Lance, what if they die?"  
"Don't say that!"  
"But..."  
"Lance, they're alive. They are both being seeing by doctors, and we can visit them in the morning"  
"Hear that, you got them here. You got them help"  
"Do you need help with Keith?"  
"No, I've got him. You should probably take Coran with you, his utility cuff might come in handy"  
"Will you be ok?"  
"Yeah. I've got this"

Leaning heavily on Lance, his mate pretty much carried him from the hospital to their house. He figured he must look awful because Coran didn't even try to crack a pun or joke as they stumbled inside. Instead, he just nodded to them, before leaving. Guiding him through to the bathroom, Lance sat him down on the toilet   
"Keith, you're scaring me. How do I help you?"  
"Don't leave"  
"I wasn't going to leave"  
"Just don't leave me alone"  
"I won't... come on, let's get you out those clothes and under the shower"  
Lance did most of the work, getting them both out their clothes and under the shower. With his arms wrapped around his husband, Keith's whole body shook as he breathed in Lance. His husband was safe, and healthy and happy and... now their were two kids who'd never see their mum again. Nuzzling into Lance's neck, his mate hushed him softly as he kissed his temple and whispered how much he loved him. When it became clear Keith couldn't wash himself down, Lance went about washing as much of him as he could reach. It would have normally felt nice, but he was so numb, so the whole thing passed in a blur. From the shower, Lance wrapped him in a towel, leading him out to sit in the living room, before retrieving their boys. Curling into his husband, Keith let out a sob, dissolving again. He couldn't imagine losing all of this. Not now. Not ever.

 

*  
Lance had never seen Keith so bad, his husband's distress had filled the hospital waiting room so thickly his eyes had watered from it. From what Hunk had said, the whole mission had gone to quiznak, and moment his best friend had mentioned kids were involved, he'd pretty much screamed at Coran to look after the boys, and had taken off running to find Keith. He knew his mate was strong, but finding him falling apart so badly in the emergency waiting room, Lance didn't know what to say or do. All it took one was whiff of Keith's scent to have him panicking. He was the one usually falling apart. He was the one usually needing comfort... he couldn't think or breathe. He... he wanted to lock Keith away and keep him to himself. There were too many people around, and he knew he should worry about the children, but he couldn't. Keith needed him, and while his husband had been suffering, he'd been busy making plans for tonight. This wasn't how things were meant to go.

Getting Keith home and showered had been a struggle, then collapsing on the sofa, his husband had broken down again. He was so scared of doing or saying the wrong thing, that he'd tried to copy all the things Keith did for him, but he was barely keeping it together. A civilisation that sacrificed its own people. People who couldn't control being born female... it was... it was wrong and hit too close to home. Let along the fact they killed their own children. He felt physically sick. Even if the others were headed in, he just couldn't bring himself to go. He didn't want to see more people dying and suffering. He hated it. He was so sick of people dying.

When Keith's sobs subsided, fine tremors still ran through his body as he stared down at the twins. Not knowing what was going on, both boys were upset, but there was no way Keith would let them go. He needed them right now, and it wasn't like his husband was hurting them  
"Keith, maybe we should go to bed? You need rest"  
"N-no..."  
"Keith, you're exhausted. Both mentally and physically"  
"I don't want to sleep"  
"Then let's put the boys to bed? We can stay up..."  
"I don't want to let them go"  
"Then we can put them between us..."  
Tugging Keith's arm, his husband didn't move   
"Keith, please"  
"Goddammit Lance! Just back off!"  
"How can I back off when you're falling apart!? Now stop being stubborn and come back to bed"  
Lashing out, Keith shoved him as Lance went to rise. Unable to break the fall, he smacked his face on the coffee table as his wrist cracked. Shrieking at the unexpected pain, Lance tried to curl around his wrist  
"Lance!"  
Looking up to Keith, his husband's fair skin was sickly white, his lip shaking as more tears filled his eyes. Shaking his head, Lance didn't want Keith going over the edge  
"I'm... I'm ok. I only screamed because it scared me"  
"I-I hurt you"  
"Keith, I'm ok"  
"I hurt you. I shouldn't be here"  
"Keith..."  
Rising from the lounge chair, Keith carried the boys to their room, emerging a few ticks later  
"Keith?!"  
"I'm sorry Lance..."  
Fleeing the house, Keith was gone before Lance could push himself up and go after him. He'd told Allura he'd be alright. Now he was kind of sure he'd sprained his wrist and the gash on his cheek was throbbing, but worst of all, he'd lost Keith. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to track Keith down, not when his husband wasn't wearing his communicator. Hell, he wasn't even wearing boots. Why was he so useless! Keith always knew how to prop him up, but now Keith needed him... and he... slamming both hands down, he hissed in pain. His wrist was already turning a nasty shade of purple as it swelled. It probably wasn't a good sign, but he couldn't leave the boys sleeping. Overwhelmed, he stayed where he was, sobbing out everything he felt on his own.


	82. Chapter 82

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my second purely self-indulgent chapter... I know where I want to go, but I don't love time skips... and we need to pass time somehow

"Keith!"  
Standing in the bridge, Keith had chewed his nails right back as he'd waited for the others to return. He'd hurt Lance, and he'd run like a coward, trying to take refuge in his old room, but it wasn't the same without Lance, that's how he'd ended up on the bridge   
"What happened Allura?"  
"Inok is dead. You killed him..."  
There was a but...  
"They've severed all ties with the Olkari and want nothing to do with Voltron. Their herbs took major damage, and their herbs are their livelihood. They were all suffering under Inok's rule, but that's the way their culture was built... perhaps with time, they'll reach out to use when they're ready"  
"They were killing their own people..."  
"We know..."  
Turning towards Allura, the woman let out a small gasp  
"Keith, are you ok?"  
"I couldn't save them..."  
"Keith, no ones blaming you. You couldn't change what happened. You tried to help them"  
"I failed them. I failed the kids. All that boy wanted was someone to help his mum, and I failed at that!"  
"Keith, you need to sit down, you don't look very good"  
"No! No... just. I don't deserve you being kind"  
"Keith..."  
"I hurt Lance! I let him down! All he did was care and I hurt him! All I do is hurt, people!"  
Keith couldn't breathe. He'd never felt a crushing depression like this, over a mission gone wrong and he didn't know how to pull himself out of it, or if he really deserved to. He was supposed to lead Voltron, but he hadn't even managed to do that properly  
"Keith, Lance is fine. I'm sure he's probably waiting at home for you to come back"  
"Then he's a fool..."  
Swaying, Allura rushed to grab him  
"Here, you need to sit and I'll call Lance"  
"He probably doesn't even want to see me"  
"He loves you. Of course, he's going to want to see you"  
"I hurt him! What part of that aren't you getting?! I lost my head over those two kids! I should have been worrying about Lance! I should have been with him! He's acting like everything's ok, but lost another pup! He's lost 3! How is that fair!? How... we don't even know what the mother those kids had to go through to have them, and now she's just gone and they have to live without a mother and a father! And it's my fault!"  
Roaring the words, he felt so fucking guilty as his voiced the thoughts that had been tormenting him. So lost in his own guilt and pain, he failed to notice Allura wasn't alone, and that the rest of them, including Coran, were standing in the bridge while he had his temper tantrum   
"Keith, I know it hurts, but you tried your hardest"  
Wrapping her arms around her, Allura rubbed his back and told him it was alright. It wasn't alright and she wasn't Lance  
"I'll call Lance..."  
Nodding his consent, Keith closed his eyes.

There were a few long doboshes before Allura finally spoke   
"I can't get through to Lance"  
Shooting out of Allura's hold, Keith stumbled before righting himself   
"Keith, I'm sure there's an explanation"  
"I hurt him Allura. I pushed him away and he fell... what if..."  
"No. No more "what ifs?", we'll go down together and check to see if he's ok"  
"I..."  
"Keith, you're in no position to be walking around unaided"  
"I'm fine"  
"That's why you look like you're going to topple over at any moment. Here, we'll go together"  
Taking his hand, Allura was treating him like a child. He supposed he was acting like one, and showing her another side of him that she really didn't need to see. Pulling his hand back, he wrapped his arms around his waist and kept his head down as they moved from the bridge. So thickly covered in his own scent, he still failed to notice they weren't alone, and the moment the door closed behind them, their friends erupted into concerned whispers.

The journey down to the house seemed to take vargas, Keith was sweating by the time the house came into view. He was feeling even worse with every step closer to home. Allura had said no "what ifs?", but how was he supposed to think of anything else?   
"Keith, the door is right there. See, you're ok"  
"I'm worried about what I'm going to find past the door"  
"I'm sure Lance and the boys are just fine"

Trailing behind Allura and into the house, Keith all but shoved Allura into the wall as he caught Lance's distressed and hurt scent. The living room was devoid of his mate, causing him to growl in frustration  
"Keith?"  
"He's hurt!"  
"Ok. Let's take a look around. I'll check the twins room, you check the bathroom and your room"  
Jogging to the bathroom, he found it empty. Rushing into their bedroom, he found it just as empty  
"Keith, the pups aren't here"  
"Lance isn't here either..."  
"Where would he go?"  
"I don't know... if he's not here... the only other place would be the castle..."  
"I'll call Coran and have him scan the castle"  
"Allura..."  
"Keith, we'll find him. He'll be ok, where ever he is, so will the boys"  
Sinking down on the edge of the bed, Keith sighed as he tried to think of where Lance would be. Allura tapped away on her communicator, he was vaguely aware of her talking in the background  
"Keith, he's not on the castle. Where else would he go?"  
"I don't know... he was here..."  
"Well... do you think he might have headed down to the hospital? Maybe he thought you'd turn up back there?"  
"What? Why?"  
"Because of the kids? Maybe he thought you went back to them?"  
"I... I don't know"  
"I'll call through to the hospital"  
"No, we'll go down there"  
"Keith"  
"Just drop it Allura. If he's hurt, I need to be there, even if I'm the one who hurt him"  
"We don't know if he's there though. It could be a wasted trip"  
"Then we'll wait! I can't do nothing"  
"Fine, just let me tell the others"  
"Don't... just don't"

 

Walking into the hospital emergency room, Keith could smell himself, beneath a thick layer of the Olkari version of disinfectant. If his scent was that bad after vargas of absence, he couldn't imagine how much worse it would have been  
"Hi, we are looking for Lance"  
"Queen Allura. The Red Paladin?"  
"Yes, Lance. Is he here?"  
"The Red Paladin is currently recovering from surgery. He's awake and resting, I'll have someone take you through to him"  
"What happened to him?"  
"His chart says he was unresponsive, presenting with a dislocated wrist. Ryner personally escorted him down, and his sons are with him. If you please just take a seat, someone will be out shortly to take you through"  
"Keith, let's take a seat"  
"He dislocated his wrist?"  
"That's what said"  
"I pushed him Allura. I pushed him away and hurt him"  
"Keith, it was an accident. I'm sure he's ok, and if the boys are with him, there's nothing to worry about"

 

*  
Sitting on his bed, Lance had not only their sons but the boy and baby girl from Zaidal. The boy was laying along Lance's left side, the girl cradled against Lance's chest and their son's both sleeping against his husband's right leg  
"Hey, guys. Come in"  
"Lance... I'm so sorry baby"  
"Oh, my wrist isn't that bad..."  
"You had surgery"  
"I just landed wrong. It could have happened to anyone"  
Pushing the small of his back, Allura propelled him forward  
"Keith, you look like quiznak"  
"He's been worried about you"  
"I'm ok. I don't remember how I got here, but I'm ok, and so are the kids"  
Readjusting his hold on the baby girl, Lance reached his left hand out towards him  
"Come here, I need my alpha"  
Striding over, Keith grasped Lance's hand, his lips finding Lance's as his right hand moved to his husband's face  
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry baby. I never meant to hurt you"  
"Hey, hey. I'm ok. We're all ok"  
"I might leave you guys to it. Lance, I'll come back and check on you later. Please see if you can get Keith to rest"  
"Will do. Thanks, Allura"  
Not looking back, Keith nuzzled Lance's face  
"I'm so sorry"  
"Keith, I'm fine. I just landed wrong and thanks to the miracle of Olkari medicine, I only need the cast on for like a week"  
"I still hurt you"  
"Not on purpose. Hey, come on. You don't need to cry"  
"I'm just so sorry"  
"If you say sorry again, I'm going to hit you"  
"I love you baby"  
"I love you too, here, can you take her?"  
Nodding, Keith kissed Lance's cheek, before pulling back and taking the baby girl into his arms  
"What's she doing here?"  
"Ryner suggested it. She wouldn't take formula, and she just kept crying"  
"She looks happy enough now"  
"Yeah, I... I said we'd take care of her for a while until something can be arranged"  
"Baby, are you sure?"  
"We can't just leave them"  
"Both of them?"  
"The Zaidal won't take them back, but Ryner is contacting other planets in the coalition. There are lots of orphans from the war, and lots of families that lost their children, or the ability to have children. She's going to make sure they're kept together"  
"I... this is all my fault"  
"No Keith. You tried to help them, and you saved these two..."  
"Have you talked to him?"  
"His named Shalad, but he doesn't know his sister's name because Inok took his mother and sister away just after she was born"  
"So she doesn't have a name?"  
"I was thinking of calling her Jade, her skins such a nice shade of green, or maybe Fern?"  
Looking down at the baby girl, she looked so peaceful. It was hard to believe she'd been pulled out of the awful pit   
"I like Fern... but three babies, that's a lot to handle"  
"It's only temporary, and I'm the only one who's breastfeeding around here. I'm sure Ryner will find them a new family soon"  
Sinking down into the chair beside Lance's bed, Keith stroked Fern's cheek  
"I don't know what the others are going to say"  
"Well I won't be going on any missions for a week, so it doesn't really matter"  
"Does it hurt?"  
"No. I've been worried about you though..."  
"I shouldn't have taken off"  
"It's ok. You needed space to work through everything, but you look like quiznak. I'm sorry all the space up here's taken"  
"It's ok. It kind of suits you"  
"What? Buried under children?"  
"You've always been better with them than I was"  
"Probably because I grew up with... well, you've seen my family. And with what I went through in my trails, I pretty much had parenting shoved down my throat. 4 kids can't be that hard"

"Sorry to disturb you both, I wanted to see how you were doing, Lance"  
"Oh. Hi Ryner. I'm ok. Thanks for getting me down here, I'll be wearing the cast for about a movement, but that's fine. Fern also fed, so she's doing better"  
"Fern?"  
"She's got such beautiful green skin, and Shalad didn't know her name"  
"Fern is a fine name. So she's fed?"  
"Yeah. Keith and I will look after them both until you can find a family for them. We're already set up for kids and all"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah, we can't just leave them here. Besides, she needs to feed and she wouldn't take a bottle. We can work on getting her to, right Keith?"  
"Yeah. We'll look after them. How long will Lance be in hospital?"  
"He'll be able to leave later today, Keith do you mind if I talk to you for a moment"  
Keith looked at Lance, his husband nodding   
"It's ok. I'm not going anywhere"  
"I'll be right back"  
"Do you want me to take Fern?"  
"No, she's sleeping. I don't mind holding her"  
Giving his mate a quick kiss, Keith followed Ryner out of the room and into the hallway, the woman closing the door behind them  
"Are you sure you and Lance wish to take on these two children?"  
Keith blinked in confusion   
"Why? Did something else happen?"  
"Last night, when he was brought in, he was in a bad way. He was shaking and couldn't even speak. We had to summon orderlies down to collect him"  
Keith sighed   
"That was my fault. I lost my temper over everything. I pushed him and he fell, that's when he hurt his wrist. On top of everything, it was just too much"  
"We all carry our share of emotional scars"  
"Lance has been through a lot. I think he panicked because he didn't know how to help me. If you're worried about it affecting the children, you don't need to. We'll have the help of the full Voltron team"  
Ryner nodded slowly, reaching a hand out to stroke Fern's face  
"I had no idea Zaidal had fallen into such a state, but at least you were able to save these two"  
"I'm sorry for my part. The boy wanted to save his mum so badly... I didn't mean to ruin everything with them"  
"What's done is done. We will find these two a good home, and if they were prepared to continue such outdated traditions, is it not best you interfered?"  
"I don't know... Thanks, Ryner. Let us know when you find them a home"

 

*  
Freedom! The hospital food was just as awful as Lance had remembered it being, and even Shalad didn't want to eat. Since realising Keith was there, the boy had pretty much glued himself to Keith's leg, while Keith carried the twins and Lance carried Fern, thanks to having only one arm. Thanks to the painkillers, he didn't actually feel much, but waking up in hospital had definitely been a shock, doubly so to find he'd already had surgery and his arm was in a cast  
"Baby, you ok?"  
"Hmm? What, yeah. I was just thinking. Do we go to the castle? Or back to the house?"  
"The house. Shalad, are you hungry?"  
Hiding his face, Shalad nodded   
"Our friend Hunk, the big guy who flies the Yellow lion, he makes the yummiest food. What's your favourite food?"  
Shalad shook his head   
"Never mind, we can find that out together, and you'll be able to meet the rest of the Paladins... and Keith, Fern needs a nappy change"  
"Already?"  
"She's a baby, these things happen"  
"I know. I'll take care of it when we get home"  
"Keith! I just realised I can't bath the boys with one hand!"  
"It's ok, Shalad will help us with them and Fern. Won't you buddy?"  
Shalad nodded mutely  
"See, we have it covered"  
"Well, you're going straight to bed after we've eaten. The boys slept most of the morning, so they won't want to nap this afternoon, so we'll watch movies, or we can draw?"  
"Baby, you need rest too"  
"I'm fine"  
Keith frowned at him but didn't push the issue.

Walking into their house, Lance rocked Fern, the girl crying in discomfort   
"I know sweetheart. I know. Keith is going to get rid of that yucky nappy, and then you can have a nice sleep in a comfy bed"  
"Where should I set the twins up?"  
"On the rug in the living room. There's books and that still there, so we just need to grab a couple of blankets"  
"I'll get them once the boys are settled"  
"Keith, I can still do things. It's just a busted wrist"  
"That I gave you. It's fine, my face is fine"  
"But mentally?"  
Lance raised an eyebrow  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Ryner said you were out of it when she came in last night"'  
"Oh... you kind of scared me. I didn't know what to do or say to help you and it made me feel bad. You always come to my rescue, but I never know what to do"  
"You just have to be there to make everything better. Go sit down with Fern"  
"Why do you keep calling her Fern?"  
Shalad's shy voice came as Keith placed the boys down on the living room rug. Lifting Shalad into his arms, Keith looked such a natural with him  
"Well, she needs a name"  
"But Fern?"  
"Because she's got such beautiful green skin. Where we come from, a fern is a plant"  
"But mummy didn't name her Fern"  
Lance felt so incredibly bad for the boy. It wasn't fair that he'd lost his mother so young  
"We know, but we don't know her name, and Fern's are really pretty plants. Do you want to help Keith in the kitchen? He's not very good cook, so you might need to tell him what to do"  
"Hey, I'm a good cook. Besides, we have leftovers"  
"Leftovers?"  
"They're magical food that's a rare treat"  
Shalad's eyes widened  
"Magical?"  
"Trust me, they taste really yummy!"  
"But first we need to get a nappy for your sister"  
"And probably the boys. Oh, and can you grab my communicator. I want to tell Allura we're back at the house so she won't worry"  
"I think she's going to worried, you were kind of in hospital"  
"That's old news"  
Settling down on the sofa, Lance leant over and laid Fern on the coffee table  
"Yes I know, but Keith is going to clean you right up"  
"Can I help?"  
"It's ok, Shalad. These two little boys are our sons, so I promise we've had plenty of practice"  
"They're yours? How can you have two babies without a mother?"  
"I'm their mother. I gave birth to them"  
"Boys can't do that!"  
"Lance is a little special"  
"But its weird"  
"It's not weird"  
No. Shalad was just curious. He shouldn't be feeling so self-conscious because a kid found him odd... so why were his words getting him too badly?  
"Boys aren't meant to have babies"  
"Some boys do. Let's get things organised, and then Lance can read you a story"  
"Are you their daddy?"  
"I sure am. Lance and I are married"  
"You love another boy?"  
"Very much"  
"Oh... I didn't know that was allowed"  
"Yep. It sure is. Boys can love boys and girls can love girls"  
"Wow! That's so weird"  
"Not really"  
"Yes it is"  
Keith cast him a worried look before carrying Shalad from the room. This definitely wasn't going to plan. The kid thought he was weird, and while he came from another planet, it did drive home that out here, he was a freak and was weird.

After changing all the kids, Shalad curled up on the sofa with Keith. Shalad had never used a knife and fork before, but Keith was patient with the boy, who seemed to be coming out of his shell. With the pair of them in their own world, Lance was laying on the floor with the boys, waiting for Allura to come down and watch the kids. The boys and Fern would be fine, but Shalad was old enough to open doors and run away  
"Baby, I think I'm going to take a nap. Will you be alright with the boys?"  
"I'll be fine. Allura's going to come down soon. Shalad, do you want to play with us? Or you can take a bath? Or a nap?"  
"I'm not leaving Keith"  
"Looks like you have an admirer"  
"What's not to admire?"  
"Well..."  
"Lance, don't shatter the kid's delusions. Now give me a kiss, and wake me up if you need anything"  
"Ok, I love you, Keith"  
Kissing him quickly, Keith then hoisted Shalad up carrying him under his arm, the boy laughing as he did, but his husband didn't tell him he loved him back.

Allura and Pidge came down about half a varga later, the woman immediately picking Fern up, while Pidge went straight to the kitchen with her dataslate  
"Hello sweetheart"  
"Hi, Allura"  
"I didn't mean you, Lance"  
"I know. We're calling her Fern for now"  
"Aw... Hello Fern. She's so sweet"  
"Yeah, she really is. Shalad's just taking a nap with Keith. He's handling everything better than expected"  
"He's a kid, it probably hadn't sunk in yet"  
"Yeah... still, he really seems to like Keith. How's Hunk doing?"  
"Hunk's pretty shaken up about it. He wants you all to come up for dinner"  
"Is it going to be cripple friendly?"  
"That's right! I heard you ended up in hospital! Is everything ok?"  
"I fell and dislocated my wrist. So I've got this super cool cast on for the next movement"  
"We could put you in a pod"  
"Nah, it's ok. It's just a movement. Besides, we said we'd take care of the kids until Ryner can find them a new home"  
"How long's that going to take?"  
"No more than a movement or so. She's going to keep them together, so that's nice"  
Yawning, Lance rubbed at his face. The painkillers were starting to wear off, and he desperately wanted to take a nap   
"Lance?"  
"It's nothing Allura. I'm just a little sleepy"  
"We can watch the kids if you want to nap"  
"Nah. I told Keith I'd watch them so he could nap. Besides, there that other kid that needs supervision"  
"What other kid? I thought there were only two from Zaidal?"  
Allura looked genuinely confused  
"I'm talking about Pidge. You know how she gets over technology"  
"I can hear you"  
"Good! Don't destroy our kitchen! I still haven't had a chance to use it"  
"I'm not going to destroy the kitchen. Just go take a nap or something"  
"I invited you guys down so we could hang out, not nap"  
"Lance, its fine. You take a nap and we'll handle everything out here"  
"Really?"  
"I promise. Go spend some time with Keith, he probably really needs you"  
"He has Shalad with him"  
"I've seen how big that bed is. There's plenty of space"  
"Ok, but make sure Laneith and Kelance don't get into any trouble"  
"They wouldn't do that for Aunty Allura and Aunty Pidge"  
"Famous last words"

Shalad was curled up against Keith, the pair of them in the middle of the bed. Smiling at the sight, Lance walked around and climbed in on Keith's free side, enjoying how much more comfortable the bed was compared to the hospital. Carefully resting his wrist on Keith's chest, Lance nuzzled into his husband's side with a soft sigh. Keith was going to be alright, so were the kids.

After getting a few vargas sleep, Lance was woken rather violently by a kick to the stomach. Curling in on himself, he looked up to see Shalad smirking at him as if daring him to do something. That little shit... Lance had to remind himself that the kid has just lost his mum and his whole planet had rejected him. He was obviously attached to Keith and was probably acting out to get attention. Still. He didn't really appreciate being kicked for nothing. Shaking Keith's shoulder, his husband groaned at him  
"I'm sleeping"  
"I know, but it'll be dinner time soon and Hunk wants us to head up to the castle"  
"I just want to sleep"  
"Sorry, no can do"  
Rolling away from him, Keith huffed  
"Lance, let me sleep. I'll eat later"  
"Keith, you need to eat"  
"And I will. Shalad, you go with Lance"  
"I want to stay with you"  
"Everyone up at the castle wants to meet you"  
"I want to stay with Keith!"  
"Well you can't, we need to head up to dinner"  
"No! I'm staying with Keith!"  
"Shalad, it's ok. You can stay and we'll eat later. Sorry baby, I'm just really tired"  
"Sure. Whatever"  
Climbing off the bed, Lance hissed when he placed his weight down on his hands. He should have just gone in a pod. Now he was going to inconvenience everyone. Chewing on his lip, he walked from the bathroom without looking back. He definitely wasn't jealous of Shalad... No. No. Nope. Not at all.

"Hey Lance, did you have a good nap?"  
"Oh, what? Yeah, it wasn't bad. What's the time?"  
"It's nearly dinner time. We were just organising the kids before coming to wake you. Is Keith awake?"  
"Shalad didn't want to leave Keith, and Keith wants to sleep"  
"So they're not coming?"  
"No... give me a few ticks to freshen up, then we can head up"  
"Ok, I think the boys are ready to go! Fern's been away for a little while, but she doesn't seem upset"  
"She's probably hungry. I'll feed her when I come back"  
"Feed her? I can make up some formula..."  
"She won't take a bottle, so I've been feeding her"  
"Is that ok?"  
"It's either that or she doesn't eat..."  
"Isn't it weird?"  
"Is it? I mean, I'm lactating, and she's hungry"  
"But she's not your baby"  
"No, but she's a baby in need..."  
"I still think it's weird"  
There was that word again. He didn't like that word, and he didn't see feeding Fern as weird... maybe it was? But the tiny girl needed milk... leaving Pidge and Allura, Lance went to the bathroom, coming back to find Fern in Pidge's hold, her lips around Pidge's pinky  
"She's definitely hungry. I'll take her"  
"Do you need help?"  
"I've conquered the one arm feed. She'll be fine"  
"How are you going to wash her? How are you going to wash the twins?"  
"Pidge, I have a husband remember. Keith's happy to help out"  
"I never thought he'd be open to taking in the two kids"  
"Well, he's a dad now... he might not be great with them all the time, but he's learning"  
Flopping down next to Pidge, he waited expectantly, until it finally got awkward  
"Pidge, give me Fern so I can feed her"  
"I still can't believe you are"  
"What am I supposed to do? Let her die? I'm going to grab some formula and bottles from the castle, so for now, I'll just feed her to tide her over"  
Finally placing Fern in his hold, Lance slid his hand up shirt and undid his bra so he could nurse  
"Does she feel different from the boys?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"I don't know... maybe because she's not human?"  
"A baby is a baby. They all try to inhale your nipple in a bid for more milk. She's fine"  
"Is your milk any good for her?"  
"It's the only option we have right now"  
"Maybe the hospital could figure something out?"  
"Pidge, I'm not letting them end up stuck in the hospital. They've both been through something horrible, and deserve to be spoilt a little"  
The hard edge in his words had Pidge's frown lines deepening   
"Ok then. Someone's still tired"  
"I'm not tired"  
"Fine, you're hangry then. Whatever, I was just trying to help"  
"Help by calling me weird?"  
"Well it is"  
"You know what. I don't want to talk about this. Keith and I are only looking after them until Ryner finds them a family"  
"I think it's sweet. I could totally see you with a big family"  
"One day, maybe. It all depends if Keith wants more children later on"  
"I still think it's nice. You're such a natural"  
"I'm not a natural. I just had a big family and lots of practice. If I was a natural, I could find a way to get Shalad to open up to me"  
"I'm sure he'll come around"  
"Maybe it's better he doesn't. That way it won't be so hard when it comes time to say goodbye"  
"That's true... isn't it Fern. You'll probably end up with another new name, but you're so precious, I'm sure whatever you're named will be perfect"  
"Lance, you're getting attached"  
"I can't help it. She's so cute, have you seen how green her eyes are? Or how white her hair is? She's a little cutie"  
"If you say so"  
"Yep. I'll need to grab more nappies to bring down, and find some of the boys smaller onesies for her"  
"Didn't you buy girl stuff?"  
"We gave most of it to the rebels for refugees. We only kept a small selection of things in case we had a girl in the future"  
"Lance, did you really lose another pup?"  
Lance's head shot up, his eyes wide as his heart started to race  
"What does that mean? Who told you that?"  
"Keith, he kind of yelled at it Allura. Is it true?"  
"I. Uh..."  
"Pidge..."  
"I'm just worried"  
"I can't... Pidge..."  
Sensing his distress Fern released his nipple and began to cry   
"Lance"  
"I don't want to talk about it!"  
What the quiznak? Why would Keith yell that kind of thing out? And when? How long had she known? Did they all know? Were they all... what were they thinking? Were they laughing at him? Or did they think him a slut or something for falling pregnant again?  
"Lance, it's ok. You don't need to think or talk about it. If Fern is done feeding, I'll burp her"  
Offering the girl his nipple again, she didn't take it  
"I think she's done"  
"Here, let me. The boys have missed you"  
Trading Fern for Kelance, he kissed his son's forehead   
"Let's head up to the castle..."  
"Lance, I didn't mean to upset you"  
"Pidge, please just drop it. The only thing wrong with me is my wrist, and that's healing. We should head up to dinner before Shiro comes looking for us"

Still holding Kelance, Lance watched Allura fussing over Fern, while Pidge was talking away to Laneith as they sat at the dining table. Staring down at his plate, there was no way he could cut the slab of meat on his plate, let alone hold a fork with his right hand. The pain and numbness in his fingers had him opening and closing it, in an attempt to rid himself of the discomfort, while his stomach was doing backflips as he wondered what to do about Shalad. He wanted the boy to know he safe and they were going to hurt him, but he didn't feel like he had the right to smack the kids butt for acting bratty. He'd been delusional enough to think everything would fall into place magically once they left the hospital  
"Lance, do you need me to cut that up for you?"  
Great. Now Shiro was even trying to help him. The one-armed alpha. Lance's cheeks burnt red with embarrassment over Shiro posing the question so loudly  
"I've got it. I was just thinking"  
"Oh? What about?"  
"Shalad... he's really attached to Keith"  
"Shalad is the boy, right?"  
"Yeah"  
"Aw, are you jealous because Keef made a friend?"  
"I'm not jealous"  
"But you're not happy. Go on, tell Pidge all about it"  
"Pidge, I will smack you with this cast if you keep going"  
"Lance, no one is smacking anyone. You still haven't explained what happened"  
"I fell badly and dislocated my wrist. It was one of those freak accident things. I didn't realise how bad it was, so Ryner got me down to the hospital"  
They didn't need to know he fell because of Keith. They'd read too far into it, and he wasn't letting Shiro use it as an excuse to have a go at his husband  
"How long will the cast be on?"  
"Only about a movement. That's part of the reason why I said we'd take the kids, it shouldn't take Ryner any longer than that to find them a new home"  
"I was hoping Keith would come to dinner so we could talk about what happened"  
"Why? Hunk already filled everyone in"  
"I want to hear it from his perspective"  
"Keith's not up to talking about it right now, you should probably give him a couple of quintants to clear his head"  
"We don't have that luxury. We could be called upon at any moment"  
"At the moment, I can't go anywhere, so Keith can't go anywhere. We all need a break"  
"The galaxy won't stand still just because we need a break"  
"I know that"  
"Good. I want to see Keith up here for breakfast tomorrow"  
"I'll let him know..."  
"So had Shalad talked any more about what happened?"  
"No. Not to me. He fell asleep next to me when I was in hospital, but the moment he saw Keith again, he glued himself to his side"  
"The kid's got weird taste. You're definitely the friendlier one"  
"Hunk and Keith saved him. They're probably his heroes. Hunk, you should come down and see if he'll talk with you"  
"Are you sure? I won't be in the way will I?"  
"Hunk, you couldn't be in the way, even if you tried"  
"Thanks, Lance. Ok. But you have to eat first"  
"I don't know if I can. The pain meds have worn off, so I'm feeling kind of sick"  
"That's because you probably haven't eaten"  
"Hey! I had hospital food. It was just as bad I remember"  
"That's one meal"  
Lifting his plate away from him, Hunk sliced his food into bite-sized pieces, before returning it to where it was  
"I'll give you a shot for the pain if you finish this"  
"Hunk! Are you offering me drugs? I didn't think you swung that way"  
"Ha. Ha"  
"I know. I'm funny. I still need to grab nappies and stuff for Fern"  
"Oh, I can do that. I don't mind at all"  
"You don't have to go out of your way Allura"  
"It's fine. I've already finished eating. What do you say, Fern?"  
"She's a baby, she can't reply"  
"You talk to your son's, why can't I talk to her?"  
"She's got you there!"  
"Lance, is there anything you want from the nursery?"  
"No. I just need to grab the bottles and formula from the medical room"  
"We can do that once you've been given a shot"  
"You're supposed to be nice to the injured person, not threaten him with needles"  
"Lance, you're being dramatic. Just eat your food and then we can go"  
Rolling his eyes, Lance forced his tender hand to pick up his fork. Eating slowly and awkwardly until finally finishing his meal.

Armed with fresh supplies and slightly high from painkiller Hunk had given him, Lance was humming to himself as the group walked down to his house. Hunk had promised it wouldn't affect his breastmilk, but he'd neglected to mention he'd feel like he was floating. He wondered what Keith would think. His husband would probably scold him, and the mental conversation had him giggling to himself   
"Is he ok?"  
"Yeah. It's just the shot. Give him a few more doboshes and he'll be out like a light"  
"No, I won't! I'm wide awake!"  
"Lance, you don't need to yell"  
"I'm not yelling! You're yelling!"  
Dissolving back into giggles, he jogged ahead of the group. With Hunk carrying both boys, Pidge carrying the baby supplies and Allura carrying Fern, there was nothing to stop him from running or jogging if he wanted to  
"Lance, slow down"  
"Why? We're all going to the same place!"  
"Because you might trip and fall"  
"Will you kiss it better if I do?"  
"That's Keith's job"  
"Keith doesn't care. He's too busy at the moment"  
Pouting, Lance placed his hands on his hips as he waited for the others  
"Lance, you need to calm down. You might scare Shalad if you don't"  
"That kid hates me! He actually kicked me because I cuddled Keith! Can you believe that!"  
"I'm sure he didn't kick you on purpose"  
"He did too!"  
"Hunk, can't you calm him down?"  
"He'll calm down soon enough"  
Seeing his house in front of him, Lance ditched the others, giggling again as he jogged towards the front door.

"Keeeeeith! I'm home!"  
Looking around as he struck a dramatic pose, he found Keith wasn't even there to see it  
"Keith!"  
Running to their bedroom, Keith had a hand over his face   
"Keith!"  
Jumping onto the bed, he shook his husband, ignoring Shalad laying next to him  
"Keith!"  
"I can hear you, Lance"  
"Then why didn't you get up? Come on, everyone's here!"  
"Everyone?"  
"Pidge is, and Allura is and Hunk is!"  
"Lance, leave Keith alone"  
"He's my husband. I'm not leaving him alone"  
"Baby, I'm still tired"  
"But everyone's here"  
"And you're off your head. What happened?"  
"Err, that would be my fault. He was in pain so I gave him a shot"  
"Baby, stop shaking me. It's going to make your wrist worse"  
"It's fine"  
"Lance, that's enough"  
Sitting up, Keith wrapped an arm around his waist  
"Mmm... hey sexy"  
"Baby, no. Shalad is here"  
"I was just saying hello"  
"Then say hello to your pillow. You need to sleep"  
"But..."  
"No but's. Get into bed while I deal with all of this"  
"Then I can't be with you"  
"It won't take long"  
"Don't you love me anymore?"  
"What? What have you that idea?"  
"You don't need me anymore!"  
His addled mind was making leaps of its own. Scrambling off the bed, he fell face first   
"Lance!"  
Rushing to his aid, Hunk lifted him up  
"Hunk! When did you get here?"  
"I came down with you, remember?"  
"No..."  
"It's ok buddy. Let's get you in bed"  
"Nooo I don't want to"  
"You can't stay on the floor"  
"Why not? I used to sleep on the floor in mums room when I was a kid. I'd gather up all my blankets and make myself a dog bed! But then she'd kick me out"  
"Lance, you're not a dog"  
"I could be"  
"Hunk, what did you give him?"  
"Just a painkiller. He shouldn't be off his head like this"  
"Well, he is. Shalad, we'll get you set up in the spare room so my husband can get some sleep"  
"Why doesn't he sleep in the spare bed?"  
"Because this is his room too"  
"But I want to stay with you"  
"Hey, I'll be under the same roof as you..."  
"No! I want to stay with you!"  
Lance blinked as tears formed. Shalad didn't want him here and Keith wasn't going to kick the kid out. There was no room for him here...  
"Keith, he's crying"  
"Quiznak. I'm too tired for this. Hunk, why don't you settle him on the living room floor with the twins. I'll be in shortly"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah. The boys love sleeping next to him"  
"What about you?"  
"I'll stay with Shalad"  
Keith's words hurt, cutting deep as they ricocheted in his mind. Sniffling sadly as Hunk lifted him, he didn't want to stay in a house where he wasn't wanted.

"What happened?"  
"Lance fell off the bed after trying to get Keith up. Keith said we should settle Lance and the boys down in here, but I've already put the boys down in their beds for the night"  
"Let them sleep. It's ok"  
"Lance?"  
"I'll sleep on the sofa. It's ok"  
"Lance, there's a spare bed"  
"Fern needs somewhere to sleep. She can sleep in there"  
"Or she can sleep in here"  
"No, she's been through a lot. She can sleep in the spare room"  
"Lance, you're hurt. You shouldn't be sleeping on the sofa"  
"It's fines... fine... whatever"  
Sitting him down the sofa, the wood of the vines was cold, and the cushions seemed to offer little protection against it   
"I'll get you a blanket"  
"You'll have to get one off the bed"  
"Then that's what I'll do"  
Humming, Lance closed his eyes  
"Do the boys need feeding?"  
"They'll let me know when they do"  
"Maybe I should make up a couple of bottles?"  
"Oh, that's an excellent idea. Let me settle Fern down and I'll help"  
"Guys, I can feed my boys!"  
"Lance, we've got this. You just get some rest"  
Great. Now they didn't need him either. Rolling over so his face was against the sofa and his back was to everyone else. He didn't want to see anyone, and it didn't take long before the sad and sorry omega fell asleep.

 

*  
Lance wished he could say things improved between him and Shalad, only they didn't. The kid was always with Keith, and the moment his husband paid him any attention, Shalad would find a way to come between them, even going so far as to stomp on his foot, and "accidentally" pouring water in his lap. He tried to connect with the boy and act like nothing was wrong, but he was struggling hard. So hard that he snapped.

Stuck sleeping on the sofa, Lance could barely sleep for how cold it was, and one blanket wasn't enough, not when he used to sleeping under a pile of them. Shivering, he pulled them tighter as he drew his feet up, trying to get warm. He'd been tempted just to go sleep in the spare room with Fern but didn't dare in case he missed the twins calling out for him. He hated the nights. During the day he could see Keith, but at night he was left alone to his own thoughts, and left wondering how much longer he was going to have Shalad in his life. Ryner had found a prospective family, but at the last moment, they'd had to pull out of the adoption, meaning the kid had now been making his life a living hell for the last 9 quintants. Worst of all, he'd gotten his cast off to find his hand was still numb and still pained when he moved it. Giving up on sleep, Lance headed to the bathroom with the intention of showering. He'd barely made it into the room before slipping on the floor and falling painfully. He knew the moment his hand hit the floor that he'd damaged his wrist again and smacking his head hard, he tasted blood from biting his tongue. In the low light came a giggle. That's what did it. Shalad had gone to the trouble of sticking around to watch him fall. Dragging himself up, he caught the boy as he went to run from the room, and smacked his arse firmly. Shalad screamed. He screamed as if Lance had slapped him across the face, or... just something worse than a smack to the bum for misbehaving. Howling, the boy's sobs woke Keith and his husband came racing in to see what was wrong  
"Lance! What happened!? Shalad, are you alright?"  
"Lance hit me!"  
"Lance?!"  
Striding over, Keith lifted Shalad into his arms, looking Lance up and down  
"Baby, what happened?"  
"That kid poured something over the floor, and stayed to watch me slip!"  
"No, I didn't!"  
"Then explain why the floor is slippery, and why you giggled when I fell"  
Cradling his rebusted wrist against his chest, Lance glared at the boy  
"I didn't do anything! He fell on his own!"  
"Baby, are you sure you didn't trip over your own feet?"  
"Are you serious?"  
"I'm just..."  
"No. I'm sick of this! Shalad, I tried to meet you halfway, and I tried to give him a loving home, but you've been so naughty since you got here. That's why I smacked you on the bum"  
"He hit my face too!"  
"I didn't hit your face. There's no mark on your face at all!"  
"Lance, don't yell at him"  
"So what? You believe him over me?"  
"I didn't say that"  
"You didn't have to"  
"Baby, you're overreacting"  
"Yeah, because hurting my wrist again and smacking my head is so funny. I tried. But I will not have you in my house if you're going to misbehave"  
"Keith... he's scaring me"  
"Lance, you need to calm down so we can talk about this"  
"Talk about what! How I can't even sleep in my own bed?! How I can't even talk to you without him kicking me or him calling me weird"  
"He's a kid and you're an adult..."  
"It's because he's a kid that I let him get away with it! I'm not staying here"  
"Lance..."  
"Stop saying my name! You can stay here with him, but I'm going to the castle!"  
"Baby, its the middle of the night!"  
"I know! I haven't been able to sleep because the sofa is so cold!"  
"Why... why didn't you tell me?"  
"Because I was trying to do what was best for Shalad and Fern! I wanted to spoil them and let them know what a loving family felt like!"  
Limping past Keith, his husband tried to grab his arm... his right arm. Sending pins and needles shooting right up to his shoulder  
"Lance"  
"Just stay down here with him"

With a busted wrist, two boys and a baby, it was a nearly impossible trip to the castle. Fern was against his chest, with a Kelance on his hip, and Laneith laying over Fern. Every few steps he had to stop to the reposition Laneith so neither he or Fern fell. Hobbling into the castle, each step was accompanied by a whimper as he made his way to the pod room. He wanted someone to look after the pups, but he's left his communicator down at the house. Because the boys could make more and escape than Fern, Lance left the tiny girl on the centre platform of the pod room and climbed into the first available pod with the boys. His last thought being that of his omega, pained by the rejection and disbelief of his mate.

When Lance existed the pod, Allura was there. The woman holding Fern as she stared up at him  
"Lance, are you ok? What happened? Is that blood on your face"  
"Allura... I think I messed up..."  
Rising, Allura walked over to him and wrapped an arm around his waist   
"What happened?"  
"It's not working out with Shalad"  
"What do you mean it's working out? Where's Keith?"  
"With Shalad..."  
"Let's head to the lounge room, you can tell me what happened"  
Nodding, he let himself be silently guided by the woman.

The lounge room was thankfully empty when they arrived. Sliding in beside Allura, Lance rested his head on her shoulder. Placing Fern down on the table, Allura took Kelance from his hold  
"What's been happening? You've been acting very strange lately"  
"I've been bullied by a five-year-old"  
"Shalad?"  
"I was trying not to say anything. The kid lost his mum, so I thought he was acting out because he didn't know how to deal with what he felt, and because he wanted attention... but Allura, I don't know what to do. He's been practically bonded to Keith's side, and every time I get near Keith, he'd stomp on foot or something small and stupid like that... so I just tried to ignore it. Tonight he poured something on the bathroom floor, and when I slipped and hurt myself, he laughed. So I smacked his bum... he started crying and howling, telling Keith I hit his face and stuff. I didn't want to hit him, but he needed to know that this kind of behaviour isn't acceptable. Keith said I was overreacting. He's my husband and I can't even talk to him about what happened"  
Allura let out a long sigh  
"I don't know what to say"  
"Right! I mean. This kid saw his dead mum. He can't go home and he's surrounded by strangers. He's got to be so lost and confused, so I tried to let it slide, and Keith's been so good with him, probably because he was an orphan until he found out Krolia was still alive. He just gets it... and that's what Shalad needs, but what if I'd been carrying one of the boys? They could have been seriously hurt"  
"I think we should talk to Keith and Shalad"  
"And say what? I know I'm 19, but I'm being bullied by a 5-year-old... you know, a little kid. I shouldn't be so affected by a kid!"  
"Lance, Shalad needs to know what he doing was wrong. You said you fell?"  
"I redid my wrist, and I hit my head"  
"How are you feeling now?"  
"The pod healed my wrist, so it's fine now"  
"That's good. I should call Keith"  
"Forget it. If he really cared he could have come and found me"  
"Then you should rest..."  
"I'm so tired I'm overtired. I was sleeping on the sofa so Fern had the spare room to herself and so I wouldn't miss the boys crying. I haven't slept properly in days. I'm just so tired"  
"All the more reason you should sleep"  
"What if the boys need me? Or Fern?"  
"Is she taking the bottle yet?"  
"It seems to depend on her mood..."  
"Why don't we go to the medical room? It's the closest place with a bed"  
"But the boys"  
"The boys seem pretty tired to me, and I'll call Coran"  
"I'm sorry for dropping this on you. I just feel so frustrated"  
"You'll feel better after a good nights sleep"  
"That's if I can fall asleep... will you stay with me?"  
"If you'd like me to"  
"I'm so sick of being alone"  
"Then I'll definitely stay"  
"Thanks, Allura, and thanks for actually listening... without laughing or anything"  
"I think Shalad needs a good talking to. We can't possibly let him be adopted while he thinks this kind of behaviour is acceptable"  
"He also destroyed one of the dataslates and he drew over one of the pups books in red marker"  
"Boys will be boys"  
"My boys are not going to be like that..."

Making their way to the medical room, Lance climbed into bed wearily. He was so exhausted that he could barely keep his eyes open, and the weight of the thick blanket covering him felt heavenly. Placing the twins up against him, Lance nuzzled against Kelance, kissing his son's cheek. Behind him, Allura sat with her weight against his back and her hand on his hair, pressing a small kiss to his temple   
"Get some sleep"  
"Thanks, Allura..."  
"You're welcome"

Waking to low voices, Lance realised his friends were there. The pair whispering back and forth, while he tried to fall back to sleep. He still felt like quiznak, but the excitement of all the people in the room had woken the pups, and he realised he'd been woken by their wriggling. Yawning, the room went silent  
"Lance, bud, you awake?"  
"Yeah... you guys disturbed the boys"  
"Oh. Are they ok?"  
"Mhmm... how long was I asleep?"  
"Around 12 vargas. I gave Fern a bottle, and the boys one each when woke up earlier"  
"Wow... I didn't even notice"  
"You were really out of it. Are you ok? What happened?"  
"Allura didn't tell you?"  
"She said you were in a pod..."  
"I slipped and hurt my wrist again"  
"You slipped?"  
"I don't want to talk about it. Where's Allura?"  
She said she'd stay, but now she was gone...  
"Fern started crying, and she didn't want to disturb you. She's only just left"  
"And Keith?"  
"He came to visit, but Allura asked him to give you some space. Did you two fight?"  
"Something like that. Things aren't working out with Shalad, and Keith wouldn't listen to me"  
"They're not working out? He seems fine with Keith"  
"That's because he is. I don't want to talk about it... I just want to go back to sleep"  
"How about feeding the boys first? Are you up for that?"  
His breasts felt full and heavy, not surprisingly given how long he'd been asleep  
"Can one of you help? I can't brain"  
"Can you even brain"  
"Ha. Ha. Pidge, you're hilarious"  
"Don't worry bud, I got you"  
"Thanks, Hunk"  
With awkward and clumsy movements he got Laneith to latch... while Hunk held Kelance  
"So what did I miss?"  
"Shiro's finding us more missions, he wasn't happy to hear you were in here"  
"I don't see why he has to worry. I'm already healed up"  
"Because it's you. Um... Keith came up... we haven't heard from Ryner and Coran is off doing what Coran does"  
"And Six?"  
"She's somewhere. She's gone prowling the castle and will come back when she's ready"  
"Or after she's eaten Allura's mice"  
"Six wouldn't do that"  
"I wouldn't put it past her"  
Making no attempt to cover his yawn, Lance hung his head  
"Quiznak I'm sleepy"  
"I think we don't have anything planned. You already missed morning training, so you can go back to sleep"  
"Oh, I'm going to. I just want to make sure the boys are well fed"  
"They've gotten so big"  
"5 phoebes will do that. I can't believe it's been 5..."  
"It seems so much longer"  
"I know. Ugh. My head hurts"  
"You've got dried blood down your eyebrow"  
"Probably because I hit my head"  
"Have you ever thought about not getting hurt?"  
"I wish. This wasn't even my fault"  
"It wasn't your fault?"  
"Shalad put something on the floor so I'd slip. He even waited around for it to happen"  
"Wow. Did not see that coming"  
"He hates me. Everything I've tried to do to help hasn't made any difference"  
"Is that why you and Keith had a fight?"  
"Mhmm"  
"Maybe it's because you lost another pup? Maybe he's using Shalad to ease the pain?"  
Lance forced down a deep breath. It seemed like everyone knew... stupid Keith!  
"Guys, I didn't want anyone to know about that, and I don't want to talk about it, so please don't bring it up again"  
"Sorry, I was just thinking out loud"  
"I know. It's still not something I want to talk about. As for Keith... I've never seen him like this with a kid. I don't know if it's because he couldn't save the kids mum, or because he's an orphan like Keith was, but it's not working"  
"Maybe you should talk to Shalad?"  
"Allura's going to sit in when I talk to Shalad and Keith. I smacked his bum for misbehaving, and he tried to say I hit him across the face. Keith told me I was overreacting, but... I redislocated my wrist... I had to carry all three kids up here because I don't trust them being in the same house as Shalad"  
"It'll be ok bud. We'll work this out"  
"I hope so. I just don't want the boys or Fern getting hurt... and I want to help him. He's lost enough"

 

*  
Keith wasn't sure how it had all come to this. Shalad firmly denied causing Lance to trip, but his husband had been hurt bad enough to wind up in a healing pod, and then the medical room. Even Allura seemed to think Shalad had been to blame, politely suggesting in her diplomatic manner, that he head to the games room with the boy until Lance was ready to see him. He knew Lance was going through something, his husband had been distant but every time he'd try to talk about it, somehow Shalad would get his attention and then the moment was gone.

By the time Allura came to fetch them, they'd gone through three movies, all of which he'd had to explain to Shalad. The kid had panicked each time there was "violent" scene, hiding against Keith until it was over. He didn't doubt the kid was a good kid, but maybe he needed more help than him and Lance could provide. Carrying Shalad up to the lounge room, he found Lance sitting there alone, his husband chewing his lip as he stared down at his hands  
"Keith, why don't you take a seat?"  
Gesturing to the opposite side of the table to Lance, Keith forced himself not sit by his husband. His heart was racing and a sick feeling had filled his stomach. Whatever he was going to hear, he had the feeling he wasn't going to like it. Sliding in beside Lance, Allura wrapped her arms around him  
"It's ok Lance, just tell him what happened"  
"Shalad, I know you've been through a lot, but lying and intentionally hurting people because you're hurting is bad. Keith and I wanted to provide you with a loving family, we invited you into our house and so far you've been incredibly naughty. Last night, I smacked you bum for it, and you told Keith I hit your face. I was seriously hurt by what happened. You knew my wrist was busted, but falling again damaged it again. I had to bring my kids up here because I was scared you would hurt them. Do you understand what I'm saying"  
"I didn't do anything!"  
"Shalad, tell me the truth. Did you cause Lance to slip? Did you hurt him?"  
"He doesn't even like me! He doesn't even care about me! He's only nice 'cause he wants to look good for you! He hates me!"  
Kicking out, Shalad tried to get away from him  
"Shalad! Stop!"  
"No! I don't want to go!"  
"Shalad, we just want to understand"  
"I want my mum! You're not my parents! My mum's dead! I want my mum..."  
Breaking down crying, Shalad kept trying to escape his hold as Keith lifted him into his lap  
"Lance, what else has he done?"  
"Keith, maybe now isn't a good time"  
"No offence Allura, but Lance has been distant for days. Lance, what else has Shalad done?"  
"Just small things. Kicking me if I tried to sleep next to you. Stomping on my feet. Calling me weird and gross for being able to give birth. Pouring water on me. He covered the bathroom floor with something and he laughed when I got hurt. I was trying to let it go, but what if I'd be carrying one of the boys? Or Fern? They could have been seriously hurt"  
Keith's heart dropped. Shalad had been so good for him, that he couldn't believe he'd been so bad  
"Shalad, you know what you did was wrong, don't you? I don't think you're a bad kid. You wanted to help your sister and your mum... so do think you can say sorry to Lance?"  
"No! He wants to take you away! He hates me"  
"I don't hate you, but you know that Keith is my husband. We are going to kiss and cuddle because we love each other. I know you're hurting, but hurting me isn't going to make you feel better"  
Shalad cried against him, the boy's small body shaking   
"Baby, I had no idea..."  
"I know you didn't... I'm going to stay up here until Ryner sorts something out"  
"Baby, you should stay down in the house. Things will be different now"  
"How? I've been sleeping on the sofa, freezing cold because I didn't want to be in the way"  
"Then till stay here, while you go home"  
"It doesn't feel much like home anymore. Just take Shalad back down to the house. We'll be fine without you"  
Ouch. Wincing, Keith wanted to reach out and take his husband's hand, but Lance was completely pushing him away  
"Lance..."  
"It's fine Keith. We should do what's best for Shalad, at least for now. Allura, I'm going to head back to nursery"

Leaving them alone, Keith didn't know what to do. He'd only agreed to take in the kids because Lance wanted to. But things hadn't worked out... maybe Ryner should take him back? But then what? The kid became someone else's problem? He was alone and hurting, and it felt like he was the only on Shalad could lean on... the kid was an orphan like he'd been, so he knew what it was like to feel alone... but if this was costing him his marriage, he couldn't do it. Lance came first, and he'd hurt his husband deeply. Thinking hard, his heart dropped again. That first night. When Lance had been high. He'd tried to tell him he needed him in his own drugged up way... Lance had been hurt and instead of insisting his husband stay with him, he'd rolled over and let Shalad share the bed while Lance had slept on the sofa alone... that's when it all started going wrong. He hadn't even thought it weird that Lance wouldn't stay for bath time with the boys. He'd put it down to his injured wrist, not that Shalad was helping during bath time... he had a hell of lot of making up to do to his husband.


	83. Chapter 83

Avoiding Keith, Lance was still annoyed at himself over his own patheticness. Who got so upset over being bullied by a 5 year old? Honestly. He was so pathetic. So when Shiro accepted a patient transfer mission, he jumped at the chance. Fern didn't need him now that she would take a bottle, and the boys... well, he could take them with him because it wasn't like it was a dangerous mission, and because Hunk was coming for the trip. Humming as he watched the last of the patients moved onto his lion, he rocked back on his heels  
"Lance, calm down"  
"Nope. I'm happy. We're getting off Olkarion"  
"Are you happy or are you still avoiding Keith?"  
"I'm not avoiding Keith. He's still looking after Shalad"  
"Mhmm, that's why you wouldn't even look at him during dinner last night"  
"I was busy eating. Anyway, Ryner said she's found a forever home for Shalad and Fern. They'll be leaving at the end of the movement"  
"Lance, I know he was a brat, but he's 5. He kind of has an excuse"  
"Hunk, I think we all know he likes it better when I'm not around. We agreed I'd stay on the castle"  
"There's staying on the castle and there's ignoring your alpha. I'm tired of you pretending to be happy"  
"What am I supposed to say? That I miss him so much it's making me sick"  
"If that's what it takes to get you two talking"  
Hunk didn't need to know just how badly he missed Keith, or that he couldn't sleep without his alpha's scent, or the warmth of Keith's body... or that he felt completely useless without Keith backing him up, and reassuring him he was really doing alright  
"We're not not talking, but with Shalad, it's just a bit strained. We're still bonded after all"  
"I'm just saying. Even Pidge is missing your lovey-dovey displays"  
"It's fine. Anyway, how did you end up coming with me?"  
"Ouch man, I thought you could use the company, but if I'm wrong..."  
"No! I mean. I've missed you too buddy. I think they've finished loading up the patients, so we should go ahead and head up"  
"You know, at this rate, we're going to end up as a Galactic Über"  
"Don't remind me. Is it bad I miss the days of being shot at?"  
"Don't go jinxing us"  
"That's the last thing I'd do. Especially not with the boys on Red"  
"Hey! I am right here"  
"I don't want anything happening to you either"  
"That's a little more like it"  
"You know I love you Hunk"  
"Yeah Lance. Best buds forever"

It was a 9 varga flight out to the planet the patients originated from... 9 very long vargas once the boys started crying, and no matter what uncle Hunk did, the boys wouldn't settle. Even sitting both of them up in his lap did nothing, buuuut the situation was kind of funny given how Red was freaking out because she didn't know how to help the two boys. Arriving at Ku'daz, Hunk was the first one off Red, the alphas nerves finally stretched thin from all the crying, and the fact he'd tried every Hunk move in his repertoire to calm the boys. Leaving Hunk to talk to the village elder, Lance busied himself with his sons, tickling their bellies until they both shrieked with laughter. They were honestly the only thing getting him through everything  
"Lance, are you coming down?"  
"I'm playing with the kids. I got them laughing instead of crying. Is something wrong?"  
"No, but you need to lower Red so they can actually take the patients out"  
"Whoops. I forgot about that bit"  
"I thought you might have"  
"Rude much?"  
"Just lower your lion"  
"Red, you heard the man"  
Lowering herself on to her stomach, he heard Hunk thank him, but now that he was staring down at his boys, he just wanted to get off Ku'daz, and back to Keith. The boys had barely seen their daddy over the last few quintants and had to be missing him too. Brushing Kelance's hair back from his face, Lance kissed his forehead gently  
"I know baby boy. I know. Just a few more quintants and then we'll move back to daddies"  
He had loved the house so much, but out of the 3 movements it'd been theirs, it'd been Keith's and Shalad's for two of them. The kid had actually spent more time in the house then he had...  
"Hunk, how long are we going to be?"  
"A couple of vargas. Why? What's going on?"  
"Nothing. I'm just bored"  
"You could get off Red and do something"  
"That's not the kind of bored I mean"  
"Lance, if you're that "bored" why don't you call Keith?"  
"Because Shalad will probably be there"  
"Remind me again, you did say you weren't jealous"  
"I'm not jealous of a 5 year old!"  
"Sure buddy, keep telling yourself that"  
"Hunk, you're supposed to be on my side"  
"I am. I'm just saying, he's 5. You could take him if you wanted"  
"I'm not going to fight a kid for my husband!"  
"Lance, I can smell your jealousy from here. Just give him a call"  
"I'm not jealous"  
"Mhmm"  
He was. He was totally jealous and their talk with Shalad hadn't helped at all. Shalad was now talking to everyone but him. He didn't leave Keith's side, but he'd ask Pidge what she was doing. Or to see Allura's mice. Or if Coran's moustache was real, and "why was it orange?". He'd even talk to Shiro because he wanted to be big and strong like him. Being a kid, he got away with asking every single question Lance had ever wanted to, and the questions in the past that had annoyed the others enough to tell him to "shut up" and "go away". Still... it would be so easy to call Keith. He could simply say the kids were playing with his communicator if his husband was busy... which he probably was  
"Babies, mummy's sorry you're caught in the middle of all of this. Daddy still loves you. He loves you both so much, he's just busy with work. Maybe Uncle Hunk is right, how would you two like to go off the ship and look at some really weird looking aliens?"  
They weren't really that weird, in fact the people were quite tame in comparison to other races, the only real difference was that there skin was a butter yellow, and their foreheads housed a third eye... at least the didn't have a tail or 6 arms...  
"Hunk, Buddy, you still there?"  
"Where else would I be?"  
"I'm coming down"  
"Alright bud, see you soon"

The wind had colder bite than he expected, causing him to hold his pups that much tighter to his chest. The patients had probably heard them crying, but he still felt the need to protect his children from them and the planet they were on. Walking up to Hunk, he kept his back to everything happening behind him  
"It's cold out here. You could have told me it was cold"  
"It's not that cold, besides, you wouldn't have gotten out of Red if you'd known"  
"Yeah, well, I have to pee now. I hope you're happy"  
"Dude, you don't need to yell"  
"I'm not yelling. Here, take the boys so I can go pee"  
"They're not going to start crying again, are they?"  
"Maybe. It's ok, I'll be back in a few ticks"  
Hunk rolled his eyes as he took both boys into his hold. Lance hovering for a few moments, until it became clear they weren't about to cry again, before dashing off behind the first tree he found.

"Oh my god that felt good"  
Returning to Hunk side, Lance smiled as he took the boys back  
"No dramas then?"  
"You were only gone a dobosh, maybe two"  
"That's plenty of time for something to happen"  
"We're on a nice friendly planet. Don't go ruining it"  
"I'm not ruining it. I'm more than happy for it to stay nice and peaceful. This is my first time off world in movements, I do not want it ruined"  
"Ok, bud. Message received"  
"Good. Now, did you pack extra food? Because I'm starving and I neeeeeeed food"  
"Of course I packed extra food"  
"Sorry. Stupid question. I'm going back to Red, it's too cold for the boys"  
"Call Keith while you're up there"  
"He might be busy"  
"And he might be waiting for you to call"  
"I really hate you sometimes"  
"No you don't"  
"I hate that you're right"  
Hunk flashed him a big grin  
"That's more like it"

Settling the boys down on their play mat, Lance climbed down next to them, pulling his communicator off his arm as he did  
"Right. I'm just calling daddy. There's nothing wrong with that. Just calling in to let them know we got here alright... nope. Nothing wrong or anything like that, and you two have no idea what mummy is going through, do you?"  
Requesting a video call, Lance waited for his call to connect, humming as he did, before glaring at the device as the call continued to ring  
"Come on Keith..."  
Ringing out, Lance threw his communicator across the room, he'd told Hunk they were still talking, but maybe they weren't? Maybe he'd read it all wrong and Keith didn't want him now? Lifting Laneith into his lap, he buried his face in his son's hair  
"Mummy loves you baby. Mummy loves you so much"

"Lance? Whoo hoo? You ok buddy?"  
Blinking as he looked at the thick pair of legs in front of him, Lance was honestly confused. He hadn't heard Hunk return to Red, nor had he realised the boys were crying. Springing into mum mode, he hushed his twins  
"Lance?"  
"Sorry Hunk, I must have fallen asleep or something. What's up?"  
"The patients are all off... I tried calling but you didn't pick up"  
"I um... I threw my communicator... I tried to call Keith, but he didn't answer"  
"I'm sure he was just busy. Are you ready to go? I've finished everything up here"  
"Sorry Hunk... I'm supposed to be better than this"  
"You've got a lot on your mind, but I'd like to get home"  
"Got a hot date with Pidge?"  
"Something like that... we were going to hit up the Space Mall..."  
He shouldn't be jealous, but he was. When was the last time he got to go on a date with Keith? Or even go to the Space Mall? He doubted Keith would take him, even if he asked...  
"Lance?"  
"I'm here, let's get you back to Pidge"  
Hunk looked sceptical but took both boys from him so he could climb back up. Stretching, he yelped as his muscles twinge  
"Don't give me that look, I'm old and tired"  
"If you're old, what does that make the rest of us?"  
"Do you really want me to answer that?"  
Hunk rolled his eyes as Lance flashed him a forced smile. Nope. No jealousy at all.

*  
"They're late"  
"They're half a varga late. It's nothing, Hunk already contacted us to say he was on his way back"  
"That means we can go home, can't we Keith?"  
"Shalad, I've got to wait until Lance and Hunk come back. I've told you this"  
"But I'm sleeeeepy"  
Walking over to them, Allura knelt down to the boys level, placing her hand on his shoulder as she smiled  
"Shalad, why don't you come and have a little lay down with me?"  
"No! I want Keith!"  
"Keith has to work, but I'm sure he'll come and get you once everything's done"  
"No! He's going to leave me!"  
"Shalad, I'm not leaving, but you know Lance is my husband and he's out with my son's. I have to stay here and make sure he's ok"  
"I don't want to go"  
The kids whiny tone made it clear he was over tired  
"Shiro, are we picking them up yet?"  
"Not yet. I wouldn't be too worried though, Hunk is with him"  
"You do know he's his best friend..."  
"And I know Hunk is the much more reliable one of the pair. He won't let anything happen"  
"Lance isn't unreliable"  
"Keith, I'm sure they're all ok"  
"That's my family out there. Excuse me for being worried"  
"Shiro, let's just give Keith a little space. Keith, we are all worried about them, but I'm confident Lance and Hunk have everything under control"  
"Sorry Allura. Things haven't been great"  
"Why don't you call him? Just check in with him?"  
"Because I don't want him feeling like I'm checking in with him, or that I don't think he can do his job"  
"Honestly, you're both so stubborn"  
"Well I wanted to make it up to him... it just hasn't happened"  
"It hasn't happened because you haven't talked to him?"  
"Maybe... he always looks mad at me"  
"He's not mad. He misses you"  
"I miss him too"  
"Sorry to interrupt, but can you two please stay focused for now?"  
"Ignore Shiro. Keith, if you miss Lance, he's not going to know if you don't tell him"  
"I suppose you're right, it's just a bit hard"  
"Only because you two have made it hard..."

"When did they ever make anything easy?"  
Announcing her entry with her witty comment, Pidge wandered into the room  
"Are they back yet?"  
"No, they're running late"  
"Eh, Hunk will have it handled"  
"That's what we were just telling Keith"  
"They're right. Hey Shalad, isn't it past your bedtime?"  
"He won't go to bed until Keith does"  
Pidge let out a long "ooooh", "sneaking" up behind the boy and throwing her arms around him  
"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?"  
"Keith said I could stay up"  
"Keith!"  
"I didn't really, he just..."  
Where was his adult words when he needed them? The ones that explained that Shalad wouldn't go to bed, or do anything he was told without some kind of treat  
"I think you need to go to bed Mister!"  
"No! Not without Keith!"  
Elbowing Pidge, Shalad freed himself  
"Ow!"  
"Shalad, that was naughty. Say sorry to Pidge"  
"I don't want to"  
"Say sorry to Pidge"  
"Nooooo"  
Bursting into tears, Allura and Pidge both sighed at the sight  
"Keith, he's overtired"  
"Try getting him to bed then"  
"Shalad, its bedtime. Allura and I will take you back down to the house"  
"No! I wanna stay with Keith!"  
"Shalad, please. Keith will be down later, and I'll stay with you until then"  
"I want Keith..."  
Sniffling as he wiped his face with his hands, Shalad looked miserable. It was weird having the boy so close and not being able to get a clear smell off him. Even Allura and Coran has slightly different scents depending on the situation, but Shalad, nope  
"Keith, you're going to back to the house after Lance comes home, right?"  
"Of course I am..."  
He actually wouldn't mind spending the night with Lance, but the kid needed him...  
"See, so let's head down there"  
Shalad pouted as Allura picked him up  
"I'll be down soon"  
"I don't wanna go"  
"Allura's wonderful. She might even read you a story"  
"And what about me?"  
"Pidge is pretty cool too"  
"Thanks Keith, I'll remember this"

Managing to get the boy out the room, Keith let out a sigh of relief, before immediately wanting to go check on him  
"They'll handle it"  
"I know, he's just having a hard time"  
"And what about Lance? He's having a hard time too"  
"He hasn't talked to me about it"  
"So you don't know he's crying himself to sleep"  
Turning to Shiro, Keith drew his brow  
"He's what? And how do you know that?"  
"He's been crying himself to sleep. I went down to talk to him about the mission but ran into Allura on the way. She'd been going to visit him, but didn't want to upset him further"  
"Shiro, I think I would know if my husband was crying himself to sleep"  
"Would you?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means he's been struggling, especially since you chose Shalad over him"  
"He told me to stay with Shalad"  
"Wow. For a smart guy, sometimes I forget how stupid you can be. Oh look, Red will be here in approximately 15 doboshes"  
"You can't just change the topic like that"  
"I'm not. I'm telling you, you need to think about Lance. It's affecting the team. He even took the kids with him, which is hardly recommended or professional"  
Baring his teeth, Keith balled his fists  
"Keep out of my family's business"  
Shaking his head, Shiro started walking from the bridge. Keith's alpha roared in anger. Shiro had no right butting in like that. Lance was his husband. No Shiro's. Those were his kids, not Shiro's! The alpha had no right.

Still brooding over Shiro's words, Keith dragged his feet along. He didn't know what to say. "Hey Baby?". "Baby, I was worried"... it just sounded lame. No matter what simulation he ran in his mind, nothing seemed perfect, and his mind was still running circles as he stepped into the hangar. Walking down the ramp, Lance was holding both boys, while Hunk was laughing. Both completely care free  
"Hey Shiro! Hey Keith!"  
Nudging Lance in the ribs, the omegas smile faltered  
"How come you two are so late back?"  
"We had to make a slight detour"  
"A slight detour?"  
"Trust me Shiro, you don't want to know"  
"I do if you're making unscheduled stops"  
Lance snorted and ducked his head  
"Shiro buddy, there are some things best left in the abyss of space"  
"Come on Hunk, he really seems to want to know"  
"The twins released something that could be weaponised"  
Laughing Lance grinned at the boys  
"Yes, you stank us out. And Red refused to move until she was completely aired out"  
"So the twins..."  
"Pooped"  
Covering his face, Shiro shook his head  
"You could have called"  
"We're not that late"  
"45 doboshes late"  
"What's 45 doboshes between friends? Right, I'm taking the boys to bed. Hunk, I hope date night hasn't been ruined"  
"Keith, please take Lance away and talk to him. He misses you and you didn't answer his call earlier"  
"Dobber!"  
"If your sons can stink out Red, I think I deserve something in return"  
"That was them"  
"And I'm not about to pick on a pup. Seriously Keith. He's been missing you so badly"  
With his hands full, Lance couldn't punch Hunk, so his husband kicked his shin  
"Guess who volunteered to help with the boys tomorrow?"  
"Allura?"  
"That's it. I quit. I'm going to go get my beauty sleep"  
"Keith, go with him!"  
Shooting Hunk a glare, Lance walked his way, talking more to the boys than to him  
"Where's Shalad?"  
"Oh. Uh. He's down at the house with Allura and Pidge"  
"Shouldn't you be down there?"  
"You were late..."  
"I did my job"  
"Lance, can we talk?"  
"Can it wait? I'm really tired. It's been a really, really long day"  
His husband did look tired, even under the unflattering light, he was still beautiful, but barely awake  
"Uh... do you want some help with the boys?"  
"No, I've got it. Sorry I was late"  
"It doesn't matter that you were late. I was worried about you"  
"You were?"  
"Of course I was. I love you"  
Leaning in to kiss Lance's cheek, his husband moved away. Keith couldn't tell if it was just Lance readjusting his weight, or if his husband had deliberately dodged the movement  
"Sorry, I've got to clean the boys up and get them in bed. I think it's time to try solids, hey babies? Milk alone isn't cutting it anymore"  
Stepping forward, Keith instinctively grabbed Lance's arm, his eyes searching Lance's for something, anything... just something to tell him they'd be ok  
"Can I at least say goodnight to them? I've missed them"  
"Oh, sure. They missed their daddy"'  
Leaning in, Keith kissed Kelance on both cheeks, before doing the same to Laneith. He wanted to take from Lance, but didn't feel like he really could  
"Hey daddy's handsome little men, daddy misses you so much. I wish you guys were at home with me"  
Looking at Lance's face again, his omega was chewing on his lip  
"Baby..."  
"If... if you want them... m-maybe you should take them"  
"Lance"  
"No. I'm not doing a good job, am I?"  
"Hey, what? I didn't say that"  
"You think it though. That's why you don't want to talk to me anymore... take the boys, they'll be happier with you"  
"Lance, calm down"  
"I'm so stupid..."

Having hung back long enough to be polite, Hunk and Shiro joined them  
"You guys know that leaving the hanger actually involves, you know, leaving?"  
"Sorry... it's my fault"  
"Bud, you ok?"  
Shaking his head, Hunk moved to Lance's side  
"What happened?"  
"I'm sorry... I'll just go away"  
"Lance, I never told you to go away"  
"You never told me to go away, because we don't even talk!"  
"Whoa! Lance, hey, what's going on"  
"Keith should take the boys. He's a better parent than I am"  
"Baby, you're not listening to me. I love you, and I miss having you and the boys around"  
"No, you don't... I can't do this"  
"Do what?"  
"Whatever this is! I can't do this!"  
Turning to Hunk, looked at him pleadingly. Seemingly getting it, Hunk lifted both boys into his hold  
"I... I just can't"  
Bolting from the group, Lance didn't even look back as he ran.

"Ok. What was that?"  
"I don't know. I tried to talk to him, but he told me to go back to Shalad. Then when I was saying goodnight to the boys, he just snapped, saying I should take the boys because they'll be happier with me. What happened on that mission?"  
Offering his sons to him, Keith took Laneith and rested him up on his shoulder as Hunk lifted Kelance onto his other one. Quiznak. He'd missed them so much, and he swore they'd grown again  
"Nothing. The boys cried most of the way out there. Lance got out of Red to pee, we waited until the all the patients were transferred from Red, then we flew back, but we had to make a small stop on an empty planet because the boys stank us out... he did try to call you, but you didn't answer"  
"Lance didn't try to call me"  
"Are you sure? He didn't want to disturb you, but I told him you wouldn't mind"  
"I didn't hear my communicator go off, and I can't check it with my hands full"  
"Hold still"  
Taking half a step to his left, Hunk began tapping on his communicator for him  
"Yep. He tried to call. I wonder why you didn't hear it?"  
"I don't know. It's not like I wouldn't have answered if I'd known"  
So Lance had spent vargas thinking he didn't want to talk to him because he hadn't even realised he'd missed his husband's call...  
"What do I do?"  
"Go after him"  
"But I told Pidge and Allura I would be right down after Lance came back"  
"I'm sure Allura can handle Shalad for a little longer"  
"I just don't want to hurt him"  
"He's already hurting. Not doing anything isn't going to help"  
"I suppose you're right. I need to talk to my husband"

With his arms full of sleepy pups, Keith sniffed out Lance. Literally. He followed his mates sad scent all the way to Lance's old room. He had no idea why Lance would come here instead of the nursery, or their room, but his scent was definitely coming from behind the closed door  
"I think daddy might have really messed up"  
Leaning down, he used his knee to balance Kelance as he pressed the door pad. Stepping into the room, he didn't see his husband, which meant he had to be in the bathroom. Placing the pups on the bed, he dragged one of the nicely folded blankets up to cover them, both boys already asleep against each other. Running his hand through his hair, Keith took a shaky breath. He didn't know if he was going to be facing a crying Lance or an angry Lance. Walking over to the bathroom door, his hand was shaking as he placed it on the door pad, the door sliding open excruciatingly slow, to reveal a sobbing Lance. Huddled in the far corner on the shower floor, Lance was completely breaking down, his sobs and screams filled with pain as he clawed at himself. Cursing under his breath, Keith rushed to gather his mate up against him  
"I'm here baby. I'm here... shhh, I've got you"  
Fighting to take Lance's right hand in his, he laced their fingers together as he tightened his hold on his husband, stopping him from being able to scratch at his arms  
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry baby"  
"I miss you! I hate it! I hate missing you! And you hate me!"  
"Oh baby, no. I don't hate you"  
"You do! They all do! I can't do things right without you! I can't! I don't have a place here without you!"  
"Of course you do baby. Everyone loves you"  
"No, they don't! I'm all I'm good for is transport missions... that's it..."  
"Baby, you need to stop yelling. I can't understand you"  
Slumping his full weight against him, Lance shook his head  
"Everything I do is wrong"  
"No baby, you're doing just fine..."  
"Then why don't you love me anymore?"  
"Baby, I do love you"  
"No, you don't... I waited for you to call. Every night I waited for it, but you never did... that house, it was supposed to be our home, but it's not. Nothing is. I don't have a home anymore. I don't have anything"  
"You have me, and you have the boys"  
"They don't need me. You don't need me. You managed fine before I came along"  
"No, I didn't baby"  
"You did. You were happy. I brought you down... I'm sorry!"  
"Lance, I love you. I love you so much. I was trying to look after Shalad because that's what I thought you wanted... I didn't know how much it was hurting you, but it's been hurting me just as badly. I know I messed up. I know. I kept wanting to talk, and wanting to make it up to you, but everything just seemed so lame. You're my mate. My Omega. My... my other half"  
Nuzzling against Lance's wet hair, Keith pressed kisses to it as he tried to show Lance that he was wanted and needed. When Lance didn't reply, Keith leant to look at his face, his eyes were filled with so much fear, but it was like he didn't even know Keith was still there  
"I love you. I know I messed up, but I love you..."

Keith had no idea how long he was sitting under the running water before his communicator crackled. Have jumped straight into the shower, he was fully dressed, whereas Lance was naked. It was probably Allura... calling about Shalad. Right. He'd told the kid he would... but that meant leaving Lance. Fighting to untangle his fingers from Lance's, Keith reached up and turned the taps off, and tapped on his communicator  
"Allura?"  
"Keith! Are you coming back down?"  
"Allura, why do you sound upset?"  
"Shalad's crying and I can't get him to calm back down"  
"Well, you need to think of something. I can't move right now"  
"Oh my gosh! Don't tell me..."  
"No. Get your mind out of the gutter"  
"I just..."  
"No, Lance had a bit of breakdown. Things were getting to him more than I realised, so I have my hands full with him at the moment"  
"Is he alright?"  
"Not really. He freaked out badly in the shower. He didn't think I wanted or loved him anymore"  
"Should I just bring him back up there?"  
"I'm sorry. I didn't think this would happen"  
"It's fine. Maybe Coran can watch him? He's already watching Fern"  
"Where's Hunk and Pidge?"  
"They're on a date at the Space Mall, or that was the plan"  
Did he ok that? He didn't remember okaying that... but Shiro probably had... if only he could take Lance and get away for a few vargas. Just take some time to be themselves, without being Paladins or mummy and daddy...  
"Ok. I can't leave him. Not like this"  
"Then I'll bring Shalad back up to the castle. Are you in the nursery?"  
"Mums room actually. I think Lance wanted to go somewhere I wouldn't look for him"  
Wincing as his communicator crackled, he was shocked lightly before the device seemed to die. Great. Pidge was not going to be impressed  
"Baby, we need to get off the shower floor. I'm going to lift you up now"

That was the easy bit. Carrying Lance out the bed, he gently placed his mate down. The omega beginning to shiver as his wet body cooled. Grabbing the next blanket from the pile, Keith draped it over Lance, half trying to dry him as he did  
"You're ok, I've got you"  
Having absorbed enough water to fill a small swimming pool, his suit squelched as he tried to dry Lance, making things worse. Growling in annoyance at himself, Keith stripped his gear off and strode back into the bathroom, snatching out the three neatly folded towels in the bathroom cabinet. Wrapping one around his waist, and one around his hair, he used the third to wrap Lance's wet hair in. The blanket was pretty much a damp towel at this stage, so he dried off what he could, before dumping it on the floor and covering Lance with a fresh blanket. Towelling himself off half-heartedly, he climbed into bed behind his husband, snaking an arm around his waist and holding him tight. All the signs had been right there, and he hadn't done anything about it... he should have tried harder. He should have made Lance feel loved, even if things were weird. He knew how hard his husband was on himself, but he hadn't anticipated Lance would fall back to thinking he was useless just because they were apart.

*  
Waking in the middle of the night, Lance's heart was racing. He was in bed, with both the boys and Keith, and he didn't understand why. His husband was supposed to be down looking after Shalad, not here with him. Carefully extracting himself from Keith's hold, his husband fought to hold onto him, his fingertips digging into his hip hard enough to make him whimper. He just didn't get it. Biting his lip, he slid his hand between Keith's hand and his hip, trying to transfer the grip into his hand instead, wincing in pain, he finally got Keith's hand into his, but then Keith let out a sleepy huff  
"Lance?"  
"I need to use the bathroom"  
It was the first thing that came to mind, but it thankfully got Keith to realise his hold. Climbing over his alpha, he realised he was completely naked and freezing cold. So cold his whole body shook. Cautiously using his foot to check the floor, he felt something soft under his toes. Bending down and picking it up, it he found it was a damp blanket, with no other alternative he wrapped it around his waist, gasping slightly as the cold fabric met his skin. Why was Keith even here? It didn't make sense. He thought his husband was mad at him... after if he wasn't before, he probably would be because he'd messed up again. Creeping across the room, Lance opened the door and darted outside. From his estimation, it was still the middle of the night, which meant no one would see him walking through the castle dressed in a blanket, though it wasn't like he hadn't been caught wearing less. Jogging in an attempt to warm up his body, his numb toes send spikes of pain through his feet each time they slapped against the floor, and he swore he was only getting colder. For some reason it seemed to take forever to reach the room he used to share with Keith, but once there, he layered on two pairs of socks, two pairs of sweats, a singlet, long shirt, and T-shirt, before grabbing every blanket in sight and throwing them on the bed. Not bothering to form a nest of any sort, Lance climbed in under the pile, wishing he had gloves of some kind. His fingers were so cold it hurt to bend them as he tucked them between his legs.

*  
The first thing Keith noticed upon waking was the lack of Lance in his hold, the second was the fact the boys were crying. Wriggling closer to them, the spot where Lance was supposed to be was way too cold for his mate to have only just left. Biting down a sigh, he reached out and placed one hand on Kelance's belly, and pressed a kiss to Laneith's. Both boys needed to be changed, so there was little wonder as to why they were crying  
"Sorry babies, you're stuck with daddy. I know, let's get you all cleaned up, then we'll find mummy. We didn't get to talk last night, and he really needs someone to talk to"

Having struggled to hold both the boys and the blanket up around himself, Keith made it to the nursery at a snails pace. The whole corridor smelt like Lance, but he couldn't tell if that was because his mate was currently in the area, or because Lance had been sleeping in the nursery. After cleaning up two somewhat revolting nappies, Keith skipped straight to bathing the boys. He didn't want Lance having an excuse to weasel out of talking to him, and he'd really missed bath time. Even Laneith kicking his feet hard enough to soak his chest and legs didn't dampen his mood. He loved his sons too much for that, and they were his so perfect and precious. Making sure they were both completely dried, he dressed them both warmly, before placing them in Laneith's cot while he took his own hot shower. Reaching for his body wash, he found it mostly empty, which could only mean Lance was using it. They'd left the bathroom's in the castle fully stocked in an attempt to actually use up the half-filled bottles of pretty much everything that had been floating around. The fact his mate was using his body wash hurt, and he yanked the taps off with more force than he intended to. He was useless without Lance. Progressing to drying and dressing himself off, he left the boys in the cot, before heading to the room next door and praying Lance would be there.

Raising an eyebrow at the mass of blankets in the middle of the bed, the only sign of life in the pile was the tip of a black and pink socked foot poking out. Every other bit of Lance was completely covered and him sighing all over again. Careful not to disturb the pile too much, he slid up behind the fellow teen and wrapped his arms around him, receiving a groan for all his efforts  
"Baby, it's time to wake up"  
"I'm sleeping"  
"Why are you down here? You left me and the boys"  
"Cold"  
"You were cold?"  
That definitely explained the pile of blankets  
"Baby?"  
"I'm cold"  
"Lance, you're buried under blankets"  
"I'm still cold"  
"Come here, I'll warm you up"  
"It's ok. You go back to Shalad. I'll wait for Allura to show up"  
"Allura's looking after Shalad"  
"Isn't that your job"  
"Not when my husband's upset"  
"Just go look after Shalad..."  
"What about the twins?"  
"I thought you didn't want me near them?"  
"Lance, I never said that. You said that. If you were listening to me, you'd know I love you and think you're a great mum"  
Shivering, Lance curled in on himself  
"Come on. You'll feel better once you've had breakfast"  
"I'm too cold to move"  
"It's not even cold..."  
If anything, Keith was feeling uncomfortably warm under the pile of blankets and from Lance's body heat... and from the fact his penis was wide awake and definitely interested in being buried inside his mate... it'd been movements since they'd touched, and now he was just wanted to pin Lance down and breed him like mad... which was probably not the best way to start the day  
"Come on"  
Sitting up, he pushed the blankets back and Lance gasped as he scrambled after them  
"Keith! How could you?"  
"It's not cold"  
Shooting him a glare, Lance grabbed the closest blanket and wrapped it around himself  
"No it's not cold. It's freezing. What are you even doing here?"  
"I wanted to talk to you"  
"What about?"  
"About us. About whatever you're thinking or whatever"  
"I'm thinking my husband is a jerk for freezing me"  
"Lance, you had a breakdown last night. You seem to think this isn't hurt me too. I love you. I love and I miss you like crazy. I miss you every single dobosh you're not next to me. I'm only looking after Shalad because you told me to. We were going to look after them together, but it turned out that somehow I'm the only one he trusts. I'm not choosing him over you. I wouldn't choose him over you... but you told me to look after him, and now you're suffering"  
"Because he's a kid! He needs someone. I'm not supposed to need someone, but it would be nice to feel wanted"  
"Is that? Do you not feel like I want you?"  
"I don't know anymore! I don't know. I'm not coping not having you, but I can't have you because there's someone who needs you more! Please Keith, why don't you get it"  
"I do get... I'm staying with you..."  
"No. If you got it, you'd be looking after Shalad"  
"You're more important"  
"He's a kid!"  
"And you're my world. You're my everything"  
"I don't deserve to be your world"  
"Baby, I'm the one who doesn't deserve you. I love you Lance. I always love you and always will love you. Please baby, I miss you"  
"I can't Keith... we only have a few more quintants. I can't have you being so nice to me, when I know things aren't sorted out yet..."  
"You're scared I'm going to choose him..."  
"I don't know anymore. Everything hurts too much. I can't do this and function..."  
"Then let me help"  
Shaking his head, Lance climbed off the bed  
"I'll do better, so just go look after Shalad"  
God! Why had he fallen for such a stubborn omega? He could use an alpha command, but he didn't want to force Lance to calm down and listen to him. Besides, a command would definitely make it worse. Maybe if he could get Shalad and Lance somehow talking, Shalad would see how amazing his husband was. That Lance did actually care. Other than jealousy, Shalad hadn't given any indication as to why he didn't like Lance. Everyone liked Lance... his mate was so amazing, it was hard not to like him.

Neither of them knew Allura had been scheming.


	84. Chapter 84

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yep, still around... just super duper busy

"Hey guys, we were going to come and find you"  
Eyeing their friends, Keith was confused. Coran was holding Fern, Shalad was hiding behind Shiro, Allura was holding a large box, as was Hunk, and all of them were smiling way too big for it to be real  
"You were?"  
"It's such a lovely day outside, we thought we'd go out for a morning tea picnic"  
Turning back to Lance, the omega was frowning  
"Guys, it's freezing"  
"It's not that cold Lance... is this some new fashion statement?"  
"I'm freezing. There is no way I'm going outside when it's this cold"  
Rolling her eyes, Pidge shook her head  
"Lance, it's nice outside. Isn't it Hunk?"  
"Yep. The sun is shining, birds are singing and Shalad even helped, didn't you kiddo"  
"I'm not a kid! Keeeeith, where were you? You didn't come back last night like you said you would"  
"Sorry Shalad, Keith had to work"  
So what? Lance thought him spending time with him was work?  
"Actually, I was spending some time with Lance and the twins, but you had a good time with Allura, right?"  
"You said you were coming back"  
"I know, but last night Lance really needed me, and I needed him"  
"So you're not mad at me?"  
"No kiddo. I hope you were nice to everyone"  
"He was. He was bit upset when you didn't come back down, but once he fell asleep he was fine"  
"Good job kid. So you all want to go on a picnic?"  
"We did try calling you, but I couldn't get through on either of your communicators"  
"Mine's broken... I don't know what happened to Lance's"  
"I think mines on Red. Are you guys really not cold?"  
"Lance, it's not cold at all. Just how many layers do you have on?"  
"Not enough. You guys go have your picnic, I'll just go back to bed"  
"No, we're all going. It'll be nice to be outside and relaxing"  
"Baby, I can take the boys if you're that cold"  
"You probably should... but they're nice and warm"  
Ignoring the way Lance tensed, Keith placed his hand on his mate's forehead  
"You don't feel feverish"  
"That's because I don't have a fever. I'm just cold. If it's not warm outside, I'm leaving"  
"Lance, you've already got a blanket wrapped around your shoulders, so stop complaining and start walking"  
"He might want to put shoes on"  
"If it means losing a pair of socks, it's not happening"  
"Shiro, it should be alright. We're only heading down to the grassed area near the house"  
"Lance, if you get any prickles, no one is going to carry you"  
"Don't listen to him bud, I've got you"  
"Thanks Hunk... I suppose we should go..."

 

*  
Hunk was right. The birds were singing, the sun was shining, but Lance was still freezing his lower extremities off. Bundled up on the corner of the picnic rug, he was watching as everyone else enjoyed themselves, eating, drinking and pulling stupid faces. The day was bright and sunny, cloud-free and the kind he'd usually be up for sun baking for... but unlike the others, he wasn't receiving the benefits of it, and he wasn't particularly happy about sitting so close to the house when he felt like he wasn't wanted there. Shalad had sat himself down between Keith's legs and was holding Fern, as Pidge took photos of them all. Grinning mischievously   
"Lance, how about losing the blanket?"  
"How about losing the camera?"  
Pidge lowered the camera, her smile falling  
"Quiznak. Sorry Pidge, I'm just so cold"  
"Lance, it's not even cold"  
"Tell that to my hands. They are literally frozen"  
"Lance, they're not literally frozen"  
Raising his hands, he held them out  
"Feel them then"  
Rolling her eyes, Pidge waddled across on her knees and took his hands  
"Holy shit Lance! They're freezing"  
"Exactly! And you say I'm not cold!"  
Tucking his hands back under his armpits, Lance shivered   
"Bud, do you want my gloves"  
"It's ok. They're fingerless, so they probably won't help much"  
"Baby, why don't you take a shower or even a bath at the house"  
"I might just go for a walk or something. Try and warm up..."  
Because there was no way he was going into that house. Not when he'd hoped to avoid Keith for the rest of the day because it hurt too much. His mate was right there, but he hadn't even offered him his gloves, and he hadn't sat next to him either. Lance was sick of all this mental yoyoing  
"Baby, the house is right there, and you don't have your boots on"  
"I'm fine. It's just a walk"  
"Maybe Keith would like to go with you"  
"He's fine with Shalad"  
"Then take Shalad with you"  
The more he scowled at Allura, the more she smiled  
"I don't want to go for a walk"  
Lance thanked whatever god was watching over them, and mentally thanked Shalad for being such a whiny brat  
"See. The kid doesn't wanna go. Hunk, have fun with the boys, I'll be back"  
"Keith, are you going to let him go on his own?"  
"What am I supposed to do? I want to spend time with him, but he says..."  
"Don't go telling them everything I said! You know exactly what's wrong and you know we can't change it"  
Shrugging off his blanket, Lance leapt to his feet before marching towards the first path into the forest  
"Keith, go after him"  
"Look after the kids"  
"Of course we will now go already"  
Picking up his pace, he wanted to put as much distance between them as possible.

"Baby, wait up"  
"Keith, go back to the others"  
"No. Allura's looking after the kids, so I want to spend some time with you"  
"Because Allura told you to follow me?"  
"No. Because I love you, and I'm worried about you"  
"I'm fine. I'm just cold"  
He'd only made it about 20 metres into the forest before Keith had caught up with him. He wasn't any warmer than when he'd started, and Keith was looking at him so sadly. Wrapping his arms around himself, he didn't know what to say. He'd already said it all  
"Baby. Can I hold you?"  
"Keith..."  
"I miss you. I miss you and this whole thing sucks"  
"That's why you should go back to the others"  
"Lance, just listen to me! I miss you. I'm sick of this. You're my world and you're hurting so badly. I don't know how to fix this anymore, and everyone else went and set this up because they're worried to"  
"They don't need to be. I'm doing what I need to be"  
"But you're hurting. Even now, you're shaking"  
"That's because I'm cold"  
"Did you really leave just because you're cold? Or because you're avoiding me?"  
Lance's breath caught, looking down at the dirt track he mumbled   
"Both..."  
Before he knew quite what happened, he was in Keith's arms, his alpha's lips smashing into his as Keith claimed his mouth aggressively. Slowly, but surely, Lance melted into the kiss, tears filling his eyes as he did   
"Keith"  
"I'm not losing you"  
"I... I'm so cold"  
"I know you are, here, give me your hands"  
Letting Keith take hold of them, his husband shoved them up his shirt  
"Aren't they cold?"  
"Freezing, but it's fine. What's not fine is this. I've been trying to think of what to say and I don't understand what you meant. I don't know what to do..."  
"Shalad needs you"  
"You need me even more"  
"He leaves in a couple of quintants..."  
"And then what?"  
"I don't know... I just... I've just been trying to make it to there"  
"You shouldn't have to be trying just to make it..."  
"Then what else can I do? Shalad hates me so much, but he trusts you so I can't take you away from him... so I just want to make it to after they leave"  
"Then why wouldn't you go take a bath? You even sat so weren't facing the house"  
"Keith, it doesn't feel like home anymore. Shalad has spent more time living there with you than I have. You've been cooking and cleaning and looking after him. Not me. All the things I wanted to do and experience in the house with you, you've experienced with him. It's not the same. It's stupid and it pathetic and I hate myself for it, but you made all those memories with someone else and it hurts. I wanted you to make breakfast for me. To be lazy and stay in bed. For us to try cooking together and then we'd laugh when it didn't turn out. Romantic dinners. I selfishly wanted it all... but you had all that with Shalad and now I don't even feel like I belong in that house. I told you take him, we'd take him, but I never knew how much it would hurt to be on the outside like this. I'm so tired Keith. I just... I just don't know what to do anymore, so I'm just going to stay away"  
"You... I... you told me to take him"  
"I know I did! I know this is all my fault! I did this to myself! I ruined everything for myself. So now, I just want to go for a walk"  
"You can't just leave"  
"Shalad's coming"  
"Stop blaming him. You should have just told me all of this. Like how he was bullying you"  
"'cause that's not embarrassing, being bullied by a five year old. If I can't even handle the truth from one five year old, how am I supposed to be a good mum to the boys?"  
"But... you're so good with the boys, and with Fern"  
"The boys are part Galra and Fern is taking the bottle now. I don't think they'd even realise if I left"

"You're leaving?"  
Yanking his hands from Keith, Lance looked to Shalad  
"It's not like that..."  
"Is it me? Did I do something bad?"  
"Shalad, why don't you go back to the others? I'm just leaving to go for a walk"  
Keith placed his hand on Shalad's shoulder  
"Shalad, please go back to the others, Lance and I need to talk"  
"Keith, we don't need to talk. I just need to clear my head"  
"Baby, you aren't even wearing boots"  
"Oh my god. Would you just stop it! I just want to take a walk. It's fine"  
"Keith, why do you call Lance baby? Is he a baby? He doesn't look like Fern... are babies different where you come from?"  
"I call him baby because I love him. I mean it affectionately"  
"That's stupid. Babies make too much noise"  
"Shalad..."  
Backing away from the pair, Lance span and ran.

 

*  
Leading Shalad back to the group, Keith rubbed his face as he sank back down  
"What happened? Did you two talk? Where is he?"  
"We talked. He's really hurting and I can't change any of it"  
"What'd he say?"  
"Everything he wanted to do's been ruined and the house doesn't feel like home anymore, or that he even has a home. He thinks he's a bad mum because of all of this, and he thinks Fern and the boys wouldn't care if he just disappeared"  
Allura groaned, pinching the bridge of her  
"I was hoping you two would talk if we were all together and having fun... I didn't mean to make things worse"  
"I know, I think I'm the one who made it worse by going after him last night. He says he's just trying to hold on until the next few quintants pass"  
"He said he felt like the boys wouldn't care if he disappeared, yet you left him alone?"  
"He took off running in the forest. If u chased him, it would have been worse"  
"He's sick, and not wearing boots"  
"He's cold"  
Pidge rolled her eyes  
"He has to be sick. His hands were freezing, but it's such a warm day"  
"He didn't look or smell sick"  
"Keith's right, Lance didn't smell sick, but we shouldn't leave him wandering around"  
"He doesn't even have his communicator or Bayard. He could get into a lot of trouble on his own"  
"Lance can handle himself"  
"What about the last time he took off running, his feet were full of splinters"  
"Yeah, Hunk's right. We should look for him"  
"And what? Make him feel worse? Make him feel like he's trapped and can't talk to us?"  
"No. We make him feel wanted. He said he doesn't feel wanted"  
"Of course he's wanted"  
"Keith, why did you let things get this bad?"  
"It wasn't on purpose. I thought... I don't know what I thought anymore"  
Rising to his feet, Shiro looked to the forest   
"I'll go"  
"What?"  
"I'll go. I'll go find him and talk to him"  
Baring his teeth, Keith's eyes narrowed  
"That's my husband"  
"I'm well aware he's your husband...l  
"Then you know I get him. He says he needs some space and wants to talk a walk, we should trust him. He'd want us to trust him"  
"What do we do then?"  
"We'll wait. We can do some light training in the clearing"  
"What about Fern and the twins?"  
"The house is right there. We'll give Lance a few vargas, and if he's not back by then, we'll go find him"

A few vargas passed agonisingly slow. When Lance didn't return, Coran took the kids back to the house, organising bottles for the boys and Fern, while the rest of them got ready to go looking for Lance. With his communicator busted, Keith found himself paired up with Shiro, though he was kind of confused why Shiro needed a communicator, it wasn't like he call anyone. Trudging through the dense forest growth, both he and Shiro were sniffing the air like dogs as they hunted the wayward omega. As time passed, Keith became more and more concerned. The sun was beginning to go down, but they hadn't found him yet. The forest was a huge place, and Lance could be anywhere. He could even be back at the castle for all he knew  
"Keith, we should head back"  
"No"  
"We don't have a light, and we can't help him if we're lost"  
"That's why we have to find him"  
"Here, call Pidge and Hunk"  
"Why?"  
"Because we need to know what's going on"  
"Call them yourself. I am going to find my husband"  
"Pidge might have tech we can use"  
"And she might have already given up!"  
"Keith, we'll find Lance"  
"God. Just. Just back off. If you want to go back, go back. I'll find him myself"  
"How? Do you have any idea where he is? And how are you supposed to let us know if you do find him? We are going back"  
Keith's alpha growled as Shiro tried to use an alpha command on him. It didn't work, but the unpleasantness of having Shiro try, it thoroughly angered him  
"Are you serious! An alpha command doesn't work on another alpha! What the quiznak is wrong with you?!"  
"You're not thinking. There's a right way to go about this!"  
"The right way to go about it means nothing if we can't find him"  
"Well guys, I didn't expect to call in and hear that..."  
"Is that Pidge?"  
"I can't exactly use my hand to accept the call when I don't have it, so she set it to auto answer"  
"Guys, Allura and I are back at the house. Have you found him?"  
"Not yet. How about you?"  
"No. Nothing. It's getting dark, so we need to figure out what to do next"  
"We keep looking for him"  
"Where's Hunk?"  
"He hasn't checked in..."  
"Don't tell me he's lost too"  
"I'll call him. Just come back here for now"  
"We... I..."  
"Keith, we'll find Lance"  
"He's out there and he's cold and probably hungry"  
"I know. But we won't do ourselves any good if we end up lost and hurt"

Hunk had returned by the time Keith reached the house. The rest of the team readying themselves to continue looking for his husband, while the worst case scenarios played on a loop. Aaaaand once again Coran was left feeding the kids. He just... why hadn't Lance come back yet? Was he intentionally hiding, or genuinely low? Grabbing his personal torch from his bedroom, Keith jogged from the house without waiting for anyone. Crossing the clearing, he made for where he'd last scene Lance, only getting a few metres in when he found him. Curled up with his back against a rather thick tree, his husband had his arms wrapped firmly around his legs, and his face buried against his knees as he cried quietly   
"Lance! Thank quiznak! Where have you been? I've been looking for you for vargas! We've all been looking for you. No. You know what, it doesn't matter now that I know you're ok. Come on baby..."  
Placing his hand on Lance's shoulder, his husband raised his head, looking at him with painfully red eyes  
"Lance?"  
"Keith! Keith, where are you?!"  
"I'm here! I have Lance!"

The others were beside his side in a matter of ticks, staring down at Lance, Hunk was the first to speak   
"Lance? Buddy, you ok?"  
Shaking his head, Lance whined softly  
"Lance, what happened to your hands?"  
He hadn't even noticed his husband's bloody hands, even though he'd looked right at them   
"We should get him into the house and cleaned up"  
"I'll carry him"  
"Hunk... I wanna talk to Hunk"  
How dare he omega ask for another alpha after what he'd put both he and his secondary dynamic through. This was his omega. Not Hunk's  
"I'm right here buddy"  
"Alone... I want to talk to you alone"  
"Keith, what do we do?"  
"We'll head back to the house and wait"  
"Keith?"  
"He doesn't want us here. You heard him"  
His anger reared its ugly head. But after vargas, it wasn't fair Lance wanted Hunk, and he was once again pushed aside. Returning to the house, it wasn't long before Hunk carried an unconscious Lance in  
"What happened?"  
"He lost his wedding ring. He's been in the forest searching for it..."  
"He lost his ring?"  
"That's why his hands are so bloody. He pretty much crawled back on his hands and knees trying to find it. He didn't want to make you mad, and he's really upset over losing it"  
"Oh, baby..."  
The ring was just a ring. Keith would be lying if he said it didn't mean anything to him, but Lance meant a whole heap more than any piece of jewellery  
"He needs a bath, and he'll need patching up"  
"He probably doesn't want me anywhere near him"  
"I've had it with you two. I really have. I don't care if Shalad hates Lance, this has gotten ridiculous. Lance is clearly self-imploding. Shalad can either stay on the castle or down at the hospital, but he is not staying here. I don't care if Lance wants him to. Two movements of this quiznak is just ridiculous. Keith, you and Lance are both on leave until you sort this out"  
"You can't do that"  
"I think I can safely say the whole of Voltron is in agreement on this. Now go clean him up"  
"Here, you take him. We'll take the boys for the night"  
"No... he'll want them close... he says he's not a good mum, but he's amazing with them. He adores them"  
Carrying Lance over to him, Hunk lifted him into his arms, his husband letting out a "happy" sigh in his sleep, his lips turning upwards once he was safely against Keith's chest  
"Come up when you're ready"  
"Yeah... oh, my communicators in Lance's old bathroom. I think I shorted it out, but Pidge will kill me"  
"It's ok. I'll track down Lance's too"  
"Thanks Hunk"

 

*  
Having gently stripped the layers off his omega, he sighed in relief when he found his husband's feet were actually splinter free. His hands were another story. They were scraped quite badly, and would definitely be causing the fellow teen a world of pain once he woke. Laying Lance in the bath, he turned the tabs on, opting for the hot side of warm, his husband's skin was covered with goosebumps, and Lance always preferred his showers and baths on the hot side. Stepping back, Keith sighed as he peeled his jacket and shirt off. The alpha had just begun to shimmy out of his jeans when there was the light clinging jingle of metal hitting floor, stepping back, it took him a few moments before his eyes fixed on Lance's ring. Groaning, he slipped out his jeans and grabbed the stupid thing up off the floor. Lance had spent vargas looking for this. His hands and knees a mess because of it, and somehow it'd been caught in his jeans the whole time without him even noticing. Now he was faced with a dilemma. If he gave it back to his husband, Lance might not put it on. If he gave it back to him... Lance would also probably be embarrassed and overthinking the fact he lost it... so he should probably just slip it back on his finger while he was out of it... but then Lance might think he was crazy or stupid if he looked down at his hand and saw it was back where it belongs. His alpha wasn't even being helpful either, it didn't care about anything other than climbing into that bathtub and doing all kinds of things with his omega. All which were things Keith was 90 percent sure his mate wouldn't be up for. Eyeing the ring again, he silently cursed it. Fuck it. He'd just put it back on his husband's finger and hope Lance didn't freak out... or freak quite so badly... because, well, this was Lance and he was always freaking out over something, whether or not he showed it.

Climbing in behind Lance Keith lifted him into his lap, nuzzling against his mate's shoulder, breathing in Lance. Lance might not think of the house like home, but for Keith, wherever Lance was, that was his home. Sliding his husband's ring back onto his finger, Keith stared at Lance's hand. His mate's fingers seemed much more slender and delicate than he remembered  
"Baby, I'm so sorry. All of this... I caused all of this. I love you, baby. I love you so much I don't know what to do anymore. I keep trying, but I don't know how to make things right. You're the one who's good at this. You're the one who makes things better, not me..."  
Kissing Lance's shoulder, Keith started working on cleaning Lance's hands, finding his mates arms were also heavily scratched and bruised, and not just from his self-inflicted wounds. Under all the dirt, Lance's hands still looked painful, his mate must have been in so much pain, but so determined to find the missing ring... so maybe there was hope for them yet?

When the water started to cool and the bubbles had halved, Keith lifted Lance out the bath. His husband nuzzling his chest so adorably that Keith never wanted to let him go, but alas, he had to. Laying Lance on their bed, he supposed it was the last place his husband wanted to wake up. Shalad hated sleeping under a myriad of blankets like Lance did. The boy preferred one, two at the most, but most of the time ended kicking both off, so Keith ended up freezing. Leaving him lying there, Keith doubled back to the bathroom and grabbed out the first aid kit that Pidge had forced on him... he'd never tell her that he was now actually grateful for it. Heading back to Lance, he moved his omega from the edge of the bed to the middle, before setting down the first aid kit and starting to work on his hands.

Keith was halfway through Lance's left hand when his husband woke. Trying to yank his hand free, Lance drew his knees to his chest  
"Baby! Hey, hey... it's ok!"  
"K-Keith?"  
"Hold still baby..."  
"What...?"  
"You decided you wanted to crawl around in the forest, before passing out. I'm in the middle of cleaning your hands up, so stop trying to tug it back"  
"Keith... I... I... stuffed up"  
"Lance, whatever it is..."  
Obviously the missing ring   
"I'm sure we can fix it"  
Making a show of lifting Lance's hand, he kissed his fingers, the ring very clearly evident   
"Wh... how?"  
Snatching his hand back, this time Keith let him. Lance's eye were wide as he stared at it  
"Where? Where was it? I looked for vargas for it!"  
"What?"  
"My ring! I thought you were going to hate me for losing it. I tried so hard to find it... I... I felt like everything would be over between us if I couldn't find it... I don't want things to be over!"  
"Oh, baby. No. Things aren't over between us. We wouldn't both be sitting here wearing towels with me cleaning up your hands if we were"  
His joke fell flat, but that didn't matter when Lance threw himself on him  
"I'm so sorry!"  
"No, I'm sorry"  
"You didn't do anything wrong!"  
"Lance, you don't have to yell. I can hear you just fine"  
"I don't want to break up"  
"My silly omega. We're not breaking up"  
"But I did everything wrong! I tried to feel better but I feel so useless without you!"  
"You're not useless"  
"It hurts!"  
"It's hurt me to baby. I was so scared today"  
"Because I stuffed up again"  
"You didn't stuff up"  
"I lost my ring"  
"And do you want to know where I found it?"  
"You found it?"  
"It was in the waistband of my jeans. It must have snagged on my shirt when I put your hands under it"  
"Seriously?"  
"Yeah. Which only goes to show you should just stay by me at all times"  
"I feel so stupid"  
"You're not stupid"  
"I thought it was gone... I thought you were gone... everything we had was gone"  
"Like I would let you walk away from me, after all, we've been through. I wish you could see you how I see you"  
"A sniffling wreck?"  
"There's that, but I was going more for the fact your so very precious and adorable to me"  
"I don't feel very good"  
"As in you feel physically sick or mentally?"  
"Both"  
"You did spend the day outside, even though you were cold and your hands were a complete mess. Let me finish getting the splinters out, then I'll check your knees, and once that's done I'll see what's around for us to eat"  
"I'm sorry... I can go back to the castle"  
"No, you can't. We're both not allowed to go anywhere until we've talked, you've eaten and gotten a good nights sleep"  
"But the boys?"  
"Gave both of them bottles and I think Coran put them to bed, so all of my focus and attention is yours"  
"And Shalad?"  
"Left with Fern and the others"  
"But, he's a kid"  
"Who will be fine with the others. Right now is about us. Now, can I finish cleaning it"  
"C-can I have another blanket? I'm cold"  
"Sure baby. Which one?"  
"Any... I'm too cold to care"  
"Ok, don't go anywhere"  
"I can't. I'm only wearing a towel"  
Offering a shy smile, Lance settled himself against the back of the bed as Keith grabbed all the blankets from the room and dropped them next to his husband   
"You didn't have to get them all"  
"I don't want you being cold"  
"Why are you always so nice to me?"  
"That's easy. You're you, and I love you for you"  
"Still just as cheesy..."  
"Of course I am. I have nearly two movements to make up for, three really"  
"I don't want to think about it anymore. It's... it's really sucked not having you around"  
It was on the tip of his tongue to remind Lance he had been around, but it was probably best not to... still, he was kind of shocked Lance had equated losing his ring to them being over. His alpha was buzzing in the back of his mind, demanding he do something to make Lance feel at ease, but it wasn't like he could do much more than be there.

With Lance's hands bandaged up and looking like the wearing white mittens, Keith then cleaned Lance's knees, which were just as bad. By the time he was finished, just the omegas legs were hanging out the pile of snoring blankets. He wanted Lance to eat and was torn over waking and him and not, deciding not to in the end. Cleaning up the house, Keith found up some cookies Hunk had made left in the bottom of the picnic box, so grabbed those and a few bottles of water from the box. Returning, he placed everything on Lance's side of his bed, so his husband wouldn't wander off. Dropping his towel on the floor, he climbed under the blankets, pulling Lance up so he was laying mostly on him, instead of the mattress. Time for a redo of this mornings wake up.

Woken by Lance in the middle of the night, his husband was crying softly against his chest. Immediately concerned for his mate, Keith reached out and pulled Lance back against him  
"What's wrong?"  
Shaking his head, Lance pawed at his chest as his breath hitched   
"Lance, why are you crying?"  
"I... I don't want to talk about it"  
"Baby, I think you've been trying too hard for too long. You know you can tell me anything"  
"It's embarrassing"  
"You do know I've practically seen everything you've ever called embarrassing, including you, wetting yourself"  
Lance gave a miserably moan, yeah... he probably could have picked a better example   
"Sorry. I just mean, no matter what is, I want to help you"  
"I... I can't get the bandages off my hands"  
"That's because they're not supposed to come off until the morning"  
"But... I... need to use my hands"  
"Why? Do you need to go to the bathroom?"  
Lance shook his head   
"Then what is it?"  
"It's embarrassing"  
Rolling his eyes despite the fact Lance couldn't see the action, Keith slid his hand down to the small of Lance's back, massaging the site gently   
"We need to work on talking, so you need to tell me what's wrong"  
Tilting his face upwards, Lance sniffled again  
"I slicked and I can't clean myself up"  
"You slicked?"  
"I'm sorry..."  
"You don't need to be sorry for slicking. I didn't even think about it happening"  
"I should be able to clean myself up"  
"Not when I went and bandaged your hands. Is that all that's happened? You just slicking?"  
"I... there's a lot. I hate it. I hate not being able to control it"  
"I know you hate it, but you know as an alpha I love it"  
"It feels gross... my arse and thighs are wet and sticky"  
Now that was a mental image that he couldn't ignore. Lance's tight opening with honey like slick running freely... he'd told himself he wouldn't do anything like to Lance, especially when he was doubting his self-worth, but after three movements... it was just too tempting   
"Keith?"  
"Lay back for me"  
"What?!"  
Lance's tone shot up as Keith rolled him onto his back  
"I'll clean you up"  
"I can do it myself"  
"Or, I could do it for you. I love this body of yours and I'd be a shame to waste it"  
"No! It's dirty... I'm dirty"  
"You're not dirty. We had a bath together, so we're both as clean as each other"  
"But..."  
"Just close your eyes and let me make you feel good"  
"I don't know..."  
"Just trust me"  
"I'm scared"  
"You've got nothing to be scared of, and if it's too much, I'll stop. With all the stress we've both been under, I think we both deserve a little relief"  
"I..."  
"Shhh baby, just leave it to me"

Peppering kisses down Lance's chest and stomach, his hands moved to spread Lance's legs as he reached Lance's snail trail, kissing the soft pubic hair, he mouthed his way across to his husband's hip, sucking a very possessive hickey over the protruding bone, though still curvier than he had been, his husband had once again lost weight, and he wasn't ok with it. Lapping at the small amount of blood on the sight, he resumed kissing his way down  
"Keith..."  
"It's ok baby, lift your hips a little for me"  
God. There was so much slick between Lance's legs that Keith felt giddy on the scent alone. Normally not one to wolf down a meal, he couldn't move fast enough to start tonguing at his Lance's opening, moaning as his slick gushed and coated his tongue   
"You taste so good"  
Lance gave a squeak, which Keith ignored, continuing to lick and suck at the tight rim, greedy for more of Lance. The fact that Lance loved this was lost to his own desires and need, as his right hand moved to palm his erection. Concentrating on working the tip of himself he rubbed and teased the slit of his leaking erection as trying to find some kind of rhythm that fell in line with his tongue sliding in and out of Lance, but it just wasn't enough, though he was determined to make Lance cum before he did. Pushing his mouth harder against Lance, the omega began to rock against him, his moans turning to breathy pants as Lance grabbed at the sheets and chanted his name so very sweetly  
"A-alpha... argh!"  
Without even touching Lance's erection, his mates hips lifted enough that his tongue slid free as Lance came across himself. Whining softly, Lance fell back on the bed as his legs shook like crazy. Having brought his mate to orgasm, he released his throbbing and aching penis, gliding both hands up to Lance's breasts as he ran his tongue over the trails of thick semen  
"A-alpha... more... need more"  
"Such a greedy omega. Do you want my knot? Do you want me to fill you?"  
"Yes... god... yes"  
"Good omega... my good little omega, greedy for my knot and seed. I might not be able to breed you, but I can fill you"  
His alpha was definitely controlling his mouth, not that Lance seemed to mind as his legs dropped open  
"Fill me. Breed me. I don't care what you do to me"  
Growling, Lance really should know better than to tempt his alpha like that  
"Baby, you have no idea. My alpha wants to fill that belly of yours, fill it with our pups, until you're so big and heavy that everyone knows how much you love my knot and seed"  
Whoa... yeah. His alpha needed to step back because two pups were enough   
"Fill me..."  
Massaging Lance's breasts, the omega raised his hips as he mewed, the pheromones pouring off him told Keith he was definitely open to being bred, despite him knowing better. If Lance didn't have that ring on, they'd be in all sorts of trouble right now, because there was no way he would have been able to hold back  
"I want to see you present"  
Leaning back, Lance immediate obeyed his words, even though it wasn't an alpha command. Presenting himself to Keith, Lance whined as Keith licked at his opening again, making sure that Lance was completely clean from spilt slick and that he was loose enough that he wouldn't hurt the omega. Confident he was, Keith, lined himself up and sank into the wet heat with a long growl. He wasn't going to last, and his alpha was fighting for control. The word "breed" was playing on repeat in his brain, and his penis was all for it, already beginning to thicken in anticipation of knotting Lance and soaking his womb white. Drawing back, he slammed back in as hard as he could, Lance screaming his name as his body tried to draw him deeper. With the main goal for both of them to breed, Keith didn't waste any time in setting a brutal rhythm, as he tried to drive himself deeper into his mate. Growling and panting, his knot popped as he howled, his orgasm insanely intense after not having cum for three movements. Gripping him, Lance bottomed out as he rode out his orgasm while rutting against their bed  
"K-Keith... don't stop"  
"Don't stop?"  
"Mmm..."  
Don't stop? Don't stop what? He was still rocking his hips as his seed continued to spill. Lance's opening greedily clenching and rippling as if trying to drain him completely. Reaching behind him, Lance slid one leg up, as he took Keith's hand and slid back between his legs  
"Baby..."  
"More. Need more. You're so warm"  
Hissing at the tugging of his knot, his husband mewed as it caught and dragged, trying to push himself further onto it, while palming himself with Keith's trapped hand  
"Alpha"  
"Calm down omega. We have vargas until the morning"  
"My body's going crazy"  
Probably because Keith couldn't rein his pheromones back in and they were both drunk off of them. Leaning down to run his teeth alone Lance's shoulder, the teen tried to tilt his neck as if inviting him to bite and bond. Keith paused for a moment too long, and trace amounts of strawberry began to contaminate the warm and earthy scent they'd been building, growling in warning, his alpha didn't like it all. Its omega was supposed to know it's place, or at least that's what his alpha tried to say, but not for the first time in Keith life, he ignored it and sank his teeth into Lance's neck, his mate gasped, and Lance's leaked the smallest amount of semen onto his fingers, but he wasn't completely sure if Lance and cum. Three times had to hurt, and Lance had to be exhausted, and hopefully sated...

Lance definitely wasn't sated, and the relief of actually being so physically connected to him sent Keith into overdrive. It was the first night in what felt like forever where they stayed up all night having sex with the occasional nap in between, and the morning sun was just creeping through the window as Lance finally settled, curling up with his back against him and his right hand held firmly between Lance's still bandaged ones. Ignoring the fluids covering both of them, Keith pulled the blankets up, making sure Lance had both his pillows and was completely comfortable before burying his face his against the omega's shoulder. They'd probably get half a vargas sleep before the boys woke up for feeding, but that should be long enough for his knot to fade...

He called it. The pups had started crying moments after Lance began to snore. Forced to wait until he could finally pull out, he first rinsed himself down, before heading in to deal with two very angry boys. Getting them both up, be carried them into the living room with the intention of making them both fresh bottles, only to find once he had, they refused to take them. Screaming their unhappiness, he nearly missed the weak calling of his name from the bedroom. Making sure the boys couldn't hurt themselves, Keith jogged over to the bedroom to find Lance sitting on the floor  
"Baby?"  
"I can't stand. I need to use the bathroom and feed the boys"  
Carrying Lance into the bathroom, Keith sat him on the counter. His husband was blushing like crazy, over not being able to walk at all. He might have overindulged, and he'd carried Lance into the bathroom with the intention of helping clean up because his mate couldn't use his hands, only once Lance spread his legs for him, and he'd begun to clean Lance out... well... they somehow wound up having sex. It was all Lance's fault. The way he swallowed Keith to the root so easily, the sounds of his lewd moans and the squelching of slick and cum... plus... it was hot watching himself slide in and out... cumming again, this time his knot popped, but only stayed inflated for a few doboshes, before deflating. Both of them relieved when it didn't hold, though neither of them voiced it. They were both still too tired to human, and the boys needed their attention. Shooed away by Lance, the omega grabbed his arm as his legs gave out   
"Keith. Bath. Now."  
"I've got you"  
Sweeping him off his feet, Keith carried him to the bath and lowered him down  
"What do you need?"  
"My head and throat hurt..."  
"You look pretty out of it"  
"I think it's called wrecked. I'm sorry about your neck?"  
"My neck?"  
"I got a bit carried away..."  
Coughing, Lance winced as he did  
"Baby?"  
"It's ok. Just go look after the boys. I'll clean up and they can take a bath with me"  
"Family bath?"  
"I don't know if I'm up for that..."  
"Ok. Will you be ok?"  
"I can take a bath"  
"I know..."  
"Keith, just go look after the boys"  
"Lance, I love you"  
Instead of replying, Lance just nodded before looking at his hands   
"Oh. Right. Those need to come off so you can bath"  
"I forgot about them, I can't imagine they were sexy"  
"You managed to moan and pull the sheets. That's pretty sexy"  
"Well they hurt and the bandaging doesn't feel great"  
"Off?"  
"Off"  
The easiest way to get them off would have scissors, but not knowing where's pair was, Keith unwrapped them, revealing two very red, weeping and sore looking hands  
"Baby, that doesn't look good"  
Lance sighed softly   
"They don't feel good"  
"I'll apply some antibiotic cream after you've had a bath"  
"Yeah..."  
Was it just him or was Lance acting strange? Or maybe he was just tired? They'd spent the night lost in each other... or him in Lance, given he didn't bottom... but now he felt like Lance was trying to push him away again. Swallowing down his "paranoia", Keith shook his head   
"I'll get the boys ready"  
"I need to feed them. My breasts are really full and tender"  
That totally had nothing to do with the bite marks or bruises on them... but Lance was right, they looked painfully swollen and full  
"Baths then feeding, for all of us"  
"Mmm'kay. I might just take a nap"

Waking Lance from his nap was like waking a bear. He wasn't happy or impressed until Keith reminded him that he was both still in the bath and that the boys needed feeding. Keith wasn't allowed to help him from the bath, despite the fact Lance was wobbling like a newborn foal. Rubbing the back of his neck, Keith cringed at his fingers met the fresh mark there. One good night together had gone straight to his head. He'd thought maybe things would be better, they'd both needed the release and each other, but it seemed like Lance had already returned to reality, and he was the one lost in the dream.

 

*  
Spending the day curled up on the sofa, Lance didn't want to admit how awful he was feeling. Keith had felt so warm and comforting the previous night, leaving him unable of doing anything other than surrendering himself to his mate, but since waking up in the bath, he felt so incredibly gross and feverish. Keith had forced him to eat breakfast, but each mouthful sat uncomfortably in his gurgling stomach, and the pulsing throb radiating from his thoroughly abused arse, combined with the heaviness in his hips... he just wanted to sleep, but didn't want to fall back to sleep in the house. He wanted to go back up to the castle and curl up on the nursery floor with the boys, where he knew they were safe and where they couldn't escape. Jumping as Keith placed his palm on his forehead, his husband frowned at him  
"You feel warm"  
"I'm..."  
"You're not fine. You smell sick... I did hurt you?"  
"Oh... no. I just... I don't feel good"  
"I can see that. You haven't moved from the corner of the sofa since you crawled into it. What do you need?"  
"I don't know. Paracetamol? Do we even have paracetamol?"  
Why was it such an effort not to snap at Keith!? His husband was just trying to help him, and all he wanted to do was yell at him  
"Maybe. I'll check the first aid kit. I can't call the castle to ask, but if you're not better by the time comes to leave with Shalad and Fern, I'm leaving you up there in the medical bay"  
"What? No. I'm supposed to be coming along so I can look after Fern"  
"Baby, you can't come if you're sick"  
"I'm not sick, I just don't feel very well"  
"That's the same thing"  
"We both know it's not"  
"Lance"  
"No! I just feel gross, I want to take a nap, but I'm too scared something will happen to the boys and my whole body is throbbing. I just need some painkillers and you to stop turning this into something it's not!"  
Oh, Quiznak. He'd snapped...  
"Keith... I'm sorry. I... you don't deserve it. Just ignore me"  
Keith rubbed his face, took a deep breath, and released it slowly before nodding   
"Ok. I'll do your hands first. After that, I want you to finish a whole bottle of water and take a nap. If, and only if you're no longer feverish by the time we're ready to go, then you can come. If you aren't, you go in the pod and Allura comes with me instead"  
"I... but... what if Shiro wants to go for the run? Are you going to be ok?"  
"I doubt I'm going to go feral with two kids in the cockpit"  
"Keith"  
"We'll be ok. Now hands out and palms up"


	85. Chapter 85

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo I don't know if anyone's actually still reading this on here, but  
> Here's the draft of the new chapter. I say draft as it isn't beta'd or spell checked as I can't use my computer at moment...
> 
> Sorry. I just wanted to update

Lance was quietly happy as he sat in Keith's lap with Fern in his hold. His husband wasn't quite so happy. Shiro had decided he needed to represent Voltron at the hand over, because apparently it would be more professional. Despite wanting to put distance between himself and Keith, so they could talk properly instead of just sexing out their issues, if the choice was between sitting next to Shiro and a sleeping Shalad, or sitting in Keith's lap and being a distraction so the two alphas didn't lose it at each other, he'd definitely take option b. Nuzzling Keith's neck, he let out a sleepy sigh. Fern was fast asleep against his chest, and he was honestly going to miss the baby girl. He had no idea how to raise a girl, but she was just so adorable and he already knew he was going to be a sobbing mess once he had to say goodbye  
"You can sleep, we have another 5 vargas until we're there"  
"No, I'm ok"  
"Baby, I know you're still sleepy"  
"I'll sleep on the way back"  
"Or you could sleep now?"  
"Keith, if he says he doesn't want to sleep, he doesn't want to sleep"  
Shiro. No. He could handle this just fine, and it wasn't the alphas place to stick his nose in, even if all he wanted to do was nap, it wasn't happening, not now at least  
"Shiro, its fine. I don't need you telling Keith off. Keith, I'm sleepy but I don't want to sleep yet. I kind of want to spend more time with Fern before we have to say goodbye"  
"You really care for her, don't you?"  
"How can you not? She's so beautiful. If we didn't have the boys..."  
"I know, you'd adopt her in a heartbeat... I'm sorry you have to say goodbye"  
"It's not your fault, and it's not like he'd and Shalad aren't going to a loving family"  
"That's true... maybe one day we'll have a little girl of our own?"  
"Mhmm, and she's going to be daddy's princess"  
Keith smiled at him, but it was barely a tick before it was fading  
"You two know you can't have more children, not until things start to settle down and the rogue Galra forces are dealt with. Having two kids on the castle is dangerous enough"  
"We know... it's hard leaving our boys as it is"  
"And I wouldn't be able to cope... I can barely cope with the boys as it is. My heart feels like it's breaking each time we say goodbye to them"  
"I know baby, I feel the same way..."  
Shiro sighed, and Lance's omega threw up its wall. That sigh definitely couldn't mean anything good  
"Realistically Lance, you're not coping and we can all see it. Both of you need to take your roles much more seriously"  
Lance was dying to say "who died and made you king?", but it wasn't worth the trouble, so he bit down on his lip  
"Lance is doing absolutely everything he needs to do to fulfil his role as the Red Paladin"  
"And what about you? You're so busy chasing after Lance and trying to fix this relationship you have with him, that your duties are falling to me"  
"My duties are falling to you because you decided you had to take over. Just because you can't pilot Black, it doesn't mean you have to try and control every detail of Voltron's existence"  
Lance groaned, he didn't want things to get even worse. Not when they were all trapped in Black, with basically nowhere to escape to  
"Seriously. This isn't the place or time for this, especially not in front of the children"  
"Really? Then when?"  
"When we aren't in front of the kids. Shiro, you need to loosen the reins and lighten up"  
"That kind of attitude is exactly why I can't. It's Keith fault we're transporting two children across the galaxy"  
"What did you just say?"  
Keith's scent filled with bitter anger, his chest seemingly vibrating with a barely suppressed growl  
"Will you both stop it!"  
"No. Not until Shiro takes back what he just said. If there was any other way we could have played that mission..."  
"The other way would be calling through to the castle when you first realised something was wrong"  
"We couldn't. There was an electrical storm and we didn't have time to waste!"  
"Then you should have figured something else out"  
"You know what Shiro, I've had just about enough of you. Lance is doing what needs to be done and I know my duties have been falling on you, but if you weren't handling the diplomatic side of things, just how would you be contributing to things? Be lazing around the castle? Or by making passes at my husband?"  
Baring his teeth, Keith was furious, which was scaring the quiznak out of Lance as he was holding Fern. He could take a hit and be fine, but she couldn't  
"How is that any different to what you're doing? You're putting Lance in front of everything, including your own health. He's not mentally well, and you're exhausted from always being dragged down with him. We can all see it. We all know it, but no one says anything because Lance is so easy to upset these days. Honestly, the Omega he's become is one that relies on you and doesn't even try for himself anymore. What happened to the Lance that never gave up! That never let anyone see him cry? That always tried his hardest"  
"If you think Lance isn't trying in his own ways, you're delusional"  
"Well his ways aren't good enough. I've been speaking to Coran, and we've decided to run a 5 quintant long trial of each Paladins individual strengths and weaknesses, through procession of the training levels. Each session is going to be monitored, and we will be going through the footage as a group"  
That sounded like a terrible idea to Lance. No one likes having their faults or flaws pointed out and made public knowledge  
"There will also be complete medical scans for everyone. Things like miscarriages and bleeding are things we as a team need to know about"

"Why?"  
Taking a shaky breath, Lance placed Fern in Keith's lap as he slid to stand  
"Why, what?"  
"Why does what's happening with my body have to be public knowledge?! You have no idea what it's like to lose a pup! You have no idea how shameful it makes you feel, especially when you're already a freak as it is! I'm tired of everyone laughing at me! The stupid omega who killed his first pups, nearly killed his second lot, and then lost another! You have no idea what it's like! And you want me to make these things public! What else do you "need" to know? Each time my milk leaks through my shirt? Or each time I slick? What I eat? What I think? These things aren't your business! Things between me and Keith have sucked and they've also been incredibly precious! He makes me happy and he's so good with the boys. My life's finally getting back on track and now you want to know things you have no right asking about!"  
"He makes you happy, but when's the last time you sat down and asked him how he felt? When's the last time you took care of him? Lance, your mental health is all over the place and you're running yourself into the ground. Something needs to change before you do something you regret"  
"Like what?"  
"Hurt yourself. Hurt someone on the team. Hurt your boys. Pick one"  
"I'm trying! I just keep fucking it up! Life doesn't come with a manual, and we all fuck up! It comes with from it, even if we try our hardest, we can still make mistakes!"  
"Why don't you get it? Everyone is worried about you"  
"Well they don't need to be!"  
"Then you and Keith talked things through? You know how hard it's been for him without you? And he knows you've been crying yourself sleep? Or about you're late night walks? And the whispered conversations with Hunk?"  
"Keith knows! He knows exactly how I feel about the last three movements! He knows. God! Why do you alphas have to be so cruel!?"  
"I'm not being cruel. I'm being concerned"  
"Your concern isn't wanted or needed, so back off!"  
Pausing, Lance was furious. Looking to Keith for support, his husband opened and closed his mouth before looking down and away from him. It felt like a slap to the face. He thought Keith hadn't jumped in because he respected he could look after himself and speak for himself, now he wasn't so sure  
"This is no conversation to be having in front of the kids. I'll take Fern into the cargo bay with me"  
Picking the girl back up, her eyes were wide as she stared up at him. At least she liked him... and at the moment, other than Black, she was the only one he wanted to be with. Despite the fact he'd intentionally stayed awake to keep the two alphas from going feral towards each other, Lance didn't feel any guilt as he carried Fern into Black's cargo hold.

Picking the furthermost corner, Lance settled down with Fern, the small girl still staring up at him, triggering his maternal side and his need to soothe her. Forcing his words not to shake, he smiled through his pain  
"You're so perfect baby girl. You're going to be a knock out when you grow up, but you're going to forget all about the silly human who fell in love with you the moment he saw you, aren't you. I'll never forget you though, and if you ever need someone to come kick some galactic butt for you, I'll be there... look at you. You have no idea at all what I'm saying. You're like "human, I don't get what you're saying ". I know honey. I know. I'm kind of pathetic, aren't I? I'm always making everyone worry. These last three movements have been really hard, but I really did think I was doing better, or at least better than I have been... or something. I guess I'm babbling..."

Both Shiro and Keith left him alone for the rest of the trip. Despite trying to sleep, his heart wouldn't stop racing, and his imagination ran away with him. He hoped both Keith and Shiro weren't still fighting, and that Shalad hadn't woken because of it... but, the not so small part of him, also hoped that Keith had come to defence and put Shiro in his place, even if that seemed unlikely. When the door to Black's cargo bay slides open, Lance uses the wall to steady himself as he rises. He can smell Keith's still angry, which causes his chest to clench painfully, each lung full of air feels like icy water and his heart feels like someone's firmly crushing it in their hand. It was then that he realised that though he wanted his husband to come talk things things through, he really didn't want to see him, and that all he was really feeling was betrayed. Raising Fern to his shoulder, he walked towards Keith  
"Lance..."  
Brushing past him hurt, but if he opened his mouth and actually blurted out his feelings, he'd only hurt Keith more. After all, wasn't that what Shiro really meant? That no one actually wanted to see him or talk to him. That they were all secretly sick of him. Seeing that Black's mouth was already open, Lance made a beeline for the outside. The coldness of the fresh morning numbing his face as his eyes watered. No. He wasn't going to cry...

Gathered about 30 metres in front of Black was a small group of villagers. A couple stood a little forward of the group, both smiling brilliantly as he approached with Fern. Coming to stand half a step to the left side of Shiro, Lance lowered Fern back down so she was against his chest  
"Lance, this is F'or and Ni've, they are the adopting Fern and Shalad"  
"It's a pleasure to meet you"  
"You too Paladin of Voltron. Today you bless us with much happiness"  
Lance shifted his weight, not sure what exactly to say  
"Shalad, these are your new parents. Lance, perhaps you would like to pass them their new daughter"  
"Right, of course. She's really adorable, and such a well behaved little girl. She's drinking from a bottle and she sleeps through most nights. Honestly, she's just perfect"  
F'or stepped forward, the woman gently taking Fern from her. With their own slight greenish tinge, he had no doubt that both Fern and Shalad would blend right in  
"That she is. Is she named?"  
"We've been calling her Fern. Fern's are a plant where we are from, and with her beautiful green skin, it seemed to suit her. Of course, you know, you can change her name. We never knew what her real name was"  
"Fern... I will think about it. Shalad, we prepared a room just for you"  
Shalad didn't look happy about everything at all. He just awkwardly stood beside Shiro and Lance's heart was breaking for the boy. This was his new family... after he'd finally settled in with them and life on Olkarion  
"Sometimes he can be a bit shy, and he likes to test the boundaries, but under all of that, he's a good kid"  
"I'm sure this will be a big adjust to us all"  
Finally joining them, Keith stepped forward  
"We have a few things for her, bottles, nappies, clothes, formula. I don't know if it will come in handy..."  
Ni've smiled warmly as he accepted the bag Keith was holding out  
"Thank you. Thank you again. You have no idea how happy you have made us. Perhaps you would join us in celebration?"  
"Some other time, I'm afraid the rest of the Paladins would be quite jealous if we were to join you"  
"Yes. Oh yes. I suppose you are right. But one day soon?"  
"We would love to..."  
Sniffling Lance wiped at his eyes  
"Paladin, is something wrong?"  
"No! No... I'm just really happy for all of you..."  
Ni've gave a nervous laugh  
"It is not common for men to cry"  
"I'm like always crying, this is like normal. Gosh. I told myself I wouldn't..."  
Fanning his face, he cursed himself for crying. But he really was happy for them all  
"If you have any trouble or problems, please let us know. Voltron is here to help everyone, no matter how big or small the problem"  
"We shall. Please pass our regards onto Ryner, and thank her"  
"We will. Lance. Keith. It's time to go"

That was it. No more Fern. No more Shalad... Quiznak. He didn't want to say goodbye to Fern. If he had to say goodbye, he'd rather be the one being left behind. Forcing a smile, he nodded and turned, making it half a dozen steps before a small hand grabbed his and tugged hard. Turning to see Shalad staring up at him, Lance was completely confused as he squatted down to the boy's height  
"Shalad?"  
Leaning in, the boy pushed his lips against his and Lance nearly fell over backwards in shock  
"Sh-Shalad!"  
"You're the prettiest and best Paladin"  
Turning, Shalad ran back to his new parents and grabbed F'or's leg. What the heck was that? Shalad liked him? He thought he hated him! But he was the prettiest? He didn't get it all. Rising, he waved awkwardly before marching himself back to Black. Shalad liked him? If this was Earth, he wouldn't be surprised at all if the kid turned out to be an alpha, but Shalad's race didn't have secondary dynamics... so what the quiznak!? And wait, didn't the kid like Keith? So... but Keith was better than him in so many ways... the kid had just thrown him further into interval turmoil, even if his innocent gesture was rather cute.

*  
With Shiro politely declining the villages invitation to stay, it felt weird to be saying goodbye so suddenly to Shalad and Fern. It was just over. Just like that. Without even making sure they were alright... he could never do that to the pups, but he'd just left Shalad and Fern like it they were objects. And what was that exchange between Shalad and Lance? Since when were they that close? This whole situation didn't sit well with him, and his alpha was less than impressed their omega was holed up back in Black after vargas of hiding from them... not that Keith couldn't have just headed into the cargo hold and checked on him, instead of being stuck in a silent stalemate with Shiro until Shalad woke. Sinking down into his seat, Keith's hands went to Black's controls as Shiro cleared his throat  
"Aren't you going to talk to Lance?"  
"Why would I? If he wanted to talk, he'd be out here. Besides, the villagers might get the wrong idea if we hand around too long"  
"I guess I'll go talk to him"  
"Don't you dare. You've said enough"  
Easing the controls back, Black lifted from the planets surface with practiced ease. Her mental tendrils already gripping his mind in an attempt to understand why her Paladin was so angry and upset  
"I just said what we were all thinking"  
"No, you said what you were thinking. Lance's relationship with the others was just fine, now he's probably sitting in there thinking he's worthless and useless"  
"He's not going to grow as a person until he faces those fears for himself"  
"You still had no right to talk to him like that. You have no idea what he's been through and what he's trying to cope with"  
"That's because he isn't open like he should be. He jumps right to crying and doing something extreme"  
"No he doesn't. If you think that about him, then you have no idea. He hates crying in front of other people. He hates feeling like he's bringing the whole team down. He hates being made to feel inadequate, and you just shoved that in his face"  
"Oh yeah, why didn't you jump to his defence then? Why didn't you tell me I was wrong when Lance was still listening to us. Because you know I'm right"  
"He's an omega. He reacts and handles things different to an alpha. You of all people should know how cruel society is to alphas. He's had years of self inflicted abuse and fear over his secondary dynamic. I've worked my arse off to make him understand that it's ok to be an omega. That it doesn't make him worth any less than us. That here, omegas and alphas are equals"  
"But they're not. There are things an omega can never do, that an alpha can"  
"Outside of popping a knot, or using a command, what? What makes us really so much different?"  
"Omegas are by nature more fragile and emotional. That means when the time comes, they are more likely to think with their hearts instead of their heads. If Lance had been thinking, he would have known birthing two sons into this environment would be unnecessarily hard for all of us"  
"Are you serious!? Those are my kids! I love my kids. I want my kids. I am proud of my kids! I guess that makes me an omega for thinking with heart rather than my head, because at the end of the day, they and Lance come first"  
"And what happens if something was to happen to both you and Lance? Who does the responsibility of raising them fall to?"  
"We talked to the team. They swore they'd raise them and protect them"  
"They shouldn't have to"  
"You know man, I don't get you at all anymore. Even if you're supposed to be the Shiro before the "fake" one came along, you are still just as cold and cruel to Lance. He always liked you. He always admired you. He always made time for you and took the abuse and the blame from you, even when it wasn't his fault and you didn't see that. Some quintants I look at you, and I wonder how we were ever best friends, because if we were really best friends, you wouldn't be treating my husband so badly, and you wouldn't be trying to start fights"  
"I'm not trying to start a fight"  
"Tell that to your scent. You stink of anger, meaning you stink like rotten fish"  
Rotten fish wasn't quite right, but it definitely wasn't the nicest of smells  
"I was there for you man. I was there when you were struggling with your memories. When you couldn't sleep, and when you'd work out until you nearly passed out. I know it's been deca-phoebes, but for you, it's only been phoebes. Phoebes. Since you came back, you've thrown yourself into leading Voltron without knowing what we all went through. You say Lance needs help, but you do too, because you're not dealing with things either. That's why you keep yourself busy. Why, you run around doing what should be my job, because you can't man up and take responsibility or accept the fact that you can no longer pilot Black. Our lives moved on with the fake Shiro, and you know what, Lance was the very first to figure out something was off. He knew. He knew and he tried to help in his own way. Because that's all he ever wants to do. He wants to help and if it means self destructing so no one gets hurt, then that's what he chooses, every single time. So don't you dare lecture him or me, over things you know nothing about"  
Shiro pinched the bridge of his nose as he shook his head  
"The way things are right now, Voltron is barely a team"  
"We are a team. We're family. Family doesn't always have to talk to know their connected. To know that they'll be there for you. I never had a real family, and when dad died, I had no one. Falling in love with Lance, courting and bonding with him, starting a family with him, he taught me I had emotions and feelings I didn't even know I had. He knows I'm not good with words, and he understands. It's thanks to him that my mother and I can talk and get along. He helps me realise things for her perspective and helped me get over how mad I was at her leaving. So if you're going to keep talking about this and abusing Lance, you can just sit there and stay quiet"  
"You guys can't see how messed up things are because you're all too close"  
"Things might be messed up, but they work for us"  
"Obviously they don't if Lance isn't doing well"  
"Lance has a lot to deal with, or weren't you listening? You know what, I am done with this conversation. Don't even try talking to me until you've thought things through and you've thought about and accepted the fact that your own role has changed and without your arm, you will never be able to pilot Black again..."  
"My connection with her has gone. I no longer feel her like I did before, but in a way, she's still there, and I know my role in Voltron has changed"  
"Then it's time you accepted the limitations of it, and backed off"  
"If I backed off, nothing would ever be accomplished"  
Grinding his teeth together, Keith resisted the urge to punch Shiro. Shiro had decided for himself that he wanted to play a more administrative role in the team, so he had no right pulling everyone else down, just because he couldn't pilot anymore. Leaving the planets atmosphere Keith set a course for home, as his mind drifted back to Lance's earlier outburst. His husband had been furious, so why couldn't he just open his mouth and say Shiro was wrong... maybe deep down, he believe Shiro had a point in some aspects of what he was saying. He was letting everything slide to put Lance first, but as a fellow alpha and someone who'd been romantically interested in his omega, shouldn't Shiro know that it's impossible to leave Lance alone? That without Lance wasn't nearly as bright... but Lance... Lance wasn't the only one struggling, he was just struggling more visibly than the rest of them.

Keith expected Lance to remain hidden away for the whole flight back, but when his husband appeared, he seemed concerned about something other than the pair of them. Pursing his lips, he leant right up to the glass of Black's eyes and narrowed his own  
"Lance, what are you doing?"  
"Allura called, Pidge picked up a long-range communication requesting help"  
"Allura called?"  
"Yeah. As we're already out this way, she said we should check it out. The others will wait on standby"  
"Did she say anything about who sent the transmission?"  
"It came from a Galra ship, but its playing on a loop, and they couldn't get a response to their calls"  
"Black goo?"  
"That's what they're thinking, but it could be that or it could be a trap... it could be anything really"  
"Where is it?"  
"Pidge said if you open Black's scanner, you should be able to pick the signal up. She was kind of surprised you hadn't already"  
"There was no need to..."  
"We should check it out. If they really are in genuine need, we can't do ignore them"  
"Did Allura say they were remaining on standby in the castle? Or were they bringing the lions out?"  
"Err, she didn't say..."  
"And you didn't ask, did you?"  
"They were busy"  
"Keith, track the signal. I'm going to call Allura and find out exactly what's happening"

Mumbling under his breath, Shiro kicked off the wall and stalked to the cargo bay, leaving him and Lance alone. Once the door slid closed behind Shiro, Lance turned back to staring out the glass and giving off a practically visible "don't talk to me" vibe. Leaning back in his seat, he stared at Lance. His husband was strong, there was no doubting that, or that he could be fierce and feisty, but instead of thinking about that, he was trying to remember the exact moment he fell for him. He couldn't even remember if he loved or even liked Lance before his suppressants ran out. He knew he loved Lance, and all his quirks, but they'd gotten together when the omega was vulnerable... if things had been different, if Shiro had never broken Lance, would they have gotten together and would they have stayed together? Would they be happier? Would they fight more? Would they be parents? What would have happened if he'd been the one to hurt Lance? Would Lance have forgiven him because the pull of their dynamics was so strong? Lance said he knew Keith was the one alpha out there just for him, fated for him even... and God knew Keith felt the same, but... would Lance have been happier and would he be doing better, if they'd never gotten together? That's what all these mental musing seemed to come back to. Tapping away on Black's system screen, he brought up his long-range scanner, turning it on before clearing his throat  
"The sensors scanning"  
"Ok"  
"Lance..."  
"I don't want to talk about it. I want to get this over and done with so I can go back to my boys"  
"My" not "our". He'd really quiznakked up  
"You shouldn't let what Shiro said get to you"  
"It's fine"  
"It's not fine"  
"Keith, just drop it"  
Keith bit down a growl in response to the coldness of Lance's tone  
"Seriously, Shiro doesn't speak for everyone. You're doing fine, better than fine. You're juggling the boys and your role as Paladin..."  
"I don't want to talk about this"  
"Well I do"  
"Well I don't! Fucking hell Keith! Just back off!"  
Blinking at Lance, he hadn't expected that at all  
"Don't tell me to fuck off"  
"I didn't. I told you to back off!"  
"God. I don't get you. We've been working for phoebes on what you needed and how to figure things out now that we have the boys, but one short conversation with Shiro and your back to pulling this!"  
"Pulling what?"  
"Thinking you're not good enough! Thinking everyone's talking about you, that everyone hates you. I'm sick of it! You know everyone loves you"  
"Right"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"I don't want to talk about it"  
"Stop saying that!"  
"Then stop talking to me"  
"Not until you actually talk to me"  
"What would it change? Nothing. Nothing would change. I'm sorry you ended up with such a worthless husband, but I don't know how to break a bond, so I guess you're fucking stuck with me. God. I should have just stayed back at the castle"  
"Y-you want to break our bond?"  
Keith felt physically sick as the words left his lips  
"Sure. Why not? I'm not good enough to be with you and I'm not good enough to be a Paladin, so what's the use in even trying?"  
"I... I know things haven't been great... but last night and this morning..."  
"It was a mistake"  
Hanging his head, Keith let out a long breath  
"So... you don't love me. Is that it?"  
"You know I love you"  
"Then why are being like this?"  
"Because sometimes love isn't enough. We keep saying we'll do things. That things will change, but they never do. We fight. We have sex. Things are magically better. That's not how all of this supposed to work. You should find a new Paladin. One not so worthless"  
Climbing from his seat, Keith strode over to Lance and grabbed him by his left wrist, forcing Lance's hand up  
"You're the one who said you didn't want things to be over! You! I love you and you act like my feelings mean nothing! I didn't want to take the kids on, you did! And then you get all mad at me when it doesn't work out the way you expected! You wanted space so I gave you space! I fucking love you! I have never loved anyone like I love you, but you make it sound like these feelings are all lies! I don't know what you want from me anymore, so I listen to you and do what you say. But that's not good enough! Maybe I didn't stick up for you in front of Shiro, but Shiro was right. We've both changed, and I don't know how to find a way back from where we are right now"  
Without intending to, Keith's grip tightened on Lance's wrist to the point where the omega was in pain from it, but being Lance he only shook his head  
"I don't either. I'm exhausted Keith. I'm exhausted from everything and I don't know why I'm even alive anymore"  
"You're alive because people need you. I need you. The boys need you"  
"Do you? Do you really need me dragging you down? I swore to myself and Alfor I would always back you up, but when have I done that lately? When have I done anything that hasn't hurt you? You can't answer because all I've ever done is hurt you"  
"That's not true..."  
"You can't even think of a time, can you? I'll do this job, but after that... I don't know what I'm going to do, but you should find a new Paladin"  
"Screw that. Voltron isn't Voltron without you. We can..."  
"We can what? Take a break? Something always happens"  
"Then the others can go on missions"  
"That's not fair to them"  
"And this isn't fair on us!"  
When Lance whimpered, Keith finally realised how strong his grip on his mates wrist was. Releasing Lance, the omegas wrist was red from the pressure  
"Lance, I'm only going to ask this once. Do you love me?"  
"With everything I have, but..."  
"But nothing. I would give up everything for you, and if you want to take a break from being a Paladin, we both will"  
"We can't!"  
"We can. I'm exhausted too. I'm tired of leaving the boys behind and I'm tired of this. When we get back, we'll go. I don't know where, but we'll go"  
"We can't just go"  
"Lance, this isn't up for argument. You're my husband and I refuse to even think about breaking our bond"  
"How can you love someone so useless?"  
"You're not useless. Don't let Shiro get into your head"  
"I just... I don't know what his problem is! I've told him I don't want to be with him, and before that, we found a way to kind of work together... Shiro carry's a lot of sway over the others, so as far as I'm concerned everything he says is true"  
"So you'd believe another alpha over me?"  
"Yes, because you're trying to spare my feelings"  
"You're not supposed to say yes so easily"  
"I'm sorry"

"By the sounds of it, you two have a lot to work through"  
Lance flinched at Shiro's voice, and Keith... he still wanted to punch Shiro in the face. Ignoring what Lance wanted, he wrapped his arms around his omega, kissing his cheek  
"I love you Lance, so don't let him get to you"  
"What did she say, Shiro?"  
"That they'd received a distress call, and hadn't been able to contact them back"  
"So exactly what I said"  
Lance mumbled the words so only Keith heard them  
"Is that all?"  
"No. Only that they thought it may be related to the black goo, because it's a Galra ship..."  
"See baby, you're doing a good job. Even Shiro has to realise there was no reason to call Allura"  
"Keith, just let me go. It doesn't matter. If he thought I was doing a good job, he never would have double checked"  
"Are you two done whispering?"  
Pushing him away, Lance turned back to staring out the window  
"Black is tracking the signal now"  
"How far out are we?"  
"I don't know"  
"Well let Lance go, and get back to work. You'll have to enter the ship alone"  
"No he's not"  
"Lance..."  
"I have my Bayard and if it's related to the black goo, I have to go. I'm the only one who can"  
"Only because..."  
"No. Keith can't go. His face is scarred because of that black stuff. I am not having his boys grow up without him"  
"You're in no condition to go on this mission"  
"We don't even know if it is a mission! It could be a trap, which means I should be the one going because I'm less important than him! You said so yourself!"  
"Lance..."  
"I don't want to hear it Shiro. Keith, keep trying and see if you can get any response at all from them. And while you're at it, figure out how far out we are. We need to be prepared when we get there, and we need to figure out our point of entry. If it's the black goop, we can't risk Black becoming infected, so I think it's best if I enter through the top of the ship, my Bayard will be able to slice through it, then once I pass through the ducts there shouldn't be any problems"  
"You can't use Galra tech..."  
"No, but I can cut through basically anything"  
"That's going to take a lot of time"  
"Let me call Pidge. I know she has the software for overriding Galra access codes. Once I'm in, I can scan the hand scanners and have her adjust the coding"  
"It would be better for Keith to go. He won't need to rely on Pidge to interface with the control systems"  
"That's if the ship is even salvageable. If it's infected, the best course of action would be to blow it up"  
"That's not out decision to make. The ship doesn't belong to us"  
"I'm not sure Lotor is going to want a contaminated ship back"  
"For all we know, it could be carrying supplies or even quintessence"  
"Lance, you're not to take any chances with pure quintessence. If there's any on there, leave it"  
"Keith..."  
"No. I'm not having him affected by it again"  
"If there's quintessence, it needs to be secured. We can't risk anyone else getting their hands on it"  
"I'm not risking Lance's health over it"  
"I thought he had limited side effects?"  
"Well you..."  
"You thought right. Keith is just worrying. It doesn't matter. I'll do my job. Keith, maybe you want to get back in your chair and tell us how far out we are"  
So Lance's health and fertility weren't important to him? Sure they couldn't have any more kids anytime soon, but he'd been under the impression they both wanted more kids someday. His alpha was both enraged and confused. Lance had literally asked him to "breed" and "fill" him less than a quintant ago... but now that meant nothing. He couldn't keep doing this. He needed to push it all aside. Today was definitely a day he needed to hit restart on.

*  
Ok Lance. You can totally do this... this isn't creepy at all... jumping at the sound of his own feet hitting the empty corridor below, Lance nearly burst out laughing in nerves. He'd been all talk in front of Shiro and Keith, but not he was on the completely silent ship, his heart was racing and every noise he made had him jumping. To say Keith hadn't even too impressed was the understatement of the deca-phoeb. Their relationship was on the rocks and he'd lashed out stupidly, intentionally trying to hurt his alpha so he'd back off and give him some space to breathe. Instead Keith was Keith. Too kind and sweet, and way too understanding, but that was only because his husband hadn't believed he was serious about breaking their bond. Having vargas to stew over Shiro's words, he could only agree with everything the alpha had said. He was the weak link, and his mental health wasn't exactly great... and honestly, he secretly hoped their would be someone on the ship just so they'd hurt him and he'd have a legitimate excuse not to pilot Red. How Keith could love a selfish omega like himself, Lance had no idea. Taking a deep breath, Lance went about activating his communicator, calling through to Pidge. Keith had wanted him to call through to him, but Lance had dodged it by explaining Pidge needed to be on the line to help him with any Galra tech he couldn't get through. Casting a glance around his surroundings, he repeatedly mumbled "pick up" until she finally did, causing him to yelp, despite expecting her voice  
"Lance! Are you alright?"  
"Fine..."  
He winced at how high his voice was  
"... just, you know, scared quiznakkless and completely alone in this big silent ship"  
Pidge snorted  
"Keith's right beside you, isn't he?"  
"No, just me. I seem to be the only one who can handle the goop and the pure quintessence. Annnny who, in the ship, I just came in through the air duct"  
"Right. So you'll be heading to bridge?"  
"Something like that. God... this is creepy. I swear to god if someone was to tell "boo!" I'd have a heart attack on the spot"  
"Don't go doing that. We're on standby, but we're all the way back on Olkarion"  
"At least you'd save me. Hey, is Hunk next to you?"  
"Of course. Where else would he be?"  
"Can you put me on speaker? I need to ask you something, and I need an honest answer"  
"Lance..."  
He could hear the frown in Pidge's tone  
"Please Pidge. I promise no matter what you say, I'm not going to get mad"  
"Now you're scaring me. Hang on... right, you're on speaker"  
Picking up the pace to a jog, Lance didn't exactly know where he was going, he just wanted to get this over with and get the hell off the ship  
"Hey buddy, what's up?"  
"Guys... other than these last few movements, have I been doing better?"  
Silence. Nothing. Not even whispers or the sound of breathing  
"Guys?"  
He hated how desperate he sounded  
"Sorry Lance. I was just thinking. Did something happen?"  
"Maybe, but I need you to be honest"  
"Well being a mum and a Paladin is hard, but we both agree that other than this last movement, you've been doing better... right, Hunk?"  
"Yeah buddy. You're eating better, working out and looking after the pups, even with everything else going on. You've been a bit scattered since moving back into the castle, and your scents been all over the place... what happened?"  
"Shiro"  
Both his friends groaned  
"What did he say?"  
"I'm dragging Keith down and I don't look after him or even care about him, or that was the gist of it. And..."  
"And, what?"  
"That you're all tired of me"  
Pidge growled. The tiny female alpha actually growled  
"Seriously?"  
"I know I'm the weak link of the team, but I thought I was doing ok... Do you guys know how to break a bond?"  
"Lance, buddy, don't even joke about something like that"  
"I'm not joking. I don't want to drag Keith down. He's... he's..."  
"We know what he means to him, and he loves you"  
"But if I'm ruining his life, maybe it's better I let him go. All I want is for him to be happy, but Shiro made it sound like everything I do is wrong and Keith didn't say anything. Now he wants to go on holiday when we get back, and I don't know what to do anymore"  
Word vomit. He definitely had word vomit from his nerves. Not only had he dobbed Shiro in, he couldn't stop his words from just falling through his lips like all of this wasn't a big deal  
"Maybe some time off would be good? You and Keith could talk?"  
"I didn't want to talk, I wanted space and some how that ended up in sex and now I don't know what to do. I tried to push him away so I could think, but he doesn't... he insisted on taking care of me. Guys, what do I?"  
"Go on holiday with him"  
"Hunk..."  
"I'm serious bud. You, Keith, the boys. Just take a break"  
"We can't just take a break. Besides, Shiro wants us all to have full physicals and wants to test us against the training simulator"  
"Full physicals?"  
"He wants to know everything..."  
Pidge let out a short and sharp "oh"  
"Pretty much. He..."  
"No. Lance. If it really affected the team and a mission, you would tell us. I mean. If it was so bad you thought we could be hurt or something, you would tell us, right?"  
"Or at least tell Keith or Allura"  
"If it stopped someone getting hurt"  
"See. Just ignore Shiro. He's still trying to find his place in the team"  
"Well the way he made it sound, you guys should start looking for a new Red Paladin"  
"Voltron isn't Voltron without you bud"  
"Hunk's right. You're the Red Paladin, and I don't think Red would let you go that easily"  
"I'm sorry for dumping this on you. I'm so nervous right now, I can't stop myself from talking"  
"It's ok. Hunk and I are hiding from Coran at the moment"  
"Wait. What? Why?"  
"He wants to clean the pod rooms, and he's been talking to the boys all morning about cleaning. I think he loves the fact they can't escape him going off on one of his tangents"  
Lance groaned. He could picture it now. Coran having the boys clean all the places he couldn't bend to reach  
"Have they at least behaved?"  
"Um... Laneith wouldn't take his bottle, and Kelance started crying... which meant the both were. Coran started telling them all these stories about Allura growing up"  
"I can picture that. I bet he got all weepy too"  
"He burst into tears and started sobbing about how adorable she was"  
"How did Allura take it?"  
"She patted him on the arm, before making him a cup of tea and taking the boys"  
"That's why we're in Pidge's room and not on the bridge"  
"I miss the boys... It's so hard to leave them behind"  
"Just think, you're out there fighting for the future"  
"Well, right now, the future sucks... AND GALRA SHIPS SUCK!"  
Yelling the sentence, his own voice echoed through the halls, only making things that much creepier  
"You don't need to yell"  
"I think everyone's dead..."  
"You can't know that for sure..."  
"Pidge, can you do that thing where you access my communicator? I honestly don't know where I am..."  
"Yep. I'm already on it, just waiting on the program to hurry up"  
"Good. I don't want Shiro thinking I'm not doing my job"  
"Lance, Shiro isn't Voltron's leader anymore"  
"Only because he wasn't really Shiro and I cut his arm off... in his mind, he didn't disappear"  
"Yes, but Shiro wanted Keith to take over. If you don't get some kind of perk from sleeping with him..."  
"Pidge!"  
"I'm just saying..."  
"We'll stop it! Coming into space has corrupted you"  
"I prefer to think it as being an eye opening and life changing experience"  
"Do you want me to tell Matt? How do you think he's going to take it? Especially when you and Allura are the only females on a castle full of me"  
"Six is female"  
"Six is a cat"  
"She's still female. And we have female chickens, and Kaltenecker, and some of the mice"  
"Hunk, can you punch Pidge in the arm"  
"Sorry Lance, she'd punch back and she hits hard"  
"Of course I do. I have Matt as an older brother"  
"Guys... do you ever get mad that I had the twins?"  
"What? No. I mean, you did hide away from us and you nearly died... but we all love the boys"  
"Thanks... I really needed to hear that"  
"We don't mind babysitting, but we draw the line at nappies and crying"  
"I know... Hunk definitely made that clear"  
"I have no idea how two tiny humans can make that much of a stink"  
"Me neither... Pidge, I'm at a fork in the corridors. Which way?"  
"Left"  
"Left? Left because it's on the display, or because it's an educated guess?"  
"It's a guess, but all the corridors end up joining up somehow..."  
"Hunk, which way?"  
"Left... I'm not arguing with Pidge"  
Gripping his Bayard for strength, Lance looked at the two corridors, wishing his stupid second sense would kick in and just guide him to the bridge. Trying to clear his mind of all thought, he shook his limbs and rolled his neck, before frowning, and turning down the right corridor, immediately forgetting the pair had said to go left. Catching sight of himself reflected in the ship's window, he clutched his chest as he tried to calm his breathing  
"Lance?"  
"I may have made myself jump again... this is so spooky"  
"Do you remember that time went to the Galaxy Garrisons open day and they had that haunted house..."  
"Hunk. No. Do not bring that up right now"  
"Or he totally could. What happened?"  
"Lance..."  
"Lance doesn't want to talk about it, and if you tell Pidge, I'll never talk to you again"  
"Rude!"  
"Bud, that's harsh"  
Lance didn't need Pidge knowing he'd been jump scared so badly he'd screamed and practically jumped into Hunk's arms, nor that the girl in the zombie outfit had laughed way longer and harder than what was polite. Nope. He didn't need her getting any ideas  
"Pidge, I'll tell you later"  
"No. Don't tell her..."  
"Yes, tell me"  
"Guys, can we not be mean to me when I'm walking through this big empty ship"  
"Have you come across any door pads or sensors? Anything with a signal I can hack into?"  
"Nope. It's just one super looooong corridor"  
"Quick Lance! Behind you!"  
Not thinking about the fact Pidge wasn't actually there and had no idea what was going on, Lance span round with his gun ready, before it finally clicked  
"Pidge!"  
Pidge cackled with laughter  
"It's not funny"  
"It is, just a little bit"  
"Seriously, I nearly blasted the ship for no reason"  
"A girls gotta get her kicks some how"  
"Well making fun of me isn't funny! Why did I even call you guys?!"  
"Because you love us"  
"I don't know about that..."  
"Lance, I'm hurt"  
"Good"  
"Fine, just let us know when you finally reach a door"  
"Just don't go dropping the call..."  
"We won't bud"  
At least Hunk had his back.

After getting hopelessly lost, Lance finally found a door. A nice, big, totally unsuspicious door... that could just be hiding something ready to kill him the moment he opened it... Nope. No. Noooo. Nothing was waiting for him  
"Pidge, my communicators against the panel"  
"Good that's all I need. Now just hold still for a couple of doboshes. I'm going to remote access your communication"  
"Mhmm, sure... and I'll just stand here and hope I'm not murdered..."  
"No one's going to murder you. There's no zombies in space"  
"Hunk!"  
"She got it out of me!"  
"I can't believe you told! You're lucky I'm not about to tell her about your first day at the Garrison, and how you threw up..."  
"Lance!"  
"This is getting good! What happened?"  
"Well, you know Hunk used to throw up all the time..."  
"Lance"  
"Hunk"  
"Please don't tell her"  
"My work here's already done. Do you really think she's going to let it drop?"  
Hunk growled softly while Pidge laughed  
"It's ok Hunk, she still loves you"  
"But my image..."  
"Hunk, don't take this the wrong way, but Pidge doesn't care about your image, so you're fine"  
"Sometimes Lance opens his mouth and says something profound"  
"You don't have to sound so shocked"  
"Relax, we're just teasing"  
Because he totally wanted to be teased. Not. At least it meant he wasn't all by himself  
"Pidge, how much longer?"  
"Art takes time"  
"That makes no sense"  
"Sure it does. Another dobosh and a half, at least"  
"I'm so glad no ones shooting at me"  
"See, no worries. Just keep standing still"  
"I haven't moved at all. You would be proud of me"  
"We are proud of you bud. Oh hey, Allura just walked in. Allura, come talk to Lance with us"  
"Hey Lance! Sorry, the boys are sleeping. I only just got them to sleep"  
"Hi Allura, I hope they haven't been too much trouble?"  
"They're fine. They've settled, so everything is fine now. How about you?"  
"Oh, you know. Sneaking around on an empty Galra ship... it's not cold and spooky at all"  
"I'm sorry we aren't there to back you up"  
"It's fine. Keith and Shiro are like a call away..."  
"I don't think Shiro will be much help"  
Meat shield. Diversion. Human sacrifice... Lance was down for all those options, even if he knew he'd never be able to live with himself if something actually happened to Shiro  
"Let's not talk about Shiro and Keith... they can keep their alpha stink to themselves, and Pidge, my arm is getting numb"  
"We're at 78 percent. So just a little longer. Hey Allura, what do you think about Keith and Lance taking some time off?"  
"You want to take time off? Did something else happen between you two?"  
"Shiro said a whole lot off stuff to him, and now they need to work on their relationship. Hunk and I think it's a good idea, but what about you?"  
"Provided you don't go too far, and we can still contact you. I don't see why not? It saddens me to see you both so upset when you both love each other so much"  
"See Lance, Allura is totally cool with it. Do you have any idea where you want to go?"  
The Omega hadn't expected it all to be so smooth... he'd expected Allura to say no or something... even though he knew she really wouldn't  
"Umm... no. I mean, Keith only mentioned it a couple of vargas ago... maybe somewhere with a beach?"  
"Hunk and I will take a look at prospective planets... we should have known you'd want to go somewhere with a beach"  
"So what? I like surfing and swimming, both of which you can do at the beach... and I want the boys to see the sea"  
"I think they're still a little young for swimming"  
"We can teach them when they're older. We'll make it a team building exercise"  
"That's going to be so adorable!"  
Rolling his eyes at his friends, he was once again grateful not to be "alone" as the ship's temperature dropped further.

There were several long moments of silence before the door opened in front of him and Pidge let out a triumphant "Yes!", only it was completely wasted on him as Lance reeled backwards, gagging as tried not to vomit in his helmet  
"Lance?"  
"They're dead"  
"All of them?"  
"I don't know... oh god. It stinks"  
"Put your helmet on"  
"It is on..."  
Looking at the pile of bloated Galra bodies, his eyes accidentally met those of one the deceased. Ripping off his helmet, he couldn't stop himself from throwing up on the wall next to him, while his friends let out a collective "Ewww". Without the helmet on, the smell was infinitely worse. His eyes watering as he pinched his nose, almost grateful for the burning feeling in his sinuses and throat  
"Nope. I am not going in there"  
"Lance, you need to check if there are any survivors"  
"Allura, you're not smelling what I am"  
"We can't report this to Lotor and say you didn't check"  
"Ugh... it smells so bad"  
"We also need to find out who initiated the transmission"  
"So you want me to see if there's a less dead Galra among the bunch. I'm going to have nightmares about this for the rest of my life"  
"Stop being a Prima Donna and do your job"  
Wrinkling his nose, Lance inched his way into the room. He might have initially over exaggerated as there were only three bodies, but they were all bloated and all seemed to be staring at him. Giving the room a quick sweep, he ran from it the moment he was sure no one was alive  
"That was revolting!"  
"Any survivors?"  
"No"  
Stepping forward, he found the smell not leaving him. Looking down, he grimaced at the matter now cakes onto his boots... unfortunately, dead bodies leaked and he'd stepped in it. Letting out a miserable whine, he shook his legs, trying to get the gunk off, only for it to flick onto his armour  
"Lance?"  
"I stepped in it. Oh god. It's... it's worse than anything..."  
He could Pidge snickering, and whine again, unconsciously calling for his alpha to come rescue him from this mess  
"Lance, don't whine like that. We aren't Keith"  
"But it's so gross"  
"Do you want us to patch Keith in?"  
"No! I, um, no. Just let me recover from that..."  
"Are you sure?"  
"It's fine"  
It was soooo not fine  
"Just tell me how to get to the bridge from where I am"  
"You need to head back the way you came and down three levels..."  
Walking back the way he came wasn't tempting at all. Looking to his feet, he figured he could cut through the ship  
"Pidge, what's directly below me?"  
"Another corridor"  
"So I can cut a hole in the ship and I'm not going to end up in space?"  
"You seriously want to cut a hole in the ship?"  
"Well it seems pointless walking back"  
"Lance, just go back the way you came. We don't know what's wrong with the ship, and you could trigger an explosion"  
"But at least I'd be down a floor"  
Pidge groaned, and Allura took over  
"Lance, we all know you can do this. So please, take the long way and stay safe"  
"But it's gross"  
"Then don't look"  
Gripping his Bayard, it was so very tempting, but then he pictured Shiro's face and the lecture he would get  
"Fine! But Hunk, I want a huge plate of cookies when I get home"  
"Done. Just cookies? Or cookie dough too?"  
"Both. Both is good... and something for Keith. I don't know what? Do you think he liked garlic knots?"  
"Not to the same degree you do"  
"Then he's going to learn to love them"  
Turning back the way he came, he really didn't want to go back there. Closing his eyes, he ran "straight" until he slipped and landed on his knees. Opening his eyes, he looked down to find his hands covered in fluid that had leaked from the room. Letting out another desperate whine, he tried to wipe them off while escaping the sensation at the same time  
"Lance?"  
"Don't... I don't want to do this anymore"  
"Did you fall, bud? It sounded like you fell"  
"In it... oh, Hunk..."  
Sniffling he went to wipe his face and smeared it on his helmet. It was like everything he was trying to prove to Shiro he wasn't, was happening  
"Lance, it's ok. You've got your armour on"  
"It's... so gross"  
"We all know how gross a dead body can be. It's ok. Just take a few breaths and pull yourself together"  
"I'm sorry... it's just so gross"  
"We heard. It's ok. It's been a long day and you're probably exhausted. Now get up, and keep going"  
"O-okay"

With his knees aching and his body feeling like a popsicle, it seemed to take forever to make it to the bridge, which was even more revolting than the room upstairs. The Galra had started shooting at each other, so not only did it smell like rot, the smell of burnt hair and flesh hung in the air. This was so not the right mission to be proving he could handle anything the others could. Stepping into the bridge, he had to step over a particularly fat Galra, that missing half his head... which was covering the console in front of him  
"Pidge, I'm there"  
"See, we knew you could do it"  
"They shot each other. I think they were probably scared of being infected and went crazy"  
"Or there was an internal struggle for power... go ahead and place your palm on the scanner, actually, you could just place one of their hands on their"  
"Doesn't your program get around that?"  
"It does, but this will be quicker"  
"I don't want to touch them. It feels wrong"  
"Lance, I'm just asking you to put his hand on the scanner"  
"Can't you scan his hand? Like that other time?"  
He could hear Pidge rolling her eyes  
"Fiiiiine, flick to video feed for me"  
"Ok, but don't blame me when you have nightmares"  
"Lance!"  
"Ok, ok!"  
Tapping his communicator, he wasn't sure why Pidge didn't do it herself, but the first thing she did when she saw the sight was gag, which was kind of comforting  
"See what I mean!"  
"That's nasty..."  
"Pidge, can you just do your thing?"  
"I'm already on it. I totally think you deserve two quintants off for this"  
"We can't... we don't know if we'll be needed"  
"Are you trying to say you and Keith are more capable than the rest of us?"  
"No. I'm trying to say you'll look a bit funny without an arm or the head when you form Voltron"  
"Now that would be funny. Sending the file through now"  
Turning his arm back to the hand pad, he opened the holo-folder and held it over. The moment the screens filled with Galra script, an alarm began to sound  
"Pidge!"  
"I'm working on it!"  
"Work faster! I don't like this alarm"  
"It's not like anyone's going to shoot you"  
"This ship still has sentries!"  
"Fair point. Ok. There's been an explosion in the good's hangar connected to the fleet hangar. It seems like the last time anything was put into the system was... 4 quintants ago. The ships been floating since"  
"Then why didn't we pick up on it earlier?"  
"I don't know. Perhaps it was just out of range for our scanners. Hold on a tick"  
After being deafened by the alarm, to hear it suddenly cut out was weird  
"Ok. So I've turned the alarm off, and there shouldn't be any sentries headed your way. I'm downloading the ships logs, but you're going to have to head down to the hangar"  
"Great..."  
"It's only 4 more floors"  
"When I get back to the castle, I'm taking a varga long shower, while you all babysit"  
"I bet he's in there for 5 doboshes, before getting out and finding the boys"  
"I bet it's two"  
"I can't go near the boys like this. I stink"  
"Lance, you can head down. I have full control of the ship now"  
"Then can't I just stay here?"  
"With the bodies?"  
"On second thought, 4 floors. I can do that"  
"Don't go slipping this time. Oh, Allura's got a call from Keith"  
"Tell him I don't need his help. I'm going to check the explosion, then I'll cut my way out. It's fine"  
"Mhmm"  
"I'm serious"  
"Don't you want him to come rescue you"  
"No. I don't need rescuing. I need less dead people and less creepy Galra ships"  
"Keith says hello"  
"I'm sure he does"  
"He wants to know what you're doing"  
"Pidge, I don't need a running commentary. If you keep this up, I'm hanging up"  
"You can't hang up. I'm downloading the logs"  
"Then I'm going to take my communicator off and leave it behind"  
"You wouldn't!"  
"I might..."  
"Lance, I'll hunt you down myself if you lose you're communicator. Do you have any idea how much of an amazing piece of technology that is?"  
"I know, but it got you to back off when it came to Keith"  
"That's not fair!"  
"Then you shouldn't have been mean. Quiznak. All these corridors look the same"  
"Just keep going"  
"I am. Why can't this place have heating? It's freezing on here"  
"I think the smell would be even worse if the ship was warm"  
"Ugh. You're right"  
The stench had practically embedded its self to him, his whole body felt like it was trying to shrink away from his armour.

Jogging through the second floor, Lance stumbled to a stop as he realised there were an awful lot of doors on the corridor he was in. Pidge, Hunk and Allura were all now talking to Shiro and Keith, providing little more than background noise. Walking over to the closet door, he took a deep breath before opening it. The room was stark, but with chains and shackles coming from the wall  
"Pidge, was this ship transporting prisoners?"  
"I don't think so... Why? What's wrong?"  
"There's a whole corridor of cells"  
"I'll take a look through the logs, for now you should keep moving"  
"But there could be prisoners on here"  
"Lance, let Pidge work. It's not like you won't have to head back up to get out"  
"Shouldn't I just check while I'm here?"  
"Anything could be in one of those rooms, so for now, I want you keep going"  
He didn't want to hear Keith. His husband sounded worried and he hated it. Couldn't he just let him do his job? His omega instantly wanted to go running to their alpha and have Keith soothe away the trauma of this whole mission. Stupid secondary dynamic!  
"I still think I should check..."  
"Lance, just head down to the site of the explosion"  
And there was Shiro... Lance mentally sighed. It would be so much easier if he just checked the rooms, but noooo, stupid alphas knew best!  
"Alright already. I'm going!"  
The strain and stress from a lack of sleep and a ridiculously long day were definitely taking its toll. All Lance wanted was a hot shower and then to curl up with his sons. That was it. He didn't care what Keith got up to once they got back to the castle, he just wanted to know his sons were alright.

*  
"Well. This... this isn't quite what I was expecting"  
"What do you see?"  
"It looks like someone deliberately blew the room up..."  
"Is there any sign of the goop?"  
"No, but I'd definitely say they were transporting quintessence... not a lot, judging by the three broken canisters, but it was here and I can feel traces of it"  
"Pure or tainted?"  
"I think it's tainted. It's giving me a headache from being so close to it. I have no idea what happened on this ship, but I'm calling it a bust. Call Lotor and have someone come collect it"  
"Lance, we need to be completely certain there's no traces of the goop. Check the main hangar next door"  
"I've already walked through the hangar to get here. I didn't see anything"  
"Then go take another look. There has to be a reason this happened"  
Groaning, Lance turned back towards the main hangar. He hadn't seen anything, so why did he have to go to all the effort of checking it. Dragging his feet, he was sorely tempted to deactivate his Bayard, but his armour was probably the only thing keeping him upright  
"Lance"  
"What now?!"  
"I was going to tell you to be careful"  
"Fine. Whatever. Just call Lotor already"  
Snapping at Keith, he regretted it immediately. It wasn't the right way to assure the fellow teen that he was alright. Anyone who knew him, knew he found it hardest to lie about how he was feeling when he was tired. It felt like his mouth just had no stop function. Thankfully Pidge came back into the conversation  
"What do you see?"  
"I'm still walking"  
"I don't know how, you've been on that ship for vargas now"  
"I don't know either... right, ok. There's fighter jets and another small ship here"  
"Check the ship, we'll bring Black around to meet you"  
Finally! Just one quick check of the ship and all this would be over. With renewed vigor, Lance jogged across the hangar and over to the ship, hitting the external door pad with a sigh. He was lucky he hadn't deactivated his Bayard as the moment the door began to lower, black goop shot from the ship  
"Oh, quiznak!"  
"Lance?"  
"I found the goop, and the quintessence!"  
"Lance, get out of there!"  
Dodging the tendrils striking towards him, he cursed the whole galaxy as his muscles screamed. Switching to his sword, he struck out at the mass, while simultaneously attempting to flee. Without Keith waiting close to the hangar doors, he couldn't make a run for it that way, so instead he lead the goop in a wide arching semicircle, so he ultimately wound up backing into the ship it'd been contained in  
"Lance?!"  
"Still here..."  
"We'll be there soon"  
"Hold up! I'm in the ship the goop was in"  
"What? Why?"  
"Uh, because I had no where else to go, and now I see why it wasn't going anywhere. They've got 6 containers of pure quintessence here, and what seems to be a less decomposed Galra behind the controls"  
"Lance, whatever you do, don't touch the quintessence!"  
Angered by being separated from its "treasure", the black goop smashed against the small ship in an attempt to get back in. Keith had said the goop could work technology, but this lot seemed to have no idea. Thrown as the ship was tipped sideways, the loose canisters smashed against the wall, and Lance across the pile... Keith was going to be furious...  
"Lance?! Baby, can you hear me?"  
"I hear you... don't be mad, but the canisters broke"  
"Lance, I told you to stay away from it!"  
"I didn't do it on purpose!"  
"Lance, how many containers broke?"  
"All of them..."  
"Quiznak Lance! How could you be so stupid!"  
"Me! I didn't do anything!"  
Shrieking back at Shiro, Lance didn't particularly appreciate the fact that he'd essentially just taken a bath in pure quintessence and all of it was flooding his systems. Unlike the small amount he'd used to get the goop out of his son and Pidge, this was way too much for his systems, and he ripped his helmet off as he struggled to breathe  
"Lance, do you think you can pilot the ship?"  
"N-no..."  
"Keith, Shiro, you need to do something! Get him out of there!"  
Flipped again, Lance landed hard on his back, his head smacking against the floor? or was it the ceiling of the ship as glass rained down around him  
"Lance, we're at the hangar!"  
"Well hurry up and do something!"  
"We'll provide cover fire, but you're going to need to make a run for it!"  
"Run... I forgot how funny you could be, Shiro"  
Run he said. He was so disoriented that he could barely walk, and now they wanted him to run. Feeling around for his Bayard, he grabbed it as he rolled onto his stomach, coughing and spitting blood as he did. Keith totally didn't need to know about that  
"Lance!"  
"Just give me a tick! I need to shoot my way out!"  
"Ok baby. You've got this!"  
He was like 80 percent sure he didn't "got this". Forcing his helmet back on, Lance turned his sword back into his gun and fired at the side of the ship, but like this whole day, everything went wrong again. Instead of blasting a hole through the side of the ship, there was some kind of explosion before the black goop was rushing at him. In the background he could hear Keith screaming his name, and he felt a surge of power as everything went blue... and then incredibly blurry. Choking on his own spit, the omega began crawling forward as the black goop disintegrated around him. Well... Quiznak. Keith wasn't going to be happy at all.


	86. Chapter 86

Lance had absolutely no memory of what happened between blasting his way out of the ship and getting back to the castle, only that waking up to find 8 pairs of eyes staring back at him was just plain creepy. Groaning at the unwanted brightness of the world, he tried to hide back under the blankets as Hunk joyfully yelled his name. Scrunching his eyes closed, he shook his head   
"Lance isn't here right now. Please try again later"  
"Lance, you have no idea how worried we were. We put you in a pod, but you were still unconscious when the glass opened"  
"I wasn't out long enough. I feel like quiznak"  
"You look like it too and you stink!"  
"Thanks Pidge. Just what everyone wants to hear when they wake up. Now let me sleep"  
"Lance? How are you feeling?"  
Tugging the blanket from his hold, Keith nuzzled at his face, before kissing his cheek and moving to stroke his hair  
"How do you feel, baby?"  
"Gross. My head hurts"  
"Probably because you had a massive dose of quintessence..."  
"I didn't mean to..."  
"Whether you meant to or not, the fact remains that Lotor is now 6 containers short of pure quintessence, and a ship"  
"What? What happened to the ship?"  
"It exploded. There was a flash of blue, the black goop disappeared, and then an explosion in the hangar. I'm assuming that was you?"  
"I don't remember"  
"After that, there was a second explosion in hangar which set off a chain reaction"  
"Oh... it sounds like I missed all the fun"  
"How can you joke at a time like this? You've been unconscious for the last 12 vargas, after spending a whole quintant in a pod"  
"Shiro, now is not the time"  
"It is. He made a monumental mess of the mission"  
"No he didn't"  
"I have no idea how I am going to explain any of this to Lotor"  
"Then how about you don't"  
He hadn't even been awake 5 doboshes and Keith was picking a fight with Shiro. Wriggling lower in the blankets, he sighed to himself unhappily   
"We can't not tell him"  
"How are we supposed to tell him Lance messed up the mission?"  
The only warning about what happened next was the snarl that Keith let out. He felt the alpha move from his side, before the was a solid thud, followed by another one  
"Keith!"  
Allura screamed Keith's name, and the boys let out screaming cries of their own. Immediately hushing them, Allura carried them to Lance's side, while Hunk was trying to say something or other to Keith. In the way of wake-ups, it wasn't the worst one he'd ever had, but it was definitely up there. Sighing, Lance pushed at the blankets   
"Lance..."  
"Allura, can you help me up? I can't put up with this right now"  
"Lance, you need to rest"  
"I don't feel well"  
Placing one of the boys against him, Allura used her now free hand to place her palm on his forehead   
"You feel hot"  
"I feel gross... my head hurts"  
By now Pidge and Coran were weighing in on whatever was happening between Keith and Shiro, only adding to noise that threaten to split his head open. Whimpering in pain, he curled around his son as he tried to rub his back to soothe him   
"Will you all be quite!"  
It was unusual for Allura to yell, let alone scold everyone at once, so other than the pups, everyone in the room fell silent   
"Thank you. Lance is sick, and you are all making it worse. Now that he's awake, I want you all out of this medical bay until further notice!"  
"But...?"  
"What...?"  
"Keith and Shiro..."  
"He's my husband..."  
"Queen Allura..."  
"Quite! Now please leave"  
"But..."  
"Keith, I suggest you calm down and get some rest before you come back here. Coran, I want you to preform a scan on Lance. Now that he's awake, I want to make sure he's actually alright and not suffering from overexposure to quintessence"  
"What about the boys?"  
"I'll look after them, just... give me a bit"  
"Lance"  
"Shiro, that's enough. I can't believe you and Keith. You both need to sit down and have a serious conversation, because this is completely unacceptable. You're team members of Voltron, we can't win a war, when we're fighting amongst each other"  
There were a few grumbles, all of which from Keith, but surprisingly enough, the rest of the team apologised and promised to come later. Left alone in the room, Keith came back to his side  
"Keith, you need to rest. You haven't slept since you returned"  
"I can't, Allura. I can't leave him"  
"Lance?"  
"I'm ok, just go get some rest..."  
"Baby..."  
"Keith, you need to rest"  
"Then I'll sleep on the other bed"  
"Please just go. I'm not going anywhere and Allura's right, you need to rest. The boys need their dad"  
"And what about you?"  
"I'm ok..."  
"You're not ok"  
Whining, which ever twin he was holding wriggled in an attempt to escape his hold. He didn't have the strength for this. He felt like he'd been run over, and even if he knew he was going to miss Keith the dobosh he walked out the door, it wasn't fair to ask him to stay  
"Keith, please. I don't want to fight"  
A small kiss was pressed to his lips   
"Call me. If you need anything, or if something happens..."  
"It's alright Keith. I will make sure he's taken care of"  
"See. Now stop worrying"

Releasing the pressure that went into scrunching his eyes shut, Lance felt the pain in his head lessen minutely. It took a few long moments, but finally he heard Keith moving away from him. It was another few moments before Allura spoke again   
"He left"  
"Sorry, Allura. I just couldn't... my head hurts too much"  
"It's alright. They've all been bickering since Shiro and Keith arrived back with you. Hopefully now they'll give it a rest"  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to screw everything up"  
Feeling something wet on his face, he had no idea why he was crying   
"Lance, you didn't screw anything up"  
"I did. Now Keith's even madder at Shiro, and you all have to tell Lotor what happened..."  
Kissing his forehead, Allura moved his son back into her hold. Lance immediately missing the warmth  
"Coran, why don't you go ahead and scan Lance. After that, we can see about letting you get some more rest"  
"Right now I just want to shower"  
"I don't think you're in any condition for that. You're lucky your plate armour protected you"  
"Was it that bad?"  
"It was. You were also bleeding, though we couldn't find the wound"  
"Oh..."  
It was a miracle that Keith had left in the first place, doubly so now  
"I don't know how it all went so wrong"  
"We knew there was a risk of both the black goo and quintessence being on that ship..."  
"I..."  
"It's ok, Lance. Just lay still for Coran"  
It was way too much effort to roll back on to his back as his stomach filled with heat from the scanner. There was the usual silence from Coran, before the man finally reported the results way too loudly   
"All you're external injuries have healed, but now that we know quintessence affects fertility, I superimposed your womb..."  
His stomach dropped. He knew he already wasn't going to like this   
"Normally the castle pods can heal all manner of injuries, though this time there seems to be scarring on the lining of your womb, much like an electrical burn"  
Allura let out a small gasp  
"I'm afraid I don't know enough about what that means to give you a definitive answer, though I suspect your fertility may be affected. However, it seems a rather straight forward procedure to remove the damaged tissue, and I'm confident the Olkari will be well equipped to perform such a procedure"  
For an omega to be told they might not be able to do the very thing they were born to do was shocking enough. For Lance though, he wondered why he wasn't more shaken over it? Was it because thing were rocky with Keith? Or because even if his omega wanted another child, he knew he couldn't cope with it?   
"Lance?"  
"I just... I don't want to do anything about it"  
"You mean you don't want to have another child?"  
"Allura. I can't... my last miscarriage was from my body not being able to keep up. I don't want to fall pregnant again and have the same thing happen due to exposure to quintessence"  
"Lance..."  
"Coran, will the damage worse?"  
"No. The scar tissue has already healed this way. I do not believe it will spread"  
"Then I don't want surgery"  
"Isn't this something you should talk to Keith about?"  
"He's only going to blame himself... I'll talk to him about it when... when it's a better time. He won't rest if he thinks he needs to be by my side. Coran, is there anything else I should know?"  
"No. All your levels are returning to normal naturally, and the quintessence has already "left" your body"  
"Ok..."  
"Shall I turn the scanner off?"  
"Please. Lance, what do you want to do?"  
"I feel revolting. Can I shower? I'll be careful, I'll even sit on the shower floor"  
"What if you pass out or slip?"  
"Then come with me. Not into the shower, but if you're in the next room, I mean. I don't know. My head hurts"  
"Coran, would you mind coming with us? Honestly, I would prefer you waited until with Keith to shower, but even with your armour off..."  
"I still smell like dead Galra..."  
"Unfortunately"  
"Yep. Shower time"

Coran supported him down to the hall to the first room with a shower. The Altean probably would have even stayed and helped him shower if Allura hadn't gently distracted him by asking him to hold Lanieth. Sinking immediately to the floor, Lance crawled out of the blanket wrapped around him and into the shower, blindly feeling for taps and jumping when spray of water hit his back. So, still in his underwear, Lance went about curling up under the hot water. It didn't help his headache, but knowing the Galra stink was running down the drain made him feel a million times better, but gradually his hands came to his stomach as the shock finally began to pass. How was he supposed to tell Keith? Coran said it seemed like a straightforward surgery, but this was damage from quintessence and it made no sense. If quintessence was life, shouldn't he be going into heat, rather than suffering damage that could prevent the creation of another life? He was still scared of falling pregnant again, but to never have another child? Would Keith be happy with just their two boys? And he'd had them so young... when he was 36, his sons would be 18... he wanted another two pups, and Keith had been ok with having 4 children... but what happened if something happened to the boys? Being in space, they'd had none of their vaccinations. What if they came down with something as simple as the flu? Out here, it could very easily kill them... there was also the constant worry of SID's, and what if another accident happened, like how Lanieth had gotten hold of Keith's blade. Whining for his husband, he gripped his stomach firmly. He wanted to give Keith all the children his husband wanted. To build a life with them and his mate. To have the same chaos for his children that he'd had, and for Keith... Keith was the last of his bloodline... Lance had his brothers and his sisters, but Keith, Keith was all alone. The closest thing to a brother he'd had was Shiro, but that wasn't blood... what good was a male omega who couldn't carry and birth pups?

Lance was still crying on the bathroom floor when the door slid open and Allura came rushing in. Turning the taps off, the queen ignored the fact he was soaking wet as she gathered him up against her  
"Lance? What's wrong?"  
"Everything... Allura, what do I do?"  
"Lance, is this about the scan?"  
Nodding, he buried his face against her neck, nuzzling in a bid to find some comfort, but she wasn't Keith, and his omega was having the mother of all meltdowns internally  
"Coran said surgery was an option"  
"But what if it didn't work? I... Keith wanted more kids... not right now, but you know, eventually. I... I just..."  
"Shhhh, we'll work everything out. We always do"  
"How... how am I supposed to tell him?"  
"Don't worry about that for now. You're over tired and your emotions are all over the place. Are you still in pain?"  
"Y-yes"  
"Can you stand?"  
"I don't know... I feel so sick, Allura"  
"Coran!"  
Wincing at Allura calling for Coran, he whimpered as she held him tighter   
"Sorry. I didn't think"  
"It's ok. It's not your fault"  
"Allura, Lance. What's happening here?"  
"Coran, can you please help Lance up and back to the medical room. We need to find something safe to give him for the pain"  
"Certainly. Lance, my boy, I'll just grab you a towel and we'll have you out of the shower in a tick"  
"T-the pups?"  
"I'll see to them"  
"I want to feed them. My chest hurts"  
"I'll help you feed them once you're settled back in the medical room"  
"Thank you..."  
"Anytime. You know I would do anything and everything I can to help you"  
"I know... I've missed you, Allura"  
"I've missed you too. Coran's going to help you up now"  
Nodding his consent, the man surprised him by lifting him up and into his hold. He didn't doubt Coran was strong, but being lifted was confusing and threw centre of balance off. Scrunching his eyes again, he groaned miserably as Coran started the walk through to the medical room.

It was another varga and a half before Lance could finally settle back down. The boys had been fed, but each time Allura tried to move them from his side, they begin screaming, that was how he ended up curled up on the floor as both his sons tried to hit and poke him for attention. With how active the boys had become, he wasn't risking having them up on the examination bed with him, even if the fall was small, he just couldn't risk it. He was miserable and didn't want to be responsible for something happening to his boys. With an IV in his left arm, his naked form was covered by three thick blankets, though he was back to freezing. Sitting with her leg against his back, Allura was playing with his hair as Lance tried to ignore the fact the medication in the IV hadn't kicked in yet, and the fact Coran was terrible at inserting an IV line. Unable to see a particularly had smack coming, Lance flinched back into Allura as he was hit in the eye  
"Lance?"  
"I'm ok. One of them just hit me in the eye"  
"Kelance is closest to your face"  
"I'm sorry, would you mind making sure they don't hit my face. I can't open my eyes"  
"They're just so happy to see you. I could tell how badly they missed you"  
"I missed them too... and saying goodbye to Fern... I couldn't stop myself from crying"  
"She was rather adorable. Keith told me the family seemed a good fit?"  
"We don't really know. Shiro wouldn't let us stay and find out..."  
"Lance, I know Shiro is making things hard, but please try not to think about it for now"  
"I don't want to think about anything. I'm so exhausted and all I want to do is sleep"  
"Perhaps there's something we can give you?"  
"No... I don't like taking things while I'm breast feeding..."  
"What can I do?"  
"Just, watch the boys?"  
"It's hard not to"  
Lance snorted and immediately regretted it. His sinuses now deciding to throb in time with the rest of his head. While he didn't particularly want to take medication, he wouldn't say no to being knocked out the old fashion way.

Eventually Lance must have fallen asleep as he was woken by the sound of a plate smashing. Blinking as he opened his eyes, he found himself looking up at Pidge, who was rushing to pick up the pieces of the plate she'd just dropped   
"Good morning to you too"  
"Sorry Lance, I just wasn't expecting you to be in bed with Allura"  
Confused as to what she was talking about, he looked down to find Allura sleeping opposite him with Kelance curled up against her and her body angled as such so the twins couldn't make an escape for it. Remembering he was naked, Lance blushed bright red  
"It's soooo not what you think"  
"So Allura didn't say up watching the boys so you could sleep?"  
"Oh, in that case, it's exactly what you think. What's the time?"  
"About 5 in the morning. I woke up for a midnight snack, and decided to poke my head in on the way back"  
"And wake up the whole castle while you were at it"  
"That was because I didn't expect you to be sleeping with Allura"  
"We're not sleeping together..."  
Rolling off his arm, he winced at how bruised it was from not removing the cannula. Sliding it free with a hiss, he rolled back on it to hide the damage   
"If you say so. How do you feel?"  
"My headaches gone... but still pretty average, and cold"  
"That's what happens when you run around half naked"  
"I'm not running around half naked, and I'm not even running"  
It clicked for Pidge, the female alpha wrinkling her nose  
"Ok. Too much information"  
"How do you think I feel? I can't even get up and get a change of clothes"  
"I might be convinced to bring you some up"  
"Oh yeah, what's that going to cost me?"  
"I don't know yet"  
"Great. That means I'm in your debt"  
"Don't worry, I won't make you pay up big"  
"I'm still worried. Anyway, you should probably take that back to the kitchen, unless you want to keep talking to me knowing..."  
"La la la. Ok. Point taken. I'll bring something for you to wear"  
"Something reasonable"  
"I never said that"  
Grinning, Pidge fled from the room before he could come up with something witty to say. He knew she'd probably just bring him back his uniform, or sweats and shirt, but he was still nervous about her choices, and even more nervous that she'd ask Keith to bring him his clothes. He desperately missed his husband, and his omega was beginning to melt down again over the previous day's news, but he needed a little more time to process before talking to Keith  
"Lance?"

Settling Lanieth back against him, Lance tried to smile at Allura. Sleeping on the floor really didn't agree with the Queen, and her hair was a total mess  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you"  
"It's quite alright. How are you feeling?"  
"My head doesn't feel like it's going to burst anymore"  
"Excellent. Have you been awake long?"  
"No. Just repositioning. Gotta make the most of it before the boys wake up"  
"I can take them if you'd like?"  
"No, I've missed then like crazy, but it looks like you've got a fan"  
Stroking Kelance's hair, Allura yawned as she nodded  
"It is rather nice to wake up to them"  
"I know. They're still so small, but they've grown so much. I love waking up and watching them sleep"  
"As sweet as this is, I think Kelance needs a nappy change"  
"Oh... possibly. If you um, grab the supplies from the cupboard, I'll change him"  
"I don't mind changing him, unless you'd rather"  
"As long as you promise not to watch me. We fell asleep before asking Coran to grab me something to wear, so now it's kind of weird"  
Allura blushed much like he had  
"I didn't think..."  
"I was too tired to work clothes anyway. Coran had to help me take my own underwear off..."  
"Should I call Coran? Or Keith?"  
"Not Keith... not yet, he needs sleep. Pidge stopped by on her way back from getting a snack, she said she'd bring something up, but who knows how long that's going to take"  
"I'm sure Pidge will be right back. I'll change Kelance"  
"Thanks... after that, we should probably try and get some more sleep. Shiro will probably want us up and training today, and no offence, you look as bad as I do"  
Laughing, Allura lifted Kelance up as she rose, busting herself gathering up what she needed to change the pup  
"I really didn't intend to fall asleep"  
"I don't mind. Not if it's you. It's not like you haven't slept beside me before"  
"That's very true. I don't know what it is, but sharing a room with you feels almost natural"  
"It's because I'm wonderful, and awesome, and little the annoying brother you always wanted, and are now stuck with"  
"Yes, to be honest, sometime's it does get quite lonely sleeping so far away from you all"  
"Then you should just come hang in the nursery. We can play with the boys and nap"  
"Oh how I wish I could. I'm going to have to contact Lotor and make sure everything is thoroughly explained"  
"Have you talked to him since Honerva?"  
"No, well, yes. But only very briefly. He took her death much harder than I expected. Not at all like when Zarkon died"  
"Probably because Honerva actually loved him. She wanted to go back in time to be with him"  
"The love of a mother is a complicated thing"  
"You have no idea... I would do anything for the twins. That's how I feel. I mean, I love Voltron, but I love the boys even more"  
"Of course you do. You birthed them and brought them into this world. Their part you, and part Keith. A symbol of your love"  
"Well that love is all over the place at the moment. I don't know what to do anymore. I feel like I keep dragging Keith down, but he never gives up"  
"Lance, you're much braver and stronger than you think. You just need to believe in yourself more"  
"I honestly don't know how to do that anymore"  
"I think talking with Pidge and Hunk was definitely a step in the right direction. You're allowed to voice you're feelings, and you're allowed to take time to work out what you want and need"  
"I need a million dollars and full body massage"  
"A million dollars?"  
"Sorry, it's an Earth joke"  
"Earth seems rather beautiful. I wish it was closer"  
"It is, and so do I. There's so much I wish I could have shown you"  
"Lance, we have our whole lifetime to return. We won't be stuck in this situation forever"  
"Sometimes it feels like we will. I don't know how you can stay so strong?"  
"I'm not strong, all I have is this belief and desire for peace. For everyone to be safe and protected. I want to reach out my hand and protect them all"  
"I do too. When I think about everyone out there still suffering and the black goop could be infecting any number of planets. It feels like there's no end to it... or something. I don't know if I'm even making sense"  
"You're making sense. I wish talking to Shiro was this easy. Each time I try, he throws up his walls, and I never know what he's feeling anymore"  
"Allura, do you still have feelings for him?"  
"I honestly don't know. So much has happened, and it may be bad, I am truly grateful he doesn't remember what happened when he wasn't himself"  
"Me too, but sometimes, when he snaps, I wish he did. I wish he could understand that when he gets angry, I can't mentally take it. I keep waiting for him to snap and hurt me, and it's exhausting"  
"I don't believe he'd physically hurt you"  
"Feelings and fears aren't always rational. I mean, I know I can't live without Keith, but I still wonder if breaking up with him would be the right thing to do"  
"Oh, Lance. No..."  
"Feelings suck"  
"Maybe you'll be able to talk when you take your leave?"  
"I don't know. I don't even know if we should leave, or if we do, I don't know if I'm going to be able to relax"  
"I've been thinking about it. I think we could all use a break, and we are supposed to be on one, despite what Shiro thinks. Perhaps after you've taken your leave, Pidge and Hunk could? That way the castle would still be staffed"  
"That's a great idea. They totally need a break. Maybe they could stay with Matt? I know they hardly get to see each other"  
Allura nodded as she smiled, lifting Kelance to her chest, the small boy grabbing her hair   
"I think someone's awake, and hungry"  
"Probably. I'll take him"  
"In that case, I'll change Laneith. I wonder how much longer Pidge is going to be"  
"She's evil, don't forget that. She'd happily let me sit around naked all day"  
"She's not evil, maybe... instead, spirited?"  
Lance shot Allura grin  
"Very spirited"

"Who's very spirited?"  
Walking into the medical room, Pidge raised an eyebrow as she came to stop  
"You"  
"Of course I am, but what did I do this time?"  
"I said I wouldn't be surprised if you left me sitting here naked"  
"Rude. What's this then?"  
"I don't know... How do I know you didn't do something to them?"  
"You don't. Keith's still sleeping, so I could have gotten up to anything"  
"Pidge, what did you do?"  
"Nothing. Here's your clothes, and I'm going back to bed"  
Carrying the pile over, Pidge dropped the pile down next to him  
"I hope you're not too mentally scarred Allura. I wanted to be back before you woke up"  
"I think I'll survive"  
Pouting at the pair of them, the both smiled happily   
"Hey, I'm not that hideous"  
"Well, I wouldn't say hideous..."  
"Hear how she talks to me! You can forget that favour"  
"Nope. I'm definitely going to cash that in, when I think of something appropriate"  
"Oh god. I've made a deal with the devil, haven't I?"  
"Maaaaaybe. Anyway, don't get up to anything I wouldn't!"  
"We all know what you get up to!"  
Mocking insult Pidge grabbed her chest, before poking her tongue out  
"Don't be late for breakfast"  
"We won't... besides, I get the feeling Hunk will bring us breakfast because I'm still not allowed to leave"  
"Breakfast in the medical room? That works. I'll let Hunk know"  
"And Keith, and Coran"  
"Can't you call them?"  
"Nope, I don't know where my communicator is"  
"Fine! I'm leaving before you give me anything else to do"

Allura changed Laneith as Lance dressed. Pidge had grabbed one of Keith's shirts, meaning it was right across his breasts, and the fabric had been pulled up about an inch, showing off his belly button above the top of his jeans. He'd worked hard, and the castle's healing pods had definitely sped things along, but there was still the slightest muffin top, which left him feeling super uncomfortable... despite the fact he'd just been talking to both Pidge and Allura, with his breasts exposed. Why did depression have to be so weird?  
"So, are we really going to have breakfast in here?"  
"I would say so... I didn't think Pidge would agree so readily"  
"Neither did I. But you know what that means"  
"What?"  
"We can go back to sleep"  
Giggling Allura returned to the nest on the floor, laying Lanieth down next to Kelance, before tickling the boy's stomach   
"You can't expect them to sleep if you stir him up"  
"But he's so adorable. They're both so cute"  
"Remember that when they start crying. If we're going back to sleep, you might want to cuddle up against him again, or he's going to try and make an escape"  
"We can't have that"  
"Not even crawling properly and their planning their escape. Can you imagine what they'll be like when they start running?"  
Allura giggled  
"I have the mental image of you and Keith both running off in opposite directions, trying to catch them"  
"Me too. Or Coran. I can picture him with them, like a loving grandfather"  
"They're going to love all his stories, and he's going to love having such a captive audience"  
Lance yawned as he agreed, he could barely keep his eyes open now that he knew everything had been taken care of. Readjusting his hold on kelance, he curled around his pup and buried his face in the boys soft hair.

 

*  
Keith hadn't intended to fall asleep. Leaving the medical room, he'd been furious and frustrated over being kicked out, and the look of annoyance Shiro had shot him had his teeth aching. The man had been practically family to him. The brother he'd never had by blood, yet now all he felt was angry each time Shiro opened his mouth, or so much as looked at Lance in a way his alpha perceived as "wrong". He knew thing had been dragged out for far too long, and like an infected wound, the puss should have been drained long ago... even if it mean tearing the wound wide open. Waving off Hunk and Pidge, he'd stalked down to his room with the intention of showering and then returning to Lance, only once he'd gotten out of the shower and sunk down on the bed, he'd flopped back and grabbed Lance's pillow. Falling asleep with his face buried against it, he woke confused as to why Lance wasn't by his side. The bed was way too big and empty without him, and as he slowly woke, he realised he felt way too refreshed. Cursing himself, he'd rushed to dress before rushing from the bedroom, still struggling to button his jeans as he did, realising in his hurry to return to his mate, they were a pair of Lance's jeans that had torn at the buttonhole during his husband's pregnancy. Deciding against going back, he tugged his shirt over them and hoped no one would notice, or care.

Reaching the medical bay, Keith slammed his hand down on the door pad without a second thought. His free hand tried to soothe back his hair, but in reality, it was still a mess. Not that he could see this though, and not that he really cared about it personally, he just wanted to look good for his mate. How could he just fall asleep like that? What if something had happened during the night? What if Lance had needed him, and he hadn't been there? What if he'd had an episode and hurt himself? Would Coran or Allura know how to help him? Would they have been able to stop him? All these thoughts flashed through his mind, but the moment the door opened completely, it all fell away. Sitting on the floor, Allura, Pidge, Coran and Lance were all chatting about something, while Lance had both boys in his lap. Watching as Lance waved his hands around animatedly, his husband seemed truly alright, and... happy. The thorns of jealousy were quick to grip his stomach as the little voice in the back of his head told him he was stupid for worrying, when Lance clearly didn't need him. It wasn't a great feeling, nor was it made any better when Lance caught side of him and his face fell slightly   
"Keith! You're awake?! We were going to call you, but Lance was worried about you not having slept. If you hadn't arrived by breakfast..."  
"Pidge, it's fine. I was actually still sleeping until a few doboshes ago. I suppose I really needed it"  
"You look much better. Pidge, you were supposed to call Keith as well as Coran"  
"It's not my fault. Hunk can be very distracting"  
"Toooo much information for this morning. Keith, are you going to come sit down, or are you going to stare at us?"  
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry"

Making his way over to the group, Keith sank down between Lance and Coran   
"How about you? How did you sleep?"  
"Allura and Coran gave me something for the pain, and then Pidge decided she had to wake me up"  
"That wasn't my fault"  
"You're the one who dropped the bowl"  
"I didn't mean to. Anyway, you're just lucky I grabbed you clothes"  
"This is Keith's shirt..."  
"Oh, well close enough. It covers what it needs to, or do you want to get around being naked?"  
"I don't know, do you want me to"  
"Ewww! Pass! Anyway, like I was saying before you interrupted, hunk and I found a really nice looking planet. We don't actually know what the weather conditions are like, but it's got beaches, as well as some really cool looking cliffs and jungle"  
"You don't know the weather conditions, but you know all that?"  
"We used the database to search through the coalition and Galra planets for beaches and oxygen"  
"Well, that's a good start. What do you think? Where do you want to take Lance?"  
All eyes went to him, and Keith didn't know what to say. Somewhere. Anywhere. Just as long as they were free from the heavy yoke of Voltron   
"Beaches are good"  
"Well you're helpful. Lance was saying he'd like to take Red and Black, so we need to find somewhere with a clearing big enough for both of them, and somewhere with enough freshwater that you'll be able to bath, because I can almost guarantee you'll be trailing Lance's scent around the castle when you get back"  
"Pidge!"  
"I'm just saying. We all know your scents really strong, especially because you're the only omega around"  
"I can't help it. I wouldn't smell like this if I could"  
Keith growled, trying and failing to cover it with a cough  
"I like how you smell"  
"That's because he's bonded to you. You have to remember that Hunk, Shiro and I are all alphas too, and Lance's scent does affect us"  
"Guys, no fighting. I'm honestly ok with wherever Keith decides"  
Lance didn't sound ok. Quiznak. Why couldn't he just shove away his anxieties and enjoy the fact his husband was awake? He needed to make an effort!  
"Do you want me to take one of the boys? I missed you all last night"  
"We all know that's a lie, you were fast asleep..."  
Poking his tongue out, the action seemed too forced   
"... but if you want to take Kelance, I won't stop you"  
Reaching out, Keith lifted the boy into his lap. The pup immediately beginning to cry  
"Sorry, they've been really sooky about not being next to me"  
Smiling as he went to stroke Kelance's back, Keith caught sight of something black and appalling looking on Lance's arm. Grabbing it before his husband could hide, his eyes widened at the bruise  
"What happened!"  
His voice was rough, with more bite in it than he'd intended   
"Keith, it's nothing"  
Lance was trying to pull his arm back, looking pained as he did  
"Lance, tell me what happened"  
"It's nothing. Now let go"  
"Coran, Allura, do you know what happened?"  
Both shook their heads, looking at Keith with both confusion and the tiniest bit of fear. They all knew Keith had a tendency to blow things out of control when it came to him  
"Keith, it's not a big deal. Coran put an IV line in last night, and I messed it up in my sleep. So don't go blaming them, when all they did was try to help"  
"An IV line?"  
"Yeah, to dilute the pain medication, and because it wasn't like I was up for drinking or eating anything"  
"Keith, it's just a nasty bruise. Lance is ok, but more importantly, when are you two leaving?"  
"I don't know. Shiro wanted us to all undo testing, so I was thinking after Lance and I have been tested and we've completed our training tests"  
"Oh. That makes sense. Though I don't see why we all need to be tested"  
"I've already been scanned by Coran and there's nothing to report. So do you think Shiro will let me do my test after breakfast? Now I'm thinking about the beach and the water, I just want to go already"  
"That's nice"  
"Hey, Allura was saying that once Keith and I get back, you and Hunk can go for a movement. Maybe you could go catch up with Matt"  
"Well he has been talking about a new program he's been developing with the rebel forces. He wants to record all their different customs and fighting techniques, because for some of them, they're the last of their races"  
"Oh! That's kind of cool. You might be able to do something like what you did with that game you and Hunk were working on, about Earth"  
"That kind of got put on the back burner with everything going on"  
"You should finish it..."  
"Eventually. Buuuut the castle is partially to blame. There's just too many amazing things to analyse, and not enough time"  
"Pidge, you could spend your whole life researching the castle and never know all its secrets"  
"Don't be mean"  
"The truth hurts"  
The easy banter of the group left him feeling like an outsider. He just wanted to take Lance away from them all.

"So why are we all sitting here and not in the dining or lounge room?"  
"Because we decided to have breakfast here?"  
"Is there some reason why?"  
"Keith, just go with the flow..."  
"I'm not going against it, I'm just... curious I suppose"  
"It seemed a good idea a few vargas ago, when Allura and I were still tired and I didn't want to carry the boys around. They're kind of sooky at the moment"  
"Probably because they had to spend so long without their mum"  
"Not by choice. Still, I've missed them and it feels really good to hold them again"  
Lance smiled fondly down at the son, before nuzzling his hair and pressing kisses to the spot   
"You're so good with them"  
"Because I love them so much. Seriously, is crazy"  
"It's ok Lance, we all know you're a little crazy"  
"Pidge, have I ever told you how not funny you are"  
"Yep. Doesn't make it any more true. Man, Hunk is taking forever"  
"Do you want a hold a baby?"  
"Is he going to cry?"  
"Probably"  
"Then I'll pass. Today's going to be a good day"  
"You just want to see me destroy the training room"  
"Well, if you did, we wouldn't have to pass Shiro's ridiculous test"  
"Pidge, I thought you'd be against the destruction of the castle"  
"I am, but this test is so stupid. Is this why we didn't tell him about breakfast?"  
"I just assumed he'd show up here eventually. You're right though. I'm starving, and Hunk still owes me cookies"  
"He made a whole batch that night, but I reckon he'd make a fresh batch, just for you"  
"That's because Hunk is awesome. He is the sunshine of my life"  
Pidge snorted, while Keith's frown grew   
"I wouldn't say that, Keith looks like he's about to have a stroke"  
"Keith's naturally broody. We all know that. Those frown lines come with the rest of the package"  
"The package. Thanks, Lance"  
"Keith..."  
"Don't bother"  
Lance sighed somewhat dramatically, waving his hand at him as if shooing him in annoyance   
"Keith, you're my husband. I'm just saying, you care and worry about me way too much. When you're old and you have wrinkles, every single one of them is going to be my fault"  
"That's if he lives that long"  
"Don't even joke about that. Keith is going to live longer than all of us, and he's going to be just fine"  
"I don't want to live without you"  
"Silly alpha. You have nothing to worry about, besides, it's your job to make sure our boys are safe and happy"  
"And any other children you guys have. Is Lance going to be coming back from your little holiday pregnant?"  
"As pregnant as you are"  
Winking at Pidge, Lance blew her a kiss, but it seemed too staged for Keith   
"Sorry Keith, looks like you'll just have to wait for more pups"  
"I'm happy with the boys for now, but someday some more pups would be nice..."  
Rising to his feet, Lance said nothing as he stepped in the middle of the group, as he crossed towards the door. There was something in his scent that had Pidge wrinkling her brow as he passed, but to Keith, whatever it was wasn't apparent   
"Lance?"  
"Just going to the toilet. I'll be back shortly"  
"Ok. If you take too long and Hunk gets here with breakfast before you get back, I can't promise I won't steal yours"  
"Pidge, Lance needs as much food and rest as he can get"  
"Allura, its fine. I know Hunk will have thought of that"  
Leaving them, Keith's eyes remained firmly fixed on the door that now separated him from his mate. 

 

*  
Shiro wasn't impressed that they'd all decided to have breakfast in the medical room without informing him, but Lance didn't care. He'd pretty much wolfed down everything Hunk had piled on his plate so he didn't have to talk to Keith. His alpha had no way of knowing that his wish for more children might never come true, and Lance couldn't exactly tell him in front of everyone... No. It was better to just give it a few quintants and let Keith calm back down, though he would kill to know just why he was so agitated and leaking suck an unpleasant scent. It seemed too much to be from the guilt of falling asleep, especially when Keith should know he wasn't mad over it. With his stomach full, and Laneith in his lap like a shield to protect him from any harsh words Shiro may say, Lance looked to the alpha and cleared his throat  
"Uh, Shiro..."  
"What is it, Lance?"  
"Well... I was wondering if I could do that test today? Coran has already given me a scan, so next is the test right?"  
"Coran gave you a scan?"  
"Just to make sure everything was ok... so, can I?"  
"I thought you didn't want to"  
"It's fine... besides, the sooner I do it, the sooner it's over"  
"Fine. We can start when you're ready"  
"So now?"  
"You need your Bayard. I had intended for the order to be Pidge, you, Coran, Hunk, Allura and then Keith..."  
"Shiro, there's no harm letting Lance go first. He's well equipped and if there are any issues with the test, we'll be able to figure them out by watching him"  
"The order was to reflect individual strength"  
Ouch. So Shiro thought him that weak... Two could play that game and he ignored voicing his anger  
"Right... um, Allura, where's my Bayard?"  
"I've got it, actually both our Bayard's are in our room"  
"Keith, you should keep your Bayard on you at all times"  
"I know, I was just in a rush this morning"  
"That's no excuse. Lance, retrieve your Bayard and head to the training room. The rest of us will watch on in the bridge"  
"Allura, can you watch Laneith? The boys aren't allowed in the training room..."  
"I would love to"  
"He's probably going to cry"  
"It's fine, he'll be able to hear your voice as we watch, so hopefully that will help"  
"Yeah. I guess I better go"  
Before Keith could offer to come with him, Lance moved Lanieth to Allura's lap before fleeing the medical room, scolding himself for acting so unnatural. Of course Keith was going to know something was wrong, especially when his own behaviour wasn't even fooling himself into thinking things would work out.

15 doboshes later, Lance was standing in the training room alone. He'd taken the opportunity to put a sports bra on, and change into one of his own shirts. It wouldn't really matter once his armour formed, but at least if something happened, he wouldn't be destroying Keith's clothes   
"Lance, you may begin"  
Nodding, he took a breath to steal his nerves  
"Begin level one!"

Slicing through the bots was ridiculously easy for the first 5 levels. Level 6 introduced the shooting floating sensor things, but they were easy enough to shoot down. He'd made good progress, or at least he thought he had. Especially as he'd only tripped over his own feet once. Dodging and weaving, he cut the last two bots down, and the next wave dropped from the ceiling. Level seven was essentially level 6 times two, and level 8, another times two. So by the time level 9 hit, he was definitely feelings the strain, and his Altean markings felt like they were on fire. Wiping his face with the back of his hand, he gripped his sword even harder, as he backed away from the group of striking bots. Hissing in pain from the numerous shots he was now taking from what seemed like a hundred of those floating sensors, it was hard to keep his focus, so soon found himself thrown across the room and landing painfully hard on the floor. Quiznak. That move should be illegal. Scrambling to gather his feet, he kicked the first bot back into the others, before swinging wide, leaving deep gashes across the front of the bots, but they weren't deep enough to force them to vanish. Swinging again, this time the motion was even sloppier than the previous time, and the closest bot was able to knock his Bayard flying across the room. It was now he realised he might be in a bit of trouble and his left arm was wracked with the feeling of pins and needles. Defenceless, he was thrown across the room again, and his temper flared. Rolling away from the approaching bots, he crawled into a run, grabbing his sword as he raced across the room to gain some kind of ground. If he didn't pass this level, they were all going to think he was weak and with his emotions messed up, he stopped thinking altogether, and let his anger flow. He hated it. He hated himself. He hated his body for betraying him, and he hated Shiro for this stupid test. Narrowing his eyes, he lowered his stance and switched back to gun, beginning to shoot down the floating sensors while running in a wide circle around the room, tears forming in his eyes as he did. Every bit of his frustration was taken out on those bots, yet each one he cut down, there was another right behind it. Slowly the feeling of anger turned to hopelessness, and the careful mask crumbled. He wanted more kids, but with the black goop and the pure quintessence in their realty, that would never, ever be an option. There would always be the risk he'd be exposed again. The risk the damage would spread, or that he'd need to actually expose himself to the quintessence in order to obliterate the black goop. He found himself feeling selfish for thinking he'd rather put his own health first, when he'd been the cause of the universe being infected. Eyeing the pack of bots in front of him, he fell hard into hold habits, letting his blade fall from his hands, before the mob began their assault. Normally they'd stop before the damage became so pronounced, but with the sheer number of them, he incurred an insane amount of damage before the simulator finally stopped. Wheezing and spasming on the ground, he welcomed the pain he felt he deserved. There was definitely something wrong with his nose, neck and ribs. His body was shaking badly, but he couldn't move at all from the waist down, which was as terrifying as it had been when Shiro broke his neck and legs. Coughing, he tasted blood and between his legs felt too wet to be slick, but too thick to be urine. This is what he got for being such a bad and self absorbed omega.

"Lance!"  
Rushing to his side, Lance smiled as Keith's pale face stared down at him  
"Hey... I guess we know my limit now"  
"You were amazing, until... what was that?"  
"Exhaustion. The blade slipped from my fingers and I was too tired to catch it"  
"You can release your Bayard now. You got to level 12"  
"Easier said than done, but 12 is pretty good"  
"It would have been better if you hadn't gone feral"  
He went feral? He was pretty certain he hadn't   
"I didn't go feral"  
"Actually, you did baby, but you seemed to pull yourself out of it. Are you hurt?"  
"I think I landed on my shoulder wrong..."  
Which was technically true  
"I'll carry you to the pod room"  
"Can you walk?"  
"No. I think I did my shoulder pretty good"  
"Lance, you're supposed to have stopped before the physical damage became too much. You can't expect us to come to your rescue after every battle"  
"I didn't know that. You didn't exactly explain it, and it wasn't intentional"  
"Wasn't it?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Nothing. Take him to the pod room, then Pidge will take her test"  
"Perhaps it's best to call it a day"  
"Allura, you of all people know we need to be prepared"  
"Shiro, you are not the leader of Voltron, and there for you are making calls and decisions you have no right to. First Lance is going into a healing pod"  
Piping up, Pidge raised her hand as Keith lifted him from the ground   
"I don't mind going next... Keith should stay with Lance, and if we keep going, we can get them out the way"  
"Keith won't be staying with Lance. He needs to be present to watch over your test. He needs to see how each of us function"  
"No. Not happening. I am not leaving Lance, not again. It is far too soon for him to need healing again"  
"Keith, you're over reacting"  
"So if I stood you up, you wouldn't just topple over?"  
"Maybe, but I'm fine. Just tired"  
And lying his arse off, but sometimes a lie was better than the truth...


	87. Chapter 87

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET OFF THIS RIDE!

After 5 vargas in the healing pod Lance was finally released, and stumbling straight into Keith's waiting arms. Yawning as he his forehead hit Keith's shoulder, Lance shook his head  
"That was brutal"  
"You have no idea. I thought my heart was going to stop"  
"Ugh. I don't ever want to do that again. Ever. I feel like I was body slammed by a soccer team"  
"I think the soccer team would have been kinder"  
Placing his hands on Lance's arse, Keith pulled up lightly until Lance finally let him lift him, letting out another yawn as he did  
"What did Shiro have to say?"  
"The usual stuff. He wasn't happy you lost your mind and went a little feral, and he wasn't happy you got overwhelmed"  
"He's never fucking happy"  
Whoa... ok. He'd stepped on a nerve for his omega to be actually swearing properly  
"It doesn't matter. I was proud of you, so were the rest of the team"  
"Did Pidge do her test?"  
"I don't know. I've been down here"  
"Can we go find Pidge? I want to make sure she's ok"  
"Well she didn't need a pod"  
"It's not the same thing. You should put me back down, I can walk"  
"Or I can carry you..."  
"Keith, you don't have to carry me"  
"I know I don't have to, but maybe I want to?"  
"I don't know why you would"  
"Lance..."  
"I'm joking. Please, can we just go now?"  
"Lance, can I ask you something?"  
Leaning back in his hold, Lance frowned at him and Keith hoped his husband wouldn't freak out on him  
"What's wrong? You sound so serious..."  
"I want to ask you about this morning. At breakfast, I feel like... maybe you weren't happy. It was like you were trying too hard, and it left a bad taste in my mouth"  
"Oh... that. I just had some stuff to think about"  
"Are you going tell me what?"  
Lance tugged at his lip with his teeth, looking thoroughly conflicted over whatever he was thinking  
"Baby, I just want to know what's going on. I don't like it when you're smiling, even though you look like you want to cry"  
"I was pretty obvious, wasn't I?"  
"Yeah baby. I wanted to ask, but I didn't know if I was imagining things because I was so jealous"  
"You were jealous?"  
"Well, when I walked in you were chatting away and looked so happy, but when you saw me, your smile faded. Like you didn't want me there"  
"It's not that. I just... I just need a bit of time to work through things in my head, and I didn't want you making a fuss over it all"  
"You know you can tell me anything, right?"  
"I know, but this is something I need to think about first"  
"But you'll tell me?"  
"Yeah... just let me think. I don't want too end up fighting or yelling, and I guess I'm still trying to get over what I saw in that Galra ship"  
Starting to their journey to the bridge, Keith didn't want Lance to stop talking just because they were moving  
"Can you tell me about it? I heard you talking to the others, and it sounded rough"  
"Do you ever think there's going to be a time when we just get used to seeing dead bodies? I mean, before I came out here, the only dead bodies I'd seen were at funerals and now I can't even count the number of Galra I've killed or seen dead. I feel weak because I'm not used to it..."  
"I think the day you become used to it, is the day you lose it. Death is something none of us can escape, and I know how deeply you feel everything. The fact we have to kill to survive sucks, and if I could lock you away and keep you from ever seeing that side of things, I would. I know how much it hurts you, and how you blame yourself and drive yourself crazy trying to imagine scenarios where things could have played out any other way, but baby, you shouldn't ever get used to death"  
"It's just... I want to feel stronger and useful. I was so scared on that ship, but felt like I couldn't talk to or you Shiro about it. You're both so strong, and so much a like. And I... I just feel stupid for getting caught up on it"  
"Let me tell you something. You're not the only one who feels that. I've lost count of the number of times I've wished there was another way. I've spent nights tossing and turning, wondering how things might have turned out if I'd just done my job better, and Shiro's the same. Though I don't think I like being compared to him"  
"I just meant you're both strong. You both take everything on, until you're barely functioning, and you act like it's ok. Shiro's suffering, so he's lashing out... and you do the same thing. Maybe that's why you two used to be so close, because you're going through everything he's already been through?"  
"I don't know... right now, it feels like I never knew him to begin with. There's times when his temper flashes, and all I can think of is when he was hurting you in front of me..."  
"I get scared too... but he's not going to hurt me. I know he won't hurt me like before, but the memories are still there and they never really go away"  
"I know, and I hate it. I wish I could take those memories for you, so you'd never have to be scared again"  
"I don't want you to... no one should have to... have to feel like that"  
"Baby, are you happy with me?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean, you said you wanted to break our bond. All I ever want is for you to be happy"  
"Oh that. I just... I don't want to drag you down any further. I am so beyond proud of you, and I wanted to be your right hand man, you know, the kind of person you could really rely on, but my mental health just seems to keep getting worse every time I delude myself into thinking I'm getting better. I try all kind of things, trying to find a way to fix what's broken in me and it never goes according to plan. I love you, but is that really enough?"  
"It's enough for me. I love you. I love your stupid beauty routines, and when you're complaining there's nothing to do. I love it when you forget everything and get caught up in the moment and you're just... you're like the life of this whole place. It hurts when you're struggling, and it hurts when I can't magically fix it. I've always been so bad with people, and I never fitted in anywhere. You kept pushing for a friendship, even when you thought I was an arsehole and I just couldn't understand why"  
"Because I was jealous. Everyone has a thing, and even when I called myself a sharpshooter, you all laughed. I want to feel like I truly belong"  
"You do baby. You make Voltron. You make everyone happy"  
"I feel like I'm just in the way. No one else has gotten into so much trouble. No one else has tried to kill themselves... they all just seem to... they seem to get it and I feel like it's one big joke because I don't"  
Sliding his hands up from Lance's arse, Keith turned to the closest wall and moved to it so lance's back was now supported by it, leaving him to cup Lance's cheeks  
"None of us get it. None of us know what we're really doing, but I love you. I love our boys. No one is laughing at you, or judging you"  
"It's hard to believe that"  
"How can you have such little confidence in yourself? After everything you've accomplished?"  
"Because it never feels like enough"  
"It is. I promise you, everything you've been doing is working... well not everything, but don't think I don't know you've been eating better, or training more. You're an amazing mother to our boys"  
"See. There you go again. You're comforting me, but I don't know what to say back. It doesn't seem enough"  
"What would you like to say?"  
"That I love you? That I'm sorry. That you deserve so much better than me because you're amazing and I'm just me. That sometimes I wonder if this isn't all a dram because you treat me like I'm some kind of treasure. We used to fight all the time, and we used to push each other, but now you're too scared to tell me what I need to hear. That I'm tired of being saved, and the things I do backfiring. I want to tell Pidge how cool she is and how jealous I am that she's so amazing with all this tech stuff, and Hunk how much I appreciate him. He's my best friend, and he's only been dragged into this because of me, but he's always so warm, so happy... he gives the best hugs. I want to tell Allura I'm envious of how beautiful she is, and how amazingly talented she is. I want to tell Coran that he talks too much and he uses so many words I don't get, but I'd never change him. I told Shiro I don't love him back, but I want him to be happy. I know he had a thing for me, but I also know he'd be great with Allura if he could just back off let himself breathe. I know he'd never hurt her, and they'd be an amazing power couple. I want to tell Matt how grateful I am that when I told him I had an alpha, he understood and actually backed off. He didn't make anymore passes at me, and he apologised. Not many alphas back home would do that... and it really meant a lot, especially with what I was going through. I want to tell my pups I'm sorry. I didn't know how much I'd miss them once they were gone... I wish... I wish they hadn't just been incinerated. I want you to tell me it's ok that I still think about them, and I want... I just want to tell everyone I'm so sorry, and that I'm really happy I met them all"  
Keith had already smelt the others approaching, though Lance had been too busy finally being open to notice. Everything he'd wanted to say to them, they'd all heard it. 

Staring into his eyes, Lance seemed so vulnerable. He opened his mouth, but the others couldn't wait. Slamming into them, Keith was pushed against Lance as the team formed a group hug. All of them were talking at once, but the message was the same. They all knew Lance loved them and they loved him too. Hiding his face against Keith's shoulder, Keith smiled at all the love being showered on Lance. It was exactly what he needed, and strangely enough it was what Keith also needed. The team saw Lance was trying and they knew. They knew he wasn't at a standstill or had given up. In all honestly, the probably would have remained there if not for Shiro interrupting... the man having not joined in the group hug, despite being so close and having heard everything  
"We should get back to the bridge, you all left the boys sleeping"  
"The twins! Of course, Lance, I hope you don't mind that we set them up in the bridge?"  
"No, not at all... can we go see them? And Pidge, how did you do?"  
The hug broke apart, revealing Pidge. The female smiling, despite having a split in her left eyebrow and her lower lip  
"Not as good as you! Level 7... well, the end of level 6"  
"Awesome! That's great!"  
"You should have seen her, she was so sneaky"  
"Like a little gremlin"  
Hunk nodded as he snagged Pidge by the waist  
"Exactly. But this one you can feed after midnight"  
"Huuuuunk"  
"What? I'm proud of you"  
"It wasn't that good"  
"Pidge, you did very well"  
"Pidge, that's awesome"  
Holding his fist out, Pidge fist bumped Lance  
"I guess it kind of is. I didnt expect to make it that far"  
"I have faith in you. Is Coran next? Or Hunk?"  
"Coran, and then Hunk"  
"Then shouldn't we be in the bridge? I want to see what Coran can do! Especially with that cuff of his"  
"Then let's hurry"

Coran's test was kind of funny to watch. He couldn't make up his mind what weapon he wanted to use, so the cuff continually evolved and formed into all different shapes and bizarre weapons... that he didn't even know if were actually weapons or just Coran letting his imagination get the better of him. The Altean made it easily to level 4, before pulling a muscle and ending the simulation. One hand was on his lower back, while the other was stroking at his moustache as if trying to reassure himself nothing had happened to it. Hobbling out the training room, he was still stroking his moustache as he shuffled into the bridge. Jumping to attention when they all looked to him, the pain was evident as Coran wilted like an old balloon. Half heartedly, Coran began some story about when he was younger, but that stopped once he sank into Allura's seat  
"So, does that make it my turn?"  
"It sure does Hunk. We can wait until morning if you'd prefer?"  
"The sooner we all pass, the sooner I can start baking for Keith and Lance's holiday!"  
Snorting, Lance looked back over his shoulder to the alpha  
"It sounds like you can't wait to get rid of us"  
"No. I just really want to get back in my kitchen"  
"You could just call it a night"  
"We haven't even had dinner yet, don't think I'm going to let you skip dinner"  
"I wouldn't dream of it"  
"Good..."  
Pushing his index fingers together, Hunk looked to Shiro as he waited for the man's decision  
"You might as well. Just don't go getting hurt"  
"I won't!"  
"Hey, Hunk..."  
"What's up bud?"  
"You can do this. I know you can"  
Hunk's smile was blinding  
"Thanks, Lance"  
"Don't hold back!"  
"Hunk, if you don't beat Coran, I'm not going to play video games with you for an entire movement"  
Hunk gasped  
"Pidge, we're at the final boss! I can't wait a movement!"  
"Then you better beat him!"  
Lance wolf-whistled as a fine dusting of red came to Hunk's face  
"You heard her man!"  
Hunk stumbled as he moved towards the door, but held his head high. Keith really hoped he'd be ok.

"Hunk is a tank! Look at my boy go!"  
"Who's boy?"  
"I had him first"  
"Too late to be changing your mind now Lance!"  
Pidge was now sitting next to Lance with her eyes glued to Hunk. Seated in their laps was a pup each, and Pidge had somehow found snacks. Lance was right, Hunk was an amazing fighter when he didn't hold back. The fact he was wincing and almost apologising as he beat bot after bot was gold. Clearing level 7, it seemed like nothing would stop him. It was that one sided. When level 8 started, things started to go down hill and Hunk actually picked up a bot and threw it across the room, taking out the closest two bots approaching. After that, he began to run, trying to gain some distance. Unfortunately, Hunk and running weren't close friends, and the moment he stopped to catch his breath, he lost any advantage he'd had, and the test came to an end. So now they had their first 4 results, meaning only him and Allura to go. Looking to Allura, Allura gave a nod  
"I'll check in with him on my way"  
"Allura, perhaps you should rest?"  
For the first time in a very long time, Shiro's tone was warm and gentle. The man walking over and placing his hand on Allura's shoulder  
"It's been a long day, and no one would like to see you hurt"  
"Shiro, I am fine. If I can't beat a simple test, I have no hope of winning a war"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Quite certain. Lance, I'm going to beat you"  
"Oh yeah? This I've got to see"  
"Are you doubting Allura?"  
"Nope, just a bit of friendly rivalry..."  
"You just watch me"  
"Hurry up, I'm falling asleep"  
Allura giggled as Lance yawned  
"We can't have that. Alright. I shall see you all soon"

Allura gave it her very best shot, but when it looked like she might be in trouble, the castle automatically cut out half way through level 8. She'd nimbly dodged and weaved her way through the bots, and was too graceful for own good. Lance was now fast asleep, with Kelance and Lanieth sleeping across him, leaving Keith wondering how his husband could possibly be comfortable. To the left of Lance, Pidge was dozing against Hunk, and Coran had settled down with a hot water bottle. After all the tests, Keith estimated a quintant had passed since Lance began his quest, meaning they were all feeling it. Rejoining them on the bridge, Allura yawned as she stretched  
"I don't think I can stay awake any longer"  
"It's fine Allura. Pidge, Lance and the boys have already fallen asleep, and it's not like my test needs to be supervised by all of us"  
"That's not very fair. You watched us, now we'll watch you"  
Keith eyed Lance with a sigh. His husband would sulk if he missed it  
"Lance is going to want to watch, but he needs his sleep"  
"Then do your test in the morning? No one will mind"  
"It hardly seems fair"  
"Keith, go rest. I'll help you with the twins, and we can all meet back here once we've had a good nights sleep"  
"Are you sure?"  
"I insist"

*  
Keith wasn't terribly impressed with his own efforts. He'd reached level 10, and with all the adrenaline pumping through his veins, he'd had to end his test because he was having trouble containing his alpha. It felt so good to train, to let out his frustrations, and to lose some of the weight sitting on his shoulders. Level 10 really wasn't anything to sneeze at, but he couldn't figure out how Lance had managed to last longer than him... no. He knew it was because Lance had tapped into his Atlantis blessings, but why couldn't he access his? It left him brooding as he stalked back to the bridge, after nearly 6 vargas slaying bots and sensors. Walking into the room, he smiled at the twins. Both laying on their stomachs and playing with Lance's hair as the omega pulled faces and blew raspberries  
"Good work Keith! Level 10 is very impressive!"  
"Thanks Allura, but it doesn't feel like enough. I started losing control of my alpha, so thought it better to stop before I went feral"  
"I wouldn't have minded seeing that"  
Was that Lance's way of comforting him, or was he self conscious because he had?  
"It's not that special. How are our boys doing?"  
"They've already had 4 feeds today, I think it's definitely time we start on solids"  
"That bad?"  
"My chest is a mess, but I wanted to ask you before asking Hunk"  
"Asking Hunk what?"  
"Asking Hunk about baby food"  
Allura blushed  
"I thought you meant about your chest?"  
"Oh, no. That'll clear up on its own. Keith, would it be ok to try?"  
"If you think they're ready"  
"I really do"  
No way was he ready for the boys to start eating real food. They just didn't seem big enough, or old enough, but if they weren't getting from Lance's milk and causing him discomfort, it was definitely time  
"We can try. Oh, but we should stop in at the medical bay on the way. You need your physical scan and then we can pack"  
"I don't need a scan, I feel perfectly fine"  
"Keith, everyone gets scanned"  
Rolling his eyes mentally at Shiro, Keith crossed to Lance and dropped down next to him with a groan  
"You boys have no idea what daddy just went through"  
"Nope. They were too busy tormenting mummy"  
"Mummy seems to be enjoying himself"  
"I am. I love them so much, and look how cute they are when they smile"  
"Just like their mummy..."  
Was it selfish he wanted Lance to tell him he'd done a good job?  
"No, I like your smile better. The first time you smiled in my direction, I thought I was going to die from witnessing a miracle"  
"It wasn't that bad"  
"Are you serious? It was like looking at some rare art work, and wanting to poke it because it doesn't seem like it could be real"  
"You're over exaggerating. Are Pidge and Hunk in the kitchen?"  
"Yep! They're making lunch. We all decided to wait for you"  
"You didn't have to"  
"Yes we did. We can't eat without our leader. Now you're back, you can help me try and feed them"  
"I thought your chest hurt?"  
"I mean at lunch silly. Did all that exercising kill off your brain cells?"  
"No, but those floating sensors are horrible"  
"I completely agree. I wonder if Pidge could reprogram them"  
"They are designed to be horrible. How do you feel?"  
Even Shiro was asking...  
"Good. The good kind of feeling you get after a great work out"  
"Alphas are so weird. Working out doesn't feel good, it feels like your body's screaming and you can't escape because you're doing it to yourself"  
"It sounds to me like you need to train more"  
"Nope. I'm good with the amount I'm doing. Besides, your muscle mass is perfect right now, even if you've grown"  
"I've grown?"  
"You were wearing my jeans yesterday, and the hem didn't even reach the floor. Didn't you notice?"  
"Not really"  
"It's a good thing someone's paying attention then"  
Keith doubted he'd grown. He'd always been slight short, so had just accepted it... but the fact Lance had noticed made his ego swell. His husband actually noticed these things! He was paying attention to him!  
"That means I'll need to go through our wardrobe"  
"It's fine. I mean, it can wait right?"  
"Until after we get back"  
"Something like that. Anyway, let's go eat. I don't want you passing out from hunger"  
"I'm not going to pass out from hunger. Which pup do you want me to take?"  
"I can handle both. They're just so adorable that I don't want to let them go"  
"Baby, it's like a 2 dobosh walk"  
"So?"  
"I'll take Kelance, you can carry Lanieth"  
Lance sighed, but picked up Lanieth and blew against his belly. Their sons screamed with laughter, and Lance looked very much the proud mumma over it.

Parting with the others, the pair of them continued from the dining room through to the kitchen. Hunk had cooked up a storm, and was spoon feeding Pidge something when they walked in. Panicking slightly, Hunk jumped at the sight of them and the wooden spoon fell to floor  
"No needs to stop on our account"  
"Unlike you two, we don't need to show off our love"  
"Ouch Pidge, if I was a lesser omega, that might have hurt"  
"You would have gotten over it. So, what's up?"  
"We came to see if lunch was ready. And to pick Hunk's brain"  
"Lunch is ready, and what do you need Lance?"  
"The boys are ready to start trying solids. So I was hoping you'd have some suggestions?"  
"You could try the food goo"  
Lance rolled his eyes, dropping into the first seat available and sitting Laneith up so the boy was facing Hunk  
"Uncle Hunk, don't make us eat food goo! Mummy has to change our nappies!"  
"Uncle Hunk was only joking. We should start with fruits and vegetables"  
"That's what I was thinking. I was thinking more like puréed fruit though. It's sweeter and it's their first time"  
"I think I've got something around here..."  
"Of course you have something around here. That's why we came to you, because you'd have some idea"  
"I think we have some applesauce in the cupboard. That should be fun for them"  
"I miss real apples... we should have brought back a heap of plants and planted them here..."  
"Next time we go to Earth, we can pick some up. We can even pick an uninhabited planet and set up an orchard"  
"I wish we'd thought of that before"  
"We were busy enough on Earth. You'll need spoons..."  
"We have spoons in the nursery, so do you have teaspoons for now?"  
Hunk rolled his eyes  
"We have everything. If you two want to head in, Pidge and I'll bring the applesauce in with us"  
"Hunk, you're a lifesaver, isn't he Lanieth?"  
"Thank you Uncle Hunk! You saved us!"  
"You're welcome Lanieth. Now tell mummy to go wait patiently. Also, what level did you get to Keith?"  
"He got to 10, but then his alpha nearly went feral"  
"Someone's bragging"  
"How could I not!? My big strong alpha was awesome!"  
"And someone's delusional. Right, we'll be there soon"

Have a baby they said. Kids are cute they said. The sleepless nights of screaming and feeling hopeless are worth it they said. The didn't say that trying to introduce solids would be a whole new world of hurt. The boys loved the applesauce, but that didn't mean it didn't end up all over their faces, hands, clothes, floor and table, or that they didn't face the same fate... and no one mentioned the vomiting. Applesauce was not appealing when it came back up, and Lance had declared the applesauce the winner of the match. The four of them all needed showers after lunch, and Keith found a rather large blob of applesauce vomit smeared through Lance's hair. It was a complete fiasco, that left them both feeling rather on edge... and resulted in him being kicked out the bathroom so Lance could shower alone.

*  
Keith refused to tell him where they were going. The moment Keith had got the all clear from Coran, Lance had pretty much swept away from the rest of the team. Keith had already packed Black with everything he considered they needed, and all he was allowed to do was pilot Red as he followed Keith away from Olkarion. Not knowing left him slightly frustrated, and not being allowed to help, while sweet, was just as frustrating. It was supposed to be a family holiday, not a "let's surprise Lance!" holiday. Keith had even insisted on taking the boys with him, leaving Lance completely alone during the flight. Since finding out he couldn't have any more kids, he hadn't wanted to part with his boys, but Keith didn't know that, though Lance finally felt ready to tell his husband.

It was a relatively short trip out to the planet, and it was definitely breathtaking. Landing Red to form a "V" on the soft golden sand of the beach, Lance raced to get out of Red and onto the beach. Hunk and Pidge had definitely outdone themselves, and despite everything weighing on his mind, Lance couldn't stop smiling. This planet was absolutely perfect!

"Lance!"  
Carrying the boys over to him, Lance threw his arms around Keith the moment he was close enough  
"This place is amazing! Did you know? Is it safe to swim? You're coming swimming too, right?!"  
"Whoa. Slow down. Yes, this place is kind of amazing. Yes it's safe to swim, and you want to go swimming already? We only just arrived"  
"But look at the water... please! The boys are going to love this!"  
Gathering Kelance against him, Lance span around as he let out a happy cry  
"I feel like I haven't seen you this happy in phoebs"  
"That's because I am happy! And we have this whole planet to ourselves!"  
"Still, you don't need to rush. We have a whole movement here, just us"  
"Pinch me!"  
Keith spluttered  
"What? Why?"  
"Because this has to be a dream! It's so close to Olkarion, and we aren't going to be interrupted and the last time we were on a beach was just so perfect and now we're out here and I'm just... I can't believe it"  
Snorting, Keith pinched him hard  
"Ow!"  
"You told me to"  
"You didn't have to make it so hard... please can we go swimming!"  
"Just as soon as we get changed"  
"Screw that"  
Spinning, Lance jogged over to the water's edge, not even hesitating as he began wading in. Walking until the water was just below his knees, he lowered himself and Kelance in. Being a bright and sunny day, the water was cool without being freezing. Kelance however wasn't quite so sure, his son starting to cry as Lance held him away from his chest  
"Look at you! This is your first time swimming! My baby's growing up too fast!"

Once Kelance got used to the sensation and the soft waves, his son started cooing and kicking his legs happily. Proud of his baby, he looked back to the shore where Keith was standing with Laneith  
"The water's perfect! Hurry up and get out here!"  
"We're coming!"  
"Not fast enough!"  
Even with the distance between them, Lance swore he heard Keith sigh, but a few moments later his husband kicked water up his back. Screaming in shock, Kelance started to cry over it all  
"I'm sorry baby! Daddy surprised me! It's ok. Mummy's right here. Keith, you scared him"  
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself"  
Sitting himself down next to him, Keith looked to Kelance  
"He still seems pretty happy"  
"Of course he is! Look at him, he takes after his mummy!"  
"Laneith doesn't look too sure about this"  
"He'll be fine. I wish we were filming this! Our babies are swimming"  
"They're not really swimming"  
"Don't you listen Kelance. I'm so proud of you"  
"So what do you want to do today?"  
"Swim. Sun bake. Swim some more, maybe go exploring..."  
"The boys can't sun bake"  
"I know. They can still enjoy this. Look at Laneith, he looks like he doesn't know what to do"  
"He's tiny. Of course he's got no idea what's going on"  
"Hold him out like I'm doing with Kelance. He just needs to realise this is like a super big bath!"  
"They're not used to bathing with their clothes on"  
"Oh... I forgot about that bit. Keith, do we really get the whole movement here?"  
"Yep. Allura reckons she's not going to call us unless it's something that can't be avoided"  
Humming, Lance rested his head against Keith's shoulder  
"We made such pretty babies. They're so smart and so cute"  
"Kind of like you"  
"Noooo, they're more like you"  
"Kelance has the same dopey smile you do"  
"My smile isn't dopey"  
Frowning at his drooling son, their pup was trying to catch the waves with one hand and trying shove the entirety of the other in his mouth  
"I'm not seeing it"  
"I am"  
"Then you're blind or hallucinating"  
"That's mean. We haven't even been here half a varga and you're having a go at me"  
"Yep. I missed the ocean so much. I hope the boys grow up loving the water and the beach"  
"I'm sure they will. Are we really going to sit here and hold them?"  
"Excuse you, they're swimming. You're supposed to be proud of these milestones"  
"I am. I'm just saying, you wanted to go swimming and now you're sitting here holding Kelance instead"  
"Is there something wrong with me watching him swim?"  
His tone was more hurt that he intended. He was in proud mum mode, but Keith just didn't seem to get it all  
"Of course not"  
"Keith, if you want to go back to the beach, then just go. I'm happy watching Kelance"  
"You don't need to get so mad. I just wanted to make sure everything was ok"  
"Then stop being so down. It's us and the boys, in the middle of nowhere and it's their first time at an ocean. I'm sorry if you're not proud like I am, but I really love the ocean and I've wanted to bring them out to see one, even before they were born!"  
"Baby..."  
"No. It's fine. I'll take him for a walk in the water or something. I'll take Laneith too, if you don't want to"  
Rising, he didn't care about soaking Keith in the process, but he did feel bad about Laneith. Laneith would have loved the whole thing just as much as Kelance if Keith had just given him a chance. Wading until the water was halfway up Kelance's back, Lance set off exploring away from Keith, while staying parallel to the shoreline. Why'd he have to be so stupid over something so small? Keith was Keith. He might not have had the whole loving family thing, but he knew his husband loved to swim, so why wasn't he trying to meet him halfway? Did his husband even care they were at the beach? Did he even want to be here? Feeling his happy mood dropping by the second, he buried his face against Kelance's hair  
"I suppose we should dry you off. Or get you out these wet things. Mummy just wanted to share something special with you, but daddy is probably right.

Taking the long way around Black, Lance entered through her mouth and headed into the cargo bay. Thankfully things were relatively open, so he found a towel straight away  
"There's only one, so guess who gets it"  
Leaving Black, he headed into Red and went about stripping Kelance off. Letting him go in while still in his nappy hadn't been the best idea, and his son screamed as he stripped the soggy nappy  
"I'm sorry. This was supposed to be a nice family holiday and I'm stuffing it up already. I think daddy is going to be busy with Laneith, so why don't you crawl around naked for a bit? It's good for your skin"  
Kelance didn't seem to care for his words. The moment he was dry, he was attempting to crawl, actually managing to make it a few centimetres away from Lance, before sitting down and looking up at him as if to as why he was still dressed  
"Red, can you open your side door for me? I don't want these wet things getting mouldy"  
Purring her acknowledgement, the side of his lion slid away, allowing fresh air and sunshine to stream in  
"Much better. Now mummy needs to strip, and lay out in the sun until he's burnt"

Not wanting to be too far from Kelance, Lance laid the towel out beside Red. The shadows were all cast away from him, and as he was still ignoring Keith, he didn't particularly care if his alpha couldn't handle him laying naked in the sun with his arse in the air. With his current state of mind, he didn't care if his husband never touched him again, nor did he care about the fact he leaking slick for no apparent reason. He was finally on holiday. An actual real holiday with no need to pretend to be happy and helpful, and as far as he was concerned, the only two people he needed to be there for where his sons... until Keith apologised... then he might forgive his alpha, but only if Keith figured out just why he was so hurt. Wriggling down on the towel, he hummed as warmth began to seep in, and his goosebumps began to recede. This was heavenly. 

*  
Keith knew he'd set Lance off, even though it really hadn't been his intention. His husband just seemed so happy, and like he wanted to make the most of every moment they had, so he was confused over to why Lance was so content just watching Kelance splash, and of course, being the master of words he was, everything had come out completely wrong. He was proud of their pups, and Kelance had looked adorable kicking his chubby legs in the water, but in his mind, he'd planned to at least unload what he could from Black before going swimming, and having everything set up nicely so Lance could nest on the beach if he wanted. Not wanting to push, he'd left Lance to spend the better part of a varga wading around in the water, while he'd just sat and watched with Laneith. He didn't know how to do this parenting thing, and his own frustrations had gotten the better of him. Deciding nothing before lunch would count, he waited until Lance settled himself down in front of Red, before going about drying Laneith down and redressing both himself and the pup.

Lance didn't even look at him as he dragged everything out. Some how Pidge had found a beach umbrella, and Hunk had packed a separate picnic lunch for them. First setting the umbrella up, Keith built a nest of towels around it, and laid out their lunch, before finishing the scene by sitting Laneith in the middle of the nest. The pup immediately began trying to crawl, but gave up when he found one his toys. Jogging up the beach, Keith stopped to admire the view. Lance's perfectly curved arse was sinfully on display, and his husband's smooth caramel skin seemed to glow under the light of the sun. Swallowing, he felt his penis twitch with definite interest, though he wasn't completely sure if he wanted to bury himself in Lance, or ride his husband until he fell apart beneath him  
"If you're still mad, you can go away"  
Keith swallowed again, kind of flustered over being caught staring  
"I was... lunch is ready"  
"I'll eat in a bit. The sun feels too nice"  
Oh... he should have expected that  
"I just..."  
Sighing, Lance rolled to look at him, propping himself up and displaying everything as he did  
"You just what?"  
"Lance. I didn't mean what I said before. It came out wrong"  
"Is that all"  
Lowering himself down, Lance looked away from him  
"Look. I'm trying to apologise"  
"Do you know what you're apologising for?"  
"For not knowing how to speak English properly. I was trying to ask if you were happy holding Kelance because you seemed like you couldn't wait to go swimming. It just all came out wrong"  
"More than wrong. You made it sound like I was stupid"  
"Baby..."  
"No. I was really happy to finally share this with the boys. Yes I wanted to go swimming, but I wanted Kelance to feel the water too. They're stuck on the castle just as much as we are, and I want them to experience something we can all enjoy without being scared"  
"I didn't mean to upset you"  
"That's what makes it worse. I know you didn't... but making me feel stupid, it sucks. I'm proud of our boys, aren't you?"  
"Of course I am!"  
"Then why isn't this a big deal to you? This is their first time at a beach. Our first family holiday. I was so happy and excited"  
"I really messed up, didn't I?"  
"Look. I'll be ok once I settle down, so go have lunch without me"  
"Do you want me to take Kelance?"  
"No, he's alright. He's crawling around in Red"  
"He's crawling?"  
"He's fast getting the hang of it. That's why I didn't go too far"  
Kelance was crawling and Lance didn't tell him he'd actually succeeded. The feeling that rushed in to his stomach sucked. It was then that full comprehension of how Lance must have felt met him. For Lance maybe a trip to the ocean was just as big of a deal as the pups crawling  
"I'll be down at the beach when you're ready"  
"Ok..."

Lance took his time coming down to join Keith beneath the beach umbrella. Wrapped in the towel he'd been laying on, the omega settled himself beside Laneith, before placing Kelance next to his brother  
"I'm tired of fighting. Can we just have a redo on the morning?"  
"I was thinking the same thing..."  
"Good. Now what's for lunch? I'm starving"  
"Hunk packed a special lunch for us"  
"That's so like Hunk, but it doesn't tell me what's actually in there"  
Leaning over, Keith pulled the picnic "box" over to him  
"Juice, sandwiches and fruit"  
"Fruit please!"  
"You should eat more than just fruit"  
"I will, I'm just starting with the fruit. Did he pack anything for the boys?"  
"Not in here..."  
"I guess I'll just have to feed them, can you organise the fruit while I settle Laneith? I seriously won't be surprised if these two start cutting teeth soon"  
"Really?"  
"Yep"  
Lifting Laneith to his breast, the pup latched immediately  
"It looks like he's hungry"  
"He's not the only one"  
"Hey, I'm rummaging"  
"Rummage faster, sun baking is hard work and I need energy for after lunch"  
"What comes after lunch?"  
"Adventuring"  
"Adventuring?"  
"For firewood, and if you behave, you"  
"Me what?"  
Lance rolled his eyes and Keith wondered what he'd just missed. Fishing out the plate of sliced fruit, Keith peeled back the plastic wrap over it  
"Here"  
"Sweet. Thanks"  
Taking the closest piece of fruit, Lance hummed as he bit down into it. Leaking content pheromones, Lance had no idea how tempting he looked wearing just a towel and nursing their son. Staring, he licked his lips  
"Keith? Are you alright over there?"  
"I was just watching you"  
"I can see. Do I want to know why?"  
"Because you look sexy"  
"I look sexy?"  
"Yeah. My alphas going crazy because of how perfect you look right now"  
"Tell your alpha he'll have to wait. I want to enjoy exploring, and I can't if I can't walk"  
"We could..."  
"We could what?"  
"You know..."  
Lance grinned at him, knowing exactly what he was hinting, but his omega wasn't going to be that kind  
"Know what?"  
Frowning, Keith looked away from Lance  
"Know what?"  
"You know exactly what I'm talking about"  
"Do I?"  
"I'm going to hit you"  
Lance laughed lightly  
"You look so cute when you blush"  
"I'm an alpha, we're not cute"  
"You look pretty cute when you're riding me"  
"I thought I was supposed to look hot?"  
"Oh, you definitely do that... but you're still going to need to wait. The boys need lunch, and then a nap"  
Tell that to his half-hard penis. If it was just the two of them, he could have just jumped his mate  
"You make it sound like that's hard"  
"Keith, I can smell how much you want it, and you're hard"  
"Half hard. You're loving this, aren't you?"  
"Just a little..."  
"Shut up and each your lunch"

Lance might have shut up, but he was definitely still being a tease. Licking his lips and then sucking the juice from his fingers, the omega let the towel fall aside slightly, before bending his leg and stretching back. Having gone from slightly aroused to painfully aroused, Keith rose and awkwardly fled from the beach, which left Lance howling with laughter. Storming into Black, Keith began tearing through everything he'd packed for them, before finding the tube of lube he'd thrown in "just in case". Having never prepared himself before, his face was flushed as he struggled out his jeans and underwear, before kneeling down. Lance could be a hell of a tease, but so could he.

*  
Lance wondered if he'd taken it too far when Keith stormed off, but his husband's reaction had just been too funny. When he didn't come back straight away, the omega moved the boys up to Red, settling them down in towels he'd taken from their beach nest. Kissing their foreheads, he tucked his pups in, both already exhausted from all the excitement of the morning. Now to go make sure his husband wasn't actually mad at him again.

Slipping into Black, Lance wasn't sure why he was creeping, but he was definitely glad he did. Kneeling in the cargo bay, Keith's moans filled the whole space as he fingered himself. Swallowing hard, Lance slid his hand down to erection, the sight before him driving him crazy, and the fact he hadn't been seen made it so much naughtier and hotter. Pumping himself in time with Keith's trusts, Lance let out a lewd mew unintentionally. Whipping his head around, Keith eyed him lustily, and just the tiniest bit ashamed  
"Lance"  
Breathlessly panting his name, Keith reached for him. Stumbling over, Lance scrambled to push Keith down onto his back  
"Alpha..."  
Dropping his knees, and spreading himself unashamedly, Keith hand slid up his stomach as he growled  
"Want you"  
"I can see"  
"You don't have to be an arse"  
"I'm not. Though I was enjoying the show"  
"You should have said you were there"  
"Like I said, I was enjoying the show. Why don't you show me some more?"  
"Because I want you, and I want to cum with you"  
"That's not playing fair"  
"I don't care... I need to cum..."  
His husband slutting like this seemed like a dream... the alpha was definitely acting more like an omega, not that he was going to complain  
"Why don't you ride me then?"  
Meant as a joke, Lance winced as his arse hit the floor and Keith climbed into his lap, sinking down on to him smoothly. Moaning together, Keith began rocking against him immediately as his lips found Lance's  
"Shit, Keith!"  
Beginning to ride him, his husband arched his back and let his head loll back. Thanks to being aroused for so long, Keith didn't last long, and Lance put his own dismal performance to that. His husband clenching and rippling so deliciously that he couldn't not cum. Boneless and still shaking from his orgasm, Keith slid from him and collapsed along his chest, nuzzling at his breasts as he tried to catch his own breath  
"Someone was horny"  
"Someone's a tease"  
"You... you actually like it don't you?"  
"What? Sex? Only with you"  
"I meant bottoming"  
"Oh... you don't?"  
"No. That's not what I mean..."  
"Baby, I've told you. You and I are equals. There's no reason we shouldn't enjoy each other, completely"  
"Do you like bottoming more than topping?"  
"Does that mean you want me to bottom more? Or do you want my knot?"  
Sliding his hand up Lance's chest, Keith cupped his right breast, taking his nipple into his mouth and sucking lightly. Hissing, Lance was less than sexy as he pulled Keith's hand back  
"Leave my breasts alone"  
"But they're sexy"  
"And my nipples hurt"  
It wasn't even a nice hurt. The boys had gummed and sucked them until they bled the other day, and each time they fed they seemed to be trying to make it as painful for him as possible  
"Then I'll just have to suck somewhere else"  
"Can't we just lay here?"  
Digging his chin into the omegas chest, Keith frowned up at him  
"What's wrong? You don't want another round? Wasn't it good?"  
"It was good, but I don't want to just spend the week having sex. I thought maybe we could just cuddle and stuff. Now I sound stupid"  
"No, you sound cute. I'm just horny"  
"That's a first"  
"We don't have to have sex, I just want you to feel good too"  
Keith was being so sweet and sincere, that all Lance could think about was the fact he couldn't have more kids. He felt so empty inside, and once he'd cum, half of him just wanted to run, and the other half just wanted Keith to cuddle up to him and hold him.

When Keith's semen started to cool, the alpha finally rolled off of him, groaning as he did  
"Are you alright?"  
"Mhmm. I just remembered we have to gather firewood"  
"I tried to warn you"  
"I know. I just love you so much"  
"Don't blame me. You're the one who crawled into my lap"  
Keith scowled at him  
"Fiiiine. Pass me some clothes and I'll get the firewood"  
"What. No. I can walk. We only went one round"  
"Or, you could rest like the old man you are, and watch the boys while I et the firewood"  
"I'm not that much older than you"  
"You're moaning and groaning like you are"  
"Do you ever enjoy not teasing me?"  
"Nope. You make all these different faces and expressions. It's nice"  
"I do not"  
"Just give me a wet wipe, and some clothes"  
"I said I'm fine"  
"And I said someone has to watch the boys. You couldn't wait, so you're it!"  
"I'm your alpha, I'm supposed to provide for you"  
"Ha! You were just saying we're equals, so that's not going to work"  
Beginning to push himself up, Lance was soon back on the floor with Keith nuzzling at his neck like crazy... while his fingers tickled Lance's sides. Howling, Lance tried to beg for mercy, but he was laughing to hard, so Keith continued to "torture" him until the alpha was finally satisfied. Brushing his hair back from his face, Keith smiled at him, before slowly and deeply kissing him. When the kiss broke, Keith nuzzled his check  
"What am I going to do with you?"  
"Love me?"  
"I already do. I love your smile so much"  
"And I love not being tickled. Now, get up... the boys have been unsupervised for way too long"  
Pushing Keith off, his husband went limp against him as he sighed and rolled his eyes  
"We're on holiday. You're supposed to be relaxing"  
"I think I'm pretty relaxed"  
"I don't know. If you can still fight me, you're not relaxed enough"  
"I wouldn't have to fight you if you'd cooperate"  
The playfulness was actually beginning to get to him. He wanted to know that the boys were still alright. He knew Red would keep them safe, but there all sorts of things she couldn't protect them from. Shoving Keith harder, his mate finally crawled off of him  
"You win. I'll watch the boys"  
"No. I'll do it. Just don't hurt yourself"  
"Baby, I can watch the boys"  
"It's fine Keith. I'll go adventuring tomorrow or later..."  
"Lance?"  
"It's fine. Just pass me a wipe so I can clean up. You need to clean up to, unless you want to walk around covered in cum"  
"Not like anyone's going to see..."  
Mumbling under his breath, Lance was pretty sure he wasn't suppose to hear him, so he ignored Keith. Accepting the wet wipes that were thrown at him with an internal sigh.

Dressed in a pair of shorts and a bra, Lance was back with the boys. With Keith off finding firewood, he'd moved most of the bedding from Black to Red, and made a real nest for his boys... before deciding they definitely had the right idea and crawling in to join them.

*  
Keith wasn't sure of what to make of Lance's mood. It'd been up and down like a yo-yo since they'd arrived, but after dinner, his husband has said he was going for a walk, and for the better part of two vargas now, he'd been sitting on one of the rocky outcrops to the left of where they'd set up camp. His mate had seemed to enjoy having sex well enough, but then it'd been like a switch had flipped and his omega had devoted all his time to their pups... well, all his time after the three of them woke up. With the pups settled down in Red for the night, the alpha supposed it might be safe to approach the omega. He knew Lance was thinking something over, but how long was he going to be left to wonder what?

Climbing up the rough boulders to make it onto the outcrop Lance was seated on, the view was amazing. The moon was full, and its silver light reflected across the waves of the ocean. Settling down behind Lance, he looped his arms around his waist and kissed his bonding mark  
"Hey baby"  
"Hey... what are you doing up here?"  
"I was curious why you were sitting up here alone, now I see. The view is amazing"  
"Yeah... mmm, you're nice and warm"  
"Only because you're so cold"  
"Nah, you're warm. This is nice"  
"Which bit?"  
"Staring at the ocean... and having your arms around me"  
"Smooth"  
"I thought so"  
Lance was completely relaxed in his hold, leaving Keith clueless what to say. Nuzzling his mates neck again, he squeezed Lance firmly in a quick hug  
"What was that for?"  
"Because I love you"  
"I love you too... I'm sorry I've been weird. I don't know what's going on in my head. That's why I came up here"  
"And did you figure anything out?"  
Lance sighed deeply, his right hand moving to cover Keith's own  
"Not really. But thank you for this... for all of this"  
"I don't deserve all the thanks"  
"Probably not, but still, it means a lot to me"  
"You mean a lot to me. You and the boys"  
"I love them so much..."  
"I know you do baby. You're amazing with them"  
"I don't feel amazing with them... I feel like I'm using them"  
"How are you using them?"  
"Every time I see them, I feel so much happier. Is that normal?"  
"Baby, I think most parents love their children"  
"I couldn't picture not having them... I don't know what I'd do if anything did"  
"It's a good thing nothing's going to"  
"Because you'll protect them, won't you?"  
"Of course I will. And you"  
"You're too good to me. You know that, don't you?"  
"I don't know. I think we both have our moments"  
"True, but mine are so much more frequent"  
"That's because you've been through so much more than I have"  
"I wouldn't say that. We've both been through some pretty quiznak times"  
"Mmmm. And we'll probably have to go through a few more before this is all over"  
Resting his head back against Keith's shoulder, Lance kissed his cheek  
"We should head back down..."  
"We don't have to. The boys are sleeping, and the fires fine"  
"You're getting cold. I can feel you shaking"  
"It's fine, I have you too warm me up"  
"So cheesy"  
"Maybe a little"  
Twisting so he could kiss his husband properly, he was still no closer to understanding what was wrong with Lance  
"Keith"  
"Lance"  
"Let's go to bed"  
"As in go to bed? Or go have sex?"  
"You alphas don't know the meaning of subtlety. I... I wouldn't mind topping again, if that's ok?"  
"Mmm, that's more than ok"

Leading him from the rocks, Keith's heart was racing and his stomach filled with butterflies. He had no idea why he was suddenly so nervous, but he didn't dare look back at Lance. Leaving the boys sleeping in Red, he led his husband into Black's cargo hold. Stepping into the room, he was pulled back by Lance, the omega wrapping his arms around him before mouthing at his neck  
"Baby?"  
"Keith... I love you. I love you so much"  
Turning in Lance's hold, he cupped his husband's face  
"Hey, I love you too"  
Leaning in, Lance kissed him softly, which Keith immediately deepened. Lance smelt scared and it tugged it at Keith's instincts. He wanted to soothe his mate, and he wanted to feel connected again.

Lance was gentle as he laid him down, so gentle Keith felt like a girl. Unzipping his jacket, his husband's hands shook as the moved to slide across his chest and down to his stomach. The coldness of his hands leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake  
"Baby, we don't have to do this. Not if you don't want to"  
"I do. I want you"  
The words were mumbled, as Lance tugged at the button of his jeans  
"Where's the lube?"  
Craning his neck, Keith found it not far from his head. Reaching up, he grabbed it, before passing it to Lance  
"Baby... you're going to warm your hands up first, aren't you?"  
"Oh. What. Yeah..."  
Giving him a half smile, Keith lifted his hips patiently, waiting for Lance to first place the lube back down, and then go about tugging his jeans off. Completely exposed beneath his husband, the alpha shivered. Usually he was doing this to Lance, and it confused some part of him not to be  
"It's not fair that I'm the only one undressed"  
"Do you want warm hands, or me naked?"  
"Both? But warm hands first!"  
"Then lay there and behave for me"  
Rubbing his hands together, Lance was looking everywhere but at him. Kicking his mate gently, Lance jumped  
"What was that for?"  
"You weren't looking at me"  
"Sorry, I was thinking"  
"About what?"  
"I... I kind of want to try doing you from behind..."  
"Baby, you just had to say. You don't have to think"  
"Can I?"  
Rolling to present himself, it was Keith's turn to jump as Lance's cold fingers circled his opening  
"Baby! Cold hands!"  
"Shhh, they'll warm up soon enough"  
Tell that's to his arse. It felt like Lance was trying to slide an ice block in where it really didn't belong. Biting his lip to hide his sigh of relief when his omega pulled back, he took the sounds behind him to mean his husband was finally stripping. After a few long moments, Lance's fingers returned to toy at entrance, this time he gasped from the coldness of the lube. Not stopping, Lance slid two fingers in, making his eyes widen and water as he gasped again  
"You're still so open from before"  
Roughly drawing his finger back, Lance thrust back in, repeating the action a handful of times before begging to feel for his sweet spot  
"I can feel me still inside of you"  
When his mate found his prostate, fireworks danced behind the alphas closed eyelids and his mouth fell open. Even the sensation of lance's still slightly cool fingers felt amazing against his own heat. Rubbing and teasing the spot, Lance took his time to thoroughly tease him, even leaning down to lap at his opening  
"Such a slut for my fingers and tongue. Who'd believe you were an alpha, especially with how tightly you're trying to grip me"  
"That's because it feels good..."  
Raising one hand, Keith moved to grasp his erection, Lance immediately pulled back and blew lightly across his arse  
"Who said you could touch yourself?"  
"No one...?"  
Was this some kind of game to Lance? Something his omega wanted to try and didn't know how to say so?  
"How would you like to be bred? To carry my pups?"  
"Mmm... I want to carry your pups"  
"Good alpha"  
Whatever this was, his alpha was shocked, but he personally found it kind of hot being bossed around. Rocking his hips back against Lance, his mate drove his fingers forward, sending more colours dancing across his vision, abusing the spot until he was reduced to begging  
"Lance... please..."  
"Hold on"

Being thicker than two fingers, Keith moaned into the burning sensation of being filled again, forcing himself to grip his erection to the point of pain, otherwise he would have cum across the floor of Black. Sinking in completely, Lance waited a few ticks and rubbed at his lower back until his body finally grew used to the intrusion. Nodding his head, he pushed back and Lance began to slowly slide from him, before slamming back in. After a few hard thrusts, the omega changed the angle and struck his sweet spot head on  
"Baby!"  
"My alpha!"  
"Yours... Lance... so good"  
Slowing his pace, Lance took his time to drag back until Keith was barely breached, before driving in hard enough to make Keith's whole body shake  
"Lance... I need to..."  
Humming, Lance slid one hand down to tug his hand away from his leaking penis, taking it firmly and beginning to tease at his slit. It was just too much for him. Growling and snarling, Keith thrust into Lance's hand desperately chasing the feeling of release, and howling when his orgasm finally hit. Unable to support himself, he collapsed forward, biting into his arm as Lance continued to fuck him, the omega's own orgasm so far from his own that Lance had him babbling almost incoherently from pleasure, and overstimulation  
"Lance... Lance, fill me... need you... cum for me baby..."  
Letting out a very unomega like growl, his omega grabbed him by the hips and hefted him up onto all fours against, his pace now bordering on painful instead of pleasurable. With a low, long groan, his husband finally spent his seed, and Keith swore he felt each pulse of cum splash against his insides. Not content with just filling him with him on all fours, Lance pulled him into his lap, biting down hard on his bonding mark as he did, causing Keith to cum again with a scream. Spasming, his chest heaved and he licked his lips over and over, trying to draw enough saliva to soothe his parched throat  
"Fuck... baby... fuck... are you trying to get me pregnant?"  
Lapping at the bonding mark, Lance rocked his hips as one hand slid to his stomach, before feeling around for his hand. Taking Lance's hand, he gripped it tightly  
"Baby?"  
"Mmm?"  
"Are you ok?"  
"Yeah... you feel so good"  
Keith snorted, despite the intimacy of the moment  
"I don't know if I can walk"  
"It's a good thing you don't have to, and you're lucky I'm not an alpha"  
"I don't know, you feel pretty thick when you're inside me"  
"Did you just say all alphas were thick?"  
"Haha... just as long as you're ok"  
"It felt good... I'm sorry if it was weird?"  
"Which bit?"  
"Umm... the breeding bit"  
"If I was an omega, I'd hope you loved me all the same. I might now be able to carry our pups, but this still feels amazing"  
"I would love you. I do love you..."  
"I love you too... god... I swear it feels like you're still cumming"  
"No... but I came harder than I expected to"  
"I don't mind. We have nothing to hide"  
"Mmm... can we sleep in Red's head tonight?"  
"I thought you'd want to sleep by the boys"  
"I don't want to have sex in the same room as them"  
"Yeah. No..."  
Keith's arse twinged in pain at the mere thought of moving. The throbbing so intense, he wasn't sure he could stand, and he wasn't sure if he actually needed to pee, or if everything was just messed up from being pounded so hard  
"I'm going to pull out now..."  
"You don't have to"  
"While I'm sure I can carry you, we need extra blankets and stuff for our nest"  
"You're going to carry me?"  
"You don't think I can?"  
"I didn't say that"  
"Challenge is so accepted"

Carrying him, was more like staggering while trying not to fall over laughing. Lance had stacked the pile of blankets between them so high that the Omega couldn't see over them, which lead to Lance walking backwards while Keith acted as their eyes. He had absolutely no idea how Lance didn't trip, but soon gave up once they were inside as the dobosh and a half trip had left him freezing. He didn't even wait to let Lance indulge his nesting fetish, instead he just grabbed the first blanket he could, laid that out on the floor, before pulling the whole pile down on himself  
"Keith?"  
"It's cold"  
"It's not that cold"  
"Tell that to my arse. It's frozen"  
"Ice is supposed to help with swelling, but if you're that cold, I'll just have to warm you up again"  
"Don't you dare put your cold fingers on me again"  
"Is that a threat?"  
"Lance, I'm serious. Hurry up and get under the blankets already"  
"Fine, but only because you asked so nicely"  
Grabbing the top three blankets, Lance flicked them out and laid them over him, before climbing in next to Keith and straightening out the bottom blanket  
"Better?"  
"Much"  
"You do know it's going to be cold when I curl up around you"  
"I know, just hurry up and get over here"  
"Nope, you're little spoon tonight. Gotta protect that arse of yours"  
"You're literally the only person who'd want it anyway"  
"Mhmm... someone's blind"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"That you're sexy"  
"I'm not sexy"  
"You are, now quit complaining and let me cuddle you"

*  
During the night they'd messed around a little more until Keith's hips finally hurt too much. The last thing he'd remembered was falling asleep with Lance holding him tight, but waking up, he found they'd switched positions and he was now curled up against his very slick omega, and so achingly hard that he sought out the tight heat of his mate without even thinking. Though the sound of Lance's slick skin hitting his was muffled, he could still feel it leaking each time drew back. It was like catnip to a cat, and he was chasing that high, only when Lance finally woke, everything went to quiznak. Letting out a scream, his omega shoved him away, before scrambling across the cockpit of Red, and dissolving into sobs as he made himself as small as possible. The distressed scent turned him limp almost instantly, for it was nothing like any of scents Lance had produced in a very long time. He just... Fear. Confusion. Physical pain. Emotional pain. Betrayal. Utter hopelessness. And the one scent he'd only ever smelt when Lance had tried to kill himself. He didn't have a name for that one, but he supposed profound guilt and resignation came closest.

Crawling across to Lance, he pulled his husband's hands from his hair, wincing at how much Lance's fingers had managed to pull free in the few ticks it'd taken him to actually realise he needed to move. Immediately Lance snatched his hands back, screaming as if Keith had snapped his wrists, or hurt him far more than just morning sex. The first couple of times Keith had pushed in when Lance wasn't quite awake, his husband had freaked, but gradually they'd worked through it. Or so he'd thought  
"Baby?"  
Howling, a genuine heartbreaking howl, Red's mouth opened in response, and even though Lance didn't seem to notice or comprehended he was right in from of him, he noticed he now he had an escape and took off before Keith could do anything to stop him. The cold morning air hit him like a slap in the face, and there was no way he was leaving Lance running around an unknown planet while so upset. 

Throwing himself out of Red, he caught sight of his husband running towards the rocky outcrop they'd been sitting on the previous night. Even if it overhung the ocean, the water would be freezing, and there was no way to know if there were rocks waiting for anyone foolish enough to jump. Tearing after him, Lance was already halfway up by the time he started climbing. This was not how the morning was supposed to start, and his hips throbbed so painfully he was nearly brought to a stop. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself on, screaming Lance's name as he pulled himself up onto the outcrop  
"Lance!"  
Spinning around, Lance wrapped his arms around himself  
"Baby, whatever it is, it's ok"  
"It's not ok!"  
"Baby"  
"It's not ok! I'm not ok!"  
"Then we'll talk about it"  
Taking a few steps closer, it was on the fifth that Lance took one back from him. Holding his hands up, he didn't know what to do  
"Whatever it is, we can work through this!"  
"I'm broken! I'm a bad omega!"  
"You're not broken!"  
"I am! And I've been lying to you!"  
"Baby, whatever it is, I'm still going to love you"  
"You don't know..."  
"Then tell me"  
Shaking his head, Lance backed up a little further  
"You don't know!"  
"Then tell me!? Did you have a nightmare? Is this about Shiro? Whatever it is, we can work it out"  
"You deserve better! Just... just leave me alone!"

Lance was taken by surprise as he went to step back, and found there wasn't solid ground behind him. The look of fear on his face, had Keith sprinting across the outcrop before his mind could actually comprehend. Unable to catch Lance and pull him back, Keith threw himself off, managing to grab hold of Lance as they hit the frigid water. For Keith, the whole world turned black as icy water flooded his lungs, and when the world finally came back into view, his ears were ringing as his whole body began to shut down thanks to the sudden temperature drop. In his hold, Lance was limp, his lips and face tinged blue, but he seemed to be breathing. He wanted to call his name, but he was just so cold.

His muscles cramped and each awkward movement to shore had pins and needles tearing at his skin. Lance might not have actually jumped or fallen if he'd just backed off. Whatever it was, they could talk about it, and it wasn't until they were collapsing on the shoreline that he realised Red would never have let Lance go if she believed he'd actually hurt himself. Coughing up water, Keith spat to the side as he drew himself to kneel beside Lance. His mate didn't seem to be bleeding, and his chest was rising and falling, but... he just... he wasn't awake. Wrapping one arm around his waist, Keith shook Lance, harder and harder, until his husband finally spluttered and coughed, throwing up a ridiculous amount of seawater as he did  
"K-K-Keith?"  
"Lance..."  
"Why... what?"  
"You fell off the cliff, and being the alpha I am, I fell after you"  
"C-cold..."  
"Me too..."  
Lance's teeth were chattering just as badly as his were  
"We need to move"  
"O-k-kay..."  
Lance was just as cold and useless as Keith was, the pair making it up to pretty close to where he'd set up the fire pit  
"Just a little more"  
Crawling those last few feet were hellish, and when they got beside the fire pit, Keith's hands were too clumsy to grip the lighter properly, meaning it took way too long to light the stupid thing, and also meaning they were growing colder by the second. There wasn't even a blanket or a towel he could wrap around them, and despite himself, he felt himself growing angry at Lance, triply so when the omega began to sob again.

Finally getting a small fire started, it felt like vargas before its heat began to defrost him, and by then the sun was finally above the horizon and the whole world was gradually warming too  
"Lance. What the fuck was that?!"  
"W-wh..."  
"Don't what me? You fell off a fucking cliff after freaking out. What the fuck is going on with you?!"  
Peering over his knees, Lance looked at him pathetically  
"If it was a fucking nightmare, I swear to god I'm going to hit you"  
Lance hid his face back against his knees, not responding. Keith might have regretted the words the moment they left his lips, but Lance wasn't doing himself any favours by staying silent  
"Omega. Answer me"  
Lance's head shot up, glaring openly as he did  
"Did you just use a command on me! How fucking dare you!?"  
"Me! I rescued your arse!"  
"I wasn't going to jump! I wanted space!"  
"Why?! What could be so bad you flipped out like that?! Tell me what the fuck is going on with you!"  
"You want to fucking know! Fine! I can't have kids! Ok. You were fucking right! 6 containers on quintessence was too much and it damaged my womb! There! Are you fucking happy?! I told you I was going to tell you when I worked out how I felt! But that wasn't good enough!"  
Keith felt like the air had been forced from his lungs again. Out of everything that could have come from Lance's mouth... that... that he couldn't understand. Dissolving back into sobs, Lance hugged his legs tighter  
"They can perform surgery, but I'm still scared!"  
Forcing his tight muscles to move, Keith crawled over to his husband and pulled him close. He was so beyond angry, but for Lance, this was massive. He'd always wanted a big family. He'd wanted lots of pups... Whining for him, Lance moved to clutch at him like he was his only lifeline  
"I'm sorry! I didn't do it on purpose! I didn't!"  
"How long have you known?"  
"Since waking up... Coran found it on a scan..."  
So for quintants. Lance had known for quintants and he hadn't told him...  
"K-Keith?"  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
"I... I was..."  
"You were what? Scared? Did you think I'd just abandon you? Do you really think so little of me?"  
"Noooo. I was scared! I wanted t-to figure everything out before telling you"  
"You should have told me! Is it even safe for you to be off the ship? If it's something this big, maybe we should have..."  
Tearing himself away, Lance glared at him  
"Stop it! Just stop it!"  
"Stop what?"  
"Stop treating me differently! I knew you'd do this! You always do! I was scared to tell and I was scared you'd do this!"  
"You should have told me!"  
"How could I! I was trying to work out if I still wanted to pilot knowing I could lose my kids while not with them! It doesn't just affect you! This is my body!"  
"You're the mother of our children! I need to know things like this!"  
"Why?! So you can find a new mate?!"  
"I... what?"  
"You want kids and so do I! But we don't know if the surgery will really work! I'm scared Keith! I'm terrified and you don't even care! You just care because it's a blow to your precious ego!"  
"I can't do this"

It wasn't his finest moment, leaving Lance crying on the beach, but he needed to clear his head. How did he not know about his? And why hadn't Lance just told him? They could have talked about it... and even if it turned out Lance really couldn't have any more pups, they had the boys, and there were other ways. He just... he didn't know what to say or do... and like Lance, he was scared.


	88. Chapter 88

Lance was still on the beach when Keith returned... actually, his husband had returned to Red, dressed, and was now building a sandcastle with both their sons sitting between his legs. After marching into the jungle and cutting up enough firewood to... well... yeah, his temper had finally cooled and all he wanted was to be next to Lance. He'd handled everything terribly, and with all that had been on Lance's mind, and his jokes about falling pregnant, his mate had finally snapped. Almost nervously, Keith sat opposite Lance  
"I want to say I'm sorry"  
"It's fine. You were right"  
"It's not fine. And I wasn't right. I wish you'd told me, and I was angry beside I'm scared too. I don't know what this means, and if the surgery will work, but I want to be with you"  
"Keith..."  
"Lance, even if the pups are the only biological children we have, we can adopt. Or we can find some other way. I want a family with you. I want a future with you and we'll work through this together"  
"I didn't mean to take in so much quintessence... I didn't. I know how much you worried, and when the goop flipped the ship, I couldn't stop... I didn't mean to..."  
"I know baby... what do you want to do?"  
"I don't know... I'm so scared they're going to say they can't remove the scarring"  
"Scarring?"  
"Coran said it's like what you see from electrical burns on the side..."  
"I thought quintessence was supposed to make you more fertile"  
"So did I... I... feel like a bad omega, but I'd rather not be able to have kids than lose another one"  
"Baby, that does not make you a bad omega"  
"I just don't know what to do"  
"When we get back to Olkarion, I'd like to have Coran perform another scan. After that, we can book an appointment with a doctor and see if they can help"  
"And if they can't?"  
"Then we'll see if they know anyone who can. Whatever we decide, we'll decide together"  
Leaning over the sandcastle, Keith kissed Lance to seal the promise  
"So we're making a sandcastle?"  
"Yep. Though the boys seem happier pulling it apart"  
"I'm sure they think they're helping"  
"Yeah..."

*  
That night, when the twins were asleep, Keith dragged him away from Red and back down to the bonfire. Sure the morning gave the previous day a run for its money, but having finally told Keith felt so much better, like he could breathe again. Curling into each other, Keith had somehow found marshmallows, and Lance was now succeeding at toasting his, while Keith was succeeding at burning his black molten blobs. Giggling at his mates anger, Keith threw his stick into the fire and took Lance's from him, hissing as his stole marshmallow caught on the alpha's lip, before disappearing  
"That's not cool"  
"What's not cool?"  
"Stealing my marshmallow"  
"I don't know what you're talking about... but you should definitely put another one on"  
"Why? So you can steal it?"  
"Baby, there's no evidence I stole your marshmallow"  
"Because you at it"  
"Ate what?"  
"Ugh. Why are you being so mean?"  
"Why did you sabotage my marshmallows?"  
"How did I sabotage them? You killed them yourself"  
"I see no proof of that"  
Having taken too long to place the next on the stick, Keith took over, before shooting him a grin  
"You're going to steal it, aren't you?"  
"Maybe"  
"Fine... I'll just have to burn this one..."  
"That's not fair"  
"I was going to say, unless you pay me"  
"Pay you what?"  
"With a kiss?"  
"You want a kiss?"  
"One kiss per marshmallow"  
"I think I can do that"  
Kissing him softly, Keith smirked as he wriggled into the sand a little more  
"I'll take that marshmallow now"  
"You only love me for my marshmallow talents"  
"I love you for all your talents"  
"That's good, because... I was wondering if we could maybe..."  
Raising his eyebrow, Keith then snatched the stick out his hand, throwing it into the fire, before sweeping him up into his arms. Laughing, Lance clutched at Keith as he strode over to Black. He was still scared, but he wanted this... and it felt like if he didn't do this now, he'd keep running again.

Keith was soft and gentle and he opened him with him with his tongue, not at all minding that Lance had bathed in the ocean, unlike his sons and himself who'd bathed in the stream near camp... Lance had bathed, but the water was just too nice to stay out of. Whimpering in pleasure he only seemed to spur his alpha on, Keith "insisting" on making him cum just by eating him out. Without his secret in the way, his body felt like it was melting, and when Keith finally mounted him, he lost all sanity, giving into the waves of pleasure over and over, Keith staying within him for the whole night. He just couldn't get enough his husband, and Keith couldn't get enough of him, even knowing he might never carry his pups.

In the morning, Keith cleaned them both down before climbing into bed with their sons. Both had over indulged in each other, but it wasn't like they really needed to leave their nest, for anything other than bathroom trips, and they spent the whole day just napping and playing with the boys, and sharing secret smiles and kisses.

*  
The forth day was Lance's favourite. Waking up to both boys shaking him, he'd gotten extra cuddles with them before Keith woke... and when Keith woke, he was showered with love and affection from his three loves, Keith insisting on running around and taking care of everything.

After breakfast, and cleaning and changing the boys, they'd set off exploring, finding all kinds of different flowers and interesting plants to show the boys. Keith yet again acting adorable sweet as he picked him one of each flower, present them to him when they were sitting near the stream they'd used for bathing. Given he'd worked up a sweet, Lance watched on as Keith bathed, even if it meant he struggled with his little pet project. After maybe half a varga, Keith came climbing out, walking over and shaking his hair out over Lance and the boys  
"Down boy, down!"  
"You should have come in, the water was nice"  
"The view from here was pretty nice"  
"I saw you doing something"  
"Maybe. Are you going back to Black to grab a towel?"  
"I suppose so..."  
"Good. Can you bring me back my hairbrush?"  
"I don't even know if I packed it"  
"Seriously?"  
"Well you usually brush your hair with your fingers"  
"That's because it's too thick to comb"  
"So you want your brush?"  
"Yep. It's nice here"  
"Do you want to have lunch here?"  
"I wouldn't say no, but I suppose we should probably get the boys of the sun"  
Their sons were currently shielded from the son by his jacket, but it wasn't the best of tents  
"Sooo, brush, umbrella, blanket and food"  
"And pants"  
"Oh, now you want me to wear clothes?"  
"No, but pants would be nice"  
"Pants it is, I'll be back soon"

Lance waited patiently until after lunch before making his move. Kneeling behind Keith, he wielded the hairbrush, and a mischievous grin in his eyes  
"Baby, why are you brushing my hair?"  
"Because I want to"  
"Should I be scared?"  
"Nope. Just close your eyes and trust me"  
"I do trust you... I should have grabbed your Bayard"  
"Why do you want my Bayard?"  
"So you could cut my hair"  
"You want me to cut your hair with the doom-sword?"  
"It's really too long now"  
"Do you really want your hair cut?"  
"Why? What's with that tone?"  
"Because I have my Bayard. There was no way I was taking our kids exploring without it"  
Keith tensed, as if all his courage had fled now he knew Lance had it  
"Keith, its fine. I won't take offence"  
"No... ok. I'm slightly scared"  
"We could stop by the Space Mall on the way home"  
"I don't want to pay some stranger to do it. Just don't kill me"  
"Your faith in me is amazing. Do you have a hair lackey? Or something to tie it with?"  
"Can't you use yours?"  
"Hey, my ponytail is tiny compared to yours"  
"I didn't say it like it was a bad thing"  
"Ugh. Just hold still, and if anything goes wrong, this was all your fault"

Keith's hair was so silky, that trying to get the ends to line up was hell. It kept slipping through his fingers, and Keith wouldn't sit still. Opting for a high ponytail was his best bit, and by making sure all the ends were mostly lined up, he held it tight as the cut, taking off a good three inches of Keith's hair. Wincing he pulled the hair lackey free as Keith's hair fell loose  
"So?"  
"I'm sorry..."  
"How bad is it?"  
"It's um... it's not terrible, just a little long on the sides"  
"Space Mall?"  
"No... I think if I trim it a little, it's going to be fine"  
"Lance, I don't want to be bald"  
"You're not going to be bald. Just hold still"

Given his blade was huge, it was definitely impractical, but Lance managed to tame Keith's hair back into a mullet, much like the one he'd sported when they first came out to space... and then he promptly deactivated his Bayard and refused to let Keith cut his hair with the blade... he'd seen its effects and that was a big fat nope. Instead, his husband used his luxite dagger... and actually managed to do a really good job. So much that Lance was actually jealous.

It was mid-afternoon that Keith fell asleep in his lap, and Lance's fingers itched to play with Keith's hair. Parting the hair above Keith's left ear into three sections, Lance braided then into small braids, and then the three into one. The cherry on top was the addition of the flower crown Lance had secretly made while Keith was bathing. It wasn't terribly big, but for his big bad alpha to only have his hair braided, but to also be wearing a flower crown while snoring his head off... it was just too perfect and Lance accidentally woke him laughing. Yeah. Their forth day was definitely his favourite.

Neither of them knew why, but the boys started crying just on dawn as their fifth day rolled around... with Keith's hair still braided. After trying everything to settle them and failing miserably, the boys managed to last nearly an entire quintant crying and screaming, so beyond exhausted that they couldn't stop. Even when they seemed to have cried themselves out and managed to fall asleep, it only ever lasted a few doboshes before starting to crying the moment they awoke. Keith and Lance didn't even have to talk about it. A movement long holiday was nice in theory, but not hearing from anyone and not knowing what was happening on the castle... it made the choice to return home pretty easy. While Lance stayed with the boys, Keith retrieved all their gear and double checked nothing had been left behind. 

*  
Flying back to Olkarion, Lance eyed the castle with relief. The boys were still crying, so the relief was limited, but the castle was standing and there didn't seem to be any sign of damage. Landing Red in Black's bay, Lance sighed deeply at the fact they were back. He was happy enough to be back home... but now he'd seen that nothing was wrong, he just wanted to crawl into bed and spend the next two days hiding away...

By the time Lance had gathered up the boys and carried them down Red's mouth ramp, a breathless Hunk and Pidge had arrived, both tripping over each other as they both welcomed them home, and demanded to know why they were back so soon. Coming to his side, Keith lifted Kelance from his hold and placed him Hunk's hold, before taking Laneith from him and placed him in Pidge's hold  
"If you can get them stop crying, you can leave sooner"  
"What?"  
"Why?"  
"You guys aren't supposed to be back yet"  
"Why are they so upset?"  
"And why don't you two looked refreshed?"  
"Oh my god! Hunk, Keith has braids in his hair"  
Groaning, Lance half his behind Keith. His head was throbbing, and he might have spent a tad too long in the sun, as wearing clothes had him itching like crazy. He totally couldn't deal with this right now, and whined at Keith, hoping he'd do something to just make things suck less  
"We're back because they haven't stopped crying. If you can figure out how to get them to sleep, and sleep for longer than 6 vargas, you can leave early and take an extra quintant"  
"Hunk... I don't know..."  
"Pidge, it'll be fine. We'll give them a bath and settle them in the nursery. It's nice to have you guys back, it wasn't the same without you"  
"We missed you too... didn't we baby?"  
"Mhmm. I'm sorry, I'm just so tired I feel sick. But, guys, that planet was amazing"  
"Oh yeah! Team Punk strikes again"  
"I can't even brain what that means. Keith, we can go right?"  
"Yeah baby, can you walk?"  
Keith didn't even wait for an answer before lifting him into his arms  
"Look at them, all loved up"  
"I wouldn't say that. Lance is dangerously close to resembling a tomato. Didn't you use sunscreen?"  
"Sorry bud, I forgot"  
"You're probably dehydrated. Keith, why don't you put him in a pod? It'll help with his sunburn"  
"Shiro won't be happy if we do that"  
"Shiro's off castle at the moment..."  
"What?! Why?!"  
Lance half tried to scramble out of Keith's arms in an attempt for more information  
"He's down helping the Olkari. There's no need to freak out"  
"You made it sound like he was off in space"  
"That's tomorrow"  
Lance couldn't tell if Pidge was messing with him, but let himself sink completely into Keith's hold. He didn't want the pups out of his sight, but right now, he just wanted them to happy and to stop crying, and he was willing to try anything to make that happen  
"What do you think baby? Cold shower and sleep? Or a cycle in the healing pod?"  
"Hmm, we should probably use a pod, we kind of overdid it a little"  
"I'm completely up for overdoing it all over again"  
"Ewww guys!"  
"Mmm, but not in front of the children"  
Leaning up to kiss his husband, Lance tried to find whatever extra strength he had to turn the kiss into something more. Growling, Keith deepened the kiss  
"Quiznak, I love you"  
"Mmm, love you too alpha"  
"That's it. We're taking the pups, you two are just too gross to look at"

*  
A little over a varga and half later, Keith and Lance were now in the games room. Lance wanted to watch a movie and cuddle up with him until he fell asleep, but Lance hadn't even lasted 5 doboshes before falling asleep, lying on top of him with his arm firmly around his waist, and purring in his sleep. Pidge might have been teasing by calling them "loved up", but for Keith, it felt just like that. Yes, Lance had freaked out... but sleeping in an environment where he didn't truly feel safe, and stressing so much over telling him about the scarring was bound to trigger that. The most important thing was that they'd talked. They'd actually talked and his husband hadn't ventured far from his side since. Even having sex felt much more warmer and affectionate... right now, he could die happy with his mate in his arms.

Lulled to the edge of sleep by Lance's soft tickling breath, and light snores, Keith mentally cursed as the door to the games room opened. They might not have been doing anything wrong, but if the others wanted to use the game room, he'd have to risk moving Lance. Smiling fondly, Allura oblivious to mental grumbling, coming to sit on the edge of the bed  
"Hey Keith. How was your holiday?"  
"Good. A bit up and down, but it was good... until the boys started crying"  
"Yes, I heard them. That's how I knew you were back. Pidge and Hunk seemed to have their hands full"  
"Lance wasn't feeling great. It's hard to pry him out the sunshine at the best of times but add a beach, and it's near on impossible"  
"He looks happy"  
"We talked. He told me about his scan"  
"Coran is confident the scarring can be removed, and with the use of a healing pod, every thing should heal up perfectly fine"  
"He's still pretty scared. I am too, but I told him we'd ask Coran to perform another scan, before talking to one of the doctors. We'll decide what to do from there"  
"They're going to be tired of seeing us soon"  
"Did something happen?"  
"No. Yes. I... I honestly don't know. Shiro's been very secretive since you left, and told he actually called Ryner to volunteer to help..."  
"Pidge made it sound like they requested his help and mentioned something about him off world, or something"  
"Well, about that... I've been invited to a Gala of sorts, as the Queen of Altea. Shiro was supposed to be accompanying me, but the invitation does extend to all of Voltron"  
"Let me guess, Pidge and Hunk didn't want to go?"  
"Not what Pidge learned she'd need to wear a dress, and Hunk a suit"  
"Really? They weren't swayed by free food? And why didn't you let me know?"  
"Because you and Lance needed to relax, and it's only for one night"  
"You know Lance, he can't say no to a party... actually, I can see why. Not everyone understands Lance's flirting"  
"I meant no harm"  
"I know you didn't. If you'd like to attend, the offer is still open"  
"I'll ask Lance, but we both know he'll want to go"  
"I'll let Coran know you'll both need suits"  
"I wonder if we can convince him he needs to wear a dress"  
"Why would we do that?"  
"Because he owes me for braiding my hair and making me... actually, no. No proof exists"  
"I would not be opposed..."  
"Allura, are you helping me play a prank on Lance?"  
"I miss him smiling, and I even miss his bad jokes"  
"I'll leave that side to you. I think I'm going to take a nap now, but we should be at dinner"  
"I look forward to hearing more about your holiday then"

Lance didn't want to get up for dinner, so Keith was left to piggyback him up to the dining room. Pidge and Hunk were both there when they arrived, and both of them looked exhausted as they shot him a glare  
"What did you do to them?"  
"How can they cry so much?! What have they got to cry about! I've got more reason to cry than they do!"  
"So no luck getting them to sleep?"  
"No! I don't know where they get all this energy from! Even extra holiday time is not worth this!"  
Lowering Lance into his seat, Keith dropped a kiss on the top of his head as he took his own next to him  
"I take it they're in the nursery?"  
"Yes! Where were you two?!"  
"Games room. We put a movie on and had a nap"  
"I wish I had a nap! I'm so tired!"  
"Makes you wish you had your own?"  
"Nope. No way. They're adorable, but I don't know about all this crying"  
Groaning, Lance crossed his arms and rested his head against them  
"Think how we feel. Everything was going fine, then they started crying and wouldn't stop"  
"But you guys were on holiday. You should be relaxed enough to enjoy it"  
"Tell that to them. Hunk, what's for food?"  
"What's for food?"  
"I'm still tired... and hungry. I can't brain"  
"Baby, do you still feel sick?"  
"No. Sleeping helped. I'm just hungry and sleepy"  
"Here, I'll get your dinner for you. Move your chair over"  
"Can't you just catch me when I fall out of it"  
Moving his own chair closer to Lance, the whole team stifled their laughter as Lance moved to lean against him. Shooting them a scathing look, Keith ignored Pidge's snicker as he served up what seemed to be seafood pasta.

"So how your vacation? What did you guys get up to?"  
"Shiro, do you really want to know what they got up to?"  
"Pidge!"  
"I'm just saying"  
"Guys, can we just accept sex happened and move on? The beach was amazing, the sun was amazing. The grass was amazing. The flowers were amazing. The company was amazing. The water sucked in the mornings, but once it warmed up, it was amazing..."  
"The cliffs weren't amazing"  
Lance rolled his eyes at him  
"You fall off one cliff and they never let you forget it"  
"You fell off a cliff?"  
"It was over the water, and Keith leapt in to save me"  
"Keith, why was Lance wandering around on a cliff?"  
"You know Lance. He loves exploring"  
"So you both had a good time"  
"We talked and stuff... things are good. Right?"  
"Yeah baby. We got this"  
"Team Klance"  
Kissing his cheek, Lance hummed  
"So what did you guys get up to?"  
"Well, actually Lance, I've been dying to tell you. I've been invited to a gala event, as the Queen of Altea, and the invitation extends to Voltron. Pidge and Hunk don't want to go, but would you and Keith like to?"  
"What? Why don't you guys want to go?"  
"Its formal wear"  
"So?"  
"I don't do formal wear"  
"So Pidge Gunderson can't wear a dress?"  
"Oh shut up!"  
"Keith, what do you think?"  
"We can go if you want to"  
"Really? But the boys..."  
"Taken care of..."  
"Pidge, you and Hunk have to come! Please!! It'll be fun, and we can make fun of the different alien food!"  
"But then who will watch the boys?"  
Lance deflated next to him  
"Baby..."  
"We can't take them with us. I know a lot people know about them, but I don't want to put them in danger..."  
"Coran..."  
"No. Coran has to go to. Maybe you guys should go, and I'll stay home with the boys"  
"If you're not going, I'm not"  
"Keith, you should. I know big crowds aren't your thing, but you need to have fun and let loose once in a while"  
"It's fine"  
"I know you guys don't like it, but why don't you put the pups in a pod?"  
"Pidge, they're not going in a pod just so we can go have some fun"  
"I was just thinking, they've been crying and screaming for so long, maybe they've hurt their throats and are crying in pain"  
"Pidge!"  
"I don't know! I panicked!"  
Jumping to his feet, Lance began towards the door  
"Baby, I'm sure they're ok"  
"I need to go check on them"  
"Dinners nearly over"  
"Keith, please. I need this"  
"Ok baby... I'll come down once I'm done here. Is that ok?"  
"Yeah... come to the nursery"  
"Will do"

Leaving them, Keith looked to the spaghetti on his plate with no desire to finish it  
"What was that?"  
"What was what?"  
"Lance just now. I was joking"  
"He's just got a lot..."  
"A lot on his mind. That seems to always be the case of late"  
"Mhmm. Shiro's right. Is there anything we can do?"  
"No. It's ok. Lance and I have this handled"  
"Is it to do with your vacation? Oh my god! Is he pregnant again? Is that it? He's been acting weird... wow... I guess we'll have to get used to all those pheromones again"  
Keith chewed his lip, before deciding for honesty  
"About that..."  
"He is!"  
"Guys, Lance can't have any more kids. Coran and Allura both said that surgery was an option, but even then, the damage was caused by pure quintessence so nothing is certain. He's scared and I am for him, so for now, can we please not make jokes about that kind of thing, and can you not mention it to him. We talked about it. If we can't get help on Olkarion, we'll start exploring other options, but we also might adopt. There are so many children out there who need a good home, and Lance is a great mother. Even with Fern, he took care of her like it was the natural thing to do"  
"Wow... uh... I don't know what to say now"  
Pidge was the first to break the silence that hung after his words, the alpha looking extremely uncomfortable  
"It's ok Pidge. You didn't know. So just, go easy on those jokes until we can figure this out"  
"Bud, that sucks  
"Yeah, it does Hunk. But we have options, right Coran?"  
"Indeed you do. I'm certain the damage can be removed and you and Lance can create a whole school of children if you please, maybe not a school, four of five? Is that too many?"  
"Thanks Coran, but we'll stick to two for now. Oh. That's another thing. His omega isn't handling leaving the boys very well. The only reason he didn't protest before was because of how tired he was. So if he snaps at you, please try not to make a big deal of it"  
Everyone promised, except Shiro. Waiting for the harsh criticism to come from the alpha, Keith ground his teeth together in an attempt not to yell at him just to "say it" already. Opening his mouth, Shiro's tone was far softer and more caring than he expected  
"How are you Keith? This has to be pretty hard for you to?"  
"Me? I'm fine. Better than Lance, but as long as he's ok, we can work the rest out"  
"If you need to talk, you have all of us"  
Was this a dream? Or was Shiro acting more Shiro like than he had in phoebes  
"Thanks. I just wanted everyone to know what's going on. I should probably go talk to him"  
"Hey, about the party. You guys should definitely go. It sounds like he needs all the fun he can get"  
"We can't. Not when we have no one to watch the boys"  
"There must be something we can do"  
"It's ok guys. We'll see you all tomorrow for breakfast"

*  
"Wake up!"  
Confused as to why Allura was pulling back their blankets, Keith growled in warning. Lance was already nuzzling into his chest in an attempt to hide  
"Sorry! I didn't think. I didn't mean to disturb your nest"  
"That's not the problem Allura. What's going on?"  
"The gala?"  
"I thought we weren't going"  
"Well, after you left we all got together and discussed it. We decided to take the castle rather than a lion. That way, you'll both still be close to the boys, and you'll be able to enjoy the gala"  
"Allura... why are you talking so fast?"  
"Because I'm here to borrow you"  
"Keith. Help?"  
Rolling Lance on top of him, Keith smiled at his mate's sleepy face and messed hair  
"Allura is taking the castle to the gala, so we can still go. Now, she wants to borrow you, is that ok?"  
"Why me?"  
Allura hummed  
"You'll see when you get there"  
"Keeeeeith"  
"You can borrow him, but don't forget the boys need to feed"  
"That's fine. They can come with us"  
"No, don't wake them. They didn't get much sleep"  
"It's ok. I'll take care of them. You go with Allura"  
"Whaaa..."  
Kissing Lance, his husband was pulled away by Allura before he could protest further.

With Lance gone, and the boys sleeping, Keith took the chance to get a little more sleep. He had no idea what the time was, but he had a feeling he'd need all the rest he could get before the night's festivities. Pulling the blankets back over himself, Keith spooned into Lance's pillow, missing his husband's warmth already.

The alpha woke with a start, and to Hunk's face right up near his  
"Hey bud"  
"Hunk, personal space man. What's going on?"  
"We came to get you"  
"Why me? And what's going on? Allura came and got Lance"  
"The girls are having a spa day"  
"Lance isn't a girl"  
"He's more girly than we are. So we're having a boys day"  
"Huh?"  
"Just get up. Hunk and Coran have this all planned"  
"What about the boys?"  
"They're coming with us. The girls are in Allura's quarters, so we're going to use the training room to get ready"  
"Can't we just get ready here?"  
The training room didn't strike him as a good place to get ready... not in the slightest  
"Nope"  
"The boys need a shower. I need to shower"  
"Fine. We'll wait, but what about the boys? They need to sleep"  
"Exactly. They've only been out for a few vargas"  
"Wow. Reminder to stick to whispering"  
"Good. If you wake them, I will hurt you"

Showering slowly, Keith took his time because he had no idea what the quiznak was going on. Should they even be taking the castle... to wherever this gala was, and if it was so important, why hadn't they heard about it sooner? And why was Lance off with the girls? And why was Pidge. He knew she'd been comfortable being a girl before being forced to be a boy, but she seemed happy enough just being herself at the moment. He couldn't picture her willingly in a dress, but he was 90 percent sure Hunk would swoon on the spot. And what about Lance? What good was playing a joke on him, when Keith didn't even get to see his reaction. There was a light knock on his door, probably telling him he'd been in the shower too long. Turning the taps off, Keith sighed to himself. This gala better be worth all this trouble.

The moment he was out the bathroom, Hunk handed him one of Lance's robes. Explaining that he didn't need to get dressed as they were heading straight over to Coran to have their suits fitted. Leaving the pups sleeping and Hunk's communicator connected to his, they headed up to the training room, where a very excited Coran was waiting  
"Keith! Excellent. I assume Hunk and Shiro filled you in?"  
"Not really. They said something about getting to go to the gala?"  
"Yes indeed! If we place the boys inside one of the lions, they'll be safe as the whiskers on my face. After a few vargas of rubbing shoulders and hobnobbing, I'm sure one of us will grow tired"  
"So your plan is to leave the boys sleeping, and then check on them later"  
"Exactly. They've be safe and warm, settled away where no harm can come to them"  
If it was only a few vargas, it shouldn't be too bad. Especially if he left his communicator connected like it was now, and Black would never let anything happen to the boys  
"Fine. I'll have to clear it with Lance"  
"I suspect Lance has other things to worry about right now"  
"Allura was very excited to be spending the day with him and Pidge"  
"Hunk, how was Pidge?"  
"She wanted to know why she couldn't just wear a suit"  
"I don't blame her... still, I have no idea how this is supposed to fill the whole day"  
Coran drew his brow in confusion  
"The whole day? My boy, it's already past lunch, and the gala starts in five vargas"  
"It does what now?"  
"Keith, just let Coran measure you"  
Grateful to at least have his underwear on, Keith found himself at the mercy of Coran and his pins. The suit he was to wear was simple. Black pants, red shirt and a black jacket the buttoned-up off centre. It didn't look bad, and it accentuate his naturally sharp lines, but it just wasn't him, and the fabric felt like it was attempting to strangle him for ruining the outfit with his presence. Holding still, it seemed to take forever as Coran fretted over every little thing  
"You look great Keith"  
"Lance is going to be all over you tonight..."  
"Hunk, Lance is always hanging on to him"  
"Then everyone's going to want to talk to you"  
"I don't want them talking to me. I'm only going because you guys were right about Lance needing to have fun"  
"Keith, can you please stop moving, lest I stab you"  
It didn't really matter if Coran did, it would just blend in with the other hundred-odd marks already spread across his body from earlier pins  
"What are you two wearing?"  
"Suits"  
"I know that much"  
"Suits more Earth styled. I'm wearing a white shirt, while Hunk's is yellow"  
"And Lance?"  
"Same style as ours, but with a blue shirt"  
"Blue will bring out his eyes..."  
Hunk snorted  
"Someone's jealous"  
"No I'm not"  
"Really. You weren't just thinking about how you could keep Lance all to yourself"  
"I was not. Lance is free to talk to whoever he wants, but don't let him walk off alone. You know how easily he gets into trouble"  
Hunk looked to Shiro as he elbowed him  
"What did I tell you"  
"It doesn't really count when it's the outcome we expected"  
"So is this all we have planned?"  
"This and few drinks before we go"  
"Is that safe?"  
"Just a couple so we're not as nervous. Oh, the boys are crying. I'll be right back"  
Keith tried to watch as Hunk fled, only to be stabbed again as he did. Resisting the urge to call this whole thing stupid and rip the suit off, he looked to Shiro  
"Do you have any idea what else he has planned?"  
"No. But he seems pretty pleased with himself"  
"More like he's pleased seeing me squirm. Coran, aren't you don't yet?"  
"Just a couple more pins in the hem..."  
"The hem is fine. I feel like a fool"  
"You shouldn't. It suits you"  
"It doesn't feel like it"  
After a few more moments, Keith was released from Coran's clutches  
"Now, about your hair tonight..."  
"What about my hair?"  
"There is a dress standard to comply to..."  
"He means we have to tidy up the mullet"  
"Don't touch the mullet"  
"Keith, you should know by now, you have no real say in this"  
"Oh, I've realised. It doesn't mean I have to agree to everything"

Fixing his hair meant undoing he tiny braids Lance had put in, and then Coran trimmed the edges that Lance hadn't quite gotten right. Still muttering and mumbling under his breath, his mood only lifted when Hunk reappeared with the boys, in matching outfits that left him shocked  
"Sorry, I gave both of them a bath. Do you like their outfits?"  
Both Laneith and Kelance were wearing miniature versions of their own Paladin outfits, instead of having Red or Black accents, theirs were purple, which just seemed to make them even more adorable  
"When did you have time to make them? They're perfect"  
"I've been working on them for a while, but it's hard to judge their sizing when they've been growing so fast"  
"Coran... thank you so much. Lance is going to lose his mind"  
"I think he's already lost it"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"He was yelling at Allura. Something about a dress...?"  
"Oh, Quiznak!"  
He was not missing this. Taking off, Keith ran towards Allura's quarters, his husband still yelling, while Pidge was howling with laughter in the background. Rounding the corner, he found the group outside the room, which explained why Lance's voice had travelled so far  
"Lance!"  
Spinning around, Lance came running over him to  
"Keith! Tell Allura I don't have to wear a dress"  
"What are you talking about?"  
"She said that I had to wear a dress to the gala"  
"I was explaining to him, that we needed another female. No one knows that I pilot Blue now, and most people suspect Pidge is a boy, so if we have another girl, they won't be able to who the Green Paladin is"  
"I'm not a girl!"  
"Baby, Allura has a point. It'll be safer if we keep..."  
Lance reeled back, hissing like an alley cat  
"Are you serious?!"  
"It's a good strategic move"  
Looking from Keith to Allura, the pair of them were struggling not to laugh  
"Are you guys kidding!? You were messing with me?!"  
"Sorry! Keith mentioned it, and it was too funny to pass up"  
"Keith!"  
"Thanks for dobbing me!"  
"I can't believe you two!"  
"Come on Lance, it's just a dress"  
"It's not just a dress!"  
Pidge laughed even harder  
"You've worn a dress before"  
"That was so I could go on a date with Keith!"  
"Oh my god. I don't think I've laughed this hard in like forever! Lance in a dress!"  
"Oh yeah! Because you can totally pull off wearing a dress!"  
"Better than you can!"  
"Wanna bet?!"  
"You're so on! Besides, you owe me!"  
"Lance..."  
"Allura, get me a dress. This is war!"  
"Lance... I..."  
"Keith, go away. I don't want to see you until tonight. Allura, we have work to do"  
"Aw, Lance, don't be like that. "A dress" isn't that "bad""  
"Whoever gets hit on most, is the winner"  
"What?! I don't want to talk to people"  
"Too bad. This is all your fault, and now you're going to!"  
Storming back into Allura's quarters, both Keith and Allura shook their heads. Tonight was going to be a night to remember... 

*  
Pleasantly relaxed, Hunk, Shiro, Coran and Keith were waiting in the lounge room for the rest of the team to arrive. About half a varga before, Allura had called and asked Coran to bring the boys down to them so Lance could feed them, Coran had come back blushing bright red and bumbling his words. Not even there pre-drinks had been able to calm the Altean down, leaving Keith further confused as to what was happening. Yes, Lance was beautiful, but his husband was hardly a delicate flower, as expected of the women attending tonight's gala. Combing his hair back through his hair, he wrinkled he nose at the feel of the hair spray in it. Hunk had first "drowned" them all in scent canceller, before insisting on combing Keith's hair back and spraying that down with what seemed to be the whole can of hairspray. Frankly, the Galra could pick up some pretty handy tips on torture from this "boy's day".

It was another 15 or doboshes before there was a knock on the door, and it fell away silently, Allura poking her head around the corner  
"Alright everyone, close your eyes"  
"Allura, I hardly think that's necessary"  
"I do"  
Ducking back out there was a small struggle  
"Come on Pidge, you look nice"  
"I don't want to look nice"  
"Hunk's waiting in there"  
"Hunk, do you think we can skip the gala?!"  
"Not a chance Pidge, now get out here"  
"If you love me, you won't make me do this!"  
"I do love you, and you're doing this!"  
"Seriously Pidge, just get out there"  
"Shut up, Lance!"  
"It's just a dress"  
"If you say that one more time, I will leave you down there tied up to a tree"  
"Allura, do you need some help?"  
"No, it's just Pidge being Pidge"  
"What's that supposed to mean"  
"Whaaa!"  
Stumbling, less than lady like, into the room, Pidge was fuming as she gathered up the skirt of her blue and yellow dress  
"Lance! How could you push me!"  
"You weren't moving!"  
Looking up at them, the alpha swallowed hard, before standing tall  
"Go on. Laugh already"  
No one was laughing. The dress was clearly one of Allura's that had been altered, probably by Coran, but it suited her... the soft blue tones flowing into a dark midnight blue around the base of the skirt, a thin yellow trail of embroidered flowers around her neckline continued down to the waist of the dress, where it curled across Pidge's stomach and vanished down the back of her dress. Her hair was brushed half up half down, and a yellow flower sat tucked into her ponytail. It was about as un-Pidge as she could get, yet there she was. Tripping over his feet, Hunk rushed to her, before pausing at the final moment  
"H-Hunk?"  
"You look really pretty"  
"It's just a dress"  
"You still look pretty"  
"Wait until you see Allura"  
"You still look pretty"  
Snorting, Shiro summed it for Pidge  
"I think you've broken him"  
"I didn't mean to"  
Pushing Hunk, he snapped too. Holding his arm out for Pidge to hold, the teen looped her arm through his and smiled nervously  
"If any of you say anything. I will hurt you"  
"Keep grumbling and we might believe it. Allura, are you coming in?"  
"Lance is going first"  
"What?! Why do I have to go first?"  
"Because you look stunning"  
"No way. You're the one who looks stunning. Who would have thought..."  
"Lance, get in here already. We won't laugh"  
"Shut up, Pidge!"  
"Why would we be laughing?"  
"You didn't tell him?"  
"I carefully and tactically kept my mouth shut. In case he changed his mind"  
Pidge's whole face lit up as she rubbed her hands together in glee  
"You guys are going to love this"  
"Lance, come on!"  
"Noooo. Allura has to go first. I don't want you all to be laughing when she comes in"  
"We won't laugh at Allura"  
"That's not what I meant"  
"Lance, shall we just enter together?"  
"Fine. Keith, don't laugh!"  
"I will!"  
"I hate you!"  
"I know. Now hurry up"

Allura looked stunning. Her thick white locks braided to her left side, so the braid ran down over her chest. Her dress was bright white, with a simple gold sash around the waist. Though Pidge dress was showier, there was something about Allura's deceptively simple outfit that made it pale in comparison. Topping the look off, she wore gold and ruby pendant earrings, a thin gold chain and a gold tiara, looking every bit the queen she is  
"Wow. You look stunning Allura"  
"I can't take all the credit. Lance helped with my hair"  
"And your clothes. And your make up"  
"Because you had no idea what you were doing. You made her look like a clown"  
"It's not my fault! I've never used blush before!"  
"If she's bright red, you've put too much on!"

All this was happening, but Lance was all Keith could focus on. His short hair had been combed back into a sharp bob, and a very light application of something... had his face shining lightly as he moved. The dress was blood red, and the way it plunged to his navel, and showed off his mate's breasts, had him feeling like the dress had definitely been altered for Lance, at Lance's instruction. Just below the end of the plunge was a belt of fine gold chains, weaved to form an inch thick braid. The sides of the dress were split suggestively, and the only sensible part of the ensemble in Keith's opinion was the black flats Lance had finished the outfit with. Allura may look graceful and dignified, Pidge may look like the little sister, but Lance was casting a raw sexual energy that threatened to scorch anyone who got close. He was just... Wow.

"Ok. You all can laugh, but Pidge is to blame for this. Actually, Keith and Allura started this. I know it's a bit, but Pidge and I are having a contest"  
"Lance, you're going to win. You made your point"  
"That I look all tall and gangly?"  
"Lance, are you sure that's what you want to wear? I mean... it's a dress"  
Glaring at Shiro, he didn't miss the way Shiro adjusted his pants  
"It's too late now. I figure as long as I keep my mouth shut, Pidge won't stand a chance"  
"I don't know if I approve of the you both treating this like a joke"  
Lance pursed his lips, while Pidge placed her hands on her hips  
"You're just jealous because we look better than you. Keith, aren't you going to tell Lance he looks alright?"  
"Only alright? I don't think the mice would appreciate being told it's only alright"  
"What do the mice have to do with it?"  
"You don't think Allura would really have a dress like this laying around? This is vargas of work, from me and the mice"  
Clearing his throat, Keith reached out towards Lance  
"Keith?"  
"Come here"  
Scuffing his feet as he walked, Lance plopped down into his lap  
"Yes?"  
"I don't know if I want you wearing this"  
"What's that supposed to mean? I look stupid, don't I?"  
Leaning in, Keith tugged on Lance's earlobe with his teeth, before whispering  
"It makes me want you, and I don't know if I can keep my temper in check"  
"Keith, don't go ruining this. You have no idea how strong my tuck back game is right now"  
"Well, don't blame me when you end up pinned against a wall because I can't contain myself"  
"I won't be blaming you at all... wait, I can't smell you"  
"Hunk sprayed us down..."  
"I don't like not being able to smell you"  
"It's only for a few vargas, and then that dress..."  
"Guys. We know you think you're being quite, but you aren't. Lance, are you ready to go?"  
"Yep. The boys are sleeping in Red"  
"Why Red?"  
Because I can't drink, so I'm flying her down, and then back at the end of the night. She'll keep them safe"  
"Are you sure? That means you need to stay?"  
"If I get tired, I can just sleep in Red until everyone's ready to come back home. Are we ready to go?"  
"We need a photo!"  
"Pidge..."  
"I'm taking it!"  
"You just want to take it so you're not in it! Not happening! We can lift photos from the video feed"  
"No one needs to see that! Especially not Matt!"  
"What's that? Tell Matt? I can do that"  
"Keep going and I'll..."  
"You'll what?"  
"I don't know!"  
"Children, no fighting. Allura, you look breathtaking"  
"Thank you Shiro. Lance is right, we should head down"  
"Does everyone have their Bayards?"  
"I have mine... Allura, do you have yours?"  
"I do. Lance?"  
"Yep!"  
"Do we want to know where you've hidden it?"  
"Probably not. But if anyone gets too handsy, their going to be losing their fingers"  
Sliding his hand down Lance's thigh, he smirked as he felt his mate's Bayard strapped to his upper thigh. Slapping it away, Lance climbed from his lap, his long leg's looking criminal as he did. Keith was so screwed, winking his husband held out his hand and pulled him up, purring as nuzzled up against him  
"You know, you don't look half bad yourself. Mmmm my handsome alpha"  
Groaning, Shiro shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose  
"Alight. Definitely time to go"

*  
Keith felt completely over dressed, though in comparison to the rest of all the invited dignitaries, he was rather happy with his suit. Especially when compared to a couple of warrior tribes that were wearing little more than animal skin loincloths, or the ones in full suits of armour. Though the gala was being held in a sprawling amphitheater, there was an uncomfortable stickiness in the air, probably because of the hundreds of people in attendance, and there was no way the alpha would have like to try and cope with the extra pressure of not drowning in his own sweat. Besides. He had other issues. And not just the fact more than a few strangers had come up to him, but the crowd that had formed around Lance, Pidge and Hunk. Pidge and Hunk would protect Lance, but Lance seemed oblivious to the stares and flirtatious advances from not just women, but men twice his size, and at least three times as buff. He'd at least had the good sense to declined each drink brought to him, but Keith was well on his way to being intoxicated, pouring his frustrations into downing drink after drink as he stood in watching over the team. Shiro had slipped his gaze, but Allura and Coran were politely doing the rounds. So far everything seemed to be running smoothly, even though he still wasn't completely sure what they were even doing here. Their attendance had been logged, and then they'd been ushered through a maze of hedging, which had eventually fed into the amphitheater, but so far no one has taken centre stage, and the frown on his face was only growing deeper with each tick. Watching Lance wave his arms as he laughed, Keith slammed down his drink, finally snapping as he started to stalk over to his husband. 

"You guys seem to be enjoying yourselves"  
His tone was bitter and scathing as he took Lance by the elbow, his husband sighing  
"Keith. I thought you were busy"  
"Busy watching you. Have you seen Shiro?"  
"What? No. Why would I? He probably stepped out to get some air"  
Misreading the situation, one of the women the group they'd been talking to, reached out and caressed Lance's arm, a flirtatious smile on her ruby red lips. Growling, the woman's smile dropped and she jerked her hand back  
"Keith. What are you doing?"  
"I've seen you, you've been flirting nonstop"  
"I've been flirting?! You've been flirting! You in that corner of yours! I've lost count of the number of women who've come up to you"  
"Me?! Who would be interested in me?! You're the one everyone's staring at!"  
"No ones staring at me!"  
"Then what about all those drinks?!"  
"They... they were just being friendly?"  
Lance let out a groan  
"I didn't think of it like that. I didn't mean to make you mad"  
Releasing Lance's elbow, he ran his fingers down Lance's exposed back, before massaging at his arse firmly. The alcohol and jealousy in his system had him itching to claim his mate right there and show everyone just who he belonged to  
"Keith?"  
"I think I need some air"  
"I'll come with you..."  
"No. You enjoy the party baby. I'm drunk, and not in a good way"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah baby. I just need to calm back down"  
"I'll see if I can find some water"  
"No. I'm alright... just make sure you don't lose sight of Allura and Coran"  
Half turning, Lance grabbed his arm and dropped a kiss on his lips that turned his legs to jelly. No one was going to mistake that one, especially as his husband rocked up against him. Breaking the kiss with a shy smile, Lance was blushing adorably  
"You don't need to worry. I know exactly who I'm going home with tonight"  
"And I think everyone else does now..."  
Shaking his head, Keith felt foolish for being so jealous. He trusted Lance... it was just everyone else he had a problem with.

*  
Lance knew he was being flirted with, but hadn't wanted to hurt Keith's feelings. He'd told a little white lie for his alpha's sake, and even if he had zero interest in those flirting with him, it's been a bit of a confidence boost to have attracted the attention of so many. Especially when he felt as graceful as a sack of potatoes on a seesaw. Maybe he'd slightly over done it with the dress, but he'd just been so determined to get back at Pidge and Allura... and Keith, over trying to initially prank him. As Keith walked away, Lance couldn't take his eyes off of him, not when his husband was kicking himself over being jealous and when he'd been part of the problem. Sighing to himself, he nervously played with the ring on his finger, his mood beginning to fall  
"Lance, you should go after him"  
"Oh what? He wanted some fresh air"  
"We're outside. You can't get much fresher than that"  
"It's kind of stuffy though..."  
Punching his shoulder, Pidge rolled her eyes  
"Look, go after him. To be honest, I'm tired of all this. I mean, I don't even know why we're here, and it seems awfully unorganised"  
"Do you want me to take you back to the castle?"  
"Not yet. We'll go meet up with Allura, and see if we can find Shiro while we're at it"  
"Yeah. That's probably a good idea. His face is much well more known than ours, and this night kind of feels off..."  
"It only feels that way because you're not drinking"  
"I can't drink"  
"Look, we came all this to have a little fun and you won't enjoy yourself without him. So go make up with him"  
Wrapping his arm around Pidge's waist, Hunk leant down and kissed her softly  
"Pidge is right"  
"Fine, just... just stay together?"  
"We will"

Following the direction Keith went, Lance soon found himself wandering through the hedges blindly. He thought he could smell traces of Keith's presence, but the scent canceller hadn't worn off, so he was more of less stumbling around in the dark. Cursing the chafing of his Bayard, and the way Allura's flats pinched at his toes, Lance sorely regretted wearing a dress  
"Keith! If you can hear me, I'm lost!"  
He didn't expect any reply, and that was exactly what he got. Nothing. Just the rustling of the night breeze through the hedges, and the voices from the gala floating from the amphitheater. Stumbling on, he took the first left, then right, only to have his path end at the base of a massive tree. Keith was leaning against the tree, and Lance's heart jumped. His mate looked so sexy, and he was surprised he hadn't noticed how badly he'd slicked just by looking at him  
"Keith!"  
"Lance? What are you doing out here?"  
"I missed you"  
Marching right up to Keith, Lance threw his arms around him a he forced a hard kiss to his lips  
"I'm sorry for making his jealous"  
"No... it's not your fault"  
"It kind of was. I mean, I'm wearing this dress and I look ridiculous"  
"You don't look ridiculous"  
"Sure I do..."  
Keith let out a breathy moan as he his hands slid down to Lance's arse, firmly massaging as he mouthed at the omegas collarbone  
"Keith?"  
"I want you. I want you so badly... you look so hot. I want to cover you with my scent and never let you go"  
Sliding the tips of his fingers down the back of Lance's dress, Lance whined as they brushed against his soaked opening  
"Keith..."  
"You're so beautiful"  
Dipping his fingertips into Lance's opening, Lance shivered as he tried to rise so Keith could stretch him further. Maybe it was the thrill of the fact that could be caught at any moment, but all he cared about was having Keith throwing up against the tree and making a shaking mess out him  
"I want you, is that ok?"  
"Quiznak, yes..."  
Pushing him back against the tree, Keith sank to his knees in from of him  
"Put your leg on my shoulder"  
Hooking his right leg over Keith's shoulder, his mate disappeared under the front panel of the dress, undoing his Bayard, before nuzzling at his growing erection and mouthing at it through the fabric of his underwear  
"These need to go"  
There was a ripping of fabric, but Lance didn't have time to be shocked, as Keith began to mouth at his thighs and testicles. Mewing loudly, Lance quickly clamped a hand over his mouth as Keith slid two fingers back into him. Fucking him with his fingers, his husband alternated between sucking him off, and drinking down his slick, after several long moments of pleasure, Keith slid his fingers free, replacing them with his tongue as he ate him out. Whimpering, his moans and mews blended together, drowning out the growls Keith was making as he tried to ride his face. God. Keith had so close already, his legs shaking so badly, his whole weight was supported by Keith  
"Keith, fuck me... I need you deeper in me"  
Growling, Keith surged up from the ground, spinning him and shoving him back up against the tree as he did  
"Shit baby..."  
With a rush of rustling fabric, it was only ticks before Keith shoved into him, both of them crying out  
"Keith!"  
Grasping his hips, Keith pulled him back, the alpha slamming into him with frantic and sloppy need. Releasing his left hip, Keith slipped his hand into Lance's dress and began to work his left breast until his whole chest was aching and his milk was leaking  
"Keith! Keith... I'm..."  
"Fuck... I can't..."  
Despite pleading he couldn't, Keith drilled into him so deeply and thoroughly, that Lance was drooling and lost to just how much noise the pair of them were making  
"Lance..."  
"Knot me! I need your knot..."  
Groaning, Keith drove in hard enough to force Lance onto his tippytoes, and Lance only just got the dress out the way before cumming down the tree bark in long thick bursts, his second orgasm taking him by surprise and he wasn't sure if he came again or pissed himself in pleasure  
"Ah... Keith..."  
"Mmm..."

Unknown to the pair, Allura had insisted Pidge and Hunk go find Keith and Lance, and they were take them back to Red, where they'd be safe. Both alpha's were just as love drunk as Keith and Lance, that they'd decided to find their own little space to fool around in. It was by accident that they'd stumbled upon Keith slamming into Lance, and now both of them were both aroused by what they'd accidentally witnessed, and embarrassed about approaching their friends... especially while Keith continued to rock against Lance, though they'd both cum. Pidge had just opened her mouth to tell Hunk they should go, when Lance looked up and noticed them watching. The look of horror said it all, and Lance's post-orgasmic bliss was ruined as he tried to slide off Keith's knot, instead he mewed, only making things even more complicated. Behind him, Keith shoved in harder, his erection rubbing against Lance's abused sweet spot  
"Keith! Pull out!"  
"What? Why?"  
"Because we have an audience!"  
Behind him came a growl, and Lance was pulled away from the tree, as Keith's arms wrapped around him possessively  
"What are you two doing?!"  
"Sorry! Oh my god! I'm so sorry! Allura said you guys should wait on Red! We're sorry!"  
Lance felt bad for Pidge as she turned and ran, and he felt even worse for Hunk. Neither of them needed to see him being mounted...  
"Baby?"  
"Don't... not right now"  
"Are you alright?"  
"No! You just mounted me, and our friends saw us fucking!"  
"I don't care. You're mine. If it means everyone has to see, I'll mount you as many times as is needed"  
"How am I supposed to face them?!"  
"The way Pidge ran off, I'd say they don't want to think about it"  
"Don't rub against me while talking about other people..."  
"Why? Jealous?"  
"I can still feel you cumming... I don't want you filling me with your seed and talking about our friends"  
"Sorry baby..."  
"Fuck... Keith, I need to sit"  
"Are you alright?"  
"Yeah... just a little drained"  
"Mmm, I've got you. Fuck, you smell so sweet"  
Nipping at his neck, Keith's thrusts grew harder  
"Keith... don't... it's too much"  
"I want you. I was so fucking jealous. You look so hot, I wanted to strip you back in the castle and claim you right there on the table"  
Keith's words went straight to his penis, even though he'd just cum, he couldn't help but react to his alpha  
"Alpha... harder"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Mmm..."

Their second round was pure bliss, Lance riding Keith as his back rubbed against the tree. Despite being so ashamed about being caught, the thought that someone else could be watching made him feel empowered. Someone who might have wanted him, was now watching the only person he'd ever let touch him that way, completely break him. Keith's second knot only lasted a few doboshes before deflating, and his husband pulled out before he was ready, sinking down and moving to clean him with his tongue, before finally kissing him and giving Lance a taste of both the saltiness and sweetness of themselves. Shivering as Keith straightened his dress up for him, Keith took off his Black jacket, and helped Lance slide it onto his boneless body, before hefting him into his arms. Nuzzling into Keith's chest, Lance let out a sleepy sigh  
"I love you, so much"  
"Me too baby. Do you want to go back to the party?"  
"Is it safe to go back to the party?"  
"I don't know... we didn't get to dance"  
"Since when do you ever want to dance?"  
"I don't, but I know you miss it"  
"We can still dance"  
"We don't have any music"  
"Put me down"  
"Are you sure?"  
"I want to dance with my husband, hidden away from the party and under the night sky where it feels like we're the only two in existence"  
Lowering him to his feet, Lance grinned as he looped his arms over Keith's shoulders  
"Put your hands up here"  
"Where?"  
"On my lower back"  
Keith was hesitant as he did as he was told  
"Good, did you ever learn the box waltz? It's super easy"  
"No. I can't say I did"  
"Then we can just slow dance"  
"We still don't have music"  
Lance began to hum, he didn't even remember the tunes name, only that his grandmother would play the ancient record it was on, a lot when he was a kid. Burying his face against Keith's neck, his alpha pressed kissed to his as they slow danced under the stars, completely lost in their own little world  
"I love you so much"  
"And I love you. Always baby. No matter what"  
Sighing lightly, Lance pulled back, smiling shyly at Keith as he did  
"Mmm, we should head back"  
"So soon?"  
"I don't know how the song ends"  
"It ends with us returning home"  
"Home is wherever you are"  
"Same baby, same"  
Letting Keith lift him again, Lance made sure his crotch was covered by the dress, as Keith nuzzled his hair affectionately and whispered words of love. Other being interrupted, this had been a magical night.


	89. Chapter 89

Two and half movements had passed since the gala, and life had kept flowing, with some major changes, well one massive change that had caused a chain reaction of quiznak to ripple out. The movement Pidge and Hunk were gone had been totally rough, but then the pair had come back with a cold, which they kindly shared with everyone but Lance. That's wasn't the major change. No. On the night of the party, Shiro had disappeared for vargas, leaving them stuck in Red as they awaited his return. When the alpha had returned, he was carrying a large metal case, clearly of Galra origin, it was the following quintant when they'd learnt of its contents. As everyone except Lance had been too intoxicated to ask, and honestly the Omega didn't know if he really wanted to know, and potentially ruin such a magical night. It turned out that Shiro had been in communications with Lotor, and Lotor had provided him with a new bionic arm, personally attending the gala to deliver it, despite the fact that none of them actually remembered seeing him there.

It was now the forth day since Keith had begun coughing, and as Lance hadn't contracted it, he was doing everything he could to take care of the others and keep Voltron running. Including cooking up enough soup and meals to feed an army, running minor missions, and dealing with his handsy husband. Though, maybe handsy was the wrong word. Keith just insisted on clinging, especially when Lance actually made it back to their bed. Even though he was coughing like there was no tomorrow, Keith still insisted on grabbing him and pulling him down the moment he sat on the edge of the bed. His husband would nuzzle at him like mad, before rolling them over and settling them so he wound up being the big spoon, as adorable and as loving as it made him feel, this also lead to Keith coughing all over Lance's back and shoulders, and Lance trying his hardest not to scold him for it. A clingy Keith was rather cute, and he loved almost every aspect of being able to take care of him. It was just the coughing that had to go. Stumbling back into their room, he'd just finished settling the boys down for the night, having been out with them on a supply mission almost all day. It should have been a simple pick up the good and take them to the next planet deal, but when he'd arrived, he found he was a few vargas early. Even after insisting they didn't need to rush on his account, the population hadn't listened, which had lead to one of them being hurt, and him feeling completely terrible over the whole ordeal. So, he'd had to come back to Olkarion, help the injured alien, who's name he couldn't remember no matter how hard he tried, take the goods out to their original destination and then come back to Olkarion again, pick up the alien, take him home, before heading straight off to the mission he'd accepted for that afternoon, which was way easier, as all he had to do was cut some huge ribbon and open a school as Voltron's representative... There was also supposed to be an aerial performance, but he managed to side step that by parking Red, getting her to lay down and open her mouth and side up, so everyone could tour her. She didn't appreciate their were strangers inside of her, but he guessed it was her way of easing some of the stress on his shoulders. Voltron was definitely not meant to be a one-man show, and he was certain Shiro wasn't going to be happy with how he'd run things, but Shiro could take his bionic arm and stick it places the sun didn't shine, because he was doing things his own way, and the universe hadn't imploded. Besides, Keith was the leader of Voltron, and his husband appreciated how hard he was working.

Yawning, Lance tugged off his boots as Keith snaked an arm around his waist  
"Hey baby"  
"Hey, you. How are you feeling?"  
He was answered with wet coughing. Yep. No improvement  
"Better now you're home"  
Letting himself be pulled down, Lance wrapped his arms around Keith as Keith's hand moved to unzip his jacket   
"How was today?"  
"Long. Did you eat the soup I left you?"  
"Yeah. It was good"  
"Pidge said I used too much salt, but I couldn't taste it"  
"No, she's hallucinating. How are the others?"  
"Sick. Cranky. Allura's become one with her bed"  
"I thought that would be Pidge and Hunk"  
"Oh, they have too. I had to send Coran back to bed today, he tried to sneak out his room so he could clean"  
"Any of them better?"  
"Not really. I still don't know why the pods didn't work"  
"I don't know either... mmm, I missed you"  
Rutting up against his side, Keith tried to grope him as he did, his husband breaking down into a coughing fit, and ruining anything remotely arousing about the moment  
"Keith?"  
"I'm good. I'm ok. Where were we?"  
"Ugh. Look here, you have to wait until you can at least breathe again, then I'll let you have as much sex as you want"  
"But..."  
"No buts. Did you shower?"  
"No..."  
"Then we're going to take a shower"  
"I'm only going to get sweaty again"  
"And you'll feel much better not covered in sweat. I'm honestly amazed how bad you are at taking care of yourself"  
"I'm sick"  
"I've seen you sick before, you're usually better at it than this. And you've always looked after me so well"  
"Alright. We can go shower, just tell me you can sleep in tomorrow"  
"Nope. We have children remember"  
"I miss them"  
"You're only missing tantrums at the moment. Probably because of how much they miss you"

Having half carried Keith into the bathroom, Lance felt weird being the one to support his alpha as the stripped down to shower. Keith's cough only seemed to be getting worse, and how wet it sounded, he was fearful it had turned into something worse than just a simple cold. He'd wanted to ask the Olkari for help, but had promptly been shut down, as there were so many visitors to the hospital, and if word got out that the members of Voltron were sick, the public would panic, and their enemies would more than likely make a move against them. With an arm around Keith's waist, he helped into the shower, before turning the water on and running the shower hot. Hopefully the steam would work to help ease some of the congestion, and the heat would loosen the gunk in his mates lungs. Washing Keith first, he made sure to scrub every inch of him clean. His own shower was much more half-hearted, as he'd only shower again in the morning, before he went and saw their sons. He didn't know if it actually helped protect them, but there was no way he was risking them catching the bug. Coughing harshly, Keith slumped in his hold, pulling Lance to the shower floor with him as the alpha vomited across his feet. Weakly trying to apologise, Lance decided shower time was over. Lifting Keith into his arms, his alpha looked away, seemingly embarrassed over what happened... though Lance had no idea why. He couldn't help being sick.

Returning to their bed, Lance dried Keith down, smiling softly as Keith started to doze off. He might be stubborn, and his alpha's ego might have taken a total bashing, yet he still trusted him to take care of him. It filled his heart with pride to know he was. Once dried, Lance climbed around Keith, letting his alpha have the outer edge of the bed in case he needed to get up, and quickly spooned around him so Keith wouldn't try and be the big spoon. Making sure Keith was covered completely by their blankets, Lance nuzzled at his shoulder as his hand splayed across Keith's stomach. He'd protect his precious mate... he'd protect all of them.

 

*  
Waking to the rasp that was Keith's breathing, Lance knew instantly something was wrong and it wasn't just because the room stank. Rolling Keith onto his back, the alpha growled, warning he was in pain, despite his eyes still being firmly closed  
"K-Keith?"  
Shaking him lightly, Keith didn't stir, and laying his head against Keith's chest, his eyes widened at how weak his heart beat seemed to be. Not caring they were both naked, Lance bundled Keith up in his arms. His only thought was to get Keith into a pod, even the fact he climbed off the bed and straight into vomit didn't slow him down. He had to get Keith help  
"L-Lance?"  
Shivering in his arms, Keith looked frail  
"You're going to be ok"  
"Wh..."  
"I'm taking you to the pod room"  
"I..."  
"Shhh, I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you"

If Keith was this bad, it was entirely possible everyone else was as well. It wasn't a comforting thought and he didn't want to leave Keith's side... but he couldn't let anything happen to the others. He couldn't do this on his own. Lowering Keith into the healing pod, he turned his mate so he wouldn't be quite so exposed when he woke. Cursing himself for not thinking of grabbing a blanket or something, like Keith would have done for him. Pressing a kiss to Keith's shoulder, he silently prayed, before stepping back and letting the glass slide into place. Lance indulged for a few moments, before taking off jogging. First he had to get clothes, then he needed to check on the others.

Racing to Pidge's room, he pounded on the door. By now, he'd been alone long enough for the fear to kick in, and not getting an answer didn't help any. Slamming his hand down on the doorpad, he slipped into the room before it even opened completely. Hunk was snoring nasally, while Pidge was whimpering in her sleep, their scents far from reassuring. Moving straight to Pidge, he lifted her easily out of Hunk's, instantly waking his best friend  
"L-Lance?"  
His name was growled out, a clear warning to return Pidge to him  
"Hunk, Pidge needs to be in a pod. Keith's... he's bad. Can you walk?"  
Hunk seems confused, as he stumbled as he rose  
"Hunk, Buddy, I can't carry you. I need you to place your arm around my shoulder so I can support you"  
"I can walk"  
Oh thank Quiznak for that!  
"Ok. How bad are you?"  
"There's only one of you, right?"  
"Greeeeeat. Yep. Come on buddy, into the pod room with you"  
Lance very much cursed the castle. He didn't know what else to do, other than get them into pods. Even if the pod's couldn't heal them, they could at least keep them alive until he could figure something out. He should have trusted his gut. He should have gone to Ryner when Pidge and Hunk, first came back. No. He'd been doing all he could. It wasn't his fault this space flu was so horrible.

Allura and Coran seemed to be doing the best out of all of them. Both able to move under their own steam... with a fair amount of support, but at least they could walk and didn't fight him when he ushered them into pods. With that done, it only left Shiro... the one person he didn't want to go near, especially if everyone else's small temper fits were anything to go off. A tired, cranky and sick alpha... was a scary alpha. He'd ignored it all, knowing his friends couldn't help themselves... but Shiro actually had him scared.

Standing outside Shiro's door, Lance knocked first, cautiously calling out Shiro's name. Hearing Shiro coughing, he hoped that meant he was up for walking on his own and placed his hand on the doorpad. God. Even Keith's vomit didn't smell as bad as Shiro's room did. Pinching his nose as his eyes watered, wished he hadn't inhaled so much of the stink as it clung to his tongue and nasal passage like an oily film   
"Shiro!?"  
Shiro was in his bed, the alpha rolling towards him as he carefully padded over  
"Shiro?"  
"L-Lance?"  
"Hey, um... I need you to come with me"  
"What..."  
"You're sick, everyone is"  
Snarling as Lance reached towards the blanket covering him, Shiro bared his teeth  
"Lance, you shouldn't be in here"  
"I'm not having you dying. You can tear my throat out for all I care, but I'm not having a rotting corpse in my castle"  
"Allura's castle"  
"Whatever. Now get that fancy arm of yours, and let me help you"  
Still snarling, Lance forced himself to continue to ignore it, pulling Shiro up and dragging him towards the door  
"Where are we going?"  
"Pod room"  
"Pod room?"  
"Everyone else is there"  
"They're waiting?"  
"Yeah. That's why you need to keep walking for me"  
"Why aren't you sick?"  
"It's my devilishly good looks"  
"Lance..."  
"I don't know, now quit snarling and coughing, and keep walking"

It was obviously hard for Shiro to remain upright, and his alpha must have finally snapped. Slipping from his hold, Shiro smacked hard against the wall while Lance rushed to grab at him  
"Shit! Sorry!"  
Moving with surprising haste, Shiro's hand shot out, grabbing him momentarily by the throat, before looking up at him in complete surprise. Not used to the movement or precision of his new hand, Shiro practically crushed his throat before coming to his senses and releasing him. Shit... fuck... that was scary  
"Lance..."  
"Forget it... can you walk?"  
Reaching for him, despite his fear, Shiro slapped his hand away  
"Just... don't touch me..."  
Shiro's chest heaved and Lance found himself nodding  
"Keep going... we're nearly there"  
It was painfully slow as Shiro wouldn't let him help. He was seriously tempted to just knock Shiro out, but wasn't confident he could drag him the rest of the way... and he didn't particularly want to touch him. Thankfully, Shiro made it to the pod room door before his eyes rolled back and he dropped to the floor in a dead faint. Lance then felt like a serial killer, or how he imagined the actors in the films felt, as he grabbed Shiro by the legs and dragged him into the healing room and over to the last available pod. Groaning and panting, he manoeuvred Shiro into the pod, before face-planting as he slipped forward from exhaustion. Finally. Finally they were all safe. Quiznak. He was completely exhausted... but he couldn't rest. He needed to go check his boys, call Ryner and ask for help, and clean the castle... why him?

 

*  
Lance felt like the living dead as he settled down with the boys in his lap. He had no idea why they hadn't just invited Ryner onto the castle, but he'd left a message requesting her presence in the control room and was now trying to eat lunch despite both boys fighting him for his soup. With all that had happened, he and Keith had never got around to his second scan, though he hadn't even really been thinking about it. Since the gala and their vacation, everything had seemed so much better and brighter... until it wasn't, but he and Keith were both in a good place and that was the main thing. Loosing the battle with his boys, his "pumpkin" soup seemed a hit with them, and because it was just cream and spaces version of pumpkin, he was confident it wouldn't do them any harm. It was a completely different story for their outfits. They'd smeared it pretty much all over themselves and his chest, yet rather than finding it annoying or being angry, he was so relieved he wasn't alone in the castle. That the boys were warm and breathing, and not locked away from him in the healing pods. It was his greatest fear to die alone, and in a castle of deathly silence, well, he was terrified.

Ryner finally arrived about a varga after he'd sent the message requesting her presence. The old woman looked tired and drawn, leaving him feeling guilty for not rising to meet her  
"Lance, I believe you left me a message?"  
"Sorry Ryner. I can't leave the castle at the moment, but please take a seat"  
"You cannot leave the castle?"  
"Um no. It's... it's the team..."  
Tears began to form into his eyes  
"Did something happen?"  
Sniffling, he nodded  
"Yeah... Ryner, I don't know what to do"  
Hobbling to stand in front of him, he finally went to stand, only for her to shake her head  
"You seem to have your hands full"  
"Oh... right. They're just starting on solids"  
"I highly doubt that's why you summoned me"  
"No... Ryner, do you know of any kind of space virus going around at the moment? Especially in the rebel camps?"  
"Space virus?"  
"Like a cold? Or a cough? Everyone's sick, and I'm scared"  
Ryner frowned deeply, adding at least 50 wrinkles as she did  
"Sick?"  
"Pidge and Hunk, they went on holiday to see Pidge's brother Matt, and when they came back, everyone got sick. They wouldn't go to the hospital because they didn't want to scare everyone, and the pods aren't effective against whatever it is... but Keith, he was barely breathing... I thought he was dying... I don't know who to talk to, or what to do. I can't help them, and I..."  
Trailing off, Lance shook his head  
"Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm not good at being alone"  
"Where are they?"  
"I put them in pods, they're kind of healing, but in stasis too. I don't want to wake them because we don't know that this is, or how to help them"  
"When did their symptoms present?"  
"Roughly 4 quintants ago for Keith. Um.. 7 for Allura and Coran, 8 for Shiro and then Pidge and Hunk... I think they came back because they were sick, so 11 or so... But I don't seem to have been affected, neither have the boys, and Keith's the worst of all of them"  
Ryner's frown grew as she drew her brow further, Lance's heart began to race   
"You know something? You do, don't you?"  
"We have had patients with similar symptoms presenting to the hospital over the past few quintants. None have died, yet they aren't fairing well either"  
"Do you know what's wrong with them? How they caught this? You must have done tests right?"  
"I cannot confirm your friends are suffering from the same affliction, but the patients in our care all showed raised levels of Dij'ja"  
"What is Dij'ja?"  
"It's a slow-acting poison. It's usually consumed orally, and once ingested, or seeps through the lining of the stomach, before travelling up to the brain"  
"Poising? What?"  
When could they even have ingested it? And even if it was a slow-acting poison, how slow was it? He'd eaten the same food as them all. He'd kissed Keith, and they'd... well, he'd been exposed to all sorts of bodily fluids from his husband   
"I... I don't see how this is possible. Ryner, you said it was slow acting. How slow acting?"  
"Movements, phoebs in some strains"  
"But they've been with me... Pidge and Hunk didn't even bring back food or drink from the Rebels. If they'd been poisoned there, then how is it everyone else is sick"  
"I do not know. As it was, I was hoping Voltron would be able to aid us"  
"How?! What do you need? Anything I can do, I will"  
"As I have mentioned, some of our patients are not fairing so well. With Dij'ja, you must know the specific strain in order to create the antidote, and that will take some time"  
"So you want..."  
"We need to collect herbs for the antidote, amongst other such things, and we would like to ask permission for use of your castle pods"  
"Done. It'll have to be the lower decks, but we can take at least 50 before it becomes a strain on the system. I don't know the castle like Pidge or Allura, but with everyone being sick, it's all fallen to me"  
And he'd had to learn all sorts of complicated words he'd never had to use before, as well as contacting all kind of alliance members. Trying to do the math in his head, he really couldn't work out if he had the number of quintants right, especially as it felt like they'd all fallen sick at once, and that Keith hadn't been able to help for much longer than just 4 quintants  
"Thank you. Now, is there anything we can do to ease the burden on you?"  
"No. I mean. They're my family. I've tried to keep going for their sake, but I did have to cancel today's missions... so I think, maybe, if you need someone to go collect those herbs, I'd be the best choice. I'm not very good at waiting, and it would free your people up to help others, right?"  
"The herbs grew in a very rare location, and as I said. We need to identify the strain"  
"Are any of them awake? Any I can talk to? Maybe if we can figure out ho they got poisoned, we can find where it happened and maybe a cure there?"  
"One or two may be awake"  
"Ok. Ok, now we have a plan. I'll change the boys, and come down with you, or is it easier for you to stay here? I can call down to the hospital for you, so you don't have to walk"  
Ryner sighed, as if he was stupid or something  
"I will contact my people. Even those talking will be transferred to the castle. A complete recovery cannot be made without the cure. Also, do you have a sample from Paladin's that we may test?"  
"What kind of sample?"  
"Blood. Saliva..."  
"Vomit? Oh... there might be tissues down in the room I share with Keith. He's been coughing so badly"  
"A fresh sample would be best"  
"Right. I'll go deal with the boys and bring the sample back. Please let your people know to head down to the lower levels. Do you need the schematics for the castle?"  
They were somewhere... he'd had to copy out all his missions onto small notes, all of which now stuck to Coran's control panels, so it wasn't like he couldn't just grab the pen and paper and draw her a map   
"No. I remember the way well enough"  
"Awesome. Sweet. Ok. Let's do this!"  
Feeling renewed, Lance gathered his boys up and rushed from the room. He still didn't see how his friends could be poisoned, but going to Ryner had definitely been the right choice. He shouldn't have let himself be dissuaded.

Changing his clothes, as well as the boys, and their nappies, Lance nodded to himself. Ok. He couldn't take the boys with him, not when he had to gather up snotty tissues, and not when they didn't know for sure the others had been poisoned. Laying them both down in Laneith's crib, he kissed his boy's goodbye, feeling lonely before he'd even taken his eyes off them. Sure the castle was absolutely massive, and their team was only made up of 9 people, but that was enough to make it feel alive. Now... not so much and he had to remind himself that the others were alive and that they needed him to buck up and stop being a whiny coward. He was going to help them all.

Having cleaned the rooms before, he'd left everyone's rubbish in neatly tied bags beside their door. Just in case they'd accidentally thrown something important out. Fishing out everyone's tissues, he bagged each one separately, before realising he'd forgotten a marker to label the bags with... and that's how he ended up with samples squirrelled away on him like he was a crazy person. Allura and Coran's were in his bra. Shiro and Hunk's in his jacket, and Pidge and Keith in his pants. Now, where to go? Ryner was old, but she could move. He'd told her to go ahead and bring the others up, but he said he'd be back. So was she in the bridge, or down at the prison pods? The best guess would be the pods...

Walking the halls, Lance's steps few heavy as the corridors lead him towards the prison pods. He hated it down there, and there were just so many painful memories locked in their depths. His pups. Shiro. Birthing the twins alone... a shiver ran down his spine, and goosebumps covered his skin. His omega was feeding off his own mental distress, prowling back and forth as it blew his fears out of proportion. The past couldn't be undone. He couldn't go back and he couldn't hold his pups. Closing his eyes, he tried to clear his mind, but all he saw was the misshapen form of his and Shiro's pups, wrapped in Allura's dress. Feeling tears prickling in the corner of his eyes, he wiped his face quickly. If only Keith was still conscious and not stuck in a pod. His husband would be the one down here, and he could remain free of the cold curse this level was. Whining for his husband, he wrapped his arms around himself as he tried to find some level of reassurance and comfort, though the action brought none. Opening his eyes slowly, he took a deep breath and released it shakily. He couldn't go back, and the others wouldn't survive if he didn't keep moving forward. When Keith woke up, he was going to be proud of him, like he'd been in the movements after the gala. Things were getting better. This was just... just a bump in the road. His friends were going to get better and his family would be whole again.

Ryner was indeed down near the first row of prison pods, patients hadn't arrived yet, but she was clearly waiting. Forcing a smile as he jogged over, he tried to appear like he was in control   
"I have the samples. I got one from each of them, just in case they... in case they were poisoned with something different"  
"Good work"  
Lance's heart soared at the praise and quickly scolded himself. He must look pretty pathetic for Ryner to be praising him  
"I don't have a marker though, so I couldn't label the bags. Should I give them to you, or should I take them down to the hospital?"  
"I will remember"  
"Oh. Right. Ok. Here we go"  
Handing them over, he made sure he mentally triple checked before telling her who's each belonged to, and when they were in all in Ryner's hold, all he could was stand their nervously as he waited for her to say something... anything... the silence was killing him  
"Lance, are you sure you're alright? You look quite pale"  
"Oh me?!"  
He squeaked his question out  
"We cannot have you falling victim"  
"I'm totally fine. It's just really big on this castle when no ones around. I'm fine. Really. So what do we do now?"  
"We should collect those herbs. If you're not completely confident in going alone..."  
"No! I mean. I've been running missions on my own for the last movement or so, so I've got this. I just need to know where to go"  
"You need the herb called Athiro. It grows in the lava on the planet Umelio. I do not feel confident sending you on such a dangerous mission alone. You're much loved Red Paladin, and this would be risking your life"  
Of course the stupid planets they needed grew in lava? Because... space...? Why was he even trying to justify it   
"Risking my life comes with the job. Other than herbs, is there anything else we need to collect?"  
Ryner wrinkled her nose, and Lance found himself wondering if he'd finally gotten to see a glimpse behind her careful mask  
"As you would call them, worms"  
"Worms? Like, live in the ground and stuff worms?"  
"Not quite. These worms live in the belly of Wuzos"  
"Right. Now you've lost me"  
"The worms feed on the leaves of the Athiro, it's their excrement that provides the main ingredient of the antidote"  
Lance groaned, wrinkling his own nose at the prospect   
"From their, we process it and it's easily administered through an injection at the base of the skull"  
"That doesn't sound too bad, I mean, you made it sound like it would take phoebs to come up with a cure"  
"We also need a sample of Dij'ja. As we don't know what strain, you will need to visit half a dozen planets to collect samples"  
"Ok. Wait. I need to make a note of all of this"  
Tapping on his communicator, he opened a new message to Keith's communicator. He was sure there was a way to access what Pidge would call "notes" buuuut this was working for him, and he knew how to find the messages he sent his husband. Logging what he'd just been told, he looked back to Ryner   
"Can you give me those planet names? And do I need to kill this Wus? thing and take the worms out? Or do I have to keep it alive and bring it back"  
"The kill needs to be clean. If the stomach acid of the Wuzos becomes too acidic, they will die"  
"So I should probably do that bit last... ok... ok. I can do this. I need to get the boys..."  
Half turning, he stopped when Ryner cleared her throat  
"Those planet names..."  
"Oh. Right..."  
Lance blushed lightly at his mistake, trying to play it off as he noted down each planets name and the general description of the plant he was looking for. He had to make sure he got the roots and all, and now he wasn't completely sure he really was equipped for such delicate work.

 

*  
Herbs fucking sucked. There was no other way he could describe it, not after flying for vargas in all directions. Back on Earth, he'd loved nature, being outside and found beauty in the flowers, but damn... why did have it be herbs?! And why did he have a sneaking suspicion that if they hadn't quiznakked everything up on Shalad's home planet, they would have been able to get everything from there and he wouldn't have had to risk hide and hair. The others would have been shocked and disappointed to see him dangling out of Red's mouth as he tried not to fall in the rivers of lava that covered Umelio... completely. There was literally no place to land Red, and he wasn't letting his main girl get burnt. Even if Red seemed to say she could take it, it just wasn't happening. He had way too much respect for her, and though she was 10,000 years old, she was still as spritely as a kitten. So, he'd hung out of her mouth with her "teeth" around his broadsword and his other hand pulling out herb after herb, as she slowly and patiently flew just above the planets surface. More than once they were spotted with Lava, and his armour left him feeling like a lobster in a pot, but once it was done, he was completely high on the adrenaline rush. 

After that, he'd had to risk himself by climbing along crumbling ridges, ridiculously high off the ground. Diving into what could only be described as mud, because for some reason the herb couldn't just grow above the surface like a normal quiznakking plant. Stealing herbs from some kind of angry giant chicken, because they species only grew in their nests. On a planet made completely from quartz, that was his guess, he'd had to use his sword to dig the herbs out, meaning he'd mangled and murdered a majority of them, even when he'd tried to be careful, and finally, the last two species had been in a forest where everything was shades of purple. Have you ever tried to find two purple plants in a forest of purple plants?! He made a mental note to avoid the colour purple for as long as he could. It was stupid and crazy, and incredible and left him exhausted, and he sorely wished he'd let Ryner send help with him, and all in all, he'd spend three quintants just chasing down herbs. The boys... he sorely regretted bringing the boys with him. He was lucky their nappy bag was still on Red, or he would have been screwed. Neither of them were happy, especially because they were reduced to sleeping in the cargo bay, because he didn't dare expose them to his contaminated armour or clothes, nor the alien herbs filling Red's cockpit. Red wasn't happy either, she couldn't move the way she usually would for him, because that risked endangering the twins, and that had also meant she was left watching him do stupid things... something she was now used to, but still hated about him. They'd come to an understanding though. She knew how dedicated to Keith and Voltron he was, and she knew being a mum made no real sense to her as she'd never have her own kittens, but he was expected to keep his shenanigans in check in front of her. Well, the life-threatening ones and he'd used a whole deca-phoebs worth of forgiveness in the space of three quintants.

Wuzos? Wuzoss? Wuzoes? Whatever the plural was, they sucked too. They looked like giant rats, yet were tiny... with huge teeth. It was like someone had taken a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and shrunk it down to be all cute and adorable at ankle height... they were fast, and they really didn't like people. Trying to catch one was nightmare, and when he did, the look it gave him was one of utter betrayal, as if to say "I'm too cute too kill", before promptly biting into his armour. Even a blast from a Galra gun didn't do as much damage as the little monsters teeth did, and Lance found himself with a new issue. Ryner had made it sound huge, easy to kill. Or that's the jump his mind had made, but being so tiny, how was he supposed to find the stomach? He didn't have anything to cage it in, and Red would kill him if he plagued her with rats... The Omega had to tell himself at least a hundred times that it was for his team and for his mate, before he had the strength to decapitate the poor animal. Even if was nasty, he still wept for the life he'd had to take... and the other 7 he killed after. He had 6 strains of Dij'ja, so he needed at least enough worms for each, and then extra in case he'd made a mistake. Flying back to Olkarion, he finally let his guard drop, and let himself doze the whole ride home.

Dozing wasn't a good idea. His exhausted body wanted to sleep, and climbing from Red, he just about fell down her ramp. Having detected his arrival, Ryner and her scientists were waiting for him, her face grim and he had a feeling he wasn't going to like what she was about to say. Stumbling to a stop, he rocked the boys against him, his head throbbing like crazy as the grizzled unhappily   
"Lance, are you alright? You look faint"  
"I'm just tired. What's wrong? What's going on?"  
"More victims have presented to the hospital"  
"More? Why didn't you call me?"  
"Because you were else wise preoccupied, and even if you knew, you could not change anything"  
"I.. what... I suppose so. How many are we talking about?"  
"At this moment, we have hit 46, with 3 confirmed fatalities"  
"What?! Hang on. People have started dying"  
"We put out a call regarding their symptoms, and we have narrowed down the timeline for exposure"  
The world swam and his knees threaten to give out  
"Lance!"  
Ryner cried his name with an unusual degree of kindness and familiarity  
"Sorry. I need to sit down. Let's head up to the bridge"  
"I think perhaps you should rest"  
"I can't. Not now that we have a real lead. I need to know who did this to my friends"  
"And we can talk. But now we have the ingredients we need, things will improve"  
"Ryner, please just tell me what happened? How this happened"  
"Each person poisoned attended one shared event"  
His brain couldn't do the think  
"One event?"  
"A gala. They all received an invitation to the same gala"  
A lightbulb seemed to go off in his head  
"That! That makes sense... no one really seemed to know why they were there, or who was running it. Like when your "staying" at your friends for the night, and try say their staying at yours and you actually sneak out... I just... I thought we missed all the main action because we left, but wait, I was at the gala too. I didn't get poisoned, why wasn't I poisoned?"  
His words turned into one long mumbled sentence as his brained throbbed   
"That is a question we will explore once you've rested"  
"But..."  
Taking him by the elbow, Ryner firmly began leading him towards his room, though he was too tired to question how she knew where it was... he didn't even think about the fact the Olkari had to fix the damage he'd made making the nursery into one huge room. The old woman walked him all the way to his door, even pushing him gently down on the bed with the boys. He wanted to shower, and he felt Ryner move his sons for him, but then he finally passed out. Completely dead to the world, and the small fond smile Ryner gave him as she pulled the blanket up over him and his boys. He had no idea how impressed she was over his spirit, and how exhausted he actually looked. He'd eaten all his snacks hidden on Red, and had been forced to drink whatever water he could come across as he collected herbs. The job he'd done was massive, something she hadn't been sure he'd be able to handle, yet he hadn't even called for assistance once. 

 

*  
Having slept like the dead, Lance woke up to his sons screaming. Immediately the omega went to soothe them, feeling like he'd been sleeping for quintants. His mouth was furry and gross, but he was relieved the last few quintants had finally come to an end. Lifting his boys out of the bed, he carried them next door to the nursery. Baths then food. He repeated the mantra until he'd finished his early morning routine.

Heading up to the kitchen, he placed both boys down on the floor so they could attempt to crawl while he made himself a couple of sandwiches and a large black coffee. He needed to be on top of his game today, and he needed to both thank and apologise to Ryner, only he really didn't want to move. The boys were happy "knocking" their hands against each other, playing their own little game in their own little world, and it didn't seem fair to make them give up their game, just so he could get some work. As it was, he'd missed something like 7 missions he'd had scheduled in over the last three quintants, so he'd have to do some major apologising and reorganising. Sighing dramatically at the world, he shook his head. He needed to find Ryner and ask her how his friends were, the boys would have to suffer being carried around cuddled all day, being so small was such a hard job.

Ryner wasn't on the castle. She had however left a few of her team in both the healing the pod room, and in the corridors that comprised the prison pod area. Without her on the castle, he felt slightly uncomfortable leaving her team working. It wasn't that he didn't trust the Olkari, but his team was in their hands, unable to protect or help themselves. That's what made him so uncomfortable. His friends were all so strong and being alphas only made them stronger, of course he'd be muddled by the fact there was such a thing as weak and vulnerable alpha. Pausing at the castles entrance, he tried to step over the threshold, but just couldn't do it. He couldn't leave them. He couldn't leave his family without a familiar face. So he sank to the ground, and just waited.

Ryner didn't leave him waiting very long, and he had the feeling one of her staff had called her. Shuffling up to him, Lance struggled to his feet   
"Ryner!"  
Quiznak! Why did he yell her name like that? God. She must think he was so stupid  
"Good morning Lance. How are you feeling?"  
"Good. I mean, I slept great. Thanks for asking... oh, how are you? Are you alright? I need to thank you too, I'm sorry you had to help me back to bed, I must have looked pretty lame"  
Ryner gave him her version of a smile   
"No need is necessary, and I am quite well, but that's not what you really want to ask, is it?"  
"No. I mean, yes. I'm happy you're ok. So there's that, but... did I manage to get all the ingredients? Or did I mess up?"  
"You fulfilled your role exceedingly well. Thanks to you, we are well on our way to creating a cure for your friends and the others"  
"Oh thank god. If I wasn't holding my boys, I would hug you. How long is it going to take?"  
"A few quintants, for the worms must do their job"  
"And then everyone is going to be ok?"  
"They will take some time to recover, but yes"  
"Ryner, you have no idea how much I appreciate this. All of this. I had no idea what to do, and I didn't want everyone to worry"  
"Your bravery is remarkable. You should be proud of the job you've done"  
"I don't feel very brave. Will you be here all morning?"  
"Most of the morning"  
"Oh... I've been thinking I want to head out to the planet where the gala was. I want to search for clues over who did this, but I don't want to leave you all in the castle..."  
Quick he needed and excuse... security. Yeah. Security   
"... in case one of the security features is accidentally triggered"  
"Lance, I think that after three quintants, my team understands what they need to. As for you, I worry about you going alone"  
"I won't be alone. I've got the boys!"  
She gave him a look that his mother had loved to give him. He wasn't funny and this wasn't something to laugh about   
"I mean. My armour will protect me from almost everything, and so will Red. Even if something goes wrong, she will get me back here... it's just, it's a long trip without being able to open wormholes"  
"A very long trip for two small children"  
"They've been on longer. As long as I have the necessities, I'll make it work..."  
"I will have provisions brought to the hangar of the Red-lion immediately"  
"I can't ask you to do that... I'm the one who wants to go, so I'll just get things ready"  
"It's no worry. You still need to pack for your sons, don't you?"  
Lance could see her point. Working together would mean everything would be prepared that much faster and smoother. Nodding his head, he conceded   
"You have a point. I'll just need food and water. The rest I can grab on my own"  
"Then it is settled"

Half a varga later, Lance was back in Red and he swore his lion groaned in effort as he launched from the castle. It didn't feel great flying away from the others, especially when this was him actively looking for someone who was clearly dangerous. And given that fact, he'd dressed the twins in the suits Coran had custom tailored for them, so they'd at least have some protection. Completely oblivious to the scenarios filled with perils, running rampant in their mother's minds, the boys were laying on their playmat, kicking up at the mobile that arched over them. Silently vowing to them that Keith would return soon, Lance settled back in his seat, determined to be fresh and ready for what ever was laying in wait.


	90. Chapter 90

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry!! I've been on holiday!!! And season 6... has me so messed up!

Circling over the planet where the gala had been held, Lance was having a hard time. Red's scanners hadn't picked up any humanoid life forms on the planet, and he couldn't even find the amphitheater, or any evidence of it even being there. Voicing his concerns, Red practically shrugged them off as she took it upon herself to perform a controlled descent, and landed solidly in a patch of which seemed to be completely unappealing brambles. Space was literally ruining nature for him. Couldn't they just go to nice rock planet, where he didn't have to risk his life or find some stupid rare herb, or killer rat?  
"Red, I know I don't need to ask you, because I trust you, but can you please make sure these two don't escape or get themselves in any trouble... I need to find who hurt the others, because it doesn't feel right not having them or the other lions by my side"  
Sliding from his chair to the floor, he crawled over to his boys   
"Right. I want you two to behave for Red. That means no playing with her controls or kicking her. She's really important to mummy and daddy, and I don't want anything happening to her. Mummy has to go find out a very bad person and he hates leaving you alone, but you're much safer here than with him. Now you've had your feed, and you've been changed, so no crying and mummy will be right back. I love you guys so much"  
Kissing both his "uncaring" sons goodbye, they continued playing with their mobile rather than caring he was leaving  
"Right Red. Let's do this!"

Lance was still extracting brambles from his uniforms as he made his way into thicker growth. He'd held off activating his Bayard, and now completely regretted it. Also. The planet was stinking hot during the day, like a summers day without a breeze, and even the shadows of the trees offered no relief. Working on the assumption that Red had landed in the same position as that night, he was now trying to trace his steps back the best he could remember, but honestly, he'd been way too excited about the gala when they'd arrived, and way too happy in Keith's arms when they'd left. Even just thinking of his husband hurt, and he was honestly surprised how calm he'd been. Maybe calm wasn't the right word, but he hadn't give up. He'd kept up his duties, and he'd even flown all over the galaxy for his team, pretty much alone an unaided. Laneith made a terrible navigator, and Kelance an even worse technician. Neither of them able to communicate with him, and both of them more than happy to cry. Laughing at his own joke, he pushed through further and further into the dense flora, until he was sure he'd gone too far. Trying to turn back, everything look different from what he'd just passed... so he turned back around again. Forward. He should keep moving forward.

Forward was the right choice. He didn't even notice the rippling effect in front of him, but he did notice the way the world changed the moment he passed through between two towering trees. As the small hairs covering his body stood on end, a feeling filled the base of his stomach. A feeling that told him he was finally on the right path... or something. It was the same feeling he got when they were in the rift. Something out there was trying to tell him something. Only. He had no idea what. Like a sniffer dog tracing a scent, all he could do was follow that feeling, which lead him to eventually emerge in the amphitheater that he'd been looking for in the first place. Activating his Bayard, he scanned the immediate area, only to find nothing. What was the use of having a "superpower" if the stupid thing didn't just tell him what was going on? All he could do was edge forward, missing the way the space behind him seemed to darken and warp. He had no idea he wasn't alone, right up to the moment a bright blue bolt came out of nowhere and hit him squarely in the chest, knocking him off his feet in the process. A second bright blue shot followed the first half a tick later, leaving him rolling and scrambling   
"It's ok! I'm with Voltron! You can't stop shooting me!"  
Or maybe they'd shoot him more? Either way, he needed to find them... whoever them was... 

Thanks to his armour, the shot hadn't penetrated through and into his chest. Switching from his gun to his sword, he narrowed his eyes as he scanned for any sort of clue   
"Are you the one who poisoned everyone?! Who tried to kill my friends?!"  
Slowling his spin, he felt the feeling in his gut glare, so he lunged towards the spot, swinging his blade down with all the force he could. Instead of hitting thin air, his blade met something hard, and for the first time since he'd been able to form the damn thing, it didn't cut through whatever it was  
"Found you!"  
With whatever it was preventing his blade from arching down, he kicked out at what he thought would be knee level, hitting something that let out a surprisingly human sounding squeak  
"If you don't want me to kill you right here, I suggest you lose the cloaking device"  
"Aw man. You're no fun"  
A girl. He'd tried to hit a girl?! What?! In front of him, the space flickered and the form of a young woman with brilliantly flowing white hair formed, her impish grin, and brown skin had him leaping back with a confused gasp  
"Allura?!"  
Rushing him, the woman pushed him down, and he realised though she was Altean and looked almost identical to Allura, it wasn't actually her  
"You know Allura?!"  
"Of course I know Allura. You know Allura?"  
Less than gently the girl dropped her bow, the bow that had stopped his sword, and ripped his helmet off. The look on her face was hilarious, or would have been if it hadn't swapped from shock to anger so fast  
"Tell me how you know Allura! Who are you?!"  
"Who am I? Who are you?"  
"I'm the one asking questions!"  
"And I'm the one who's pinned beneath you?"  
Letting out a huffy puff, the girl grabbed a blade from belt, the edge against his throat before he knew what was happening   
"Speak"  
"Fine! Fine! I'm Lance. I work with Allura!"  
"Fine then. Lance who works with Allura, you will take me to her"  
"What? Why would I do that?"  
"Because I must see her!"  
This girl was a nutjob. That was his only explanation. She was crazy and he was stuck with her  
"Look, if you put the blade down, we can talk"  
"I don't want to talk to anyone but Allura"  
"I can't just take you to her! If you know her, you know she can't just accept visitors!"  
"You said you were her friend, or were you lying?"  
"I wasn't lying! Look, get off me. I came here looking for some one"  
"Who?"  
"If I knew who it was, I wouldn't be looking for them!"  
Lance ran the words back through his mind... yep. He made no sense  
"Where is Allura?!"  
"She's on the castle of lions!"  
"So she's on Altea?"  
"Altean was destroyed"  
The blade was pressed harder against his throat  
"Liar!"  
"I'm not lying! Everyone knows that!"  
"Enough. Take me to Allura, or I will take your lion and leave you dead"  
"That's not how it works. You have to form a connection with Red, which means, you can't kill me, because if you do, Red will fly back to the castle on her own, and you won't be able to see Allura"  
The strange Altean glared at him, before finally climbing off of him, and retrieving her bow. Stringing an arrow, she kept it firmly aimed at him as he gathered himself up with a huff  
"You must take me to the castle of lions before it's too late"  
"I can't just bring you there. I don't even know your name"  
"Toral"  
"Toral?"  
"No, Toral. Now you know my name, we can go"  
Toral? What kind of a name was Toral? It was pronounced like Tore-Al... not Toral, like coral with a "t"  
"It doesn't work that way"  
"You just said!"  
"Argh! Do you know how annoying you are?!"  
"Me! You won't even help me!"  
"Because for all I know, you could have poisoned my friends!"  
"I did! With good reason!"  
"You did what?!"  
"That's not important..."  
"Not important! You killed people! You nearly killed my husband!"  
"I promise I will explain, one I see Allura"  
"You poisoned her! I doubt she's going to want to see you!"  
"Whaaaaa..."  
"What do you mean "whaaa?!". You don't get to "whaaaa!" I get to "whaaaa!""  
"What is wrong with you?! Were you dropped on your head or something?"  
"That's it. I'm shooting you"  
"You said you'd take me to Allura"  
"You just admitted you poisoned her!"  
"Not on purpose, she just happened to... no. No. I'm onto you. I won't tell you anything"  
It was like having a fight with Veronica, completely obnoxious, but at least Veronica was related to him and they loved each other. Toral... Toral made him want to scream. 

Staring at Toral, Lance took a deep breath. The woman didn't look that all... maybe she was going through her bratty stage. She'd openly admitted to poisoning everyone, and she was the only one going on. He didn't like it, but he needed to control the situation, and he couldn't do that in an alien landscape   
"Give me your bow"  
"Why?"  
"If you want to see Allura, you need to give me your bow"  
"And then you'll take me?"  
"I will. But be warned, she can be vicious to those who hurt her family"  
Toral rolled her eyes  
"I have no idea what she sees in a brat like you"  
"It's a good thing you'll be able to ask her in person. Now hand it over"  
Pouting Toral relented, handing him the bow  
"Other than the knife, is there any other weapons I should be aware of"  
"I'll leave that to your imagination"  
That was most certainly a yes. She definitely wasn't staying anywhere near the boys. Once he got her in the cargo hold, he'd have to ask Red to somehow seal her in. He wanted to save everyone, and he wanted answers, but he wanted his kids safe even more. Keeping his Bayard activated, he pointed towards where he thought he'd come in  
"I assume you saw me land, and know the way towards the Red lion"  
"Maybe"  
"Then the sooner you start walking, the sooner you get to see Allura"  
Pulling something from her pocket, Toral clicked it like one would a garage or car remote, and the world around them shimmered  
"Now what are you doing?!"  
"I thought you had to be smart to be a Paladin, didn't you notice things were a little different around here?"  
"Of course I noticed. Wait. That was you?!"  
"Took you long enough"  
He wasn't going to kill Toral... but if she tripped and fell on her own blade, he wasn't exactly sure he'd rush to help  
"Let's just go. It's a long way back"  
"You're going to take to Allura, aren't you?"  
"I said I was"  
"If you turn again me..."  
"Yeah. Yeah. You don't scare me"  
He was actually terrified of her. If there were more Altean's like Toral hidden away somewhere, heaven help the universe. She'd completely shattered all his illusions of them being feisty and beautiful like Allura and Alfor... and Coran in his own way. Who was he kidding? Coran's flowing orange locks and super silky manly moustache were magnificent... though he'd never try to recreate it, and prayed Keith wouldn't either. Finding himself falling behind Toral, he hastened his pace, trying to appear like he was in total control of the situation.

 

*  
The universe hated him. He'd mentally explained the situation to Red the moment he and Toral had gotten into her, his lion curious about another Altean appearing, but didn't seem to like her at all. Toral... Toral had taken one look at his sons and scrunched her face up. It wasn't his fault they were crying and that she couldn't handle something that simple. Stressing out, he'd gathered up his boys, while Toral leant against his chair like she belonged there, demanding an explanation about why there were two babies in Red, and questioning if Red was really the Red Lion. Red hadn't taken the insult well. Lance didn't even need to power her up, she did it all on her own, throwing herself into a steep rise, that threw Toral back against the cargo bay door... and straight into the cargo hold. She'd been holed up there for whole trip now, and she'd done nothing but yell and pound on the door the whole time. 

Toral had stamina. Landing Red in her hangar, it felt like he'd been out in space for deca-phoebes and he was exhausted. The constant pounding and yelling left the twins scared and confused, and his body had finally decided it'd had enough of pushing himself, his whole stomach region was tender and nausea had set in. Deciding Toral could stand to wait a little longer, Lance gathered his boys up off the floor as Red opened her mouth for him. Waiting for him was Ryner, which was nice. Coming back home was always nicer when someone was there to welcome him back  
"Hey, Ryner. Any trouble?"  
"Just a little, but nothing you won't be able to solve for us"  
"What? What's wrong?"  
"We've begun waking and administering doses to the patients held on the lower floors, but my team wasn't entirely sure how to open the pods containing the rest of Voltron. They insisted on not chancing it, just on the off chance something were to go wrong"  
He could understand and appreciate that   
"I've got to settle these two down, and the deal with Toral. After that, I'll be right up and I'll talk them through what I'm doing, just in case you need to know for the future"  
"Thank you. May I enquire as to who or what Toral is?"  
Lance groaned  
"Toral is a pain in the quiznak, and she's also the one who poisoned everyone. She insisted on seeing Allura, and refused to speak to me about everything happening"  
"You found the culprit?"  
"Yeah. She's stuck in Red at the moment. Those two really don't get along"  
"Will you be requiring assistance?"  
"Actually, that would be awesome. I have no idea how I'm going to get her down to the cells. She might be a brat, but she's tough"  
Ryner let out an honest to goodness chuckle that made his heart swell. He felt like they'd established a good working relationship since this fiasco had begun, and he'd kind of come to see her as a grandmother figure... not that he'd ever tell her  
"Would you like us to sedate her?"  
"Yes. No... I don't know. I don't know what's she's carrying on her, or why she's here. Sedating her might just make her mad"  
"If she's that dangerous, she needs to be handled carefully"  
"Exactly"  
Falling into step with each other, they headed from Red's hangar. He was so relieved people were finally starting to recover, but couldn't help feel like he'd brought a time bomb into the castle. His thoughts were so distracting, he didn't even notice Ryner had at some point left him, and that he'd made his way down to the nursery practically blind. First he needed to clean his sons up. Then they could go for a nap, while he took care of Toral, and taught the scientists how to work the pod system... then he'd need to make the boys a bottle. Keith had missed another milestone. They'd both been there when the twins had finally started crawling, but now the boys were cutting teeth and his nipples were scabby messes.

Showers are good for the soul. He was sure someone out there had said so at some point, and even if it'd only been a very quick shower, it'd definitely helped loosen his lower back muscles. His stomach still felt revolting, but he'd take that over stiff muscles any quintant of the movement. With both pups settled in Kelance's cot, Lance dressed in a clean uniform and headed back through the castle and back to Red's hangar. Standing near Red's front left paw, 5 burly Olkaris looked almost impatient as he finally joined them. Letting Red nudge into his mind, he nodded his consent to her, and waited for her mouth to lower. Once it had, it was only a few short moments before Toral came running down, screaming like a banshee as she went right for him   
"How dare you do that to me?! You were supposed to take me to Allura! I'm going to kill you!"  
"Toral, welcome to the Castle of Lions. Allura is currently busy, but I have a few friends here to help me out"  
"What?! What do you mean she's busy?! You told me I could see her"  
Crouched behind Red's foot, one of the Olkari lined Toral up, as Lance activated his Bayard and parried the angry blow she threw at him. There was a soft whistling noise before a tranquilliser dart buried itself in the woman's neck. Her eyes widened comically as she wasn't able to stop herself, and went sprawling across the hangar floor   
"You liar!"  
"I'm not a liar, I'm just trying to protect my family. I promise you can see Allura, but we have to make sure everything's safe first"  
Toral's head hit the floor, and the girl passed out in an ungainly heap  
"Thanks for your help"  
"Ryner said we were to assist you with moving her to a cell?"  
"Oh. Sweet. I don't think I could carry her, but I can lead the way"  
Two of the Olkari came over and lifted Toral from the floor. A quite Toral was weird. He didn't know why, but it just seemed so wrong. He had the impression the girl had a passion and fire inside of her, and didn't know when to shut up and just go along with the flow. Falling in behind the group, Lance directed them down to the holding cells, all the while the pain in his stomach getting worse with every step and he barely made it to where Toral would be held, before falling to his knees and whimpering in pain. The Olkari surrounding him were immediately and clearly torn. They were there to help him, and he'd collapsed? And now they had him and an unconscious Altean to deal with. He highly doubted this was how they saw their day going when they crawled out of bed   
"Red Paladin?"  
"I'm fine. Sorry"  
He tried to struggle to his feet, only increasing the pain in his stomach  
"Sorry guys, it seems I'm a little stuck. Would one of you be able to please help me up?"  
The one with Toral went to, before realising he couldn't and nodding to his closest companion. Hefting him up into his arms, Lance squeaked at the sudden change of perspective   
"Oh. Thanks. If you place your palm on the pad next to the door, it should open. They're kind of good like that. Anyone can let someone in, but you need to be a Paladin to let someone out"  
The Olkari holding Toral did as instructed, carrying her into the cell and laying her gently down  
"What should we do with her weaponry?"  
"For now, we need to confiscate it"  
His sentence ended with a hiss. His body was a filthy traitor. All he needed was a few more doboshes, but that was asking too much. Carefully and respectfully, Toral was patted down. As she didn't have her now, he figured it must still be in Red. In total the girl was carrying three blades. Two small pieces of tech he'd never seen. A necklace, and what seemed to be some kind of collapsible arrow housed in a small pouch built into her tunic top  
"We'll take those with us. I think I can stand now"  
"Nonsense. Ryner would not be impressed if we were to allow anything to happen to you"  
"It's just walking"  
"Red Paladin, do you not realise you are running a fever?"  
He was? When did that happen?  
"Oh..."  
"Oh is correct. I will carry you. It is no worry to me"  
"Are you sure? I'm not exactly light"  
"It is fine"  
"In that case, can you please take me up to the healing pods? I need to talk the team there through how to open a pod safely"  
"As you wish, but you should rest young Paladin"  
He was being so proper towards Lance, that Lance found himself speechless  
"I'll rest once my friends are ok"  
"You are as Ryner said"  
Now he was curious  
"Really? What did she say?"  
The man gave him a soft smile  
"You are very brave and very determined, but also very stubborn"  
"Well, she's right. I really can't deny it"  
Both of them let out a small laugh, gone the tension and awkwardness between him and the team of Olkari. 

 

*  
Despite having talked the team through how to wake his friends up, Lance was fading fast, but he didn't want to spend another day without everyone around him. Asking if the Olkari could please transfer his team to the medical room instead of the hospital, Lance left Ryner overseeing everything while he went on his new mission. When everyone woke up, he wanted them to have their own blankets and pillows. He wanted them to know he cared, even if he hadn't remained by their sides. So he wandered around, first retrieving Shiro, Allura, Coran, Pidge and Hunk's things, dumping them in the medical bay, then heading down to pick up the boys, something for Keith to wear, and their own blankets. Thanks to the pain in his stomach, he pretty much reached the medical bay and died. He couldn't walk. He couldn't crawl. He couldn't even wriggle. He just laid curled on his side rather pathetically, as the boys climbed from his hold and into the medical room. Quiznak. It hurt like hell, and he didn't know what was going on. If this was Toral's fault... 

Laying on the floor, Lance was half convinced this was his life now. Each time the pain would lessen, he'd try and move, only to bring it crashing back like a wave. The boys had crawled over to the blankets and pillows he'd deposited earlier, and were now trying to climb up them to reach the top of the pile. As long as the were safe, all he had to do wait for someone else to show up... even if it seemed to be taking for ever. Unknown to him, he'd only been there for 10 doboshes when the two Olkari teams showed up with his unconscious friends in his hold. Blinking up at them, he tried to force a smile  
"Uh. Hey guys... funny story. I'm kind of stuck"  
The look he got was one of both confusion and then wondering if this was some kind of joke  
"Do you require assistance?"  
"If it's no trouble..."  
Brushing past the front Olkari, a different man from the same team that had taken down Toral, came to his aid, lifting him to his feet... only for him to yelp and sag. Sighing, the Olkari lifted him off his feet and carried him to the closest examination bed  
"What is going on with you Red Paladin?"  
"Uh... I probably ate something bad... it'll pass. I'm sorry for inconveniencing you"  
"Lance! You were supposed to be resting"  
Oh shit. Sprung. Even the Olkari staring at him looked slightly fearful at Ryner's tone  
"He was laying on the floor"  
"Dobber"  
Sighing heavily, Ryner moved to stand in front of him  
"You said you would rest"  
"And I will. In here. With them. Ryner, I know you don't fully understand our dynamics, but I really need to be with them, especially right now"  
Ryner's mental sigh was practically audible   
"As you are short on bed's how do you propose you all rest?"  
"You'll let me stay?"  
"I can hardly deny you rest in the one room equipped best for recovery"  
"Ryner! You are awesome! So like, I know it seems super weird, but on Earth, omegas make nests, and floor here's fine for that, it's going to be like one really big nest"  
She wasn't convinced at all  
"Basically we lay blankets out, and all sleep together. Not like together together, but next to each other"  
"So we lay blankets out?"  
"Yeah. The ones from here are all the light blue green ones, they go on the floor, then everyone is covered with their own blankets... I probably sound insane... but it really will help"  
Having to stop every few words, Ryner gave a nod to her team, before moving to cut them completely from his view. Even with all the scents of his friends, his omega still wasn't calming down. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she stared into his eyes, causing him to swallow. She deserved the truth   
"I... I don't actually know what's wrong. I mean. My stomach hurts like I'm in heat, but I have none of the other symptoms. Keith and I... well, we had bad news. I was exposed to a really high dose of pure quintessence and it caused damage. We... we were going to get Coran to do a scan, but everything has been hectic. I don't know if it is heat related or just because I miss everyone so badly and my omega is having some kind of breakdown, or if I ate something bad or something. I just really need to be with my team..."  
"You should have told me before"  
"I know. It's just... Shiro would be mad if I told the leader of a planet I feel sick. Ok. I know we're really tight allies, but he'd still get all mad and would find it disrespectful. I know you know he and I have a past, so sometimes my fear of him gets the better of me. And it wasn't until I got back to the castle I started feeling bad"  
"I would feel much better if you let me do some tests"  
"Not now... not without Keith. I know it probably doesn't sound like much, but we're working really hard to make things work and I keep shutting him out of things like this. So he needs to be there"  
"Things sound complicated"  
"You have no idea..."  
"I might have some. Tomorrow, once Keith awakens, then we shall run some tests"  
"Tomorrow"  
"We need to run tests on the Paladins to make sure they are completely fine, we can easily perform tests on you after. Though I must warn you, they will be feeling lethargic for the next few movements"  
"Thank you, Ryner... I honestly don't know what I would have done without you. You've been so good to me, and you've really helped and I know I just sound like an idiot, but I'm really grateful"  
"I know you are. Now, you brought down your team mates things, but what belongs to who?"

Directing the Olkari, the "nest" ended up so it went Shiro, Allura, Coran, Keith, Lance, the twins, Hunk and then Pidge. All his family safe and breathing, and most importantly, he had his husband curled around him, soothing his omega as he cried quietly. He'd missed them all beyond words, and now they were together again.


	91. Chapter 91

Waking up snuggled firmly against Lance, Keith felt like crap. His head was throbbing, while the room felt like it was spinning, and the only thing keeping him firmly anchored was the protective and stronghold Lance had around him. Coughing, his head threatened to split  
"Keith?"  
"I feel like shit"  
"Keith!"  
Rolling him onto his back, Lance nuzzled his neck like crazy  
"Don't ever scare me like that again!"  
Weakly wrapping his arms around Lance, his omega started to sob, not helping his headache at all  
"Shhh, baby. It's ok"  
"I was so scared! I thought you weren't going to wake up!"  
"I'm awake..."  
Something to his right moved, a comfortable warm weight leaving his side  
"What are we doing here?"  
That was Shiro? Why was he in bed with Shiro? What the hell had happened?  
"Lance, baby, what's going on?"  
Pulling back to straddle his lap, Keith groaned at the light assaulting his eyes as he opened them slowly, finding the rest of the team looking and feeling much like he did. Only Lance and the boys seemed to be ok... wiping at his face, Lance wasn't getting anywhere as tears poured despite his wide smile  
"I'm so happy you're all ok... don't ever do that to me again! None of you. Like seriously!"  
"Baby, you're making no sense and you're being loud"  
Lance nodded  
"Sorry. Ryner mentioned you wouldn't be feeling great"  
Ryner? Why was Ryner here? And why were they all in the medical room? Pidge and Hunk had brought back a space flu... was that it?  
"Baby. Take a deep breath for me... good. Now. Explain"  
"You guys have been sick for movements"  
"We know that. Pidge and Hunk brought back a space flu"  
Lance shook his head at Shiro's words  
"No. You were all poisoned. A lot of people were poisoned... but... it's ok because you guys are going to be fine. Ryner's scientists made this antidote for everyone. They gave it to you two quintants ago, but no one woke up... I've been so scared"  
Pulling Lance against him, his husband was shaking like crazy  
"But you're ok? Right, baby?"  
"I didn't get poisoned, but something's wrong"  
Mumbling in his ear, Lance made his heart stop  
"Something's wrong?"  
"It doesn't matter right now. I'm so happy you're awake"  
"Lance, what do you mean we were poisoned? What's going on? Why are we in the medical room? And why weren't you affected?"  
Keith's anger flared in response to Shiro's tone. They were all overwhelmed, all feeling gross, but Lance was trying his hardest. His mate would have panicked like no tomorrow, and probably would have disregarded his own health as he'd watched them sleep. His mate had probably been a nervous wreck and hadn't even thought to take care of anything related to Voltron. Keith could feel a secondary headache forming at the thought of all the missions they'd have to reschedule.

"Lance, would you please explain what happened?"  
Allura's voice was soft, and Lance finally sat back up, his hands clutching at Keith's bare chest. Nodding, Lance sniffle loudly, before taking another deep breath  
"Ok. Ok... first off, you guys have been in pods for nearly two movements"  
There was a collective gasp  
"Two movements?"  
"It happened the morning after I came back from my last mission. When you guys were all sick... Keith was really bad. He'd been throwing up and... he couldn't even breathe. His lips were turning blue, and there was blood in his vomit..."  
All eyes went to him, and Keith shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like being sick and hadn't asked to be, so there was no need to stare  
"We all had the same thing..."  
"You all were poisoned at the gala. I didn't drink anything that night, because I'm breastfeeding. The only thing I had was water from the castle"  
"If we were poisoned at the gala, how come it took so long to present?"  
"Ryner said it was a slow acting poison..."  
"But that shouldn't mean movements..."  
"Shiro, we're in space. You should give up and accept things don't make sense"  
"Lance, how do you know we were actually poisoned?"  
"Because after I put you all into pods, I asked Ryner to come to see me. They'd had a few patients admitted to the hospital with the same symptoms, but needed time, so I said they could use the prisoner pods while we figure out what was going on"  
"Lance, even if they are our allies. You can't just..."  
Allura wasn't having it. Yes they were all cranky, but Shiro was definitely letting his alpha infect his mood  
"Shiro, not now. Lance, what else has happened?"  
"Um... well, you guys have been out of action for movements now... pretty much a phoeb"  
"We're going to have so much work to catch up on"  
"You guys aren't doing anything until Ryner gives you the ok. Are you hungry? I've got food, and water and more blankets in case you're cold"  
"Baby, I don't think any of us feel like doing much more than sleep"  
"Then you should sleep. Everything can wait a little longer"  
Shiro growled, while Lance jumped and flinched away, agitating Keith's alpha. He wanted to protect his husband, and as it was, Lance had already said he wasn't well  
"We can't rest. I can't believe we've been in pods for two weeks. We already knew they didn't work"  
Lance's scent filled with anger, his eyes narrowing as he scowled at Shiro  
"What was I supposed to do! You were dying! All of you were dying! I was so scared!"  
"Baby, it's ok. You did good. You did what you had to. We can work it all out later, like you said"  
"So Ryner gave us an antidote?"  
"Yeah. Her scientists made it. You were supposed to wake up yesterday. I waited all day... I didn't think you were going to"  
Taking Lance's hands in his, Keith smiled the best he could  
"You did so good. I'm so proud of you"  
"I missed you"  
"Come back down here"  
Letting himself be pulled down, Lance buried his face against his neck again  
"I love you. I love you so much, never leave me like that again"  
"I love you too. I'm not going anywhere"  
"It's been so hard"  
"Well we're back now"  
Nodding against him, Lance sighed softly finally starting to relax. Only, it was now the Pidge decided to pipe up  
"You said we were poisoned at the gala? Do they know who did it? And why?"  
"That's been dealt with"  
"What do you mean dealt with?"  
"Just... you guys need to rest, but I promise they've been caught. You guys weren't the targets"  
"I find that hard to believe"  
He and Lance really couldn't have a proper conversation like this, but his body felt so heavy  
"Baby, can you help me up? We can't talk like this"  
"No. You need to rest"  
"Please. I need to go to the bathroom too"  
Lance hesitated  
"Oh... ok. The boys should be alright, but straight to the bathroom and back"  
"I promise"

Shivering, and for some reason just in his underwear, Lance carried him from the medical room and into the nearest quarters, his husband chewing his lip the whole way and seemed to be struggling. Standing him in the bathroom, Lance hung back  
"I'll wait in the bedroom, call me when your done"  
"Baby, I'm pretty sure we're past the point of you leaving because I need to pee. Tell me what's been happening"  
"I'll just wait..."  
Because this wasn't scaring the quiznak out of him. Ducking out the bathroom, Keith sighed. He really wanted to shower, but that wasn't happening right now... being sick sucked.

A few doboshes later, Keith shuffled from the bathroom and over to Lance's side. His husband was sitting on the edge of the bed, cradling his head in his hands while he shook. Groaning, Keith sank down next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist as he pulled him close  
"Baby, what's wrong?"  
"Sorry. I just feel a little sick"  
"More than a little. You don't smell like you're in pain, but something's definitely there"  
"I... I think I'm in heat, but it's wrong"  
"You're in heat?"  
"My stomach feels like it does during heat, but that's it. I haven't been able to do much these last few days"  
"Baby, you should be resting too"  
"I have been. Ryner made sure I did... but Keith, I've been trying. I've been trying to keep Voltron going... I promise. But these last two movements, I've slipped"  
"It's ok. Wanna tell me more about what happened?"  
"I did tell you. You were all poisoned, but the girl who did it is now in the prison cells with the help of the Olkari"  
"I mean with you?"  
"Oh. I don't know. I came down like this three quintants ago, and I thought having all of you close would help. But I haven't got any better"  
"You're probably just stressed"  
"Yeah... oh, the boys are cutting teeth now..."  
"They're what?"  
"Getting their baby teeth in"  
"Oh wow"  
"They're crawling everywhere too, and I think they'll be walking soon"  
"Baby, is there anything else going on?"  
"No... nothing that requires immediate action"  
"Have you talked with Ryner about your heat?"  
"She was going to do some tests, but I didn't want to do them without you"  
"Baby, if your suffering..."  
"No. I... I told her it's because we've been talking, but I'm too scared to do it alone. I'm sorry... We should go back"  
"You don't have to be scared anymore, and I know there's more that you aren't telling us, but it's ok. We're all getting better now"  
"Ryner said it might take movements to recover"  
That wasn't a comforting thought... not at all...  
"Well, she doesn't know us, and I hate seeing you so sad"  
"I don't think you can magic yourself better because I'm sad"  
"I can try"  
Pressing a kiss to top of Lance's head, Keith squeezed him tighter for a moment, never wanting to let him go  
"Whatever you've been doing, I'm sure you tried your best"  
"I love you, Keith"  
"I love you, too. Can we please go back now? If the boys are crying, it's not only going to make Shiro mad, but it'll make the others feel worse"  
"Is there some reason you keep mentioning Shiro?"  
"Because... because he didn't want me talking to Ryner. And because I haven't kept up with all the missions we were supposed to do. I tried to, but then I had to go on other missions because everyone was poisoned and it was hard. Coming home and knowing you were trapped in a pod... and leaving again. I thought you were dying. The castles a mess. The twins haven't been able to settle. Everyone's mad because I didn't let Ryner transfer you down to the hospital. I just wanted my family!"  
Wailing, Lance had been holding it in for so long. Dissolving completely against him, Lance crawled to straddle his lap  
"I know. I know"  
"I caught the girl who poisoned you all! But she won't even talk! I don't know what to do! I'm so tired!"  
"I've got you. I've got you baby. It's all ok now, it's all ok"

Letting Lance cry himself out, they were both as bad as each other as they made their way back to the medical bay. Lance barely able to support both of them, and him not able to do much for them. Walking into the medical room, their friends stopped talking, all eyes on them as they dragged themselves over to the centre of the nest and sank down beside their twins. Nudging Lance down, he settled him up against him as their boys climbed up on their mum  
"Lance, we want to know more about what has happened"  
"Guys, not now"  
"What do you mean not now?"  
"Lance is exhausted. We all are. He's been busy keeping things going while we've been sick. We can talk about things after we get some more sleep and eat"  
"What's he exhausted from. What's he been doing?"  
"Everything he could to keep us alive. If he hadn't put us in the pods, we could have died, so just cut him a break"  
Sighing, Lance wrapped his arms around their boy's, pulling them to his chest as he rolled onto his back  
"They've missed you"  
"I've missed them too..."  
"Guys, maybe we should let Lance rest. You're not right up against him like Keith and I are, so you probably can't smell him, but he doesn't smell right"  
"Hunk..."  
"It's fine Keith. It's true..."  
"He didn't need to say it like that"  
"Hunk didn't mean anything bad by it. I can't force you guys to stay here, but Ryner will probably be up to check on us in a few vargas, so just wait until she comes before you go"  
"We really owe her for this. We shouldn't have burdened them this way"  
"She said it was fine"  
Lance mumbled the words as their sons tried to reach for Keith, obliging their boys, he wrapped his arms around them, enjoying the sloppy and drooly "kisses" he got. They'd gotten bigger again, and he'd missed so much time with them  
"Baby, let me take them"  
"I've got them..."  
"It's fine. We can put them between us"  
"Ok, I'm really sleepy"  
"Then get some sleep. We're all ok"

Ignoring their friends, Keith moved the boys between them, before reaching over them and placing his hand on Lance's hip. There was so much they needed to talk about, but only when Lance was ready.

*  
Sitting on the examination bed, Keith was trying to pay attention to Ryner and Lance. The old woman had been delighted to see them up and moving, greeting them all with a wide smile on her wrinkly face, before delegating their care to the group of scientists she'd brought with them, and turning her attention to Lance. Lance was still sitting in the mess of bedding, their sons crawling and exploring close to his legs, each time they wandered too far, Lance would scoop the boys up and move back to him. Talking with Ryner for a few doboshes, the woman placed her hand on his shoulder, giving him a nod, before shuffling over to Allura and Coran. Shiro still seemed to be in a bad mood, as he couldn't just sit still, despite how wobbly his pacing had become  
"Ryner, can you tell us what's been happening? We asked Lance, but he won't give us any details"  
"Lance has had a few very long movements, which seem to have finally caught up with him. Allowing him time to rest"  
Shiro's shake steps stopped abruptly, the alpha frowning at Ryner  
"I'm sorry. I'm not following"  
"Lance has been all across the galaxy, desperate to help you all. It is because of him that we could make the antidote, and because of his bravery, that more people didn't die"  
"People died?"  
Allura's voice trembled. Lance hadn't mentioned people dying  
"Only a handful, still more than we would have liked, but with the use of the pods, we managed to save everyone we could. You have our sincere gratitude, especially you Lance"  
"Ryner, we've been through this. It doesn't matter how it happened, the most important thing is that everyone is alright"  
"Have you not told them anything?"  
"I told them the important stuff. You guys made the cure and helped get the culprit into the cells. That's all that really mattered"  
Ryner frowned severely at all of them  
"Ryner, what does that mean? What hasn't he told us?"  
"Lance is the reason everyone lived. He not only searched the Galaxy for the herbs needed, and worms, but also captured the woman responsible for the poisoning. He was also working to keep Voltron running while you were sick, taking care of you all, and wanted you all to wake up with your blankets, while suffering himself. Not to mention looking after those two boys, and rearranging the missions he had to postpone. You're all extremely lucky to have such a courageous friend"  
"Baby, you did all that?"  
"I couldn't let you guys die..."  
"Lance!"

Rushing off the opposite examination bed, Hunk clearly regretted his decision. Staggering, he collapsed down beside Lance with a groan, still smiling through his pain  
"Bud! That's amazing"  
"Not really..."  
"Bud, you did amazing. Just accept it"  
Wrapping his arms around Lance, Lance groaned as he sank into his hold, Keith tried his hardest not to snap in jealousy as Lance nuzzled Hunk's neck  
"Buddy, you're really warm"  
"I have a fever"  
"You should be in a pod"  
"It won't help..."  
"Is there anything I can do?"  
"No, just get better soon. We need you back in the kitchen"  
"You better not have ruined my kitchen"  
"Not ruined. I've cleaned up my mess... but it probably won't be up to your standard. I don't know how you do it... all I was doing was making soup"  
"I appreciate it buddy. We all do"  
"Voltron is not a one-person thing"  
"So tell us about the prisoner"  
Lance pushed away from Hunk, as Shiro butted in to their moment  
"Maybe we should wait"  
"What? Why?"  
"Well, you're all recovering. Ryner...?"  
Shiro didn't seem impressed that Lance was once again asking Ryner what to do, instead of explaining  
"Lance is right, for now she isn't going anywhere, and she's refusing to talk"  
"No offence, but Lance isn't the leader of Voltron"  
Ryner honest to god glared at Shiro, making Keith love the old woman just a little more  
"You're right Shiro. He isn't the leader usually. But as I am the leader of Voltron, and Lance is my second in command, it is his job to step up and step in when I can't. He's done a hell of a job, not only running missions while we were all sick, he also made sure we ate and drank, changed our sheets, and when we weren't getting better, he put us in pods. He reached out for help when he knew he couldn't do it alone. From there, he went out and got what they needed to help everyone! So stop with this cranky attitude of yours. You're alive. You've got a new arm, but maybe a new attitude would have been better!"  
Shiro let out a low growl, while Lance let out a small whimper, Hunk was rubbing his back, while looking to Keith in worry  
"Bud?"  
"I think I'm going to be sick..."  
"Keith, can you and Coran please get off that examination bed. Something's really wrong with Lance"  
"Hunk... it's ok"  
"Lance, you're burning up"  
"It's my heat!"  
"You're not in heat"  
"I am, but it's all wrong..."  
"Baby, maybe you should have a scan"  
"Not in front of everyone..."  
"Lance, would you prefer we transfer you to the hospital?"  
"No... just... I'm going to be sick"  
"Let me help you up"  
Hulk pulled Lance to his feet, being the most mobile of them all, Lance took off before Hunk could offer to support him. They really needed to get Lance scanned, even if his husband didn't want one in front of everyone, and even if everyone felt like absolute quiznak. Ryner looked towards the door, shaking her head with a deep sigh  
"He's not well at all..."  
"No, he's not"  
Allura softly interrupted the silence  
"Should we go?"  
"I don't know, I feel like crap, how do you guys feel? Are you even able to?"  
"Not that great. So maybe not far... but long enough to give you some space"  
"Thanks. Lance would hate the fuss, but..."  
"Keith, you don't need to explain. Lance has gone above and beyond for all us"  
"I'll stay, I can operate the scanner"  
"Coran..."  
"Don't look at me like that, my boy. A little poisoning won't get the best of Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe"  
"Then I'll stay too"  
Keith looked from Allura and Coran to the rest of the team  
"It's ok. We won't. Come on Shiro, you can help me and Pidge with the kitchen"  
"Hunk, you don't have to go back to the kitchen right away. Lance was only joking"  
"Keith, you just don't understand bud. He might be my best friend, but the kitchen is my sacred zone"  
"Oh trust me, I know. Thanks, we shouldn't be that long"

Lance wandered back on his own, not long after the others had left. His mate was pale and sweating profusely. Climbing off the examination bed, Keith crossed to take Lance by the arm  
"How are you feeling?"  
"Like I've been trampled alive by a hoard of Wuzos"  
"Wuzos?"  
"Aaaaah, a particularly nasty little brighter. Their teeth are some of the strongest in the universe"  
"Trust me. I know. Where did the others go?"  
"They headed up to the kitchen sooo, now you're having your scan"  
"I'm fine"  
"You're not fine"  
"Maybe not..."  
Shooting him his trade mark cocky grin, Keith could only shake his head  
"Get up on the bed would you"  
"I think you're making this into more than it is..."  
"Lance, if you love me, you'll get on that bed"  
"Oh. That's not playing fair..."  
"You know I'd never play that card unless I had to"  
Lance grumbled but still allowed him to help him up. Sitting on the edge next to his mate, he held Lance hands while Lance settled back and closed his eyes  
"Coran, you can go ahead now"  
"Lance?"  
"Mhmm, go ahead"

When the room went quiet, Lance opened his eyes again  
"What's going on?"  
"I don't know, I'm waiting on Coran"  
"You are indeed in heat, but with the damage in your womb, your body doesn't know what to do. Even if the egg was to be fertilised, it cannot lodge in your womb. I'm sorry to say, my boy, a pod won't help"  
Lance hummed softly  
"Thanks Coran, that's pretty much what I thought was happening"  
Looking at the screen, Keith's eyes narrowed in on the damage. It was obvious. A dark and nasty black in comparison to the rest of the scan  
"Once he's out of heat, you can operate right? He shouldn't have to suffer"  
"It's nothing compared to what you all went through"  
"Baby, it's not ok. I know we're not 100 percent, but we're on the mend"  
"Lance did warn you it will take some time to heal completely, didn't he?"  
"Yeah... but not that long"  
"You'll worsen again before you finally improve, but you've exceeded my expectations already"  
Great. Keith immediately regretted saying anything. Lance was only going to worry  
"How bad are we talking?"  
"Coughing and some vomiting as your body purges the poison"  
"Fun times... Coran, you can turn the scanner off now"  
"Right"  
"Ryner, they can operate, can't they?"  
"Of course we can. May I please have a copy of those scans?"  
"Go for it... mmm, can I go back to sleep now?"  
An omega in heat, yet not was confusing his alpha. He was supposed to want to breed and mount his mate, not let him sleep in pain  
"I think we could all use a little more sleep"  
"Mmm, I need to feed the boys"  
"I can feed them"  
"It's ok, you don't have boobs"  
Oh. Yeah. He'd just wanted to help... and may have forgotten that minor detail  
"Lance, once your heat passes, we'll schedule your surgery. As your team seems to be ok, I shall take my leave for now. Please don't hesitate to call"  
"I won't. Thanks Ryner"  
"Yes, thank you Ryner. I might not know what happened, but thank you for being there for Lance. He acts all tough, but he gets lonely easily. So having someone here for him... thank you for that"  
"He is rather special"  
"Yeah. He really is"  
"Guys, I'm sick, not dying. You don't need to be so nice"  
"We're only nice because we care"  
Ryner took her leave, and Keith waited until she was gone before helping Lance over to the extended nest. The moment they were both seated, the twins crawled towards them  
"They've gotten so confident"  
"I know. Red has been so patient with them. She needs a holiday with all the flying she's been doing"  
"Was it really that much?"  
"You have no idea. Even she was over it all, and then stupid Toral went and insulted her. Red wasn't having it though. She shot straight up so Toral fell back and into the cargo bay. She spent the next three quintants holding her in there"  
"That's my girl. So what's Toral like?"  
"She's a conversation for a time when I have working brain cells"  
"Allura, Coran, are you guys staying?"  
"To be honest, I don't know how the others had the energy to leave"  
"I hope you don't mind being in here..."  
"Not at all. Especially seeing all we've been through without knowing. Thank you Lance. Thank you for saving all us"  
"You'd do the same for me... hopefully"  
"Of course we would. Do you need help with the boys?"  
"Keith can help me... I think they both need some quality daddy time"  
"Then what can we do for you?"  
"For me?"  
"You're in pain and running a fever"  
"Oh... it's ok. I don't know what's going to help. I guess I'll just sleep it off as much as I can. Especially when you're all going to get sicker"  
"At least that means we're getting better"  
"It still doesn't feel right. Not knowing why we were poisoned"  
Helping Lance out his shirt, he was relieved his mates bra did up at the front, making access much easier, though he winced in sympathy at Lance's nipples  
"I know they look bad, but when things settle down, I think I'll just switch to expressing and bottles"  
"Ok baby, whatever's comfortable for you"  
Lance rolled his eyes as he lifted Kelance up to feed  
"Your daddy is a little special, but mummy is so happy to have him back"  
"As if you could get rid of me"  
"Don't give me that. You have no idea. Also, Allura, if you promise to wait until tomorrow, I will tell you everything I know"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Promise"  
"I'll hold you to it"


	92. Chapter 92

Keith wasn't sure if he was feeling better or not, yet he and the rest of team were now sitting on the floor medical room as Lance tried his best to fill them in  
"So, Toral is an Altean?"  
"Yep. She's got the marks and all, but she's not like Allura and Coran. She's a giant pain in the quiznak and has enough attitude to sink a ship"  
"Lance, are you sure she's Altean?"  
"She's has the same marks as you, Coran and Lotor do"  
"But couldn't she be like you and the boys?"  
"Possibly. Anyway, like I said, she will only talk to Allura, which is why I don't know much of anything"  
"I can't believe you'd do something as reckless as to head out alone. What would you have done if something happened?"  
"Relax. It wasn't all that dangerous. Picking herbs was even worse, and Wuzos... never again"  
"It certainly sounds like you've been busy"  
"You have no idea. Anyway, what do you all want to do? She's awake. I checked on her when I brought her food earlier"  
Keith knew Lance had slipped out during the night, but had assumed he'd gone to the toilet, not made the rounds  
"I hope you didn't mess my kitchen up. It took vargas to get all those notes off the cupboards"  
"Sorry Hunk. I'm not as good with space ingredients as you are. There was a lot of trial and error making soup for you guys. Oh, Coran, I'm sorry but your control panel is just as bad. I couldn't remember everything, so I wrote it down... and Keith, you're probably going to have a heap of unread messages..."  
"It's fine baby. You made it work. Our immediate problem is Toral"  
"Problem is an understatement. So what do you want to do?"  
"We should go talk to her"  
"Did she say who her target actually was?"  
"It would have been so much easier if she had. She's worse than a whole squad of Iverson's... no I take that back. She's worse to talk to than Slav!"  
Pidge giggled as Lance crossed his arms and pouted   
"Just you wait"  
"Allura, what do you want to do?"  
"I feel we should talk to her before our condition declines again. Ryner warned it would be one of the side effects"  
"Great... because I don't feel bad enough as it is"  
"It's ok Pidge. The worst of it's over, and how bad can it be compared to all that coughing you were doing before?"  
"Do not even go into that. I can't believe you didn't drink anything"  
"What can I say? Keith definitely did enough drinking for the both of us"  
"But you're the whole reason we went to the gala"  
Lance's face fell a little, so Keith rose to his feet  
"It was Toral's fault, not Lance's. Let's go meet her, and see what she has to say"  
"What about the boys?"  
"They should be safe enough in the hallway outside the cells. There's nothing for them to pull down, on or out... and even if they crawl, there's nothing they can hurt themselves on. Not like in here"  
"Or Lance can stay here with the boys"  
"Nope. No. Uh-uh. Not happening. I am not letting you all talk to her and find out what the quiznak everything was about without me. So do not even think of sidelining me Shiro, or I will kick your arse"  
Shiro growled, but unlike the day before, Lance stood a little straighter   
"Do not think for one tick that I can't smell that you're in pain and lashing out because of it. I can smell everyone's pain, and I know you're all struggling with your alphas. I know because I have the same struggle with my omega far too often. Now I'm giving you all a free pass, because honestly you've all been less than pleasant to be around while you've been sick, but I'm a nice person, and I'm not going to hold it against you. Shiro. I know you're a strong alpha, and I know you're probably struggling just as hard as Keith, no offence Pidge and Hunk, but maybe you should cut down on the growling. I'm tired of it. I really am"  
Hunk gaped at Lance, while Pidge hid her laugh badly with a cough  
"Seriously. I'm in some kind of heat. I don't need this from any of you right now..."  
"No wonder he's moody"  
Whispering to Hunk, Pidge earned herself a glare   
"Alphas who whisper can just stay up here. And alphas who continue to whisper won't get to look at the really cool tech when they get better"  
"There's tech?! You didn't say there was tech"  
"Ryner has it. And it won't be returned until I ask for it back. So I suggest you behave yourself Pidge, or you can kiss seeing it goodbye"  
"Keith! Tell him he can't do that"  
"I'm not getting in the middle of this"  
"But you're the leader of Voltron"  
"And because he was sick, I made the call that it shouldn't be stored on the castle in case Toral escaped"  
"Pidge, he has a point"  
"Hunk, no! You're supposed to be on my side"  
"You know I would love nothing more than to tinker on tech with you, but we don't know anything about it, or Toral"  
"We do know that she poisoned hundreds of people just to get at one target"  
"If she's Altean... that could mean there are more of them out there"  
Lance shook his head, dashing Allura's hopes  
"I had the same thought, but Allura, I get the same feeling from her as I got in the rift and that. I get the feeling there's something not quite right with her"  
"Do you think she could be related to Honerva?"  
"Not to Honerva. I mean, not like a clone, but maybe to the rift. I don't know, and it's giving me a headache trying to figure all this out... I guess, in the end, I'm just saying be careful and don't rush to believe everything she says"  
"I will keep that mind"

Shiro seemed to hang back from the group as they made their way down to prisoner cells at a snails pace. It was a great idea to go before they got worse, but that was in theory. In reality... In reality they were progressing frustratingly slow, and Lance already looked out of breath as he kept an arm around Keith's waist. His husband had be hurting mentally and physically, especially knowing that he could fall pregnant as an egg could form, though here was nothing for it to embed into. It really wasn't fair on him, and Keith was pretty much certain this heat had been stressed induced. Especially after Lance had filled them all in on what making the antidote required. That combined with his husband's determination to help everyone poisoned, and keep Voltron running the best he could had him so incredibly proud of him, and he hated himself for doubting his mate had the strength. Lance had stepped up and had been more of leader during his phoeb at the helm, than he'd ever been. Or at least that's how it felt. He was also slightly annoyed at his husband for taking their sons with him, but that might have just been his own jealousy bleeding over. Lance would never hurt their boys, but it was a hell of a lot to take in. In the end, he continued his mental grumblings all the way down to level housing the prison cells.

 

*  
Toral was everything Lance said and more. It might have the fact Keith was older than when he'd come into space, but he had absolutely not patience for Toral, though she reminded him so much of someone that it nearly sent him crazy trying to remember who. The girl was loud. Opinionated. Pushy. Prone to fits of hysterics and over exaggeration... And that was all from trying to get her name out of her. He was exhausted already, and Allura seemed to be in the same boat. She looked tired and drawn as she pinched the bridge of his nose. They hadn't wanted to play the fact they already knew her name, or that they'd poisoned her, which by they, he meant Shiro. Though he wasn't sure how it was even supposed to work with Lance in the room. Finally proving too much for his husband, Lance snapped again   
"Toral. You told me to bring you to Allura. I have brought to Allura. This is Allura, and this is the rest of Voltron. Now, you said you'd talk only to Allura, so go ahead and talk, but there is no way we are leaving her alone anywhere near you"  
Toral rolled her eyes, but at least sat up on her bed  
"How do I know she's Allura?"  
"Because I told you I would bring you to her and I did. Also, you ran the whole freaking gala. You had to have seen her doing the rounds, or are you as dumb as you seem?"  
"When I get out this cell..."  
"You'll what? Try and shoot me again? You know you don't have a chance"  
"Lance, will you please stop antagonising the prisoner?"  
"Shiro, you can't talk to her. She's too stupid to understand"  
"I'm not stupid. I'm just not going to talk while he's in the room"  
"See. Lance, you should leave"  
"Not Lance. You. I don't want to talk to you"  
"Me?"  
"Yes. If you want me to talk, he has to go"  
"Can I ask why Shiro has to go?"  
"Because he can't be trusted"  
Shiro looked like he'd been slapped, but somehow pulled himself together   
"Fine. I'll be waiting in the hall"

Toral waited until Shiro was gone from the room before jumping to her feet and brushing herself off  
"I thought he was never going to leave"  
"Why don't you like Shiro?"  
"Because he can't be trusted"  
"How do you know I can?"  
Toral grinned, crossing to stand in front of Allura  
"Because you're Allura"  
"I thought you didn't believe us"  
"I knew it was her the moment I saw her. I mean, what kind of daughter doesn't even know her own mother?"  
"Mother?!"  
"Allura!"  
"Don't look at me! I've never had a child, let alone... I'm sorry Toral, you have the wrong woman"  
Seeing Allura so flustered, Keith almost wanted to laugh. The Queen had blushed bright red, and was making frantic movements with her hands as she tried to deny it. Laughing Toral seemed to think this was all some kind of game   
"I assure you, I am your daughter"  
It was Lance who clicked before he did  
"You're from another universe, aren't you? Did you come through the rift?"  
Another universe? He'd had enough rifts and alternate universes to last him a lifetime   
"You're not as dumb as you look. My name is Princess Toral. The Daughter of Empress Allura, Princess of Altea, and Emperor Lotor, Leader of the Galra Empire"  
"What?! You're Lotor and Allura's daughter! What are you doing here?"  
Toral's smile only grew, before suddenly dropping as the girl turned away from them   
"Toral?"  
"I come from a universe where my mother is dead... and... Altea is the only thing protecting the universe from falling. We do not have lions like yours, but we do have Paladins..."  
"Do they know you're gone? That you're here? Lotor must be worried"  
"Lotor's the whole reason I'm here. My mother tried to take me and escape, only when we were escaping, we got separated and I when I opened a wormhole, I came through here... and I can't get back. No. I won't go back, not when Lotor is walking around free!"  
"Lotor's the reason you're here? I don't understand"  
"My father and your husband, Lotor, he's not a good man... he "allowed" the planets under his control to function as they'd always had, but once their resources ran out... he made examples of them all..."  
"Lotor isn't like that. Not in this reality, here he is our friend"  
"He's only your friend to your face! Has he never done anything to make you question him? Has he never done anything to show his true colours?"  
Keith looked to Lance, his husband wrapped his arms around his waist as he gaze fell. Lotor had done plenty to hurt them...   
"He has! I can see it on your face!"  
"Toral, even if Lotor isn't all he seems, we can't act without knowing the full story. Like you. How long have you been in this universe? Where did you come out? What happened to your ship? How did you know about us and Allura? Why did you plan the gala? And more importantly, how? And why isn't Shiro trustworthy? You've only just met him..."  
"Lotor was at the gala that night. Your friend left you all to meet him in secret, but I couldn't get close. Lotor was supposed to be poisoned! Only, because of your friend, he never left his ship"  
"Your plan was awful and people died because of it. As far as I'm concerned, you can stay in here"  
Placing her hand on Lance's arm, Allura looked to Lance with a soft smile  
"Lance, she's a child. We cannot just leave her down here, not when we still don't everything"  
"We know enough! She poisoned hundreds! We could only help a few of those! She nearly killed all of you, trying to get Lotor! She nearly took my husband away. She nearly killed the father of my kids!"  
"Lance, she had her reasons"  
"Are you serious right now?"  
"If she is who she says she is, then we need to help her. She has no one else"  
"I can't... I can't do this"  
Shaking off Allura's hand, Lance turned from Toral's cell. His husband shrinking in on himself as he did  
"What's the matter Red Paladin, running away"  
Lance's eyes flashed, spinning back to Toral, he fixed her with an icy glare  
"You say you know what it's like to lose people! You saw my kids! You tried to kill my husband! You tried to take their father away! So if you really know what it's like to lose people, then think about someone other than yourself for once! Do you have any idea how many people lost someone they cared about because of you! How would you feel watching the person you loved die right in front of you! You say Lotor is bad, well you're worse!"  
As Toral began to cry, Lance stormed away. Keith didn't even bother excusing himself as he rushed after his husband.

Catching up with Lance in the corridor outside the cells, his husband was just lifting Laneith into his hold from Shiro's as Keith burst through the door   
"Lance..."  
"I can't... Keith, I can't"  
"I'm not asking you to, baby"  
"Did something happen?"  
Moving to wrap his arm around Lance's waist, Keith nodded   
"Talk to Allura about it. Lance and I need to talk"  
Lance tensed in his hold, but allowed himself to be lead away from Shiro. 

 

*  
Instead of heading up to the medical room, Keith lead Lance back to the nursery. His omega had kept his lip firmly trapped in his lip the whole walk. Sitting Lance down on the bed, he lifted Kelance from him, placing their son on the floor before lifting Laneith and setting him down next to his brother. The pair were confused, but the promise of adventure soon had them preoccupied as they crawled away   
"I know. I know I shouldn't have lost it at her. You don't have to say it"  
"I wasn't going to"  
"Keith..."  
Pulling Lance backwards, Keith settled them down so they were laying face to face. He knew Lance would regret blowing up the moment it happened, so he didn't need him piling the guilt on  
"Here, just take a few ticks to calm down"  
"I don't want to calm down"  
"Really?"  
"I don't know if I can. It's just... none of this is going how it went in my head and I don't know what to do anymore"  
"Tell me about it"  
"No, you're still recovering"  
"So? You've been doing everything alone, and now you're in heat too. If you can't vent to me, who can you vent to?"  
Lance gave him a half smile, reaching out to cup his face with his left hand  
"God. I missed you so much"  
"I know you did baby. I feel so bad that you had to take on so much while we were sick"  
"It... it was alright. I mean, not that you were sick, but I felt like I working towards getting you better and I was so busy, I didn't have time to stop and think..."  
"I find that hard to believe. I know you're always thinking way too much"  
"You're an arsehole, you know that"  
Keith snorted   
"Yeah, but you still love me"  
"I do. It's just, I waited so long for you all to wake up, and everything I've done since seems to be wrong according to someone. I knew you'd all be feeling bad, so I wanted to keep us together, you know. We all worry about each other, so I thought everything would be ok if we stayed together and I could be there for you all, and like we'd be able to just... it's stupid. I know I build these things up in my head, I know I do"  
"You missed us and just wanted to keep us safe"  
"Exactly! When I saw Toral, I just got so mad all over again. Keith, I've seen you dead, I've brought you back before and you nearly died again. It was so scary"  
"I know baby"  
"She nearly took you away. She nearly took you all away! It's not fair! When do we get our happy ending?! I'm so tired. I'm tired of my family being hurt!"  
Overwhelmed by his emotions, Lance grabbed him tightly   
"I just want to be happy! I just want us all to be happy! I know you guys can't control how pissy your alphas are, but it felt like everything I went through meant nothing!"  
"No baby. Not nothing"  
"That's how it feels! My best friend was more concerned with the fact I messed up his kitchen then the fact I had to kill to save you all!"  
"Hunk was only joking. You know he can never ever stay mad at you. We're all grateful baby"  
"Then why does it feel like everyone thinks I'm stupid for wanting to be with you all! I hate this! I hate being an omega! I'm so tired of feeling stupid!"  
"Lance, you're not stupid. Stressed and emotional, yes. And exhausted. You're supposed to be resting, but you were off making sure Toral was alright, even if you don't like her. I don't care what anyone else thinks, but I am so proud you're my mate. That you're my omega. You're my husband and I love you. I know you don't think anyone sees how hard you try, but I do. Even before we got together, I saw. I love you and I love that strength of yours"  
"I..."  
"You don't need to try and protest against everything I saw"  
"Keith... I'm just so tired"  
"I know you are. I know. And I don't care what the others want, today I'm being selfish and we're going to spend it together"  
"But they..."  
"There's 5 of them. And two of us. If we can manage, they can"  
"There's four of us..."  
"But there's two us that are going to take a nice hot shower. When's the last time you had time to actually enjoy a shower?"  
Lance groaned  
"I can't even remember"  
"I'm going to wash your hair, and you're going to wash mine. If you're good and let me pamper you a little, I might let you use that face cream on me"  
"The face cream is in the other room... but a real, proper, hot shower sounds amazing"  
"Good"  
Kissing Lance's forehead, his mate sighed against him  
"Is it really alright to be selfish?"  
"As the leader of Voltron, I'm saying it definitely is"  
"Isn't that an abuse of power?"  
"Probably. I don't know. I'm making this up as I go"

Moving from the bed to bathroom, Lance helped him strip, before he did the same for his husband. Despite being in heat, there was barely any slick down his thighs, which probably only added to Lance's pain. Ushering him into the shower, his mate wrapped his arms around him before the water had even begun flowing. Nuzzling and mouthing against his neck, this shower was now taking a left turn he hadn't expected  
"Lance"  
"Keith..."  
The breathy way Lance panted his name went straight to his crotch, sliding his hands down Keith's back, Lance grabbed him firmly by the arse, massaging, as he ground against him  
"Baby..."  
"I... I can't help it..."  
"Mmm... I'm not going to complain"  
"Perverted alpha"  
"When my gorgeous husband is throwing himself at me, how can you expect me to say no?"  
Lance blushed brilliantly, either that or he was flushed with arousal, both ideas pleased his alpha so he happy either way. Gently nuzzling at the Lance's face, his mate lifted his head so he could push a soft kiss to his lips   
"I know you're hurting baby, so we'll take it slow"  
"What about you?"  
"I think we could both use a little release, and reassurance. Come here"  
Lifting Lance by his arse, Keith pinned him up against the shower wall as reached for the omega's body wash. Pouting Lance watched him pouring body wash into his hand   
"Should I have started with your hair first?"  
"No, but I'm starting to cramp"  
"Is it bad?"  
"Not yet... but I think I know a way that we can both get what we need"  
"And what do I need?"  
"Me to behave?"  
"I didn't know you knew how"  
"That's mean. I've been on very best behaviour until today"  
"Then I guess you deserve some reward for all your hard work"  
"Damn right I do"  
Lifting his hips, Lance tried to sink down on his erection, but found himself unable to thanks to the slick that was finally beginning to run from him with a needy whine, his mate rocked up against him  
"Keith, please"  
Placing the body wash bottle back on the shelf, Keith readjusted his hold on Lance, finally sinking into Lance's heat as he did. Clawing at his back, Lance hissed as he arched his back, clamping down as he did  
"Oh god... Keith..."  
"Stop squirming"  
"But it feels so good"  
"You are supposed to be behaving"  
"I am behaving..."  
Keith smirked as he thrust up, his hands moving Lance's chest as she began to wash his omega down. He loved the feel of Lance's smooth skin beneath his finger, and knowing he his husband was safe after his huge adventures. Rocking lightly as he washed Lance, he ignored washing Lance's crotch, letting the soapy water pool as Lance moved to palm his own erection   
"Mmm... Keith... I don't think I can last long"  
"Neither do I. That's why we're taking it as slow as possible"  
"But I want your knot"  
"I promise to knot you if you stop wriggling so much"  
"Keith, wriggling is part of sex"  
"Oh, are you saying I don't know how to make us both feel good?"  
"I'm saying I can't calm my omega down"  
"That's no good. I still need to wash your hair"  
"Fine. You do that and I'll just do this"  
Riding him slowly, it took all of Keith's will power to remain focused on washing Lance, and finally washing his hair. When he pulled out of Lance, his husband glared as him  
"Turn around, I need to wash your back"  
"Keith, it hurts now. I'm serious"  
"Ok baby... I didn't mean to actually hurt you"  
"I know, but... it really does now"  
Maybe he'd taken his teasing too far, but once he knotted Lance, he was probably going to collapse. He'd thought he'd feel better for longer, but maybe he'd pushed himself a little too hard as his head was starting to pound. Taking him by the hips, Keith nudge back into his mate, this time letting his alpha surge. With his alpha in control, his pace was brutal, Lance crying out each time he hit his sweet spot. It only took a few doboshes, and after over a phoeb without sex, Lance finally came hard down the shower wall with a long mew, before immediately starting to purr as Keith's knot popped. As predicted, his knees couldn't support him, so they both slid to the floor in a tangled panting heap. Wrapping his arms around Lance, the alpha rested his forehead against his mates back, as his seed continued to paint inside his mate white. They definitely should have done this in bed, as they were going to be stuck here for a while now  
"Keith"  
"What is it baby?"  
"I'm so sorry..."  
"What? Why?"  
"I can smell you... you're hurting"  
"It's just a headache"  
"But we're stuck here now"  
Kissing Lance's nape, a shiver ran through his mate as his breath hitched   
"I honestly can't think of anyone I'd rather be stuck with"  
"I should have ignored the pain"  
"No baby. I wanted you too, I never want you to hide your pain from me"  
"Why? Going to kiss it better?"  
"Maybe"  
"My lips are sore"  
"Are they really?"  
"Yeah... maybe you should kiss them better"  
Turning in his hold, they shared several long and deep kisses. Lance breaking the kiss with a soft hum as he took Keith's hands in his  
"We should have ditched everyone sooner"  
"Nah. I know you would have kept worrying like crazy if we had. It's fine"  
"You know, you're amazing. No one has ever understood me like you do"  
"Same baby. Though I'm still learning"  
"We both are"

 

*  
Trying to nurse a feverish Lance while battling a fever of his own, Keith was left wondering if he was going crazy. Lance insisted on checking on Kaltenecker and the chickens daily, even leaving food out for Six, but other than that, his husband refused to leave the nursery. He was mad at the rest of the team, and so incredibly moody that Keith had pretty much kept mouth shut unless Lance asked him a direct question. He knew his husband couldn't help it, and that his "heat" was to blame, but when Lance would burst into tears or start yelling randomly over seemingly nothing, he couldn't keep up. Laneith had pushed himself up, and used the wall to take one very shaky step, which lead to Lance sobbing for half a varga over wanting another baby, before snapping and trying to scratch up his arms because he couldn't even have his heat right. Given how shit Keith was actually feeling, he felt like he needed someone else there, to help Lance with what he was feeling... and to give him a break from his husband. He felt guilty for feeling like he was suffocating, but it was getting harder and harder to keep his temper to himself. He just needed a tiny bit of space. Even if it was only 5 doboshes. Just 5 doboshes so he could sort out everything he was feeling and figure out how to juggle everything... 

Having suppressed it the best he could for last three quintants, he should have been able to hold out for what was the last day of Lance's heat... but he snapped and he was left feeling like the biggest jerk in the universe.

Waking up both twins screaming, Lance was laying beside him, watching them without moving. His eyes were wide and red from the tears drying on his face, as chewed on his nails. Angered over Lance just watching their clearly miserable boys, his alpha roared to life and Lance copped it all. Throwing back the blankets, he stalked over to the Kelance's cot, finding both boys in the same one. Lifting them out, Laneith had blackening eye, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that Kelance had hit his brother. Holding them tightly, he turned and glared at Lance   
"What the fuck!? Are you fucking deaf? Laneith is hurt and you don't even care?"  
"L-Lanei..."  
Keith cut him off  
"Yes. He's in pain and you don't even care, do you! All you care about is this heat of yours and avoiding everyone else. So what if Allura did something you don't agree with, it's not the first time. Get over it already"  
"She tried to kill you"  
"I am well aware of that fact, and right now, I think it would have been preferable to you sulking nonstop!"  
"So you'd rather be dead than put up with me?"  
Lance sounded so completely broken, and hearing it like that, he desperately wished he could take it back. Pushing himself up, Lance stumbled from their bed  
"Lance"  
"No..."  
"What do you mean, no?"  
"I'll leave"  
"I didn't tell you leave"  
"You don't want me"  
"Don't turn this into something it's not"  
"I'll go..."  
"Lance. Stop this"  
"Stop what?"  
"Stop acting like this! Your moods have been all over the place for the last few quintants! I can't even keep up, and nothing seems to help!"  
"I'm sorry my body is fucking messed up!"  
"I know it is! You don't need to keep telling me!"  
God his head hurt, and his chest from coughing. Readjusting his hold on the boys, he tried to swallow down his temper  
"The boys could have been seriously hurt. If you aren't coping, maybe we should ask one of the others for help?"  
"Or I should just go..."  
"Go where?! You won't even leave the room if it's not to check on the animals! You're smothering me! You're smothering the boys! And you don't even care!"  
Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Without bothering to put his boots on, or change from the shirt and sweats he was in, Lance stormed from the nursery, leaving his messed up scent behind. It was nauseating. Instead of sour strawberries, it smelt like a whole basket of rotten fruit because his body just didn't know what scent he should be releasing.

Watching the door close, Keith flinched as if it had slammed. He shouldn't have said any of that, and he felt physically ill over the things he'd said. He'd just needed a few doboshes, and now he'd run him out of the nursery completely. He was a quiznakking idiot.

 

*  
Lance stopped in at the bedroom next to the nursery to grab his communicator, before taking off again. He knew his moods had gone to complete shit since Keith had knotted him. It'd felt right at the time, but now it was like his body wanted to be knotted like a normal heat, but at the same time, his omega was rejecting his alphas touch, leaving him feeling sick each time Keith tried to help with heat, and it was scary as hell. Scarier than taking on a whole pack of Wuzos. He didn't know what to do or say to Keith, his omega was out of control with panic, and he didn't want to talk to the rest of the team because he didn't want to see another alpha. Yes, he was mad about Allura's decision over Toral, but right now all he could think about how he was being betrayed by his own body again. He didn't want to see his friends and "react" to them, even if it was highly unlike it would happen.

Fleeing the castle, Lance ran all the way down to the house he was supposed to be living in with Keith. Finding the lights on, his heart had dropped when he'd seen Hunk and Pidge in side. He'd wanted to find some kind of solace, not to be reminded he didn't belong in that house. He just needed somewhere he could wait out the rest of his heat and someone he could talk to. That's why he'd grabbed his communicator. He wanted Krolia. He wanted his own mum, but he couldn't call her, so he wanted his second mum. He just wanted someone to hug him and tell him that he wasn't himself right now, but it would all clear up when his heat passed. Doubling back towards the castle, he veered off the path, and ducked behind the bushes between the terrace the castle sat on, and the way to the house. Sinking down against the closest tree, he opened his communicator and requested a video call with Krolia.

It seemed like only ticks before Krolia answered, rubbing at her face like she'd been sleeping   
"Lance?"  
Her voice was sleepy. She'd definitely been sleeping...  
"Mum..."  
His lip quivered, and Krolia was instantly alert  
"Lance, what's wrong?"  
"Everything!"  
Wailing the word, he stuffed his hand against his mouth. He didn't want the others finding him  
"Lance, honey, what's wrong?"  
"Krolia, I messed up. I messed up and Keith hates me. I don't know what to do anymore"  
"You're not making sense. Start at the beginning"  
"I... I'm in heat, and it's wrong. I wasn't trying to hide it from you, but so much has happened, and everyone's been sick and now they're getting better but we aren't talking"  
"Take a few deep breaths for me. Do you want me to come see you?"  
"You're busy"  
"Never too busy for you. Though it's been movements since you messaged me"  
"I'm sorry. It's been so busy. Everyone got sick, and I had to take care of them"  
"Keith was sick?"  
Quiznak. He hadn't even told her that her son was sick, or that he'd nearly died  
"They were poisoned... but I wasn't because I didn't drink it. They're recovering, the Olkari made the antidote, but Keith and I just had a huge fight. He's sick, and I'm in heat, but it's wrong"  
"You said that before, what's wrong?"  
"I might not be able to have kids... and I'm so fucking scared. My body is messed up and when Keith touches me, I feel sick. I can't tell him. He's trying to look after me and the boys and he's recovering. I can't talk to the rest of team, not while I'm in heat"  
"Lance, what do you mean you might now be able to have kids?"  
"You know how I can do that weird thing with quintessence. It damaged... it damaged my womb lining... I'm supposed to have surgery, but I'm too scared. I agreed like I was ok with it, but I'm really scared Krolia... I want to give Keith more kids, but what if I only ever feel sick when he touches me?!"  
"Lance, where are you?"  
"Olkarion"  
"I can be there in a few vargas"  
"What about your job?"  
"I'm only training Galra soldiers at the moment. It's not like they can't get someone to cover"  
"Mum... I'm scared"  
"I know you are. Do you know when you're supposed to have surgery?"  
"Once my heat passes. It's the last day today"  
"So tomorrow?"  
Tomorrow was way too close for comfort. Shaking his head, he tried to reject the fact that he couldn't stop time  
"Please don't tell Keith. He's so sick, even though he's recovering"  
"I'm not going to tell Keith. Is anyone up at the castle?"  
"Um... Allura, Coran and Shiro. Keith is with the boys"  
"Hunk and Pidge?"  
"I don't want to talk about it"  
"I just don't want to be shot down"  
"I can come get you..."  
"Honey, you're too upset to be piloting"  
He liked the way Krolia called him honey... even if it made him miss his mum even more  
"P-probably... but, I really want to see you"  
"And you will. One wormhole and a few vargas, and I'll be right there"  
"Ok... I'm not on the castle"  
"Then where are you?"  
"Hiding in the forest near the castle"  
He sounded pathetic. No. He was pathetic  
"What's the best way to find you?"  
"Near the path to the house"  
"You just stay there, and I'll come find you"  
"Thank you mum..."  
"We'll figure this out. Stay safe, and I'll see you soon"  
Ending the transmission, he didn't care if Lotor had heard everything. He hadn't mentioned Toral, or anything bad. Everyone was recovering, so even if Lotor pulled a dick move, they'd be able to pilot their lions. He just had to sit and wait... and keep his mouth shut. Drawing his knees to his chest, he buried his face against them, focusing on remembering how to breathe.

Lance figured he must have fallen asleep, because when he woke, Krolia was there. It might have been kind of creepy that she'd watched him sleep, but he couldn't care less as scrambled across and threw himself into her hold  
"Mum!"  
"Lance"  
Her voice was soft and full of love. Just what he needed   
"Mum... I've missed you so much"  
"I've missed you too. And Keith. And my grandsons. How are they?"  
"They're crawling and they're getting teeth. Laneith tried to walk the other day"  
"Oh, my. I've missed so much"  
"I've missed you!"  
Pulling and poking him so he ended up sitting in her lap, Krolia took his hand  
"I want you to tell me everything"  
"It's a long story"  
"I don't mind"  
"And it's not that interesting"  
"Because teaching at the Galra academy is all that interesting"  
"You guys have an academy?"  
"Lotor insisted on starting proper education for the young Galra. On races and people and the true history, Zarkon tried to cover up"  
"Wow..."  
"It's not that interesting. I want to hear all about it adventures"  
Taking a deep breath, Lance let himself get carried away by word vomit. Spilling every last detail, even things he hadn't told Keith. It felt good to get it off his chest, and especially to Krolia. Finishing up, he was relieved that Krolia was mad about Toral as he had been. They'd been sitting outside so long now, it was now night and he was sure his heat had finally tapered off. With his face buried against Krolia's neck, he let out a long and shaky breath   
"Mum, what do I?"  
"Is your heat over?"  
"I think so"  
"Then we should go talk to this doctor. I'm not having you operated on unless I know he is fit to do so"  
"Won't Keith be mad?"  
"We're only going to talk to him, and then we can talk to Keith together"  
"Maybe I should just have the surgery and not tell him until after"  
"Do you want to do that?"  
"I don't want to be scared and I don't want to fight with him, or hurt him again"  
"Keith probably regrets all he said. It's like you said, alphas can't always control their second dynamic when they're ill"  
"But he said I was smothering him"  
"Lance, what you're going through right now is scary. You're allowed to be confused, and he knows you can't help your emotions. You've been out here all day, which is probably enough time for him to have calmed down. What is it that you want to do? Do you want to talk to the doctor? Or do you want to try and talk to Keith? I've taken a few quintants off, so I'll be here if you do decide to go ahead and have the surgery"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. It sounds like you need all the help you can get. 4 angry alphas is not my idea of a fun time"  
"It's not. I love my "pack"'of alpha's... but brushing things off all the time is hard"  
"I'm very proud of you. You handled everything so well, and if it wasn't for your heat, I feel you wouldn't have broken down. You've come so far, Lance. Never forget that"  
Rising to her feet, Krolia kissed his forehead   
"Where to?"  
"The hospital. You're right. This is my body and I need to do this for me before I talk to Keith. Once we have the surgery booked, we can figure everything else out"  
"That's my boy"

Krolia held his hand all through the long wait at the hospital, and then through his appointment. By special request of Ryner, the time had been freed up for him pretty much every day for the next two movements. Confused by all the medical babble, he found himself agreeing to return bright and early the next morning for his surgery, something he was still shocked over once they finally left the hospital and made their way up to the castle. Given the hour, Lance was sure the kitchen would be empty, so he volunteered to make them both something for dinner, which Krolia enthusiastically accepted.

Walking hand in hand, into the kitchen, Lance stopped short at the sight of the whole team sitting around drinking what seemed to be hot chocolate. Squeezing his hand, Krolia moved from his side as Keith jumped to his feet  
"Mum?! What are you doing here?"  
"Can't a woman plan a surprise visit to see her sons and grandsons?"  
"Of course you can. It's wonderful to see you Krolia"  
Allura smiled warmly at Krolia, while Lance's stomach dropped. He wasn't ready for this  
"So, now we know where Lance was. Why didn't you let us know?"  
"We started talking and before we knew it, it was dark"  
Coming around the kitchen counter, Keith wrapped his arms around his mother   
"I've missed you"  
"I missed you too, mum"  
"Well, you could have called or messaged. I can't believe the twins are starting to walk"  
"One step hardly counts"  
"You guys never told us that! When did this happen?!"  
At least Pidge was excited to hear the boys were becoming even more mobile  
"Of course it counts! And you were all poisoned! I never would have guessed that was the cause. You should have called me to moment you became sick"  
"Lance filled you in?"  
"Lance filled me in on everything. He'd had quite the big adventure"  
Keith frowned as he pulled back from  
Krolia  
"Mum, why are you really here? Did Lance ask you to come?"  
"No, he didn't. I offered"

Annoyed by the accusation in Keith's tone, Lance nudged closer Krolia   
"Well, seeing you're all here, I suppose there's no time like the present. Mum's going to be helping out because I'm having surgery first thing tomorrow morning. I'll probably be out of commission for a couple of days, and honestly, you all need someone who's not sick to help out"  
"Lance, you're having surgery?"  
"Yeah. It's fine. I know you all know that my body is wrong"  
"You're having surgery, tomorrow?"  
Keith sounded mad, but Lance wasn't in a particularly forgiving mood. After all, his emotions were still messed up from his "dry" heat  
"Yeah. It's fine. Mum's here now. She'll be able to look after you, and take care of the boys for you and help out around the castle"  
"Shouldn't we talk about this?"  
"Why? It's organised, and mum is gong to come down to the hospital with me in the morning"  
Clearing his throat, Shiro placed his mug down   
"Lance, you can't just take yourself off the team like this"  
"I'm not taking myself off the team, I'm putting myself first. My heat is over, so I'm having it done while mum's available to be here. Right, mum?"  
"Yeah. I told him he should go through with it. He doesn't deserve to feel as he has been, and we talked with the doctor, he seems very capable. Lance is going to be just fine. Anyway, we came up here to get something to eat... all this peace, but the Galra still can't get their food supplies right"  
Hunk immediately offered  
"I'm happy to make you something"  
"Lance said he'd cook, didn't you"  
Hunk looked at him, trying to figure out how to protest without seeming rude. Now he'd said what he needed, he really didn't want to be in the kitchen any longer   
"Oh. I shouldn't mess up the kitchen, and Hunk's a much better cook. Why don't you catch up with everyone? I can make your bedroom up for you"  
"Lance, stay and eat"  
"No, you catch up with Keith. I'll just see you later"  
Krolia pulled him against her  
"You're all extremely lucky to have Lance, yet you're all acting like he's a burden"  
"No we aren't"  
"Then you know how sick he's been, and how much pain he's been in?"  
"How could we? He and Keith have been down in the nursery"  
"Because he's in so much pain and confusion from his heat. You cannot be mad at him for something he cannot control"  
"Mum"  
"That's all I'm going to say. I want you to eat, you haven't eaten all day"  
"It's fine. Besides, I just remembered I'm not supposed to eat before surgery"  
"If you're not going to eat, neither will I. We can make up for it after your surgery"  
"The hospital food sucks"  
"Depending on how you feel, we could go off world"  
Lance had the feeling Krolia was intentionally baiting the others, though none of them were biting. When no one immediately voiced their concerns about him not eating, Krolia lead him from the kitchen   
"I'm sorry. I'm just so mad"  
"It's fine. They're all recovering"  
"Not at that. You need to eat"  
"I haven't been able to really eat because of my heat"  
"That's beside the point. You should eat. Do you have food in your room?"  
"No... maybe... or the nursery"  
"Then let's go to the nursery. I wouldn't mind seeing our boys"  
"Keith will probably come and check on them"  
"We'll deal with that later, and for now, I will stay with you. I don't need my room as this isn't going to be that long of a visit"  
"I'm happy to make your room up"  
"Or, you could take that time to rest"  
"Mum, thank you for coming"  
"Thank you for having me"

 

*  
"Lance, look at them! Hello my handsome boys! They're so grown up"  
"They've got their second and third teeth coming through, and they're super determined to be involved in everything. Laneith pulled himself up and tried walking the other morning. They really missed Keith when he was sick"  
"What happened to Laneith's eye?"  
"Kelance hit him. I put them in the same crib together after I changed them. I thought they were crying because they were being fussy, so I forced myself not to go to them right away. But when Keith woke up, he lost it..."  
"I know, you told me. And I know you've both been working hard on your marriage, so I'm sure things will settle back down once his alpha calms. They all smell so bad, I'm surprised you can stomach it"  
"Well I love them. You do crazy things for the people you love"   
Krolia carried the boys over to the bed, flopping down and laughing as they twins pulled at her ears  
"They're so cute! But those are mine! They look so much like Keith"  
"Yep. Other than the marks"  
"But they're still adorable! Yes, you are! I should bring you into my classes, then maybe something interesting would happen"  
"I never pictured you teaching"  
"It's only combated classes to those wishing to take the path of being a solider. It's an extra class that not everyone takes"  
"That's a good thing, right?"  
"Maybe. It would be easier if Lotor just came out and said everything he was planning"  
"Do not even make me think about him right now. Toral is supposed to be his and Allura's daughter, and she does my head in. Right now, I just want to curl up with you and the boys"  
"Not until you eat"  
"And they need to be fed"  
"I think they're too interested in my ears to worry about food right now"  
"They've been eating solids lately. The first time Keith..."  
Lance paused, his heart hurting at the thought of his husband. He'd definitely hurt him, after hurting him without even realising... he'd only wanted to help, but Keith hadn't even felt able to actually talk to him about it  
"Lance, Keith will come round"  
"He shouldn't have to come round. He's sick and I made it worse"  
"You were only trying to help"  
"By making him feel like he couldn't even talk to me... anyway, I was going to say the first time we gave them solids, it was a complete mess"  
"Keith was just as bad. Try getting banana out of your hair"  
"That would have been adorable"  
"He was adorable... he is..."  
"Mum. I messed up, didn't I?"  
"No. You had a small fight. You can't help your emotions, especially when you're supposed to be in heat and things don't turn out right"  
"I still feel bad"  
"You can feel better and find some food"  
"You're lucky I brought down some stuff I made. Keith gets really picky about what he eats when he's sick. You wouldn't believe how bad he is at taking care of himself. He doesn't want anything crunch because it hurts his throat. He doesn't want anything mashed because it feels funny. He doesn't like the food goop because it feels like jelly. So I've been mostly making soup and stews... it's. it exactly healthy, but I have some cheese twists. It's basically cheese and pastry"  
"That sounds nice. My son married well"  
"Because I can cook? Keith said he could cook, but he's never cooked for me. You know, before he got sick we had a huge fight and went on holiday to try and work things out. Things were better, until today... or I thought they were"  
Pulling out the container of cheese twists, Lance snagged a couple of bottles of water before carrying the lot over to the bed and climbing up beside Krolia   
"I must have looked like a total slob today. I didn't even get dressed properly"  
"You're fine. Which baby do you want first?"  
"Laneith. His teeth aren't as bad as Kelance's"  
"Do you have any cream for your nipples?"  
"No. I've been thinking about just expressing and using bottles. I love breast feeding, but my nipples are just too sore and they both have super sharp teeth"  
Stripping his shirt off, he saw Krolia looked to his breasts, letting out a small whistle as she did  
"That's got to hurt"  
"It's fine. I love them too much not to feed them"  
Accepting Laneith, his son wanted to go back to Krolia until he realised it was dinner time. Latching onto his nipple, it seriously felt like his boy was trying to bite straight through it  
"You probably won't be able to feed after surgery"  
"They've got formula, and solids. I'll need to express anyway. Coran said I should go straight into a pod after surgery, but I'm wondering if I should, or if I should let it heal naturally. It's quintessence damage, so I guess we won't know until after the procedure"  
"I'll be there for the whole thing, and waiting when you wake"  
He wanted Keith there with him. He wanted Keith to be the first thing he saw when woke up... but his husband probably wouldn't even show up  
"Thanks mum. Anyway, you should eat. We have to be down there early"

The boys refused to settle down in their cots for the night, so Lance wound up sleeping with Krolia curled around him and the boys. It wasn't as nice as being held by Keith, but it definitely beat sleeping alone. Thanks to his fears, he took forever to fall asleep, and being the awesome mum she was, Krolia covered for him when Keith came to check in on the boys. Keith was mad she'd come, but soon he was spilling everything to Krolia about what he'd been going through and how crap he'd been feeling. It was a total invasion of privacy, but it helped to know he regretted what he'd said that morning. With the tiniest bit of tension leaving his chest, his breathing finally evened out, and he fell into a fitful sleep that seemed over before it began.

In the morning, Krolia woke him. Keith was going to watch the boys while she took him down. Of course he was disappointed his alpha wasn't going to be there, but he supposed Keith wasn't ready to talk to him. Showering, he left both rings on the bathroom counter before making sure he was completely clean both inside and out. He couldn't stop shaking with nerves, nearly sliding when it came time to get out of the shower. Some how Krolia knew he needed her, and was there catching him before he even really fell. Carrying him into the nursery, he found Keith there. His mate looked like he hadn't slept at all, and looked away when he looked to him, hopeful for even some small sign that they were ok. Not finding it, he forced himself to dry and dress casually. Picking something that would be easy enough to get back on after the procedure. With Krolia hovering between them, nothing was said as he finally started towards the door. It seriously felt like his heart was breaking. He wanted to turn and run to Keith, and beg him for forgiveness, and in return his alpha would tell him everything was alright. With tears in his eyes, he rushed from the room, continuing to run until he reached the outside world, where he let out a mournful howl. As far as he was concerned, because his feeling were still messed up, his husband had just made things between them exceptionally clear, and all the work they'd done over the last two phoebes had been for nothing. What was the point of even going through all of this? He wanted to be happy and healthy, and his heat had sucked nearly as much as when he'd presented, but if he didn't have an alpha... why? And why was it so stupid that his secondary dynamic could crumble the confidence he'd built up so easily and mockingly? Not looking back or waiting for Krolia, he forced himself on, jogging the whole way down to the hospital.

By the time Krolia arrived, he'd been prepped for surgery. His eyes barely open as he caught sight of the purple blob that knew was her. Not wanting to fight, or to feel the terror filling his chest, he willingly gave into the darkness pulling him down, and was completely out of it before they even wheeled him into the operating room. He'd wanted to at least tell Keith one more time he loved him, just in case something went wrong, but that wasn't his last thought. His last thought was "maybe it would be better if he didn't wake up".


	93. Chapter 93

Keith was furious with himself. When he'd seen Lance before his surgery, he'd wanted to tell him how much he loved him, but in one look, he'd been filled with fear. All the "what-ifs" hitting him at once. What if this didn't work? What if there was too much damage? What if Lance didn't wake up? If he did, would he even still want him? He was a coward, but the thorns of fear had gripped his throat and he hadn't been able to say a damn thing. All he'd been able to do was stand there silently as tears formed in his eyes. Lance was his world, and he couldn't even find the right words to tell him that.

Now he was sitting beside his husband's bed, watching his chest rise and fall as they waited for him to come out from under anaesthesia. Lance was supposed to have woken vargas ago, but his doctor didn't seem too concerned. Though Keith definitely had the feeling they weren't telling him everything. Lance reeked of blood, but the procedure was supposed to be simple. The moment he'd learnt his mate hadn't woken, he's wanted to take him straight up to the castle and place him in a pod, yet now they wanted to wait another 4 vargas. If Lance didn't wake on his own by then, then they'd transfer him up to the castle. It felt wrong to leave him sleeping. He'd been so scared of what could go wrong, and now all Keith could do was hold his hand as he cried softly. He'd fucked up badly.

4 vargas came and passed, but Lance still wasn't awake and Keith was tired to the bullshit the doctors tried to spin. His anger finally bubbling over the surface as he unhooked all the monitors on Lance's unconscious form. Even his mother didn't try to stop him as he lifted Lance into his arms, and his eyes widened at the amount of blood beneath his mate. Something was very clearly wrong. Without saying a word, his mother leapt into action, clearing the way so he could freely carry Lance from his room, and through the hospital. Any staff member that dared to even looked at Krolia like they might stop her was answered with a chilling snarl that told them not to even bother wasting their words. Outside the hospital was a blur as Keith's heart raced so loudly that it was all he could hear. He should have just taken Lance from the beginning. He should have been there for him went he went under, and told him how much he loved him. It was a small eternity before he was plunged into the artificial brightness of the castle, and running through the halls as his mother moved their friends out the way. He didn't know what he supposed to tell them. All this was his fault. Yes Lance's heat had been horrible, but if he wasn't so sick, he could have taken care of him properly. He could have handled Lance's moods. His omega didn't have to go through this, they could have found another way, but now it felt like he'd forced his hand. Especially after talking to his mother last night. Lance had been shaken by everything that happened, much more deeply than the fears he'd told him about. He'd even had a nightmare about the team all dying and it being his fault, and Keith had pretty much said the same thing, even if it came out completely wrong. Lance had still felt like he was being blamed and his jab about death being preferable... he should have known better. His alpha should have known better. Finally reaching the pod room, Keith carried Lance over to the first available one, kicking the glass when it didn't open fast enough. Lowering Lance in, Keith double checked his mate was still breathing before stealing a kiss  
"Baby. I'm so fucking sorry, and when you get out of here, I swear you can boss me around for the rest of our lives. I love you"  
Kissing Lance again, he stepped back and let the glass slide into place before sinking down and resting his forehead against it.

Allura was the brave one of the group, or maybe the stupidest. Walking over to him, she crouched down and wrapped her arms around him  
"Keith, what happened?"  
"I don't know!"  
"Allura, Keith's dangerous to be around right now. Let me take him"  
"Keith?"  
"She's right..."  
The comfort of Allura's hug made him want to scream. He didn't deserve people being nice to him. Prying Allura away from him, his mother sank down and lifted him into her lap, like she liked to do with Lance  
"Can someone grab a damp towel please?"  
Looking down at his hands, he realised they were bloody, and he struggled to suck in his next breath as his chest tightened. Not sure what was happening, his alpha scratched at his brain, demanding he stop acting so foolish  
"Keith. Keith, you need to listen to me. You need to breathe. You're having a panic attack"  
Was that what this was? A panic attack? Breathing in and out, slowly and loudly, his mother coached his aching chest back to breathing in a semi-normal manner, while someone went about wiping the blood from his hands  
"Keith?"  
"Sorry... I'm..."  
"You're not alright"  
"I can't let everything end in a fight"  
Cradling him close, his mother kissed and smoothed down his hair  
"He's going to be ok"  
"He was supposed to be ok when he came out the surgery! I knew I smelt blood! I should have checked sooner!"  
"We don't know the full story"  
"I never should have left him alone! He was terrified something was going to go wrong!"  
"I know he was. That's why I promised to be there for him, but he wanted this"  
"Because I wanted more kids!"  
"And because the heat he just went through was incredibly hard. He didn't want to ever feel like that again"  
"We could have found a way"  
"Keith, his heat was messing with every part of him. He wanted this surgery because he wanted to feel better"  
"He could die"  
"He won't die"  
"But he didn't wake up"  
He knew everyone wanted answers, but he had none to give. Hiding his face against his mother's shoulder, he nodded against her  
"I know you're all worried, but right now, we don't know what happened. Lance's surgery went well, and the doctor was pleased with it. He was supposed to wake from the anaesthesia 9 vargas ago, but they said he might take longer to come out as he'd human and they had to adjust for that. They also said if he wasn't awake in 4, then they'd transfer him up here. Keith wanted to move him from the moment he came out of surgery, so you can imagine what it was like keeping him calm enough to wait. When we hit the 4 varga mark, we both had had enough of waiting. Pulling back the blankets, we found Lance had been bleeding, a scent we'd both out down to his surgery. That's all we know. As far as we know, there's no reason for the bleeding. Right now, we are both struggling with the need to find the surgeon who did this and tear his throat out. So I know you're worried, but it's dangerous around us right now"  
"We'll take care of the boys. Is there anything you need?"  
Keith shook his head  
"Actually, I think bringing the boys up here will help. His alpha is probably in overdrive with the need to protect his family"  
"Oh. Right. Just leave it to us"

*  
Lance was only in the pod for half a quintant before it opened. He'd expected his mate to be confused about why he was there, and to reach for him. Instead, Lance moved straight to their son's, lifting both boys into his arms with a happy laugh. Ryner had heard about what happened, so had talked to the surgeon about Lance's surgery. The damage to his womb had hard to remove. Instead of being smooth scarring like the scans had shown, it was more like an infection and once the surface scarring had been cut into, the inside necrotic tissue had begun "oozing" out, yet surrounding each individual tendril of damage was scarring. It'd been pretty complex, and with so many open "fissures" of damaged tissues in such a fine lining, they'd thought they'd managed to repair all of it. The staff on duty had only been waiting for Lance to wake naturally, before transferring him back to the castle. Somewhere along the way, there had been a break in the communication chain, which had led to things escalating the way they had. Ryner had explained things much more eloquently, but the main point she was trying to drive home was that her surgeons felt Lance would have been in a lot more pain than he was showing, and while they had removed the tissue, without the use of a castle pod to heal his womb Lance would never be able to have kids again, if it'd healed naturally there would be just too much scarring. Watching Lance laugh and he peppered the pups with sloppy kisses, he couldn't deny he wasn't jealous.

"Lance, I'm so happy you're awake"  
"Hey mum. I get the feeling something didn't go according to plan?"  
Enveloping Lance in a huge hug, his husband melted against her  
"No. Not quite. You gave us quite the scare"  
"I kind of figured something might go wrong. Do I want to know the details?"  
"Probably not. How are you feeling? Are you sore? You were only in there for 12 vargas"  
"Tired. My Omega is a little out of place, but nothing really hurts, I mean it does hurt but not really badly. I'm probably still under the effects of the pain meds and the castle would have healed the damage"  
"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that"  
"Where you here the whole time?"  
"Yes. From the moment we found you were bleeding, until now"  
"We?"  
"Keith was the one who found something was wrong"  
Peaking over Krolia's shoulder, his husband drew his brow  
"Why was Keith there?"  
"Because he was worried. He's been bordering on going feral the whole time you were in there"  
"What? Why?"  
"Because he loves you. Are you sure you're feeling alright?"  
"I'm fine Krolia. Just surprised Keith would be there, that's all"  
"My two sons are such idiots. All married couples fight. You've been worrying about how you hurt Keith and he's been worrying about how he hurt you. I propose you just accept that you worry about each other a lot, and move past it already. You're both so worried that you won't even talk because of it"  
"That's because..."  
Lance shook his head  
"I don't want to fight. I just want to get some sleep"  
"Keith, why don't you help Lance get cleaned up?"  
"Krolia, I don't think I can handle being touched by an alpha right now. Even Keith. My omega needs to figure out things"  
"What kind of things?"  
"This is going to sound really stupid, but I don't have another way of phrasing it. My womb was damaged, and now it's not. It has to process that, and that I even had surgery in the first place"  
"I'm sorry, I don't understand"  
"It ok. It's an omega thing. Basically I need a bit of space right now"  
"We'll still come down to the nursery with you"  
"I know I can't stop you guys"  
"Of course you can't. You've given me at least a hundred new grey hairs since I got here"  
"Nah. You're hair is still really pretty and shiny. I don't see any more grey hairs than last time"  
"Hey! What was that!?"  
"You heard me"  
"Oh, you are so lucky you're recovering"  
"And if I wasn't?"  
"I don't know, but it'd be humiliating"  
"You're not supposed to humiliate your son"  
"You're not supposed to point out the grey hair"  
Lance rolled his eyes with a sigh  
"Truce?"  
"For now. Keith, are you coming?"  
Why was Lance laughing and joking with his mother so easily? And why didn't his mate want to be held by him? He said his omega needed time to adjust, but how much time?  
"Lance..."  
Lance turned to look at him properly  
"Keith"  
"I'm sorry"  
Clenching his fists, his stupid tears started all over again  
"Nooo. Don't cry. I'm ok"  
"I snapped. You were trying your hardest. You always try your hardest! And I let the frustration of being so sick get the better of me! I'm so sorry"  
"It was my fault too. I couldn't control my moods and that made you feel like you couldn't talk to me. I was so scared. I didn't want to be like that. I didn't want to hurt you. That's why the surgery was so important to me. That's why I had to have it done as soon as possible. I'm not trying to push you away. But right now, my omega is just so messed up. I just need a little time to readjust"  
"But you feel ok?"  
"Yeah Keith"  
Lance gave him a soft smile that melted his heart  
"Give me a couple of quintants, and I'll be back in Red"  
He'd rather Lance be back in his arms, where he could cuddle up to his husband and they could make up for the hideous fight they had  
"Team Klance?"  
"Team Klance all the way, baby..."

*  
Leaving with Krolia, Lance actually felt like complete crap. His omega was agitated and confused over the feeling in his lower stomach, and he could both smell and feel the blood clinging to his arse and legs. It must have been bad, but he'd honestly expected it. They were dealing with tissue damaged due to quintessence. It was strange, but he'd never felt more "connected" to his womb than he was right now. His omega didn't like the knowledge that someone had been touching him there, even if it was to make him better. Being the overdramatic diva it usually was, his omega felt like he'd been violated. Deciding it would be a great time to bring up everything that had ever been done to him, and forcing it to play on a loop while it sorted out its own feelings. Now that he and Keith had made up, he just wanted to fall into his husband's arms, but noooo. Things couldn't be that simple.

Walking into the nursery, Lance sighed as he looked around. Apparently even having the smell of Keith around wasn't going to fly with his second dynamic  
"Lance, do you want me to take the twins?"  
"Yeah. I really need to shower"  
"You do. I'm not going to lie, it was bad"  
"I can feel it. The blood I mean"  
"When they cut open the scarring, they found necrotic tissue"  
Lance snorted, he couldn't help it. His first thought at her words was of a lava cake. Hard on the outside and gooey on the inside  
"Sorry?"  
"Never mind mum, I was just thinking"  
Krolia raised an eyebrow, but still took the boys from him  
"Because of how delicate the area is, and how the damage spread, it was a much more complex procedure than expected. When closing, they must have missed stitching one of incisions or something, as you had a bleed. You also didn't come out from anesthesia on your own"  
"Oh..."  
He wanted to make some kind of witty joke about how much he loved sleep, but the conversation had taken such a serious turn  
"Keith was beside himself. He was more scared than I'd seen him in a long time"  
"Mum... I thought he didn't want me anymore... not after..."  
"No. That was just my idiot son not knowing how to tell you he was scared for you. Fear is a funny thing"  
"So is being driven crazy by your omega. I'm going to take a shower, will you be alright?"  
"We'll be fine"  
"After I get out, I'm going to sleep. Can you check in with Keith? He shouldn't be alone"  
"You shouldn't be alone either"  
"By the sounds of it, I'm more ok than he is. I need to let the team know to stay away for now. I don't need to go into heat or flip out right now"  
"You just went through heat"  
"I know, but they warned me this morning when they were going through potential side effects and things that could go wrong because it's my womb"  
Krolia pursed her lips  
"Going through heat is the last thing you need right now"  
"Yeah. Anyway. A nice long hot shower is calling my name"

Not trusting himself to stand, Lance sat on the floor of the shower as he rubbed himself clean. He didn't know why, but knowing Krolia was on the other side of the door left him heavily embarrassed even though she had no idea he was currently painfully erect, and fingering himself. It'd started as cleaning the blood out, but his omega had decided he needed to slick like crazy, so now he was trying to get off as quickly and quietly as possible. With his legs spread and his feet against the shower wall, he couldn't get his fingers in deep enough and just jerking himself off wasn't enough. Whining needily, he slid his fingers from himself and moved to grope his left breast. Keith loved his breasts, despite how often he told him to leave him alone, and his mate had unknowingly sensitised them enough that any touch that wasn't their sons lit a fire in his stomach. Moaning as his fingers ghosted over his nipple, the feeling of release finally started to build, his toes curling with pleasure as he palmed himself harder. Pinching hard on his nipple, he was finally granted his release, cumming hard as he slicked even harder, though he immediately felt light-headed from a bit too much excitement. Slumping back, he licked his lips as his panted, watching the ribbons of cum along his stomach slowly being destroyed by the droplets of water, before being washed away completely. He really was an emotional mess. His orgasmic high now turning to feelings of being dirty and he definitely couldn't face the team like that... not just naked and sprawled out in the shower, but until his omega sorted itself back out. Disgusted by what he'd done and naked body, Lance pulled himself together and climbed up, rewashing himself down in an attempt to get rid of any traces of arousal in his scent.

From the shower, he stopped long enough to brush his teeth, and sigh at the fact the bathroom had been cleaned while he'd been out of it. Whenever Keith cleaned, the toothbrushes always went from the right side of the mirror to the left, but given they were in the same place, it meant someone else from the team must have. It was a nice gesture, but one he couldn't handle at the moment, and the clean bench made him feel like he was forgetting something important. Opting just to keep the furry feeling in his mouth, Lance padded from the bathroom and straight to the bed  
"Everything alright?"  
"Yeah. Just my stupid omega. I really need to sleep"  
Climbing into bed, Lance pulled the towel off once he safely covered by the blankets. Grabbing his pillow, he spooned around it with a happy sigh  
"Do you need anything?"  
"Just a deca-phoebes worth of sleep"  
"Alright"  
He jumped as Krolia's lips gently pressed a kiss to his forehead  
"Get some sleep. I'll take care of the boys"  
"And Keith... make sure you go see Keith"  
"I'll go see Keith"  
"And let the team know to stay away"  
He sleepily mumbled the words as he nuzzled his pillow, falling asleep in record time as Krolia readjusted his blankets for him. Kissing his forehead again, she smiled warmly at him  
"Both my sons are idiots, but at least they're good-looking idiots. What do you boys say to going and finding daddy?"

*  
Keith was sitting in the bridge with the rest of the team, nursing his throbbing head as Coran was working on organising their upcoming missions while trying to work around all of Lance's small notes. It was sweet that the man didn't want to disturb them without talking to Lance first, but removing them probably would have made his job a whole lot easier. His husband had taken on a lot of missions while they'd been sick, even missions phoebes in advance. He'd also contacted everyone who'd been affected when he'd had to go collect the herbs for the antidote and rescheduled most of their missions for later dates.

Groaning as the door opened, and Krolia carried in his crying sons, the alpha forced himself up  
"It's ok Keith, they're just teething right now and a little cranky. You should be resting"  
"We were talking about our missions. Lance has so many notes that Coran is trying to work around them"  
Smiling at Krolia, Allura walked over to her and placed her hand on Kelance's head, the boy immediately grabbing towards her  
"I think he wants you to hold him"  
"You don't mind?"  
"I'm not about to say no to this cute face"  
Allura lifted Kelance to her shoulder, rubbing the boys small back as she hushed him  
"How's Lance?"  
"He's sleeping. He was out the moment his head touched the pillow"  
"That's good. He needs the rest"  
"He really does. His scent is so scattered, and his omega isn't making things easy"  
Keith frowned  
"What's going on with it?"  
"Well, they warned him he could go into heat. That's why he wants to keep his distance at the moment, and he's scared"  
"I should be there with him"  
"Right now, he just needs to rest. His omega isn't exactly being kind"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means his emotions are still all over the place, and he just needs a little time to recenter himself. So that means no team visits just yet"  
Hunk deflated. He'd been waiting for Lance to be up and moving so he could take some food down to him. The kitchen was filled with trays of baked goods, all of which Lance had first dibs on  
"Hunk, Lance needs this right now. I know you're all worried, but I couldn't smell pain on him when he returned from showering. Just his confusion and frustration"  
"I know. It was just..."  
"It was rough. I've filled him, and he knows what's happened. Still, you need to be prepared in case he does go into heat"  
Keith groaned miserably. He felt to shitty to be taking care of Lance through another heat, and this would be a proper heat  
"I'm sure we can work something out"  
"So am I. He was very concerned about Keith, and didn't want him to be alone"  
"I'm not alone"  
"Of course you aren't. But it's tough not being with him, isn't it?"  
"You have no idea. I don't even know if I can keep up with a heat right now"  
"If his heat hits, we can place him in a pod"  
"That won't work. I'll end up going into a rut"  
"If his heat does hit, you can take him down to the house. I'll bring you supplies"  
"Thanks mum, but Lance doesn't like going near the house"  
Pidge looked to him in confusion  
"I thought he liked the house. Hunk and I cleaned it up the other day, for you"  
"He did like the house, but living there with Shalad made him feel like he wasn't welcome there"  
Pidge's dramatic sigh pretty much summed up his own feelings on everything  
"So we're all going to be affected by his heat"  
"It's only fair. He's had to put up with all your smells"  
"Mum"  
"I'm just saying. He's been through a lot"  
"Yeah. Coran was telling us how many missions he'd taken on while we were sick. No wonder he was hardly home"  
"Maybe he could use a break?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, he could come with me for a while..."  
"And do what?"  
"I'm teaching at the moment. He could easily find a role teaching"  
Allura looked up from Kelance  
"You're teaching?"  
"Lotor has made schooling compulsory for the young Galra. I teach fighting basically. But it's a proper school, and Lotor wishes to educate the Galra on other cultures. He could talk about Earth..."  
"Mum, that's nice and all, but you're not just taking my husband away"  
"Sorry Krolia, Keith is right. We need him here, especially with Toral"  
"Yes. I believe I owe her a good slap across the face"  
"Mum, its ok"  
"It's hardly ok when my son is poisoned"  
"We'll deal with it. She's with the Olkari at the moment"  
"Is that the best idea?"  
"Are you doubting them?"  
"No. But if she gets another dumb idea in her head, they could be hurt"  
"Krolia, I'm sure you must understand. Even if I am not her mother in this reality, I am in another and I must help her"  
His mother took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she shook her head  
"Alternate realities are complicated things and things best left alone. For everyone's sake, you should find a way to return her home"  
"Not until we've talked with her"  
"Guys, enough. I don't have the strength for this right now"  
"Krolia, Lance is really ok, isn't he?"  
"Yes Shiro. He just needs space. Is there anything you guys need?"  
"Not at the moment Krolia, why don't you take a seat? Or we could all take a break?"  
"I think Coran is one note away from a mental breakdown"  
Keith noticed how Coran had started all but pounding down on the console in front of him, and figure that he probably could  
"Allura's right. Besides, the chairs are better in the lounge room"  
"I'll just finish this up"  
"Coran, it can wait"

Moving from bridge to the lounge room, Keith sank into Krolia as he yawned. He could smell Lance on his mother, and his alpha longed to see him. Slinging her arm over his shoulders, she pulled him tight  
"Lance is just fine, so you can stop glaring at everyone"  
"I just feel like I should be there, with him"  
"Lance will let you in when he's ready"  
"I'm the reason we fought, and he's the one who apologised"  
"You apologised to him too"  
"I don't like that he's alone"  
"It's what he needs right now. Give it a few vargas and then I'll head back down and check in on him"  
"You should be with him instead of me"  
"Yet he wanted me to check on you, so here I am. Have you eaten today?"  
"No. My throat hurts"  
His mother sighed  
"Hunk, I don't suppose you happen to have any soup? Or something warm for this one"  
"Mum..."  
"Not soup. But I can make some up"  
"Hunk, ignore her. It's fine"  
"It's not fine. You all need to eat and keep your strength up, no matter how bad you feel"  
"We have been eating"  
"So what's your excuse"  
"I feel sick"  
"Who would have thought Keith would such a child when he was sick?"  
"Shut up, Pidge. You're just as bad"  
"At least I've been eating"  
"Lance mentioned how fussy Keith was. I think the soup he has been making was with you in mind"  
"That sounds like something stupid he would"  
"There might be some left that we can heat up. I've made bread, so do we just want to have bread and soup for lunch?"  
"Its more like mid-afternoon than lunchtime"  
"What's that? The sound of Shiro not wanting any"  
Shiro laughed  
"I didn't say that"  
"Hunk, do you want some help?"  
"No, I'll be fine Krolia. I'll be back in a few doboshes"  
"Keith, I expect you to finish your whole bowl"  
"Mum, do you ever get tired of embarrassing me?"  
"Not really"  
"Well can you try to limit it?"  
"What's the matter Keef?"  
"Not you too..."  
Pidge poked her tongue out him before beginning to cough  
"Karma"  
"Oh shut up"  
"Krolia, if you don't mind I would love to hear more about this Galra school you're at"  
"Of course"

Krolia filled Allura in as Keith took his son from her, cuddling him close to him as he kissed his hair, smiling as Laneith grabbed at him  
"Hey you. Do you miss mummy?"  
"I think he misses not drooling over everything"  
Coran wrinkled his nose as he pulled his handkerchief, flicking it, before beginning to wipe at Laneith's drool  
"Coran, he's a baby. I don't think they feel guilty about gushing drool, especially not when they're cutting teeth"  
"Allura screamed for vargas when her teeth were coming in"  
"I'm so relieved we don't have that problem"  
"Until your wisdom teeth start coming in"  
Keith ran his tongue over his gums, not sure if they'd already started coming through or not, maybe he'd been lucky and missed it when Honerva had aged them?  
"I suppose we'll deal with when it happens"  
"That we will. A good drop of alcohol on those gums would work marvels"  
"I don't think Lance would approve, but I'll keep it in mind"  
Coran winked, before turning to look over his shoulder as the door opened  
"Sorry for the wait! Now, Lance did make the soup, but I can vouch for the bread"  
Bustling into the room, Hunk placed down the tray he was carrying with a smile. Thick slices of bread smeared with butter were stacked on a smaller plate next to the pot of soup. It was the meaty vegetable one that Lance had last made them, and personally Keith's favourite out of all the ones Lance had experimented with  
"Is it safe? It's a few movements old now"  
"Funnily enough, Lance put a whole heap of extra soup away. It's been frozen solid and it's perfectly safe to eat"  
They'd been eating it well enough when they were sick, so Pidge had no reason to be making fun of Lance's cooking right now.

They were all eating when there was a small knock on the living room door, and a quite "Krolia" came from the other side  
"Lance, you can come in!"  
"Not right now... Krolia, can I see you?"  
"Why didn't Lance just call your communicator?"  
"I don't know. Sit up, I can't go check on him with you laying on me"  
"I could come with you"  
"Keith, you know you can't. Lance wouldn't come up here if he could help it. You guys continue without me"  
Why did his mum get to go to his mate and not him? It wasn't fair. Leaving his side, Keith let out a huff, he knew everyone at the table was looking at him, while he stared down at his bowl of soup  
"What do you think this about?"  
"No idea"  
"Why would he come all the way up? And wasn't he trying to sleep?"  
"Maybe he got hungry?"  
"There's food in both our rooms"  
"Why do you have food in your room?"  
"Because Lance made sure we had food and water?"  
He thought that was the logical leap... so why was Hunk curious?  
"He also fed the cow, chickens and left food out for Six"  
"I knew she was looking fatter! She's been acting like she hasn't been fed in movements"  
"Well she has been. Mum? Is everything alright?"  
He was sure his mother's smile was slightly forced as she walked over and dropped back down beside him  
"Everything is fine. Lance received a call from Lotor. Somehow word of you all being sick got back to him, and Lotor wanted to know why I didn't let him know about it when I left. He said Lotor tried contacting the castle, but couldn't get through"  
"But Lance doesn't think he tried, does he?"  
"No, he doesn't"  
His mother picked up her spoon, stirring her soup slowly  
"Mum, there's something else isn't there?"  
"It's nothing"  
"Mum?"  
"I was just thinking about Toral. I would love to talk to her about him"  
"Lotor is our ally"  
That wasn't it either. Lance had said something his mother didn't like or something he wasn't going to like. Not comfortable with continuing in down the Lotor line, Allura moved to Lance  
"So how is Lance? Has he been resting?"  
"Yes. The call from Lotor woke him, and he's headed back down to his room"  
Leaning over Krolia's left arm, Keith sniffed at his mother's chest where Lance's scent was strongest  
"Keith!"  
"Lance smells scared"  
"He what?"  
"Keith, would you please stop sniffing at my chest. Lance is fine"  
"He doesn't smell fine"  
"He is fine"  
"Then why does he smell scared?"  
"Probably because Lotor called him and woke him up. He's rea..."  
"Readjusting. Right"  
"Exactly. Now, he's headed back to bed and I'll head down soon to bring him something to eat. You need to stop worrying so much"

After lunch, the team all split off to rest. His mother forcing him back to his room, while she went to check on Lance. Alone with his sons, he was so tempted to just head to the nursery next door. It was so close, and he could be in there before his mother even realised. But that wasn't what Lance wanted. Instead, he came up with a better idea, remembering Pidge had set Lance's communicator to automatically accept calls from him and Krolia. Opening his, he found Lance and placed the call, switching it to video. Looking at the feed, it took him a moment to realise Lance had put his communicator up near his pillow and all he could actually see was the top of Lance's hair and the tip of a blanket  
"It's rude to spy on people"  
Jumping with guilt, he smiled sheepishly as his mother picked up Lance's communicator  
"I just wanted to see him"  
"He's sleeping"  
"I still wanted to see him"  
Leaning over Lance, his mother tugged the blanket back from his mates face, proving that Lance was indeed asleep  
"Is he ok?"  
"He's a little warm. It could be because of the pile of blankets he's hidden under"  
"He does that. How does he smell?"  
"Scared. I think he might have had a nightmare, but his breathing is calm, and he doesn't seem distressed now"  
"He has really bad nightmares"  
"I know he does"  
"And if he goes into heat..."  
"Keith, I know. Now, I'm going to hang up"  
"Don't... I mean, just..."  
"Should I prop you up on a pillow or something?"  
"I just want to be there for him"  
"And he knows you do"  
"Just put his communicator on the shelf, that way we'll know if he has a nightmare"  
His mother grumbled, but still did as he asked, angling it so most of Lance was in the feed  
"How's that?"  
"Perfect"  
"Good, because I'm coming to put you to bed"  
"Mum"  
"Nope. You need your sleep, and the boys need their naps"  
"You didn't come here to put up with us sleeping"  
"I think I kind of did"  
"Just get out of there and let him sleep"  
"Yes, Keith. Ok, Keith. I'll be right there, Keith"  
Rolling his eyes at his mother's sass, he placed his own communicator on the shelf beside his bed. She was right about the boys needing a nap. They'd both climbed onto him, and now were quite happily drooling on him.


	94. Chapter 94

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited... I can't edit my chapters for now :/

Lance had had two screaming nightmares that had broken Keith's heart. Having woken sometime during the night, it took him a few ticks to realise his husband was screaming and sobbing, while his mother tried to hush him and reassure him it was just a nightmare. Both had been Shiro related, the first Lance begging Krolia to stop Shiro from hurting him, and the second was violent enough for Lance to throw up across the bed, and then try running when Krolia tried to calm him. That had ended with his mother nursing Lance in his lap as screamed against her over what had happened all those phoebes ago when Lance had crashed Blue on the ice planet. The nightmares were physically painful to watch, and so was the way Lance calmed down enough to beg Krolia not tell him, before dissolving again. He'd been watching Lance because he was worried, but now he'd something he wasn't supposed to and he felt like a quiznak for it. Convincing Lance to go shower, his mother gathered up the ruined blankets before picking up Lance's communicator  
"Keith, I can practically hear you panicking right now"  
"How am I supposed to not?"  
"They were just nightmares. He feels feverish, so he's going to take a shower"  
"Feverish, or heat feverish?"  
"I don't know, all I can smell is his vomit. He wants me to leave him alone for a while, so once he gets back in bed, I'll head back to your room"  
At least the boys were sleeping through all of this, that was something  
"Will he be alright on his own?"  
"He'll be fine. I need to change these sheets, see you soon"

True to her word, barely 10 doboshes later Krolia was sliding into bed next to the boys. Gathering Kelance against her, she nuzzled into him with a sigh   
"Keith, get some sleep"  
"How am I supposed to?"  
"Lance said he wants to talk to you later, so you can stop worrying"  
"He wants to talk?"  
Keith's heart soared. Lance wanted him!  
"It doesn't take much to make you happy"  
"You're as bad as Pidge"  
"Thanks. She's pretty badarse. He said he'd come up for lunch. So maybe he's not going to go into heat?"  
"I hope not..."

Famous last words.

The thought of talking to Lance at lunch time sustained him all morning, and helped ease the pain of the "bad" news they got. Lotor was "worried". Despite being told everything and everyone was alight, the half-Galra had decided to come see for himself, and would be arriving late that afternoon. Even though she'd only stood up for him the night before, Allura had fought as hard and politely as she could to dissuade him from visiting, buuut he was already on his way, so there was nothing they could do change his mind. It was like the universe had aligned to intentionally destroy every ounce of patience he had. Toral. The fight with Lance. Krolia showing up and now Lotor. All he needed was Shiro to be an arse and he'd hit the jackpot. Still. He kept himself busy with the boys until lunch time. And then... Lance didn't show up to the lounge room with the rest of them.

Instead, Lance showed up about 10 doboshes late, with a very clear excuse as to why he was. Dressed in just an oversized shirt from his pregnancy, and a pair of boxer briefs, the omega his arms wrapped around his stomach, Lance was whimpering in pain, as slick rolled down his inner thighs, filling the whole room with the sweet scent of his mate. Instantly everyone was affected, their friends scents filling with desire unconsciously   
"K-Keith..."  
Snarling, Keith deposited Kelance in his mother lap, before climbing onto the table and walking over everyone's meals in an attempt to get Lance sooner  
"Ugh!"  
Slumping forward, Keith half dived to catch him and hefting him up to his chest  
"Shit, Lance!"  
"S-sorry. C-couldn't find my communicator... ugh..."  
Fucking Krolia. Oh well. She now had to deal with everyone else   
"It's ok. I've got you"  
"Keith, need it now"  
"I'll knot you soon... just hold on"  
"N-no... my ring... I can't..."  
"Your ring?"  
"I don't know where it is"  
Grabbing Lance's hand, he saw both ring fingers bare   
"I don't have them"  
"K-Keith...!"  
Looking around the hallway, he needed a room. If he could get Lance to cum, hopefully his body would give him some relief  
"Let me message mum. I've have her hunt for them"  
"I can't... I woke up and it'd started"

Screw it.

Striding down the hall, sent Krolia a very blunt message of "Find Lance's ring". She'd know what he meant, and she'd find them, even if they didn't want to be found. By passing the medical room, the kitchen and the bridge, Keith carried Lance to the room they usually used when staying in the medical room. It wasn't ideal, but it was private. Laying Lance down, he groaned as Lance slid his hands down, hooking his thumbs in the waist of his underwear as he pulled it down  
"Baby, we can't have sex. I'm going to try and help you through this wave"  
"It hurts"  
Maybe they'd get lucky and this would only be a one day thing? Either way, he couldn't knot Lance without his ring on... not when he wasn't in his right mind. Climbing into bed, Keith spread Lance's legs wide   
"K-Keith. Need you"  
"Baby, I've got an idea"

With Lance sitting on his face, his omega was alternating between licking, sucking and bobbing his head sloppily, while riding Keith's tongue. He knew it had to hurt his omega not to be mounted, but Lance was whimpering and so close to cumming... and with his mouth around Keith's erection, it was helping to keep own need to breed at bay. If they could just last a little longer, his mother would finally find Lance's missing rings. 

But pups... he was so conflicted. 

The memories of Lance's swollen stomach. The way it bounced when Lance rode him, or he bent his mate over whatever he could... the way his breasts jumped and swayed with their movements. Full and heavy, with his pups. That's all his alpha could see. He didn't care anymore, or rather, he lost his rationality chasing that dream. Drawing his tongue back, Lance groaned   
"Alpha... need to be full"  
"Ride me"  
Eager to please, Lance crawled forward, not even pausing as he lined himself, before he dropped down solidly. Beginning to ride him, Lance threw his head back, while Keith rose, wrapping his right arm around his husband's stomach as he tried to hold him, thrusting into him as hard as he could, his teeth tugged on Lance's ear  
"Alpha!"  
Watching Lance cum across the bed, Keith moaned, his left hand sliding up to gently grip Lance's throat as he drove up half a dozen more times before cumming with a growl. Screaming as bit his ear, Lance came again, flopping back against him, though still trying to drain every drop as he clenched and rippled around Keith's caught knot. Sucking in air, Keith laid them down, spooning around Lance and releasing his hold on his throat. He didn't even know why he'd done it  
"Lance?"  
Wriggling against him, Lance started purring as he place both their hands on his stomach. Great. Lance still wasn't thinking straight, and he couldn't exactly stop cumming.

Whether from pain or exhaustion, Lance fell asleep in his arms, and it seemed like only moment had passed when Krolia slipped into the room. Growling over the state of his vulnerable mate, his mother paid him no mind, walking over and sliding the Olkarion ring onto Lance's left ring finger where he usually wore his wedding ring  
"I was hoping you wouldn't have knotted him yet"  
Through gritted teeth, Keith kept back his alphas rage  
"Couldn't control myself"  
"The castle halls are clear, so you can head down to your room"  
"I'm still knotted"  
"I didn't need to know that... ok. I'm out of here"

When Krolia left, Keith waited until his knot was completely deflated, before lifting Lance from the bed. Nuzzling his neck, Lance didn't wake, but he did tighten his hold on Keith which was adorable. Carrying Lance down to their room, rather than the nursery, his husband was stirring in his hold as he climbed onto the bed  
"Keith?"  
"I'm here. How are you feeling?"  
"Sleepy, and it's coming on again. My ring!"  
Lance tried to fight against him. Capturing his left hand, Keith held it up  
"Mum found it. It's on"  
"Thank you"  
"Just let me take care of you"  
"Mmm, always"

 

*  
Whether because of the operation, or whatever else was going on with Lance's omega. His mate barely talked, even during the calm between his heats. He preferred to just keep his face buried against Keith's neck, even sleeping along him like that, nightmares when he didn't. The surgery had really messed with Lance's head, and hearing both Shiro's and Lotor's names falling from Lance's lips drove his second dynamic crazy. Still, the pair of them went at it like rabbits, on every single surface across the bedroom and bathroom. It was actually kind of gross if you stopped to examine not just the dried cum, but the dried milk dribbled across way too much of their room. He might... have... an ever so slight kink over how tightly Lance clenched around him, and how hard Lance came when he worked his nipples until he began to lactate. As it was, Lance's body was covered in bite marks, and possessive hickeys, but that still wasn't enough for him. Or his alpha. He wanted more of his mate and was keenly aware that he was hovering dangerously close to the edge between love and insanity.

On the last day of Lance's heat they were in the bathroom, Lance' arms around him as he fucked him against the bathroom counter, when Lance finally started to cry. Knotting him so as to avoid Lance's stomach cramps, Keith cupped his mates face and forced him to look at him as he wiped at the tracks of tears with his thumbs   
"Baby, what's wrong?"  
"I'm just... emotional from my heat"  
"There's more than that. You've been quite. Even when we're laying in bed together, you've still been quiet"  
"I... I didn't want my heat"  
"I know. I know you didn't"  
"No! You don't understand"  
"Then tell me"  
"I've been having nightmares since I came out of the pod. I know you know. They feel so real, Keith... I'm scared I'm going crazy, because it's my omega causing them, but because of them, it can't calm down. I'm starting to get scared of both Shiro and Lotor again, and we've worked so hard to move past that. I don't want to think about that"  
Keith snorted. He didn't mean to, but he did  
"Baby, you're not going crazy. I promise you"  
"Tell that to my omega. It decided to make me feel sick when I was touched, but decided I needed to be touched at the same time. It decided it was going to be scared of everything again, and put me in heat again, and then be mad over the nightmares. It's doing my head in"  
Sliding his hands up, Keith began to massage Lance's temples with his fingertips  
"How can I help?"  
"I don't know. I'm miserable and it's because of my omega right now. I don't know what to do to settle my second dynamic"  
"Maybe the ring will help?"  
"I've been wearing the ring"  
"You've been wearing it, while your body was having a bad heat. Your hormones were all over the place, because your body didn't know what to do. Now that you've healed, maybe it will help bring your hormones back into a normal range?"  
"I hope so. And that feels really good"  
"Good. I think after we have a shower, we should try sleep off the end of your heat"  
"That sound so good, but I don't think I can sleep without your knot"  
"Are you doubting my ability to knot you?"  
"No. I'm doubting my ability to sleep"  
"Come on you. Let's wash you off, and then you can sleep on my chest"  
"I want to try just sleeping in your arms... is that ok?"  
"You don't have to ask"  
"I kind of do. This heat has taken a lot out of you. You look so pale, and you've got bags under your eyes and your breathing is really raspy at night"  
"It's fine. Nothing a little sleep won't fix"  
Sighing, Lance shook his head  
"You know. I feel like we need another holiday already"  
Lifting Lance by his arse, Keith carried him into the shower  
"Well, this should help. Not only do we have Toral to deal with. The others had a visit from Lotor the other day..."  
"Why would you tell me that?! Didn't I just admit that I can't be around him right now"  
"You did. But don't you see, I've been with you every single moment and he hasn't done a single thing to you"  
"I can see where you're going, but that would be a no"  
"I'm just saying, even when it comes to him, I will protect you"  
"You have the worst ways of trying to make me feel better. But I love you anyway"  
"I know you do. Now, are you ready for another round?"  
"Another round?! You're still cumming inside of me!"  
Tickling Lance's sides, his mate giggled as he rested his forehead on Keith's shoulder   
"So, is that a no?"  
"It's not a no"  
"So it's a yes"  
"I think maybe we should shower, and then I think I want to ride you"  
"Really?"  
"Yep"  
Popping the "p", Lance looked up so he could smirk at him  
"Maybe you are crazy?"  
"I have to be for putting up with you"  
"Hey!"  
"It's true. Now shower me, and then take me back to bed"  
"Is that an order?"  
"Does it have to be?"  
"I kind of like it when you boss us all around"  
"In that case, I'm ordering you to shower me, then take me to bed and let me ride you until I drop"  
"If that's the orders you're going to give, feel free to take on the role of Black Paladin"  
Shutting him up with a kiss, Keith was definitely going to obey Lance's orders, down to the tiniest and most minute detail.

 

*  
Leading Keith through the castle, Lance found himself a laughing mess. He and his alpha had run out of food, and as his heat was pretty much over, the pair of them were trying to sneak from their bedroom to the kitchen without being sprung, only, Keith wouldn't keep his hands to himself, and Lance's heat wasn't quite as over as he'd thought it was. Yet nothing was going to get between him and food. Not when it felt like his stomach was trying to eat itself and wouldn't stop growling. 

Leaning to spy around a corner of the final stretch, Keith groped him, before pulling him back and pinning him against the wall. Laughing as he tried to push him off, Keith placed a hand over his mouth and half fell as he tried to peak for himself, without letting go  
"I can see the target in sight. I think we're clear"  
"I could have told you that"  
"I know, but I'm supposed to protect you"  
Wrapping his arms around Keith, Lance dropped a quick kiss on his lips, before lifting him off his feet  
"What are you doing?"  
"You can be my human shield"  
"How's that going to work?"  
"Well, if someone sees us or shoots at us, you take the hit and I get to make a break for it"  
Kicking himself out of his hold, Keith feigned announce  
"How does that work out for me?"  
"Pretty good. Considering I'm starving and it's some how taken vargas to get up here from our room"  
"It hasn't taken vargas"  
"I'm pretty sure my heat is more accurate than your internal clock. I'm starting to slick, so can we pleeeeease eat!"  
"You're starting to slick"  
"Mhmm"  
"You should have said so"  
With a wicked grin, Keith swept him up his arms, carrying him into the kitchen and depositing him down on the counter  
"What do you want to eat?"  
"Food. Like. Now"  
"What kind of food?"  
"Keith, if you don't find something for me to eat, I will divorce you"  
His husband actually paused, before running his hand through his hair   
"Right. Oh. Hunk's been baking"  
"Bring it on"  
Darting away from him, Keith returned with two thick cookies   
"Does this count?"  
"Where's yours?"  
"I can think of something else I'd rather eat"  
Shivering as he practically gushed slick at Keith's words, Lance didn't want to do it in the kitchen. Anywhere but Hunk's kitchen, but now he was too wet to move  
"Keith... not in here"

Lifting him back up, Keith carried him out and into the dining room. It wasn't much better, but now he so wet that his underwear was filled with slick and his body was demanding some kind of attention. Pulling down his sodden underwear with his teeth and the tiniest bit of help, Keith knelt between his legs before yanking him to the edge of the table and pushing him back enough that his mate could access his opening, while Lance lifted his legs onto Keith's shoulders. Moaning as he began to clean him him with his tongue, Lance began chewing on the first cookie. It was heaven, being eaten out and actually getting to eat, and by the growls Keith was making, his alpha was definitely pretty happy with the way things were currently playing out. Taking his time to finish the first cookie, Lance was finding it hard not to present. Keith was still working and teasing his him with his tongue, but now he'd also worked two fingers in, missing a few times before finally finding his sweet spot, and ruining the game they'd been playing where he teasing Keith by not openly responding as he focused on the cookie. Throwing his head back with a whine, Lance dropped down so he propped up by his elbows   
"Keith. Knot"  
"I thought we were eating"  
"God... does your mother know what you say and do with that mouth"  
"Probably. Can you make it back to our room?"  
"No"  
"Mmm, I won't tell the others if you don't"  
"I don't think we're going to need to tell them"  
"Then I better remind them who you belong you"  
Pulling him down off the table, Keith span him around and pushed him down against it, he wasn't surprised to find Keith had already freed his own erection from his boxers, nor how easily his alpha filled completely  
"I want it hard and fast"  
"Good, because I was nearly cumming as it was"  
Taking his hips, Keith drew out until the tip was just inside of him. Thrusting in sharply, his mate hit his prostate straight on, causing him to claw at the table with the need to get him even deeper. Bringing his right knee up onto the table, Keith moved to support it automatically, not breaking his rhythm at all as he did  
"Lance, I'm not going to last"  
"Good... because... argh... ah..."  
Grabbing his shirt, Keith pulled up as he came, meaning he came up along his chest instead of across the dining room floor. Mewing, he pushed down in preparation for Keith's knot, but at the final moment, Keith slid completely out and came across his arse, his inner thigh and down the back of his leg  
"Keith!"  
"I can't knot you here. I know your heats supposed to be over, but even as my knot was swelling, it didn't feel enough"  
"Wait. You didn't knot me now, because you want to take me back to our bed, and knot me over and over?"  
Nuzzling the back of his neck affectionately, Keith nodded   
"I want to take my time, and be slow and careful. When your heat ends, we go back to having responsibilities, so I want to take my time to love every inch of your body"  
Lance hugged. Not impressed at all. He'd been so close to being knotted... his husband was a goddamn tease  
"You could have just said so, instead of pulling out. I feel like crying because you didn't cum in me"  
"Grab your cookie, I'll carry you back down"  
"I'm covered in cum"  
"Mhmm, and the room smells of us"  
"Great. If they others go into a rut..."  
"They'll have to deal with me"  
Gathering up his underwear, Keith helped him back into them, before pulling him close  
"Keith?"  
"I just love you"  
"You "just" love me? I guess that's better than when you used to hate me"  
"You know I never really hated you"  
"Yep. But you were too busy chasing after Shiro to see my true brilliance"  
"Maybe. But enough about that. Hold on tight"  
"Just let me get my cookie"  
"I wouldn't dream of parting you from it"  
"Good alpha. You're learning"  
"I'll show you "good alpha"!"  
"Really? I thought we were going to keep doing naughty things?"  
"We are, but you have to admit we're good at it"  
Lance smiled happily as he placed his cookie between his teeth and let Keith lift him. For an end of heat, he was much more alert than normal, and after having a good cry, he was very much content with how things were now.

 

*  
Poking at his face, Lance swatted Keith's hand away  
"I know you're awake"  
"I know I'm awake. I just don't want to move"  
"Well, I can change that"  
"Keith... you only just knotted me"  
"I didn't only just knot you"  
"So waking up to you thrusting against me, was a figment of my imagination"  
"You're the one who started it. I was already inside of you when I woke up"  
"Probably because that's how we fell asleep. Now stop moving around, I want cuddles. It's so nice and warm, and perfect for cuddles"  
Snaking his arm around his stomach, Keith settled down behind him, pressing kisses to Lance's hair as he did  
"How do you feel?"  
"My heats over, so I'm tired, sore, happy, moody and I really just want cuddles and food"  
"The food fairy came while we were sleeping"  
"I love that fairy. I think she cleaned up too"  
"Yeah, last night"  
"That's embarrassing"  
"It's fine. It's her fault for having two sons that can't keep their hands off each other"  
"Your hands are fine, it's just the other parts of your body that cause problems"  
Keith rocked against him softly   
"Not that. Your toes. You always have cold toes!"  
"I do not"  
"You do! But I love them anyway"  
"Because they're mine?"  
"No. Because I'm amazingly forgiving like that. I wonder if she'll bring our boys in after we shower. I really need to see them"  
"I know not falling pregnant puts omegas in a flunk. Do they help?"  
"Yeah... though you didn't need to mention that"  
"Sorry. I just know it takes a lot out you"  
"It's better when I'm with you"  
"Team Klance"  
"Yeah. You and me. We could take on the world"  
"Mmmm... Lord Keith and his wicked omega"  
"More like Lord Lance and his kept alpha"  
"I'm down for that. Who knew leading Voltron would have so much paperwork?"  
"Dummy. That's why you keep notes"  
"Yours were pretty impressive"  
"I'm pretty impressive"  
"You are..."  
Purring Lance burrowed into his pillow, feeling better and more in control of his emotions than he had in movements.

After napping off and on for the next few vargas, finally the feeling of needing to be clean won out. Climbing from the bed, Keith groaned and reached for him  
"Where are you going?"  
"Shower. I want to clean up and go see the boys"  
"Mmm, I miss them"  
"Then get out of bed"  
"Can't you and them just come back"  
"Not when you're covered in slick and cum"  
"Oh. Good point"  
"Isn't it. Are you coming?"  
"Yeah. You should eat too"  
"Not yet. My stomachs still tender"  
"Tender?"  
"It's what happens when you have a lot of amazing sex"  
"But other than that?"  
"I'm good. Like, really good. My omega has settled, and even if I'm sore, it's a good kind of sore. How about you? How are you lungs? You were coughing last night"  
"How do you know that? You were supposed to be sleeping"  
"I heard you before I fell asleep, and I didn't even have a single nightmare last night"  
"I noticed. No offence baby, but your omega can be a bit of a quiznak"  
"It's pretty offended by that, but I agree. I'm ready to put this all behind me and move on"  
"Good. Now let's get you into the shower"  
Springing up from their bed, Keith threw him over his shoulder, smacking his arse as Lance howled with laughter. 

Showered and dressed, Lance was pulling Keith along by the hand as they headed into the nursery. He couldn't wait another tick to see his sons, and the smile on his face when he finally did was so big it hurt. Sitting with her back against the enormous bear Pidge had bought the boys, Krolia had them both completely enthralled by the story she was reading to them. He sorely wished he had a camera to capture the moment, and the funny voices Krolia was doing for the boys. Padding softly across the room, Lance sat down and crossed his legs, while Krolia raised an eyebrow  
"Don't mind us"  
"Mhmm... how are you feeling?"  
"Good. Even better now I've seen the boys are still in one piece"  
"Of course they are. You're interrupting story time"  
Looking up from the book they were smacking their hands on, at the sound of his voice, both his boys lit up, practically bouncing in Krolia's lap as they tried to escape and get to him  
"I think story time is over. They've missed their mummy"  
Throwing themselves into their escape effort, Krolia lifted the book out the way and Kelance was the first from her lap. His son using one hand on Krolia's leg to pull himself up, before taking three very shaky, yet determined steps towards him  
"Did you guys see that?! Kelance!"  
Scooping his son up, he lifted him high as the boy laughed  
"My big boy! What about you Laneith? Are you going to walk? Krolia, how long have they been walking?!"  
"They've only been crawling for me. I was hoping I'd get to see them walk"  
"My babies are so smart! They get that from their daddy"  
"And their mum"  
"And their grandmother"  
Laneith was slower as he slid from Krolia's lap, crawling over to him rather than walking. Sitting Kelance down in his hold, he lifted his Laneith up and sat him down next to him, hugging both his babies tight   
"How were they? Did they eat? Are they hungry?"  
"They've had solids everyday, but mostly formula. I suspect they'll feed if you offer it"  
"How were they? Did they behave?"  
Resting his chin on Lance's shoulder, Keith stroked Kelance's hair lovingly   
"I've always suspected there is something in an omega's scent that soothes their young and let's them know a heat is coming. They weren't terribly impressed, but they've been good for the most part. Though, they wouldn't settle without sleeping together and without a blanket with your scents"  
"You two are so precious"  
"They are, and they also behaved themselves better than you two"  
"We behaved"  
"That's why Hunk was complaining the kitchen smelt of you two"  
"When did you see Hunk?"  
"We didn't even do anything in the kitchen!"  
Their words overlapped, causing Krolia to laugh  
"No. That was the dining room..."  
"How did you know about that?!"  
"I could smell it. Also, Lance, I believe this is yours"  
Pulling something out of her pocket, Lance gasped at his wedding ring. He hadn't even realised it wasn't on. Rushing to slide his Olkarion ring off, he slipped it onto his right ring finger and took his wedding ring back. Proudly placing it back on his finger where it belonged  
"Keith said you found it for me?"  
"Actually, it was Shiro"  
"Shiro?!"  
He practically screamed the alphas name in confusion  
"He came to apologise the morning you went into surgery, but you'd already left"  
"Shiro came to apologise?"  
Keith sounded doubtful   
"He did. We had a little talk, about how he wished he could undo the past. He misses you Keith, but just like all of us, he keeps making mistakes"  
"He misses me?"  
"You two were so close... Keith, why don't you talk to him again?"  
"Lance, I'm not sure if that's a good idea"  
"I think it is. My nightmares are mine to deal with, and I think, maybe, you miss him too. I know you're friends with Pidge and Hunk now, but he was your best friend. I want you two to talk"  
"But your nightmares"  
"Are mine. I know they suck, but like I said, I want to move past them. If Shiro wants to talk, I think you should listen"  
"Fine, only for you"  
Shiro must have a reason for wanting to talk to Keith, and apologising was never easy. Just as long as they didn't get into a fight, things would be fine  
"So Krolia, what else has been happening? I heard Lotor showed up"  
"He's still here. He and Allura are researching alternatives ways to farm quintessence now the rift opening is destroyed"  
"Of course he is. And Toral?"  
"She's with the Olkari still. I think Coran's been talking with both her and with them, but everyone is also still recovering, so not much has happened"  
"Ugh. I wish we could kick Lotor off the ship. I don't like him and Toral being so close together. Maybe I should go talk to Toral?"  
"Baby, you're recovering"  
"I didn't mean this very second. I know I lost my head before, but I feel better. I feel good. You're here and you're ok. That's what I need to remember"  
"Yeah baby. Do you want me to take Laneith? So you can feed Kelance?"  
"Sure. Anyway, mum, tell me more about what Lotor's been doing. Did he say anything to you?"  
"Barely. I don't think I'm worth his time, now that he's actually here. He wanted to know how the classes were going. I told him I was thinking of inviting you and Keith to speak to my students"  
"You what now?"  
"I've been thinking about this"  
"I know you suggested Lance give a talk, but both of us?"  
"Lotor knows about you, but I feel this would be an excellent way to learn more about him and what he's preaching to the Galra"  
"Learn what? He's a quiznak"  
"Keith, mum might be right. I mean, I'm kind of curious, it's a Galra school. Who knows what they're getting up to?"  
"No. Wherever you go, you find trouble"  
"Excuse you, I ran Voltron perfectly fine"  
"And then went into heat, recovered for a quintant, and went back into heat"  
"But at least I went into heat here, and not out there. And, I tried really hard not to go into heat"  
"I know you did. Though, I think it's one of the best heats you've had"  
"You think all my heats are my best heat"  
"No. There's that heat thing you just had, and the one before that was three movements long... and your first... ouch!"  
Yelping as Lance hit him, Keith glared at him  
"I'm just saying"  
"You can stop saying. Especially in front of mum"

"So, what are you two planning for the rest of the day?"  
Thank god for Krolia. That's all  
Lance could say as he took the out  
"Sleep. Food. More sleep"  
"Shall I let the others know your heat has passed?"  
"Maybe not just yet... I mean, I love them to bits, but I don't know if I'm up for their thousand questions over how I'm doing... though, the longer I leave it, the worse it'll be"  
"They've missed you, and I think Pidge had something she wanted to talk to you about"  
"Great. Now she's going to talk science and maths at me. I just know it"  
"Baby, I know you say you don't understand what her and Hunk are talking about when they get technical, but I also know you understand more than you think you do"  
"I don't know if you just agreed I was dumb, or not"  
"I'm just saying, you know how to talk to Pidge"  
"Oh. Yeah. Maybe we should head up then? If it's important, it's better we deal with it now, rather than waiting"  
"Are you up for that?"  
"Yeah. Like I said, I feel really good"  
"Um, you were going to feed the boys"  
"I forgot about that. Wow. Kelance, please forgive me"  
"I don't think he's fussed"  
"Well I am. It's ok baby boy, mummy is going to feed you right now. You know, while I'm talking with Pidge, it'll be a great chance for you to talk to Shiro"  
"I really hate it when you're right"  
"I know you do"  
Kissing the tip of Keith's nose, Lance went about settling Kelance in for a feed.

 

*  
Having head up to the lounge room, Lance was now sitting beside Hunk, while Krolia and Keith played with the twins. He'd missed his best friend, and Hunk felt so warm and comfy, which was probably why he couldn't stop yawning. Jumping as something hit his lip, Lance blinked, before glaring at Pidge who was grinning mischievously  
"Did you just try to throw something into my mouth?"  
"Maybe"  
"Why?"  
"Because you're so tired"  
"I'm not tired... I'm relaxed"  
"So relaxed you keep yawning?"  
"Yep. Anyway, I have something I want to talk to you about"  
"You do? Funnily enough, I have something I want to talk to you about too"  
"It's not science babble is it?"  
"Lance, I'm hurt. Actually, I was hoping I could borrow you for a couple of vargas. If that's ok with Keith"  
"Why does it need to be ok with Keith?"  
"You just finished your heat. Dah!"  
"Keith, can Pidge please borrow me?"  
"You don't need my permission"  
"See. Now what do you want?"  
"Matt called, they needed a few cases of medicine dropped off and because you're the most mobile of us all..."  
"You need my muscles. That should be fine"  
"Great. I've already told him we'll be there this afternoon"  
"Piiiidge"  
"I knew you'd agree. Besides, it gets you off the castle for a while"  
"I can handle being on the castle with Lotor it's no big deal"  
"Mhmm. That's why the first thing you did when you walked in was ask where he was"  
"That's because Allura isn't here"  
"Riiiiight. Keith, it's ok, isn't it?"  
"If Lance wants to go, I won't say no"  
"See"  
"But I'm coming with you"  
"What?! Keith. You're still recovering"  
"And I can recover just fine, sitting back and making sure the two of you don't get in trouble"  
Lance pouted  
"I don't think he trusts us"  
"Can you blame him? Have you met us?"  
"Paladins if you're leaving the castle, would you mind picking up a few things while you're out?"  
"Sure. Make a list and send it to Pidge, we've got you Coran"  
"Thank you. With so many extra mouthes to feed, I have..."  
"Coran, I'm going to have to stop you there. If it's to do with food, I've got it covered"  
"Actually, I was thinking of preparing an Altean styled banquet to celebrate all the hard work accomplished by Allura and Lotor"  
Lance nodded enthusiastically. Allura smiling and happy was one of the greatest sites in the world  
"She'd love that!"  
"Hunk will of course be in charge of all the dishes, but if he doesn't mind..."  
"Say no more. I would love to learn some real Altean recipes"  
"Wonderful! My pop-pop..."  
Coran promptly launched into explanation as Lance began to slide from his seat  
"Lance?"  
"I'm going to change. Pidge, how soon do you want to leave?"  
"The medicine is already loaded into Green. Give me a varga?"  
"Sounds good! I'm so pumped! Mum, you'll be ok with the boys, won't you?"  
"Of course I will"  
"Come on Keith! We need to get ready! We can't look bad for our adoring fans!"  
Keith sighed heavily, shooting Hunk a look that seemed to silently beg for help. Mouthing "you're on your own bro" to Keith, his husband hung his head. Lance didn't care. They were getting off the castle, and he could go exploring again.


	95. Chapter 95

Keith sighed for the hundredth time since they'd entered Green. Pidge was sneaky, super sneaky. While they'd had to deliver medicine, she revealed her own plan now they were out in space. She, like Krolia, wanted to know if there was something more to this Galra school, and had secured the coordinates from his mother... coordinates they were now headed to. He couldn't deny now was the best time to go, with Lotor being babysat by Allura, and his mother there to help in case something was to happen... but... he still felt annoyed over the fact Pidge had known he wouldn't be able to say no to Lance, and had used his husband's happiness against him  
"Keith, we're nearly there"  
"How are we nearly there? It was three quadrants away"  
"I may have made a few upgrades to Green. I have to test my prototypes"  
"When did you have time to do that?"  
"While Hunk and I were on holiday"  
Lance sighed, crossing his arms  
"You do know the point of a holiday is to do nothing"  
"No, it's to relax. Tinkering is relaxing"  
"Keith, please tell Pidge you're supposed to relax on a holiday"  
"She just said she did. What prototypes are we talking about?"  
"Improved scanners, improved cloaking, improved thrusters, improved handling. The basics"  
"We're not going to blow up, are we?"  
"Lance, it's fine. See that big red asteroid coming up?"  
"The one that looks like Coran's foot?"  
"We're going to land there, and bounce the signal through the asteroid field"  
"What signal?"  
"The signal I'm going to send?"  
"What signal are you going to send. I swear you like confusing me"  
"I'm going to send out a signal, like an echo locator. I'll catch and highlight any hidden security measures around the school, before we get too close and trip them"  
"Keith, did she just give me an answer that made sense? It sounded like she did, but I can't be sure"  
"I explained it so even you would understand"  
"On behalf of all us dumb people, I appreciate it"  
"Baby, don't talk about yourself like that"  
"I'm just saying... Hey, I've got something else that I forgot to ask you about"  
"Yeeees?"  
"Shiro's new arm. Have you had a chance to look at it yet?"  
"Of course I have. Are you worried because it came from Lotor?"  
"How can I not be? His last arm literally sent him insane"  
"Even if Lotor has done something, I've set up counter measures"  
That was something that definitely should have been clearer by him...  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
"Because he's like your brother, and it gave you an out if something happened and he accused you of causing it"  
"That makes sense. What did you do?"  
"You know how Shiro's arm could do all sorts of amazing things, like opening Galra doors and reading script? Well, I've set his arm up so he can't send signals from it. He can still open doors, and he can download data, but he can't send out long range signals, and his arm might be able to connect to the castle, but if he tries to access anything he shouldn't, or anything that may cause harm to the castle, it will essentially stop working"  
"I think she dumbed it down again"  
"Sheee definitely did. Sheee wanted to make sure you both understood"  
"I think I actually do. How about you Keith?"  
"That makes sense. I'm not happy you did it without telling me, but I understand"  
"Good. We all missed Shiro, and I don't think I could stand it if something were to happen to him again"  
Keith nodded, knowing he was probably looking broody. Shiro wanted to talk to him, to apologise... he'd always been so terrible at getting over things, and his relationship with Lance had been a distraction, but maybe he did miss Shiro? Shiro hadn't given up on him when he'd been growing up, so why had he given up on everything they'd had before joining Voltron? Lance was the love of his life, and maybe it was time to try and stop running and hiding? He couldn't just forget what happened, but he'd grown, and it was time he showed it wasn't just on the outside.

Landing on the edge of the asteroid, Lance had his arm around him as they watched the signal bounce through the surrounding asteroids. Two sharp pings illuminated a series of sensors, otherwise naked to them  
"What is that?"  
"Let me just..."  
The female alphas fingers were a blur   
"They're designed to destroy any ship not broadcasting a species frequency... not too friendly for a peaceful school"  
"Not at all"  
"Do we think the school is a front for something?"  
"Mum would have said if it was"  
"Maybe she couldn't? Maybe she was worried Lotor would act if she did, and that's why she's been nudging us here?"  
"Baby, this is mum. She would have spat it out"  
"Pidge, can you pick up anything around the planet it's self?"  
"There's a few fluctuations in surface temperature, but they're happening on a regular scale. According to the predicted temperature... here... it's happening every two movements"  
"Oh, so we don't have anything to worry about"  
"Not at the moment. We should still take a closer look"  
"But what about the sensors?"  
"Puh-lease. I've already hacked into them"  
"Pidge, you honestly scare me"  
"I know. Keith?"  
"Do a fly-over. Make sure we are completely undetectable"  
"No. I was just going to fly my big green lion over, so everyone could see"  
"I wouldn't put it past you"  
"No. That's something you would do"  
"That's nice. I'm not feeling the love Katie"  
"You'll feel the love when I punch you"  
"Guys, let's just sweep the planet and then we can go"

Keith watched the world beyond Green's eyes silently. The school was ridiculously large and sprawling, with a huge gold statue of Lotor in the centre of it. Both Pidge and Lance had giggled over the idea of stealing it, and Keith was sorely tempted to let them. Knowing Lotor, the thing was probably pure gold, and melted down it would fetch a lot of GAC  
"Ooooh. This is bad"  
"What's bad? Pidge, I don't like that "ooooh""  
"You know how I was reading fluctuations with the temperature, it's because time moves differently here"  
"No. Uh-uh. Nope. Nooo. We're leaving"  
"Pidge, what kind of speed are we talking?"  
"I would say those 2 movements out there is really 3 phoebes here"  
"3 phoebes... mum has a lot of explaining to do. How could she not call?!"  
"If she did, her calls would probably seem to be right after each other"  
"So? She's been off aging like it's nothing, and here I was feeling bad about her babysitting"  
"It's kind of perfect if you think about it. Parents can send their kids here, and while only like 6 phoebes pass for them, their kids can compete their schooling in no time. I can see why it's a good choice"  
"It's stupid. I don't even want to spend 6 quintants away from the boys, let alone 6 phoebes"  
"Lance, not all Galra love their children"  
"I know. And I know it can be really hard, but I couldn't do it"  
"So what do we do?"  
"We stay and try and gather as much intel as we can"  
"Keith!"  
"Now we know time moves faster here, we can afford to spend more time checking things thoroughly"  
"I don't want time to move differently. I just had my heat. I don't want to get out here and go right back into another one"  
Quiznak. Yeah. No. That would be bad. But they'd come all this way, and he wanted some kind of clue over Lotor's strategies. He still didn't understand why Lotor had gifted Shiro with a new arm. Or why he'd decided they were all friends again  
"Pidge, can you head towards that big purple building"  
"Lance, they are all purple"  
"The one... over there"  
Leaning over to point, Pidge rolled her eyes  
"I need more than that"  
"Ok, you see the grassy bit, then the building behind it, well the one behind that"  
"Why that one?"  
"Just a feeling"  
"Baby?"  
"One of those feelings..."  
"Pidge, do it"

Soaring over the campus, Pidge looped around so they were behind the building. Save for two twirling turbines on the top, there didn't seem to be any way in or out  
"Well it's suspicious"  
"You can say that again"  
"I said..."  
"Pidge, please don't"  
"Fine. What do you feel?"  
"It feels like there's something pulling me towards there. Keith, I know you don't want me to take Krolia up on her offer, but I definitely feel something"  
"You can't"  
"If we can visit, we should"  
"How long have we already been in here?"  
"25 doboshes in our time. But right now, this is our time. It's not like they say is actually any longer or shorter. The long term monitoring data would be interesting. As it is, it's interesting the sun doesn't seem to rise and set, I wonder if this is all artificial lighting? Or if the extrapolation data is wrong. I mean. The sun should rise and set... so Green should know what's going on..."  
If Pidge went down that rabbit hole. They'd never get her back  
"Pidge, take photos and scans of everything. We'll evaluate it back at the castle"  
"I already am. Do we want to try and land?"  
"No"  
"How about when mum leaves, we drop her back?"  
Keith groaned. He didn't want Lance coming here with Krolia even before he knew about this funky time thing  
"We could take a tour. It's better than taking a job"  
Lance's eyes sparkled at Pidge's suggestion   
"And what happens if something goes wrong?"  
"Well, mum will be there, and I said "we", like all of us"  
"We won't do anything until we've talked to the others"  
"I wonder what tech they have. Working in a space with such a radical time difference is true brilliance. I know Olkarion is our homeworld for now, but imagine the breakthroughs we could make"  
Where was Allura when he needed her to pull the idiots back in line?  
"Besides, if we leave this tour too long, they could have cleaned up and disposed of any evidence by the time we come back"  
"They've got all the time they need"  
"And then some"  
"I'm making the call to pull out. Krolia can help us identify the structures"

 

*  
Pidge and Lance had chatted back and forth about the whole school plan, both of them acting like he'd already said yes, as they began their way towards the Space Mall. Not trusting them to be completely responsible with the GAC for the supplies he wanted, Coran had called ahead and placed the order, so all they had to do was pay when they picked it up, meaning they wouldn't actually have to set foot in the mall, just the loading dock. But that's not where Keith's thoughts were. Dealing with time was always difficult, and Lotor was definitely milking the system. Aside from education, there was so much else that could be happening. Weapons making. Quintessence experimentations. Brainwashing... letting out a gasp, Keith shook his head  
"What?"  
"I just realised something"  
"What?"  
"If Haggar had access to a planet with altered time, she wouldn't have to worry about waiting for clone maturity"  
"She could create one from scratch and let it age naturally! It would only be a short time for her! I wonder if that's how she created another Lotor!"  
"If that's the case, we need to be careful on a whole other level"  
"Haggar's dead"  
"I know Haggar's dead, but if she had experiments on planets where time was manipulated.. there could be a whole lot of trouble coming that we don't even know about"  
"What would happen if the black goop ended up on one?"  
Biting his nail, Lance frowned deeply  
"Lance?"  
"Pidge, would it evolve?"  
"More than likely..."  
"Then what about the quintessence would that evolve too? I mean, could that solve Lotor's quintessence problem?"  
"We still haven't gained access to where ever the quintessence was tainted..."  
"Baby?"  
"Just think about it. If you take a herb on a planet where time moves differently and leave it. You could fill the whole planet in as little as varga depending on the time distortion. If we could somehow find a way for quintessence to multiply"  
"We could create unlimited quintessence. Lance, while that's a nice theory, quintessence doesn't work like that. As for the black goop, I don't think it would spread, but the threat of it evolving is high"  
Whining, Lance turned and sank down with his back against the back of Pidge's pilot chair  
"Lance?"  
"My head hurts from thinking"  
"You've given us a lot to think about"  
"I wish I hadn't. I'm starving"  
"I don't think I have any food in here"  
"How can you not have food?"  
"Because we haven't picked up the food yet"  
"Ugh. I'm hungry. We just went 5 quintants without food"  
"You did not just go 5 quintants without food, and you should have eaten before we left"  
"I did!"  
"Then you should have eaten more. Speaking of eating, did you two have sex in the kitchen?"  
"Pidge! How could you think we'd have sex in the kitchen?"  
"Because the kitchen smelt like sex"  
"I promise you we didn't violate Hunk's space like that"  
"Good. It was bad enough your nearly sent us all into ruts"  
Growling, Keith wanted to pull Lance away from Pidge. He didn't want to think about what nasty thoughts her second dynamic had, or any of them   
"Keith, stop making green smell bad. I was just saying..."  
"Pidge, it's ok. I know what you were saying, but I woke up that way and couldn't find my communicator"  
"I wonder how your heat would be affected... you could probably have a while brood of children in there, and come out to find only a few phoebes had passed out here"  
"I don't want to think about it. I might just nap off my hunger"  
"And leave me awake to listen to your snoring"  
"Yep, Keith, come curl up with me"  
"Just keep your hands to yourselves"  
"Don't worry Pidgy, I'm too tired to play"  
"Good. Keep it that way"  
"Although..."  
"I will seperate you two"  
Lance smiled as Keith laid down and placed his head in his lap, his omega's fingers immediately moving to stroke his hair softly   
"Love you Keith"  
"I love you too"

Keith hadn't meant to fall asleep, but still he found himself waking as Green touched down in the loading bay for the Space Mall. Opening his eyes to something flashing, Pidge grinned down at him from behind her camera  
"I couldn't help myself. You two look sickeningly sweet"  
"Blame Lance"  
"I do. He's changed you for the better"  
"Mmm. I had a pretty shitty childhood and for years Shiro was my saviour and only friend. I never thought I'd find someone I'd love, or could love, but Lance ruined that"  
"See. For the better"  
"Will you two stop talking about me"  
Lance's stomach let out a long and loud rumble, his husband groaning as it is did  
"I'm so hungry"  
"We heard. But if you want food, you've got to get up"  
"I'm too hungry to move"  
"Baby, it's ok. You just stay here"  
"Keith!"  
"He's sleepy and hungry, and he's just finished his heat. I'm sure we can handle it"  
"You're such a push over"  
"Only when it comes to me. I promise I'll help unload"  
"You better"  
Lance held his pinky out, which Pidge promptly linked and shook with her own  
"We'll be back soon"

Leaving with Pidge, they found the foreman of the floor. Keith stood behind her as the "muscle" while Pidge talked through the specifics of Coran's order and paid. Given how much Coran had actually ordered, the foreman was kind enough to lend them a hover trolley, which Keith didn't trust Pidge with   
"Pidge, hand over the trolley"  
"Why do you get to do have all the fun?"  
"Because we both know you'll want to ram this into anything you can"  
"It's only funny when Lance or Hunk are here to join in"  
"Are you saying I don't know how to have fun?"  
"Nooooo"  
"Hop on"  
"What?"  
"Hop on"  
Pidge's eyes widen as she rushed to climb up and sit atop the stacked boxes, throwing one arm out, she laughed   
"Onwards to victory!"  
"Yes ma'am!"  
Jogging through the loading dock, Pidge tried to keep her balance as Keith took the corners as tightly as he could. With Lance and Pidge so happy, it was hard not to be. 

Jerking to a stop in front of Green, Pidge went sprawling across the floor as she laughed  
"You need to work on your parking"  
"No. You need to work on your landings. That was terrible"  
"So we both have room to improve. Laaaance, your husband tried to kill me!"  
Emerging from Green's cargo hold as it opened, Lance shook his head  
"I was trying to sleep"  
"Keith tried to kill me"  
"I'm sure you deserved it"  
"That's not very nice"  
"Can we eat now?"  
"If you help me load up"

Dusting herself off as she stood, Pidge grabbed the first box from trolley   
"Lance, go sit back down. Pidge and I can handle this"  
"Keith, you're over reacting"  
"No he's not... Lance, your nose is bleeding"  
Raising his hand to his face, Lance wiped at his nose  
"Oh..."  
"Lance!"  
"Keith, it's just a blood nose. I'll be fine"  
"Lance..."  
"Pidge, please make sure Keith doesn't freak out over a blood nose. If you're still loading Green up when this stops, I'll help out"  
"It's fine. The deal was you help unpack anyway"  
"Damn it, you nearly tricked me into doing more work. Thanks a lot Pidge"  
"So close! Come on Keith, let's get this done"

 

*  
Fed and sleepy, Lance was sitting in Keith's lap while everyone else chatted back and forth about their upcoming adventure. Lotor was more than happy to personally escort them down to the school and give them a complete tour, while Krolia hadn't been impressed at all that they'd take a side tracked their supply run to drop by the school. He didn't know how she knew, only that she did. Maybe other Blade members had infiltrated the school and had messaged her? Whatever it was, he was way too tired to care  
"Lance, what do you think?"  
"Why are you even asking him, Allura? You know Lance is always up for adventures, and he's way too into Keith right now to be listening"  
"I'm not into Keith, I'm sleepy. When are we leaving?"  
"We can leave as soon as you would like. I have said before, I have nothing to hide and I would more than welcome your visit"  
"Even as soon as tomorrow?"  
"Yes. I will need to let them to know to expect our arrival, but I do believe this shall be enlightening to you all"  
"We'll need to let the Olkari know"  
"And the rest of the coalition..."  
"Allura, do you wish to accompany as I let the academy know of our intent to visit?"  
"Thank you Lotor, but perhaps things will be better left in your hands"  
Looking to Lotor, Lance didn't miss the way he was staring at Allura, and Allura had seemingly made her choice, as her hand was holding Shiro's. Smiling to himself, he lowered his face backdown to hide against Keith. So Shiro and Allura... Well that had happened... as happy as he was for them, knowing it would help Keith make up with Shiro made him feel even better... but better still, no more awkward moments between him and Shiro, and no more wondering if his love for Keith was hurting the alpha. God. Things were so good right now  
"What are you purring about?"  
"I didn't realise I was"  
"You are, and your scent smells so calm"  
"I'll tell you later..."  
"Ok, just don't forget we need to be up early"  
"Then we should go to bed now. Do you two need a hand?"  
"No, the boys are already sleeping in our bed, and I can carry Lance"  
"Then I'll just check in on them"  
"Mum..."  
"She's sleeping in the nursery anyway... just take me to bed already"  
"That's definitely our cue to leave. I hope you two aren't all gross like this tomorrow"  
"As if you're not going to be snuggling into Hunk"  
"At least I don't do it in public like you two"  
"Lance has had a rough few movements and we still haven't performed a scan to make sure he's healed completely"  
"Allura, leave it. If being slightly broken makes me feel this good, I'm all for it"  
"Yeah, he's fine the way he is"  
"Oi! You're supposed to say in perfect"  
"You are"  
"I'm what?"  
Keith grumbled, his husband hefting him up his lap so he could lift him better  
"Perfect. Now that you've gone and embarrassed me, we can leave, right?"  
"Mmm that's my cheesy husband. Right, we'll see you guys in the morning"  
"Good night Lance. Good night Keith"

Giving them a sleepy wave and a smile as Keith carried him from the room, Lance sighed once the door cut their friends from view   
"What is it?"  
"We have to go pick Toral up in the morning and get her on the ship before Lotor notices"  
"We could leave her here"  
"The Olkari have suffered her for long enough"  
"Is it safe to take her though. With Lotor hanging around?"  
"I think it's better she's with us, then here. Just in case someone finds out she's here... we still haven't talked to her"  
"What did you want to tell me?"  
"Huh?"  
"You said "I'll tell you later""  
"Oh. I'm so tired I don't even know him I'm still talking. Allura was holding Shiro's hand"  
"What?!"  
Wincing, Lance dug his heels into Keith's back  
"You don't need to be so loud"  
"Sorry. But what?"  
"Yep. I don't think we'll be having a Toral of our own any time soon"  
"Wow..."  
"I know. Can we go to bed now? I want to see the boys"  
"Of course we can. Just... Shiro and Allura?"  
"I can hear you thinking, but if they're happy, that's all that matters"  
"Are you ok with it?"  
"Why wouldn't I be?"  
"Because there was a time you liked Allura"  
"What's not to like? She's beautiful. She's crazy smart. She's funny and she can kick arse"  
"There's also Shiro. He had feelings for you, for so long. I understand if it hurts for him to..."  
"Keith. Stop it. Shiro is a big boy, and I am married to you. I love you. I have a family with you. Not with Shiro"  
"But if he and Allura were to have children, wouldn't it hurt?"  
Where was all this coming from? It sounded like Keith wanted Shiro to like him, and like his husband thought he was receptive to those feelings  
"Shiro got me pregnant. But that was alone time ago. If it happens, I'll be happy for them"  
That's what Keith needed to here, and he would be happy for them, but he also knew he'd struggle with it when the time came. Falling pregnant for the first time was something he wanted to experience with an alpha who truly loved him. Shiro had taken that from him and broken him in ways that still weren't completely fixed, but thinking about it wasn't going to change it. He had Keith. His alpha had stayed with him when he'd found out he was pregnant... hell, Keith had even found love in his heart for the two pups that hadn't even been his  
"If you need to talk about it, I won't get mad"  
"I know you wouldn't. I was just thinking how lucky I am to have you"  
"I'm the lucky one"  
"No. I am. Seriously. You have no idea how much I love you, or how much you mean to me. I'm so grateful to have you"


	96. Chapter 96

Toral had driven him crazy and it hasn't taken her long. The moment Lance saw her, he was annoyed... and then the girl went and opened her mouth and things went further down south. Looking to Keith, his husband just shrugged as the Olkari guard clicked Toral's cuffs into place  
"What are you doing?! Where are you taking me!?"  
"We have to go off world and you're coming with us"  
"I don't want to go"  
"Yeah yeah, I know. You're too busy planning Lotor's demise"  
"You have no idea how dangerous he is! He kills innocent people!"  
"Toral, I have more than an idea of what he's capable of doing, but right now, we need him"  
"Then you're going to end up dead! How can Allura ally herself with him?!"  
Struggling in the arms of the Olkari, the girl was kicking out in an attempt to kick everything  
"Toral, where you came from, did you guys ever open a rift?"  
"I don't know. Why don't you tell me!"  
"We did and we released something bad into this reality. Without Lotor's help right now, we can't fight back and we can't save people. I know you're angry, and I know you're confused, but do you know the saying "keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer"  
"What kind of rubbish it that? We should kill our enemies!"  
"Allura wouldn't want her daughter to be a murderer"  
"I can't let him live! You had no idea what I had to go through to set that trap, and your stupid friend ruined it!"  
"That stupid friend is Allura's boyfriend"  
The look on Toral's face was priceless, and she was temperarily rendered mute  
"That's right. In this reality, Allura doesn't get with Lotor, and you aren't born"  
"That doesn't matter. Lotor is bad and you're all still stupid"

The stupid conversation wouldn't leave Lance's brain. It played annoyingly and repeatedly on loop as they escorted her down to the prisoner pods. It wasn't a great solution, but it was the only one they had for now. Once Lotor had parted ways, the could pull her out again...his head throbbing at the thought of a free Toral. Watching her frozen form behind the glass, Lance once again felt bad for silencing her. She was just a kid who had no one to help and guide her.

 

*  
After an uneventful trip out to the Academy planet, Lance was ready to get down there and do some real snooping. Coran was staying behind with the boys, while Krolia would be returning to work after their tour of the campus. Shiro and Allura were both going to join one of her classes for the day, while Pidge and Hunk had begged to see the tech. The only ones who didn't know what to do with themselves was he and Keith. He knew Keith would love to spend the day training with his mum, but alpha wouldn't let him just wander the school alone, even though Lotor offered to give him a much more extended tour. Knowing the risks, Lance would have said yes purely for the information he could gather, but Keith had said no, and that was that.

Taking Lotor's ship, and one of the Altean ships from hangar, they descended to the planet with no worries, and it was a shock to his system to see how much had changed. The grassy green lawns around the campus were now filled with flowers, and the whole place seemed to sparkle like a long lost treasure washed clean. Even Coran with the case of the slipperies and a cloth couldn't have managed to get everything so perfect. Touching the craft down effortlessly, Keith narrowed his eyes with a growl   
"What is it? Do you sense something?"  
"No. It just annoys me how perfect this place is, when so many people are out there suffering"  
Oh...  
"Well, if we ever get around to killing Lotor off, we can totally kick all the Galra out and turn it over to the rebel forces"  
"Lance, you do remember that there are some Galra that wish for peace"  
"I know Krolia. It's just we never seem to find them when we need them"  
"We better move, the others are already climbing from Lotor's ship"  
"Lance, you've got your Bayard, right?"  
"No Keith I don't. I lost it somewhere between the tenth and the hundredth time you asked me"  
"I just don't want you getting into trouble"  
"Mum, please tell him I won't"  
"I could, but we both know you"  
"I feel so mocked and hurt right now"  
"No you don't"  
"No. Not really. I never did ask, but how was Toral this morning?"  
"A pain in the arse. I'm not even joking"  
"I wish I could have talked to her, I have ways to make her talk"  
"Mum. You can't just beat people we don't like up"  
"Why not?"  
"Because it's not nice"  
"Boo. Lance, you used to be fun"  
"I am fun! That's it. I want Hunk. He'd laugh"  
"Yes, but he'd be laughing at you, not with you"  
"Lance, I think you just got burnt by Krolia"  
"I think I did too"

Following Keith and Krolia out the ship, the cool crispness of the air filled his lungs as Lance took a deep breath. Scanning the surrounding area, there were way too many high open spaces for him to relax. If anyone here was against their alliance, the spot they were standing at would make an excellent place to shoot them down. It culprit could be far away before they could even react... the imaginary scenario sent a shiver down his spine, and his hand moved to his Bayard   
"Lance?"  
"Sorry. I was just caught up in my own thoughts. Let's join the others"  
With a fake smile, Lance moved past Krolia and Keith, jogging over to Hunk and Pidge as Lotor started explaining  
"My father was the one who founded this academy over three thousand years ago. For generations it sole purpose was to teach the Galra the ways of torture and bloodshed. Since my ascension to the throne, I have replaced the staff with those who have pledged their loyalty to me. I wish for our people to know more than just senseless violence"  
"I still can't believe you never told us about this place. It's massive"  
"I assure you it wasn't meant as deception on my part. I merely have so many sectors to govern, that I overlooked this one project of mine. Shall we begin the tour?"  
"Yes. I must admit that I am very interested in the history and culture of your people"  
"It was once much richer than it is now, though I hope to change that. As one of the few to have lived as long as I have, there is much younger Galra have forgotten"  
Sweeping ahead of them, Lotor guided them to main campus building. Stepping inside, Lance's stomach turned as a kaleidoscope of scents assaulted his nose. Did these people not know how to take a bath? Swallowing down his rising nausea, Lance kept his mouth firmly shut, but also eyed places he could potentially throw up in if he needed. There were several sad looking plants in the reception, all of which looked one strong wind away from crumbling to dust, and all of which had large pots... ok. So if he was going to vomit, aim for the plants  
"As I haven't been in power for long, you will find the hallways rather sparse as I have had all previous spoils of war removed"  
"Like gold?"  
"Not quite"  
Hunk deflated slightly   
"You're not going to say severed heads, are you?"  
"There's no need to repeat what you have already said"  
Who keeps served heads around?! Ugh. That was revolting. Nope. He couldn't even think about them without imagining rot and maggots. Gagging, he half turned and coughed weakly as he tried to hide it  
"Lance?"  
"Sorry. Ignore me. You were saying something about the new curriculum?"  
"Yes. In addition to the combat classes taught by Krolia, we have all manner of subjects. Art, music, history, religion... the important ones"  
Lotor beamed at Allura, and Allura's face reddened as she quickly looked to Shiro   
"We also have two wings devoted purely to science, and testing of quintessence, as well as the black entity that came through the rift"  
"You what?! You captured some? How? What's it like? What are you using to examine it?"  
"Pidge, calm down"  
"I believe I already gave you permission to examine the laboratories. For now, why don't I continue"

Lance had never been great at school. He was too much of a dreamer for that, and he was too busy keeping his omega side hidden, while trying desperately to make everyone around him happy. It'd been suffocating. Having to lie. Having to hide. Having to be someone he really wasn't. He'd gotten so caught in his own lies that he'd lost sight of who he was and who he wanted to be. Half listening, the tour came to an end before he was ready, and he found himself back outside with just Keith and Lotor for company  
"Now, as I was saying. I must insist you stay away from any locked doors. Not all Galra have accepted humans as allies, though they are trying. We can't push aside millennia of warring in a blink of an eye"  
"Got it. Keith, what do you want to do?"  
"I was thinking we could spend some time out here, before joining Shiro and Allura"  
"Alright. This is where I leave you. I will be in the main administration building if you need me"  
"Thanks Lotor"  
Walking away as if he had no cares, Lance sank down to the grass  
"Baby, what's wrong? You're pale?"  
"Just the smell of so many Galra. It's fine though. But I might have missed the others leaving"  
"I noticed. Let's wait a little while and then we'll go check that building out"  
"Is that wise?"  
"We can say we got lost. Lotor didn't mention it, or go near it"  
"Alright. I don't think I want to go back into the main building anyway. Did you notice his three goons were in there?"  
"Which three?"  
"The three we had prisoner for a bit. They were huddled together over a table, but the moment they saw me, they pulled the blinds down"  
"I didn't notice at all. I was too busy wondering if you were about to pass out"  
"It felt like it. This is nice though. Is Lotor gone?"  
"He's already inside again"  
"Then we should go now. It means more time poking around, though I'm not getting the same feeling I did before"  
"Do you think it was because of the quintessence?"  
"Maybe, but I have no intention of going near the stuff"  
"Good. Let's keep it that way. No matter what happens, I want you to avoid it, even if I was to be hurt"  
"I couldn't do that"  
"I don't want you getting hurt"  
"I mean, I don't think I could physically do it. I would leap in before I even realised"  
"We'll try to realise in time"  
"I don't know if my brain is wired that way. Help me back up"  
Taking his hand, Keith pulled him up. They'd both agreed to play it professional, and not give away their relationship to so many foreign Galra. Still, he had to force himself to walk forward, away from Keith, before he kissed him.

 

*  
Keith stared at the imposingly purple building  
"How are we supposed to get in?"  
"I have no idea"  
"I could just cut our way in"  
"We can't say we got lost if you do that"  
"Fine, we'll say I tripped and just happened to accidentally cut a perfectly sized hole in which we fell through"  
"Let's save that as the back up plan. There has to be a switch or something around here. It can't just not open"  
"Maybe it's a Galra thing? Try putting your hand on the wall?"  
Keith was highly doubtful, so made a show of doing what Lance suggested. After a small jolt, the whole side of the building seemed to glow, before dropping away and revealing what Keith was sure was the building real facade, complete with door. Elbowing him in the ribs, Lance gave him a cocky grin   
"Seeeee. You should listen to me more often"  
"If I did that, I'd never have a moments peace"  
Lance's smile didn't falter, instead he hummed   
"That can be arranged. In fact, I know two little boys who would happily annoy you"  
"Our sons aren't annoying"  
"Oh really? Then I should leave you alone with them the next time they decide to scream for quintants on end"  
"No... but I still love them too much to find them annoying"  
"They love you too. I think they'd love more daddy time"  
"I'd love more daddy time. We should find somewhere like this, where we can be for movements at a time, with it only being vargas out there"  
"I get the feeling if we did that, we'd end up spending most of our time in bed, and nothing would ever get done"  
"There's other things to life, it not just for sleeping"  
"Blasphemy!"  
"I'll give you blasphemy. Now, are you ready?"  
"What? Scared a big bad Galra is going to jump out and attack us?"  
"Lance..."  
"I'm kidding. Sheesh, yes, Bayard is ready. I'm ready. You're just taking forever"  
He couldn't help himself. He didn't want his omega getting hurt, or in this case, a fellow Paladin being hurt. 

Plunging into the building, it was a whole lot of darkness, with a whole lot of shimmering blues and purples around the edging. It might have been expansive on the outside, but inside it seemed impossibly bigger. Allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he frowned at the neat lines of something, and the long tarps separating the first floor into two "rooms"  
"Well. They're taste in decor is just as horrible on the inside as it was on outside. Seriously, you can't just throw in that drab olive green with all these fluros"  
"Really, the problem you have with this place is the decorating?"  
"Yep. And about a hundred other things. There was something definitely in here, and I can still feel traces of it, but... I don't know"  
"What kind of something?"  
"The kind of something that isn't here now. Where are the lights around here?"  
"You're our sharpshooter. Shouldn't you be able to see well enough?"  
"Hey! Don't mock my skill. It's the only one I've got!"  
"I don't know about that. You excel at being loud"  
"And you excel at being a jerk. You go left, and I'll take right"  
Moving away from the door, it slid silently into place, cutting off the only real light and their connection to the outside world as the only blackness bathed Keith with the feeling of unease. Pulling his own Bayard out, he began his search, while keeping his ears pricked for the sound of Lance's steps.

Beds. Row after row were beds, though Keith could tell they weren't the kind for sleeping in. Scrapping across the floor suggested something else had been happening here, a something that had been dealt with rather recently. Lotor was most definitely up to something, or perhaps those he trusted had plans of their own  
"Keith!"  
"Lance?! What's wrong?"  
"Nothing. I just got a little freaked from the silence"  
Keith took a deep breath, which he released shakily. Lance had just taken deca-phoebes off his life, his heart was racing so fast that he could hear his own pulse   
"I'm still here!"  
"Good! There's another room here, I'm going to take a look!"  
"Ok! Be careful!"  
"Always!"  
Resuming his search, Keith found himself growing frustrated at the whole nothingness of the space. Being slow and cautious wasn't getting any results, so he made his way to the stairs leading up to the glowing lights off the first level. Taking them two at a time, he rounded the handrail and walked straight over to the nearest glowing thing, placing his hand on it. Funny. He was sure it'd be warm, the space around the edges of the building felt warmer than the rest, but whatever was beneath his hands was cold. Rubbing at the surface, he realised it was glass, and more importantly a dusty pod  
"Lance?!"  
Rubbing harder at the glass, it cleared enough for him to peak inside. Instead of finding a person, or an alien, or even some kind of animal inside of it, he found himself looking at swirling purple quintessence. Why would they be sealing quintessence in pods? And why was it able to continue moving when it should be frozen in statis? Not getting a reply from Lance, he scolded himself for being so jumpy. Lance had said there was another room, so he probably just couldn't hear him. His husband was strong, and knew how to handle himself, so he'd have to just deal with the concern his alpha was flooding his brain with, and continue his mission.

Having dusted off half a dozen random pods and found them all containing tainted quintessence, Keith worked his way up and around the boardwalks of each level. There didn't seem to be any kind of control mechanisms, and unlike the first floor, there were no signs that anyone had been up on the upper levels for quite sometime. Mentally shelving anything he'd seen, the alpha began making his way down towards where he'd last seen Lance.

On the other side of the curtained area was two small curtained off "rooms", a room which seemed to be storage, and long passage disappearing down into depths  
"Lance?!"  
"Down here!"  
"Down the stairs?"  
"Dah! There's something down here!"  
"Don't touch it!"  
"I'm not going to"  
That was a first. Heading down the stairs, Keith was grateful the flickering yellow lights built into what seemed to system of tunnels  
"What is this place?"  
"I don't know. What do we do?"  
"We can't risk searching the tunnels without the plans, it'll be too easy to get lost"  
"We can't turn back without anything"  
"Maybe if we can find some kind of control room, or something with a terminal?"  
"Ok. I'll take left, you take right"  
"No. We'll stay together. I don't like this place"  
"Keith, you're over reacting"  
"No, you're not being cautious enough"  
Lance rolled his eyes, before perking back up  
"How about this. We go down the left tunnel, and if we don't find anything, we go down the right one"  
"That's hardly a plan"  
"It's the best once we've got. What do you propose?"  
"We have Pidge hack the academy archives"  
"That will work... I just don't like leaving here empty handed"  
"It won't be empty handed"  
"It is when we come back with no information"  
"I saw pods filled with tainted quintessence"  
"You did?"  
"Yeah. That's what's stored along the walls. And there were scrape marks near the beds"  
"Quiznak. If we'd brought a camera, we could watch the feed"  
"Again. We'll ask Pidge about hacking the system. For now, we pull back"  
"Fiiiiine. God. Is it bad I miss the days where we actually got to pew-pew and ka-pow!"   
"It's been exciting enough of late"  
"You know what I mean. We still need to talk to Toral and there's that black goop... and why are you gripping my arm?"  
At some point he'd just started wandering down the tunnel, and being the alpha he was, Keith had trailed after him. Squinting into the trailing darkness, Lance had no idea why Keith had stopped them, it wasn't like there was anything wrong   
"What is it?"  
"There's a door"  
"I don't see one"  
Sighing, Keith raised his hand to the top of Lance's head and turned it to so he was looking at the door... which was right next to him. It was so seamless, he had no idea how his mate had seen it  
"Oh. Dibs opening it!"  
"Lance!"  
"What? You back me up"  
"I'll open the door, you wait here"  
Lance huffed as Keith moved past him. Feeling around the edge of the doorframe, Keith found the switch. And with a heavy groan and scrape it slowly swung inwards   
"Alright. Go Keith!"  
Activating his Bayard again, Keith ducked into the room, before letting out growl and physically jumping back  
"Keith?"  
"We need to go"  
"What? Why?"  
Ducking under Keith's arm, Lance emerged in the room. One side had a bed with thick tubes leading from it, and back to a storage container. That bit was fine. It was the Galra strapped to the bed that was the problem. The guy was huge! Like if Shiro had doubled in everything, including height. Making the mistake of taking a deep breath, Lance gagged. He knew what scent too well. Decomposing flesh  
"Oh god. That's..."  
Grabbing him by the collar, Keith pulled him back  
"Wait. We need to see why he died, and what he's connected to"  
"You can't be serious"  
"We came all this way. We need to know if it's connected to the quintessence"  
"Fine. Wait here"  
It wasn't like Lance wanted to go back into the room, but he sure as hell wasn't letting Keith go alone. Keeping his steps light and a hand over his face, he moved to eye the opposite side of the room  
"There's a panel here. Pidge should be able to hack it"  
"Ugh. No offence, but I don't know if I want Pidge around a dead body"  
"He's dead. He won't mind. His stomachs been torn open, and all his organs look like they're mummified"  
"So he's been here a while?"  
"Long enough to dry out"  
"He still smells fresh. God. I hate this smell. Do you think Lotor knows he's here?"  
"Of course he does. I just wish we did"  
Swallowing down the bile burning his throat, Lance moved to look at the container the tube was connected to. Covered by a thin layer of dust, it was hard to see, but raising his communicator to the glass, he jumped back as something small and angry launched itself at the light. Yelping involuntary, he almost burst out laughing in a nervous kind of relief straight after   
"What? What's wrong?"  
"There's black goop in there. I think we jinxed ourselves"  
"Lotor mentioned they were studying it... so now we have a dead Galra, black goop, and tainted quintessence"  
"Suddenly this building has lost all appeal"  
"For now we'll pull back. Tonight, Pidge can come down in Green. We'll bring the team with us and get some answers"  
"We can't bring the whole team. We won't fit, and we'll draw too much attention. Also, there's Lotor. He's probably going to come back to the castle tonight to ask us how we all enjoyed his academy. No. We should only send a couple of us"  
"Then who?"  
"Hunk and Pidge?"  
"You want Hunk to see this?"  
"Well, he and Pidge are the science and engineer people. They'd have the best understanding of what's going on here"  
"We can't send them on their own"  
"Then I can go?"  
"I'll go. You can stay home with the boys tonight"  
"Um, I'm the sharp shooter. I can tell them how to get here. And then set myself up to snipe anyone who comes near them"  
"No. I'll go with Pidge. That means only two of us will go. I can activate anything Galra that we need to, and protect her while she hacks into to the system"  
"And who's going to protect you"  
"Lance..."  
"I'm serious. Time moves differently here. It might only be a few doboshes out there, but it's vargas here. If you call for help, we won't arrive for vargas! Vargas! I'm not prepared to risk you or Pidge like that"  
"Baby, we'll be fine"  
"I don't like it"  
"You don't always have to like the plan, you just need to have faith in us"  
"I do. It's everyone else I don't have faith in"  
"Pidge and I'll be fine. Besides, we need to all talk this over"  
"Fine"  
He knew he was just being huffy, but he'd only just got his family back, and he didn't want Pidge or Keith in danger. Which was completely irrational considering their job  
"Baby. I'll be safe and so will she"  
"I know"

 

*  
Having passed off a very unhappy Kelance to Pidge, Keith was holding Laneith, as the two screamed their unhappiness. As they'd expected, Lotor wanted to know all their thoughts and suggestions on how they could improve the academy, which lead to Pidge waffling on about alternative ways to use technology. Silently Lance was watching the whole thing unfold. The boys hadn't had their afternoon nap, instead they'd serenaded Coran with their cries, not calming even when he told them his best stories. With two cranky babies, it had solved their issue of "how were they going to sneak off the castle without Lotor noticing", the Galra was no longer hiding his annoyance at the boys persistent screams. Nudging Keith's side, Keith cleared his throat  
"I might take the boys for a ride in Black and see if I get them to settle. Pidge, do you want to come?"  
"Don't you usually go with Lance?"  
"I'm on night duty. Keith gets to sleep while I stay with the boys. Besides, Kelance has a firm hold on you"  
Kelance's small hand was clutching Pidge's jacket it like it was a life line  
"He's got good taste... and I wouldn't say no to a baby"  
"Do you two want some help?"  
"Nah Hunk, why don't you spend some time with Lance? Pidge and I shouldn't be out too long"  
"I've always wanted to explore Black more thoroughly"  
"You do realise you have to hold the baby"  
"I can do both, besides, I'm sure he's just as curious"  
Leaning back, Lance faked a yawn behind his hand as he nodded  
"Just don't hurt my babies. I want all three of them back"  
Pidge snorted  
"Here that Keith, he thinks you're a baby"  
"He might have been talking about how tiny you are"  
"You'll never know. Just be careful"  
"We will"

Moving so they could leave, Lotor let out a sigh as they did  
"I have no idea how you manage to be both a Paladin and a parent"  
"It helps we have a whole team of babysitters. What's the bet Pidge talks Keith into taking Green instead"  
"I don't know. She was pretty excited about poking around in Black"  
"Which Keith won't let happen if she's holding Kelance, just on the off chance she accidentally does something"  
Hunk hummed  
"Yeah. You're right. This ones easy, she'll talk him into taking Green. You guys never said what you got up to this afternoon"  
"We napped. The grass there is so soft"  
Allura giggled  
"We went all the way down there, and you napped?"  
"Yep. Sorry Lotor. The campus looks amazing, but the grass..."  
Lotor gave a half smile  
"I suppose it is an excellent way to pass an afternoon"  
"It was. I still can't get over how big that campus is"  
"Yes, for a man who never put much faith in the next generation, he established quite the establishment. Thousands of Galra have passed through those halls"  
"And many more in the years to come. I was amazed by your training hall. It's almost as advanced as the castles"  
"Yes, well, the school was designed for military training"  
"Did you attend?"  
"Me? No. I was already exiled by then. Considered an abomination by Zarkon, funnily enough"  
"You know you're nothing like your parents. You cannot allow them to define the life you live and the legacy you leave behind"  
"Allura, do you truly believe someone like me is capable of earning redemption?"  
"I believe you're truly trying to change the future for all, the school is an excellent example of that"  
"The peace we dream of, everyone deserves to learn and understand there is more to life than just and unquenchable blood thirst"  
It was a shame that Lance already knew it would and could only ever end in bloodshed. It was something they all knew and felt, something they all tried to deny. After all, all it took was one decision to change a life. For his sake and for Allura's, Lance prayed that one day they make that decision and things wouldn't have to end with more bloodshed  
"We all pray so too. I know Pidge thoroughly enjoyed her visit today. There are so many things she'd love to discuss with you"  
Lotor coughed  
"I'm sure that could be arranged"  
The opening was there, how could Lance not take it  
"What else happens there? I mean, you said you had two science wings... were they there before? Or are they new? You said something about quintessence and black goop research, so that means they're new, right?"  
"Lance, you're being rude"  
"I'm just curious. I didn't mean to be rude"  
"Shiro, I assure you it's quite alright. The school was where some of the more unusual experiments used to take place on fallen champions. None of the a success"  
Even with the implications of his words being so heavy, Lotor barely looked fazed. If Shiro had failed... no... no he did not want to think about that. Things were on track. Shiro had finally gotten over whatever feelings he'd had for him, and things between him and Keith had never been better. Crossing his arms, he uncrossed them almost immediately as he shook his head   
"A head's up would have been nice"  
"Lance!"  
"Shiro, I'm just saying. I busted my arse to save you all, I don't need some cyborg showing up and undoing my hard work"  
"We all know how hard you worked, and we are all grateful for it, but I don't think Lotor would have let us wander around the school if he didn't think it safe"  
"Ugh. No one can take a joke. I might just head down to the nursery and clean up before Keith comes back. Rain check on hanging out?"  
"Uh. Sure, bud"  
Hunk looked startled and little confused. Hopefully he wouldn't be mad when Pidge and Keith came back   
"Thanks Hunk. Thanks for dinner, as always, it was excellent. Lotor, thanks for the tour. I'll see you all in the morning"  
"Goodnight Lance"  
"Night guys!"

Lance knew his abrupt exit would raise later questions, but he had more important things to deal with, and was itching to know what was going on with Keith and Pidge. It didn't help that Shiro had somehow fallen back into big brother mode and insisted on pointing out how loud and blunt he was being. Calling through to Keith as he jogged down towards the nursery, his husband answered immediately   
"What's going on? Have you guys left yet?"  
"You couldn't have told me earlier?!"  
"Hi Pidge! Nope. Where are the boys?"  
"In the nursery. I explained to Pidge what was going on as we headed down"  
"Sweet. I'm heading down there now"  
"Dude, we're already in the tunnels. How slow can you be?"  
"Time moves differently there. It's not my fault and I had to get out of there without raising suspicion. You guys took Green right?"  
"Of course we did"  
"Just making sure. I wish I was down there with you"  
"Lance, we'll be fine. I've got this"  
"I know you do Pidge. I'm worried about Keith not behaving himself"  
"That's nice. We'll be back as soon as Pidge is done, and we'll come meet you in the nursery"  
"Sounds good. Stay safe. Love you"  
"Aw! I love you too Lance!"  
"Love you Pidge! See you soon!"

For Lance he'd barely stepped out the shower before Keith and Pidge were back. Pidge was frowning deeply, and Keith looked annoyed  
"That was fast"  
"This is so weird. We were gone for vargas. I pulled as much as I could about everything"  
Dressed in just his towel and Lance climbed into bed, using the blankets to cover himself  
"So. Did you explore? Did you find anything else? Did they notice we'd been there before?"  
"No. Not that I know of. There were no new smells, and everything was how we left it"  
"So what do you think Pidge?"  
"From just looking at the set up, I would say they were trying to find a way to extract the goop from him"  
"But the goop hasn't been around that long..."  
"Lance, it's been over 6 phoebes. And deca-phoebes down there"  
"See this is what space does to you. I lures you in and then pounces. So he's been down there since Lotor came into power?"  
"I would say so. My theory is that they were trying different methods of extraction, and that's why there are is so much tainted quintessence stored there"  
"But the goop loves quintessence"  
"It loves the pure quintessence. Just like you can't handle the tainted quintessence, it doesn't seem to be able to handle the tainted stuff"  
"Do you guys remember when things were easy? When we just had to shoot things? I miss those days"  
"It's not like it's all bad"  
"It's not, it was just easier. Pidge, how long will it take to comb through all the stuff you lifted"  
"I can't say for sure. Their organisation skills leave much to be desired"  
"Could we send Green down?"  
"What do you mean send Green?"  
"If we positioned Green inside the planets atmosphere, she'll experience accelerated time, while it'll only be a few vargas here"  
"You can't do that to Green! She might not look it, but she gets lonely easily"  
"Sorry Pidge. I know what you mean. Red doesn't like to admit it, but it's the same with her. I just want things to move along. I hate being forced to wait"  
"Patience..."  
"Don't even try pulling a Shiro right now"  
"I was going to say that patience has never been one of your strong suits"  
"I can't help it. When nothing's happening all I want is for something to, and when it does, all I want is for things to slow down so I have a chance to catch up"  
"If you're that bored, you can go wake Toral"  
"No thanks, but I have been thinking about her. I think we should try talking with her again..."  
"Do you think she'll listen to us?"  
"I think she doesn't really mean us any harm, and despite how she's acting, I think she just needs someone to really listen to her"  
"Let's just see what Pidge can uncover. I know you wanted to talk to Lotor about the school tech, but I think we should leave. We saw the school, and we got the files from it. If we stay any longer we might be interrupting the mission given to the Blade of Marmora members"  
"Your probably right. I filmed what I could in their labs, so Hunk and I will be able to analyse that"  
"You should ask Coran to help you"  
Both alphas rose their eyebrows at him in just about perfect synchronisation   
"We all play out parts and he helps out when he can, but sometimes we disclude him, even without meaning to. I think it'd mean a lot to him"  
"You're right. Hunk and do a lot of diagnostic work and half the time we don't think to tell him about it. I'll talk to him in the morning about it. For now, I'm going to bed"  
"Sounds good. Night, Pidge"  
"I'll see you two later"

When Pidge left, Keith slowly started undressing while Lance stripped the towel off under the blankets. Eyeing Keith's moving muscles and taught skin, Lance felt himself slicking despite really not being in the mood  
"Enjoying yourself?"  
"Enjoying the view. That's for sure. Did everything really go that smoothly?"  
"It sure did. I don't like it though. It felt too easy"  
"Hmmm. All we can do is wait. Go take a shower, we'll just sleep in here tonight"  
"Alright baby. I won't be too long"  
"Mmm'kay. I'll be here waiting"  
Dropping a kiss to his forehead, Keith gave him a soft smile before heading into the bathroom. Lotor and Toral could wait until tomorrow.


	97. Chapter 97

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still can't edit my chapters. Many apologies, but as soon as I can, I will

With Lotor absent from breakfast, it gave the team a chance to talk everything through. Armed with her data slate and a thin smile, Pidge went about pulling up information, while Keith was left to explain their little side trip... the first... and then the second and third. Allura and Shiro both looked tired of their antics, but what's done was done, and now they could only hope they had found something to make all their time and effort worth it. Downing her juice, Pidge cleared her throat  
"Lotor isn't coming in any time soon is he?"  
"No. He gives his apologies, but he was called away last night"  
"Oh thank Quiznak. That means we can leave too, doesn't it?"  
"Lance, I'm trying to explain here"  
"Sorry Pidge. I just want to get away from here. Please go on"  
"I left the files sorting last night, and when I woke up this morning they were done. As we were expecting, they had been trying to extract the goop from Galra"  
"Why not just tell us?"  
"Because of their methods. There were huge pods of tainted quintessence, which I thought may have been left behind from when Zarkon controlled the school. But that's not the case"  
"Not the case?"  
Shiro drew his brow  
"Mhmm. We all knew there had to be somewhere they were creating Druids, and it seems initial trials were conducted there. They had their pick of suitable candidates, they had a whole school of them. There, they could not only create Druids, but they could create Champions, and experiment with turning falling Champions into Druids"  
Keith growled in disgust. If Shiro had failed in the ring, was it possible...  
"Keith, calm down. Shiro's fine"  
Looking down to his hands, he realised he'd snapped the fork he was holding in half  
"Sorry..."  
"It's ok. He's your brother, and he knows you care. Go on Pidge"  
Scowling at Lance, he let his mate pull him into his arms and nuzzle his hair  
"Now. Moving on. That Galra wasn't a champion, but he was one of the first infected. They tried to flush the goop from his system with tainted quintessence, attempting to prevent his death by turning him into a Druid. Ultimately the project was abandoned. The quintessence lead to madness and accelerated the organ liquefaction"  
"That's just gross. And wrong"  
"Do we know for sure Lotor knew what was happening?"  
"No. His name isn't mentioned, but given they have a huge gold statue of him, I would say he had to have some idea"  
"Pidge, what about the school?"  
"Right. So. Coran, I was hoping you can help me, and maybe you too Shiro. I filmed what I could, but I'm seeing it purely with a Galra explanation. I don't know if Altea had similar technology, and when it comes Altean technology, you're the go to man"  
Coran beamed. His moustache seemed to glint and his whole aura just lifted. Asking him had definitely been the right idea  
"I vow to be all the help I can be young Paladin"  
"Great. Now. Allura, what do you think? Should we stay?"  
Allura looked all of them, he could feel how tense Lance had become against him, his mate was practically screaming no  
"I think we should go. Should we take a vote?"  
"I must admit I was rather hoping to explore the academy further, but given Pidge has downloaded so much data, we should withdraw for now. Being out commission for so long, we need to make a show of our renewed vigour"  
"Aw yes! Voltron is back baby!"  
"Lance! Don't yell in my ear!"  
"Sorry. I am just so pumped about forming Voltron again! And I totally know the perfect place!"  
"You know the perfect place?"  
"Yep. While you were all out of it, I had to step up and I did this school opening. The kids went crazy for Red. I know they're just kids, but they were so happy and hopeful. If we show them Voltron, or even all the lions, they'll love it"  
"You want us to perform for kids?"  
"It's important to show the next generation who we are and that we care about them, no matter how young they are"  
"You're really excited about this, aren't you?"  
Lance nodded, hugging Keith tight  
"I am! I'm always up for razzle-dazzle!"  
"Lance, how far away is this planet?"  
"From where we are, 8 quintants without a wormhole. I'd say like 2 if we jump twice. But it'll be worth it. It's a school mostly for orphans, but they've built a whole community around it, and no one cares what you look like. It's really cool there. Not like Lotor's school"  
Keith hummed, he could tell how excited Lance was over this, his scent like that of a spring day was fast filling the dining room  
"Did you tell me about this?"  
"You were sick, and it was a long day. I mean, the kids loved Red, but the whole team. I think it would be great, and for the future. The kids suffer so much, and more and more orphans are coming in as planets are freed from the Galra"  
"Lance, you don't need to convince us. We can all see just how passionate you are over this"  
"Sorry. I can even smell myself. A gentle mission is a great way to get back out there. If we take it slow, we can work on finding out our new limits. You guys missed so much training, and you'll need to build your stamina up again"  
"Look at him. He plays leader and it goes right to his head"  
"Leave him alone Shiro. Lance, do they have any cool tech?"  
"Pidge, they're poor refugees, so that would be a no. But I think you'll be able to help them, you and Hunk. They're doing what they can, how they can. And Coran! I was telling the kids all about you, they're going to love your stories. And about how beautiful you are Allura"  
Allura blushed lightly   
"What did you say about Shiro?"  
"That he's like the big brother or the dad. He's really big, but he's not as scary as he looks"  
"Thanks... I think"  
"Well I couldn't disappoint the kids"  
"Lance, I'm really proud of you my boy. You've come so far, and you've grown so much"  
"I wouldn't say that. I mean, I'm taller and I don't fit into half my old clothes anymore..."  
"Lance, you know what he means"  
"I know, but it's too early to be his emotional"  
Hiding his face against Keith's neck, the alpha could feel the heat coming off it   
"Coran, I think you've embarrassed him"  
"Shut up"  
"Look at him, he's hiding against Keith"  
"Leave him alone"  
Mumbling against his neck, only Keith heard his words  
"Why do I love them?"  
"I have no idea. What to do you want to do?"  
"Go back to bed and wake up when they're not picking on me"  
"You can't go back to bed"  
"Oh... maybe I can go talk to Toral?"  
"You want to do that now?"  
"At least she picks on me because she doesn't like me"  
Keith groaned  
"You're a brat"  
"I am"  
"Might I suggest we start with basic training"  
"You might suggest it, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen"  
Snorting, Shiro narrowed his eyes at him  
"Care to share?"  
"Lance said he'd love to"  
"I'm sure he did. Coran, would you mind pulling up the coordinates to the planet Lance mentioned? If it's an 8 quintant trip, it's better we leave sooner rather than later"

 

*  
By quintant 3, Lance was bored. He got to skip training, well, the stuff built at slowly raising everyone's stamina thanks to the fact he didn't really get to stop, and his morning's were blissful, but the in between bits... ugh. Pidge, Hunk and Coran were pouring over the academy data. Keith had finally manned up and talked to Shiro, and they'd spent the last two days trying to find a way to move on past everything, and Allura was off being diplomatic and the twins were happy enough practicing how to walk, and playing with their toys. This is what lead him down to Toral. They hadn't talked about her since mentioning it at breakfast, but being Lance, he couldn't let it go.

Trying to ooze charm and poise, and anything else that made him seem bigger and braver than he was, Lance headed down to the pod room alone. He'd hidden Toral's tech in Keith's desk because his husband never checked there, and because he was waiting for the right time to pass it over to Pidge. Now however, it was hidden in his jacket pockets, though he couldn't exactly hide her bow with the rest of her stuff, so that was under the mattress in the nursery. His plan was to use the girl's tech as a bargaining tool to get her to talk... a plan he was actually ok with. He had his Bayard, and he knew the castle better than she did. All it would take was one call, and backup would arrive in no time. God. He needed to stop being such a chicken.

Having walked through the lines of pods, he found Toral sleeping peacefully. Her white hair shimmered blue in the light, giving her the appearance of some holy being  
"Ok. You can do this. She's still handcuffed. She's just a kid..."  
Placing his hand down on the pod, he moved to automatically catch Toral as she sucked in a huge and unladylike breath   
"Toral. It's Lance. It's ok. You're safe now"  
"Get off me!"  
Rolling his eyes, Lance let go of Toral, the girl falling to the floor in a heap  
"What did you do that for?!"  
"You told me to let you go"  
"What are you even here for?!"  
"To talk to you. It wasn't safe before, but down here it's just you and me"  
Looking up at him, Toral glared  
"You drugged me!"  
"It was for your own safety. Look. Lotor was poking around and I didn't want you getting hurt"  
"Lotor! Why didn't you... How could you?!"  
"Toral. I've been thinking about this for quintants, and I would like to talk to you. Ok. That's all"  
"I don't want to talk to you"  
"Oh, you want me to hand you over to Lotor then"  
"You wouldn't!"  
"No. I wouldn't. He would kill you without even batting man eyelid. I know you think we're all on his side, but I promise you we aren't"  
"Liar! Your friend was with him!"  
"Toral, I promise I am not on Lotor's side. I know how horrible he can be"  
"How can you?! Anyone can tell you're happy and loved, I doubt a single bad thing has ever happened in your life"  
Lance couldn't help it. A crazy laughter bubbled out his mouth, and he clutched his stomach as he tried to calm back down   
"What's wrong with you?!"  
"You're hilarious. Toral. You have no idea what's happened to me"  
"Did your dad try to kill you and your mum? Did you wake up with your whole world destroyed?! And you in a whole other universe? Don't talk to me about what happened to you, not when you don't understand"  
Tears filled the bold girls eyes, tugging on Lance's heart and motherly instincts  
"Toral. No. My parents love each other, and my home was never destroyed. Instead I found myself out here, fighting a war I knew nothing about"  
"It hardly compares. I bet you really do just want to hand me over"  
"Lotor is no friend of mine. But at the moment, we don't have the luxury or resources to move against him"  
"Then you're with him"  
"Toral you know nothing about my life. Now get up off the floor. It's not fitting for a princess to sit and cry"  
"You... you believe me?"  
"I believe you. I've seen a lot of weird things out here, and even if your dad's a bad guy, you're not him"  
Sniffling, Toral nodded. Reaching his hand out, the girl took it allowing herself to be pulled up  
"What did Lotor do to you? It couldn't be that bad if you can still smile"  
"I can only smile because of my family. Lotor... Lotor tried to destroy me, but my husband saved me"  
"He tried to destroy you? I don't believe you"  
Lance took a deep breath, trying to calm himself   
"Lotor did something unforgivable to me. He hurt me in ways that I didn't even have control over. I couldn't fight. I couldn't say no. I had no control over my body and I didn't even know what was reality and what was nightmares"  
"But you still talk to him. You let him near you! Stop lying to me! You sheltered people are all the same!"  
Snapping, Lance grabbed Toral by the wrist pulling her along as he marched through the halls until he finally found the room he was looking for. The more Toral scratched at his hand, the tighter his hold began. Once the door opened, he yanked the girl inside  
"See that pod, that pod right there, it housed my children before they were destroyed. And over there, you can still see the bloodstains from where I had to give birth alone. I nearly died. My children nearly died. So don't tell me I'm sheltered. I have been violated in every conceivable meaning of the word. I have been raped and tortured. I've tried to kill myself and I've only gotten this far because of my husband. The husband you nearly killed. So I know what it's like to be hurt. I know what it's like to be alone. I know what it's like to suffer, and if I can stop even just one person from feeling what I have, I'll do absolutely everything in my power to. So don't think I don't understand. Don't think I don't know what real pain is!"  
Sucking a breath into his tight burning chest, he forced himself to release Toral's wrist. He'd said too much, and he couldn't take it back. Staring at Toral, the girl slowly looked down  
"I didn't know"  
"I know you didn't. Now you do"  
"Was it Lotor?"  
"It wasn't just Lotor. But unlike Lotor, the first time the person wasn't in control of his body and he didn't know what he was doing. By the time Lotor got his hands on me, it was too late. I was already pregnant with the boys"  
Toral started to sob, her slim frame shaking visibly as she did. Lance's anger faded in a flash, he moved to wrap his arms around her, while hushing her softly  
"You're not alone anymore, and Lotor will pay for everything he's done. I know you're scared and I know you think you're alone, but you're not. Not anymore"  
"I don't know what to do!"  
Wailing against him, her hands clutched his jacket  
"I know you don't, but we'll work this out together. I promise you're not alone anymore"  
"I hate him! I hate him so much"  
"So do I. Everything about him disgusts me, but we can't move against him without risking bringing this kind of pain to so many people"  
Lance held the sobbing teen until she finally calmed, the girl pushing back from him as she wiped at her face   
"What do I do? Everyone hates me"  
"They don't hate you, they just don't understand. We'll go talk with them"  
"They won't listen to me..."  
"They will if I'm with you. I promise"  
"But your husband... he's really scary"  
"Where I come from, I'm called an omega. It basically means that I'm a guy who can give birth. Keith, he's an alpha. When an alpha and an omega bond, it's like... I don't know how you'd describe it. It's more than simple love. It's the kind of love where you'd walk across glass to be with that person. That's why he's scary. He's seen me at my worst, and he wants to do absolutely everything he can to protect me from... pretty much everything. He's a good guy, he just loves me too much"  
"That kind of love must be nice"  
"It is. It's not always happy, and we still fight, but he's my other half. It was because of this, Lotor was so curious about my body"  
"He always did like... things he couldn't understand"  
"Yeah. It's a little early for lunch, and a little late for breakfast, but I think I can convince Hunk to make us something to eat"  
"Won't he poison it?"  
"No, Toral. Hunk would never do that. He's the best chef in this reality, and he'd never poison anything he cooks. He loves food too much"  
"But I poisoned him"  
"I'm well aware of that, and we're going to have a talk about it, but you can't be positive on an empty stomach"  
"Is that why yours sticks out?"  
"Rude. My stomach is just fine"  
"It's all soft, and there's a hard bit under it"  
"Because I was pregnant. You know how you're part Galra? So is Keith, and so are my kids... even though they were born too soon, they were still big for how far long I was"  
Toral didn't seem convinced  
"Look, you wanted to meet and talk with Allura, this is your chance to have her really listen to what you say"  
"Okay... you know, I think I like you better now"  
"It's amazing what happens when you realise you're not fighting alone"  
"I still don't know if I trust you"  
"Trust takes time to form and ticks to shatter. You don't have to trust us for now, but we will listen"  
Toral nodded at him, so this time Lance took her hand. The pair moving toward the kitchen silently. Toral was just a scared young girl, who needed her mum and needed someone to guide her.

Thankfully they didn't meet anyone on the way up to the kitchen, and Hunk was there alone. Guiding Toral in, he guided her to sit at the counter  
"Hunk, don't freak out"  
Turning from the stove, Hunk sighed as he looked to Toral  
"Lance"  
"I know. Toral, this is Hunk. Hunk, this Toral. Toral, Hunk is my best friend. He's the best friend anyone could ask for, and not only is he an amazing cook, but he gives the best hugs in the universe. Now, I think there's something you should say"  
"There is?"  
"Something along the lines of "I'm sorry for poisoning you. I didn't think things through, all I could think of was killing Lotor""  
"Hunk... I..."  
"I get it. You didn't know what to do. Just promise you won't do that again"  
"I won't... but I will kill Lotor"  
"Toral, we just had the talk about why we can't kill him"  
"He tried to kill Allura! He tried to kill me! I don't even know if my Altea still lives"  
"Sorry Hunk, we're still working in this"  
"I can't turn a hungry person away. What do you want to eat?"  
Toral looked to him, shaking her head sadly  
"I would love some cookie dough... and pancakes. Toral will have some pancakes"  
"What's a pamcake?"  
"It's called a "pancake", and they are amazing. Easily in the top 5 foods in existence"  
"You're just easy to please"  
"Hunk, we both know that's not the case. Or have you not forgotten the first time we had goo"  
Hunk visibly shuddered   
"Exactly my good man, exactly. Now that food is organised, can we talk a little more?"  
"What... what do you want to know?"  
"About you, silly. How did you hear about us? About Allura?"  
"I... when I came through I was no where near Altea. I tried to find it, but no one knew anything and there were Galra everywhere. I didn't have food, or money or friends, so I stole what I could. I'd hide out, and steal fruit from markets and you kind of hear things. Everyone was talking about Voltron. And Lotor and Allura. I knew I had to meet you, but I didn't know how"  
"All you had to do was ask. Our comms are always open"  
"I... when I learned how happy Voltron made people and that... that my mot-Allura was part of it. I had to come"  
"How does the gala work in?"  
Good. Hunk's question meant he was actually listening to her, and the video feed for the kitchen meant there was a record of this  
"Well. I knew if I wanted to attract Lotor's attention, it needed to be big. So I kind of... used Allura's name to invite everyone, except for Allura. Everyone wants to help Voltron"  
Lance groaned. He'd have to do the call around and find out who she'd talked to and what she'd told them. No. Better yet, Coran or Allura could do that  
"So you organised the gala?"  
"And I remembered what Grandfather said about herbs. Altean alchemy is-was incredibly, but some things you needed herbs for. When I was a kid, he'd take me with him. He said I was his good luck charm. I didn't realise he'd take me away because Allura and Lotor were always fighting"  
Wrapping his arm around her, Toral sat a little taller  
"I loved my dad. I loved him more than my mum, but he was using her the whole time! He just wanted Altea for himself"  
"But why?"  
"Because that's who he is! He wants everything he can't understand! Mum is a gifted alchemist! Everyone said she was at least as good as grandpa"  
"I think that's enough for now, and I have a few things that belong to you"  
"You do?"  
"You can't have your bow back, but it would really help if you could tell us what these things are"  
Using his free hand, Lance pulled out all of Toral's things from his pockets, laying them down in front of her  
"My stuff!"  
"If you're going to learn we're not here to hurt you, I figured you would probably want these back"  
Toral nodded quickly   
"Ok"  
"Are you going to tell me what they are?"

Toral explained each item. The remote thing she'd used was something used by Altean's to disguise their ships... well, not just their ships. Depending on the way the user wielded it, it could change a planets surface, hide an army or even alter ones appearance. The pendant looking thing was a gift from Alfor, a star for his star, and in the heart of it was what seemed to be gold quintessence. He didn't know if it as actually quintessence, but it shimmered and moved like it was, and he definitely wasn't touching that. There was a piece of tech that looked like a pocket mirror, which Allura had given Toral shortly before they separated and she had no idea what it did. Then there was her collapsible arrows, a broken communicator, half a dozen tiny trinkety things she'd picked up along the way and some loose coins. She really wouldn't have lasted much longer without meeting them, which is probably why she was waiting on the gala planet for someone to return. She probably didn't even care who. She'd missed her mark, and that had to have hurt  
"Lance, here's your cookie dough"  
Lance's eyes lit up as Hunk placed the bowl down in front of him  
"I don't know how you can still be so happy about cookie dough"  
"Because it's awesome. Don't worry, I had my ring on during my heat"  
"But there was a time it was off"  
"Hunk, don't scare me like that. Just let me love this moment. Toral, you have to try this"  
"It doesn't look very good"  
"Are you serious! Here"  
Scraping the bowl with the wooden spoon, he held it out to Toral, who scrunched up her face as she tried to pull away  
"I promise it's good"  
"I don't..."  
"Trust me. I know it's hard, but I was honest with you, and I returned your things, so the least you can do is try this"  
"Fine"  
Leaning in, Toral used her teeth to pull a minute amount of dough off, her eyes lighting up as she did  
"Oh my! This is so good!"  
"See. I told you it was"  
Toral went to grab for the bowl, but Lance snatched it up  
"This is mine. You're going to love your pancakes"  
"I'm so hungry, and that tastes soooo good"  
Hearing Hunk start to laugh, Lance looked from Toral to the alpha   
"What?"  
"She's just like you!"  
"She's what? No"  
"She is. I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. No wonder you two get along so well"  
"I didn't come here to be insulted"  
"That's right. I'm nothing like him!"  
"Exactly. And Toral, stop inching closer to my cookie dough. It's mine"  
"But it tastes really good"

When their pancakes were placed down in front of them, Toral dove straight in. The girl wolfing then down like she hadn't eaten in years.she didn't even question if it'd been poisoned. She'd settled down so much faster than he'd expected, and now they had some idea of her past, Lance really hoped they'd be able to work things out and find a way to send her back home.

 

*  
Toral quickly managed to win everyone over. She was loud and bubbly, her personality way too big for her small stature, meaning you couldn't help but like her. Lance was honestly a little jealous of her, after all, there were still days when he didn't feel like he belonged, but Toral just fitted so naturally, and she managed to keep up with Pidge and Hunk's techno babble once she had the basic principles. As for her and Allura. Allure was loving having her around. She'd dress Toral in her old dresses, and they'd spend hours whispering about Altea, comparing all the similarities and differences, as if they were true blood relations and had known each other from day one.

Having completed their visit out to orphan school, and having completely blown more than a few minds, they were now exploring space with the hopes of expanding the reach of the coalition with renewed energy... they hadn't seemed to infect him like it had the others. Even as the movements drew into a phoeb, the castle was brimming with life, and brimming with plans for the future. Pidge having fully analysed the academies data, had found nothing of use, so the files had been squirrelled away into her never ending void of stolen files... Things were finally going right, so... he should be happy? Yet, he didn't know what was wrong with him. It was like he had an itch he couldn't scratch, and he knew he was driving Keith crazy because of it. 

Sighing as they cuddled in bed, Lance tried to enjoy his early morning bliss, but that itch was rising again   
"I can tell you're thinking"  
"I'm sorry. I really don't know what's wrong with me"  
"There's nothing wrong with you. But you have been quite, especially after visiting the orphanage"  
"I was so excited, and now I'm just... I don't mean to bring you down"  
"You're not bringing me down. I was most definitely up"  
Lance rolled his eyes as he let Keith roll him onto him. Cupping his face, his husband smiled warmly  
"It's ok to need a break"  
"I don't need a break. Maybe I'm missing Red? I know we all took our lions down to see the kids, but we were together so much, and now I haven't had to pilot her. We've spent the whole last movement a half just floating in space... yeah... Maybe she can tell me what's wrong with me?"  
"Then go spend the day in Red"  
"You won't mind?"  
"Why would I mind? She's your girl"  
"She is. She's my best girl. Do you want to watch the boys today? Or should I?"  
"Shiro wanted to do some hand to hand training as he's still having trouble figuring out just how much pressure to apply"  
"I'm happy you two are talking"  
"It's not great, and sometimes I just want to punch him in the face, but we're working on it"  
"Good. Has he admitted to dating Allura?"  
"No. They're still hovering around the issue. They like each other, but they both let their thoughts get the better of them. The most they've gone is nearly kiss, and now with Toral. He's trying to give Allura space"  
"Do you want me to ask Toral if she wants to go for a ride in Red? Give Allura and Shiro some space"  
"I still don't know how I feel about her"  
"She's a kid, and she's been good for Allura, and Coran"  
"I know. I wasn't impressed you'd let her out, but she's been tolerable"  
"Mmm, Hunk said we were alike"  
"You two are. She's got the same happy vibe about her, but I prefer you every time"  
"Mhmm. Don't go forgetting who you're married to"  
"I'm not going to. You can ask her if you want"  
"Yeah. I think I will"

Toral was surprisingly keen to get back inside Red. They'd left the castle, and almost immediately Toral started talking about all the things she and Allura had planned, the young girl was very clearly smitten with their Queen. Normally Lance would be happy to listen, but today his mind was to focused on that itch, that even being inside of Red hadn't scratched. If anything, her gentle tugs at his mind were making things worse  
"Lance, are you listening?"  
"Sure Toral. You and Allura are best friends"  
"I was asking what's wrong with you? Did I do something?"  
"No. It's just stuff. I was hoping being in Red would help, but it hasn't"  
"You can talk to me"  
"It's fine. This is something I need to work out for myself"  
"Ok... everyone's worried though. Allura told me you're not normally quite"  
"She'd know all about that!"  
The moment he snapped, he shook his head   
"Sorry. I think we should head back"  
"Or we could take a break. We've passed two planets. Perhaps a change of atmosphere will help"  
Lance really didn't want to make the others worry, even though it seemed like he was doing that just that... sighing to himself, he drew his long legs up and crossed them   
"Yeah. Maybe... hold on, Allura is calling"  
Opening the call, he heard the castle alarms before Allura's panicked voice  
"Lance! You've got to get back here right away!"  
"What's going on?"  
"Sendak. I thought we'd seen the last of him, but he's firing at the castle and Coran isn't confident the shields will hold"  
"Ok. Take a deep breath and get to Blue. Toral and I are about 15 doboshes out, so try and hold out as long as you can"  
"Thank you, Lance. See you soon"  
Ending the transmission, Lance gripped Red's control. His heart was racing in his chest like someone had just tried to jumpstart it  
"Lance?"  
"Hold on Toral. We'll be going straight into battle"  
"What do I do?!"  
"Stay quite and let me think. This will all be over soon"

Pushing Red as far as he could, his lion felt his urgency, yet she was still concerned for him. It was annoying and unneeded, but once they reached the edge of the Galra fleet, she pulled back and switched to battle mode. Dodging through the fighting jets, he shot down as many as he could. He could see the rest of the team, and in a few more ticks he'd reach them. Patching him into their communication, Pidge looked worn out already  
"Lance! What took you so long?"  
"I flew further than I intended. What do we have?"  
"Sendak. We wandered into his territory without even knowing"  
"I thought we killed him?"  
"Apparently not. Can you get to us?"  
"Working on it!"  
To the left of the battle, another wormhole formed, and another three huge battle ships joined the mayhem as their fighter jet fleets began streaming from them  
"Lance!"  
"I see them. Keith, take Black and see what you can do about those canons. Allura, you cover him. Pidge and Hunk, I want you on those three new ships. Do we know which one Sendak is on?"  
"Not yet"  
"Then we'll have to destroy them all"  
Red roared in his mind, proud of him for stepping up  
"Keith, once I've cleared the jets, I'll head over to help you with the main fleet"  
"On it, baby"  
"Love you"  
"Love you, too"

With nothing to keep her in place, Toral hung on for dear life. Despite being an Altean and not having a secondary dynamic, Lance could smell her fear as his omega began reacting to it. If she was scared, why wasn't he? Cursing his secondary dynamic, he plunged into a sharp dive, as he swept his tails laser across the sky   
"Wow!"  
As the red explosions broke the darkness, Lance pulled up on Red's controls, spiralling upwards towards the pilots foolish enough to try and flank from both above and behind   
"Lance! Look out!"  
Behind him came a booming noise, the sound of metal crunching against metal, causing Red to scream in pain  
"What the quiznak!"  
Pushing forward on the controls, he found himself unable to move  
"Lance, get out of there!"  
"I can't, Red won't move!"  
"Hunk, you're closest, you're going to need to cut him free"  
"On it!"  
Red wasn't impressed that she couldn't move, her violent temper getting the better of her as she shoved her way deeper into his mind  
"I know Red. I know. Another wormhole must have opened behind us. We're stuck right now"  
"Lance! Lance, something's happening!"  
That something was them being dragged by the Galra ship they were stuck on  
"Hunk, not to be annoying"  
"There's too many fighters"  
"Pull back. For now we concentrate on getting Red free"  
"No. Destroy the ships. They're still firing at the castle"  
"We need Voltron!"  
"Come on Red. You can do this"  
She really was trying her hardest, but she was badly hurt from the collision  
"Lance"  
"Not now, Toral!"  
"But... but look"  
Looking up from his controls, Lance couldn't deny he was terrified of the wormhole now sitting uncomfortably close  
"Guys!"  
"I'm coming!"  
Screaming as he pulled on Red's controls, his connection to her was suddenly violently torn from his mind. It was barely a tick before the team call came through on his wrist communicator. Jerking the useless controls, Lance tried to find even the slightest trace of Red, only finding emptiness as he did  
"No! No... come on!"  
"Lance?"  
"Red went offline! I can't do anything!"  
"There's too many of them!"  
"Pidge, look out!"  
Pidge's scream filled Red's cockpit, but the lights around him still faded, leaving them bathed in the blue light of the wormhole. His eyes widened, and his heart was racing as he instinctively tried to crawl back in his chair  
"Lance!"  
"I love you Keith!"

Unable to stop Red, or the ship, it continued into the wormhole, tearing him from his home and family, and ending their call  
"Lance? What do we do?"  
"We can't do anything. Red is too badly hurt"  
"But..."  
"Toral, I'm going to do everything I can to protect you"  
"But if Red won't move"  
"I know. I just. You don't even have a suit or helmet. Quiznak. Ok. Ok. Ok. They can't breach Red, even offline she's too tough for that"  
Hopefully... hopefully someone had been able to follow. Hopefully they weren't trapped alone in enemy territory and when they came out, it'd be nice and sunny, and a whole army was waiting to save them   
"So what do we do?"  
"We wait. The moment we disappeared, Coran would have started tracking Red"  
"What if they don't make it in time? Who is this Sendak?"  
"He's an arsehole. I thought he was dead, I mean, we haven't seen him in phoebes... how did he even find us?"  
"Allura said we accident entered his territory"  
"But how?! It's suppose to be liberated planets around here. There aren't supposed to be Galra around here"  
"So we wait?"  
"We should come out of the jump soon. Once we are, we can figure out our next move, and I'll be able to take a look at how we're stuck"  
Breaking down into sobs, Toral rounded his chair and threw herself into his arms  
"Hey. There's no need to cry. The others will save us"  
"I'm sorry! I'm scared"  
He was terrified and he did this for a living. Toral had to be panicking on a whole new level  
"It's ok. It'll all be ok. We've been in worse situations than this"

Almost as soon as he'd uttered the words, they came out the jump. The strain on the damaged ship they were caught in was too much, and their arrival at wherever they were was announced by the huge explosion of the ship blowing up, sending the limp Red hurtling through space like a rag doll. Screaming in pain, Lance ripped his helmet off and forced it onto Toral. He at least had his armour to protect him, but the princess had nothing and there was nothing they do to help themselves. Red's uncontrolled path continued, not coming to a stop until they'd breached the atmosphere of a rather nasty planet that gave Lance the shivers. Whatever this place was, it didn't want them here any more than he wanted to be. Bracing himself the best he could, the impact still sent him flying from his chair, his head smacking the window of Red's eye with a sickening wetness, knocking him out cold before he could even register they'd come to a stop.

 

*  
"Lance! Lance please don't leave me! Please!"  
"Sir, I think he's coming too"  
"Excellent. Leave the lion"  
"But sir"  
"She's done for. There is no way she can be repaired, and her broken form will be the perfect thing for those pesky Paladins to find"  
"Why don't we leave him? He's nearly dead"  
"He's the Red Paladin of Voltron. Alive or dead, he has value. As bait"  
Lance could feel every single molecule of his body and it quiznakking sucked. He'd definitely smacked his head badly enough to know something was seriously messed up inside, and by the feel of it, he'd say his left leg was broken. In the background he could hear Toral crying out for him, but he couldn't even help himself as he dragged from Red  
"What do we do with them?"  
"That half-breed Lotor loves these human things. I think offering them, will be the perfect bait to catch him with. Once we have him, he will be crushed"  
"Vrepit sa!"  
"Vrepit sa!"  
Oh Quiznak. Today wasn't not going to be fun.

The next time Lance woke, he found himself shivering on the floor of a rather bare room. His hands shackled together, resting on his chest, while some collar like thing choked every breath  
"Lance!"  
"T-To..."  
"It's ok! I'm here! Lance..."  
Coughing, Lance tried to roll on his side, only to find the pressure behind his eyes growing with each tiny movement. That was bad. That was probably very bad. Aborting his mission to move, he let out a whimper, calling for his mate without even realising   
"Lance"  
"It's ok, Toral. It'll be ok"  
Fighting not to give into the urge to sleep, Lance tried to concentrate on remembering to breathe, but it was hard with taste of blood in his mouth, and his own saliva was determined to choke him  
"Lance!"  
Shrieking his name, he heard Galra laughing in the background  
"This one has spirit"  
"Dirty rotten Altean scum. How long will they continue to mock us?"  
"Not much longer. This one will be taken to the Druids"  
"No more than she deserves"  
"Don't worry Paladin, we'll take good care of her for you"  
"T-Toral..."  
His voice was so soft he barely heard himself, meaning there was no way Toral would have heard him. Both of them were in serious trouble here, and as confident as he'd tried to be, he didn't see how his team was going to be able to save him from this mess. For now, he had to do whatever it took to stay alive.

Miserable and world of agony, Lance was dragged from the cold floor by the collar around his neck. His right foot kicked weakly as he tried to fight it, but it was completely hopeless, he was just too broken right now. Blinded as they began down the corridor, the metal collar was so tight he realised he'd have to hold his breath or risk suffocating  
"Look at the mighty Paladin now. This what you get for choosing such a weak leader"  
Spitting at him, the Galra to his right side, kicked his pathetic form, immediately causing him to yelp   
"Hey, you know we can't damage him further. Not until we have Lotor"  
"If I was Lotor, I would leave this thing to die"  
"Wouldn't we all"

Passed to another set of guards, he was finally pulled from the floor, swaying unsteadily as he wasn't able to put any weight on his leg at all  
"His nose is bleeding"  
"Leave it. He'll be dead soon"  
"We're the ones who will need to clean up the mess"  
"If you want to take care of it..."  
"No. It's not worth the hassle. Things were much smoother when Zarkon was in control. He was a true leader"  
"That Altean blood makes Lotor weak. The weak can never lead the strong. You. Walk"  
With his eyes closed, the best he could manage was a half hop, that did nothing for his head. Being upright, and being so badly hurt, when Lance felt the vomit rising, he didn't even try to stop himself, throwing up across the floor down his front   
"How dare you!"  
A savage backhand snapped his head back, as his legs went from underneath him  
"You broke it"  
"Just look at this mess. You carry it. We can't be late, and it walks so slowly"  
With all the gentleness of an angle-grinder against a daisy, Lance was thrown over the shoulder of one Galra soldiers. At least he didn't have to walk, even if it hurt like hell, and the Galra holding him was pretty damn unhappy. One thing was certain though, he was definitely going to vomit again and this Galra made a prime target.

 

"Lord Sendak. We have brought the Red Paladin"  
"I see. Did he give you any trouble?"  
"It's leg is broken, as it is ribs and nose, and it burns with a fever"  
"No matter. Sit him down. I want Lotor to take a good look at just what's for offer"  
"Yes, sir!"  
Being placed in down in comfortable chair should have been heaven, yet he couldn't stop his scream as his back touched the fabric of it  
"It still has some life"  
"Not for much longer. Place the call"

It was the longest tick of his life, waiting for the call to connect. He didn't dare get his hopes up, not until Lotor's voice came through, filled with revolt   
"Sendak"  
"Emperor Lotor"  
"I had word you had defected"  
"No my lord. As you see, I pledge my loyalty to you. This Paladin of Voltron crashed, the Red Lion destroyed"  
"The Red lion?"  
"Indeed. If this one had not parted with his helmet, perhaps he now would not be dying"  
"Lance"  
He knew he had to lift his head and look to Lotor, but he didn't have the strength to  
"I assure you he and his companion still yet live"  
"Sendak, what is your game"  
"Nothing my lord. I wish to pledge my loyalty to you, and what better way than to return the Red Paladin to your side"  
Coughing, blood drilled from his mouth, choking him as he did  
"Lance. I will be there shortly. Until my arrival, you are to place both him and his companion in a pod. Do no try my Sendak. I will be bringing company"  
"I wouldn't dream it"  
"Lance, stay strong. Help is on its way"  
A glimmer of hope blazed brightly inside of him, Voltron was coming.

 

*  
Surprisingly, he had been put in a pod, though we was removed well before he'd healed completely. If he was asked, which he wasn't, he'd say he was healed just enough to be able to walk on his still very busted leg so the Galra wouldn't have to touch or carry him again. Shaking uncontrollably from head to toe, Lance was escorted from the pod up to the bridge, as relatively short trip that left him dripping sweat and panting hard. When he said he wanted something to happen, it definitely wasn't this  
"Lance!"  
Lance had all of three ticks before Toral was crashing into him, sending them both sprawling across the floor with a scream  
"Someone restrain the girl!"  
Rough hands pulled Toral away, and equally rough hands hoisted him to his feet, as he fought not to vomit  
"Lance!"  
"It's ok Toral. Voltron is coming"  
Blinking to clear the blurriness from his vision, he couldn't help but clamp his eyes closed again as his stomach rolled   
"I thought he was healed"  
"Not quite sir"  
"Never mind. Lotor's ship has docked, and he is on his way up. Be ready"  
"Everything is prepared my lord"  
"Lotor will not be leaving here alive. Neither will you Paladin"  
The coldness of the words barely permeated the coldness of his body. He hated Lotor, but Lotor's hands were tied and he couldn't leave him like this. There were far too many witnesses for that, which meant Lotor could only rescue them. Sendak was a fool for believing he could take Lotor's head so easily. With Pidge's amazing skills, Green and Yellow would be cloaked and poised to fire the moment he was safe... yet Sendak stood their so confidently. Lance honestly couldn't keep the smile off his face.

As the elevator slid into place, Lance noted how Lotor was alone, yet paid it no head  
"Lance?"  
"Hi Lotor. Friend of yours? I've got to say, their hospitality sucks"  
"Silence!"  
Kicking his busted leg out from beneath him, there was an audible crunch as hit the ground  
"Sendak. What is the meaning of this?!"  
"Did you really think I would bow to half breed like you?"  
Lotor drew his blade, his eyes growing dangerous  
"Whoever brings me his head, will serve as my right hand commander, and shall be gifted all the riches and territory that comes with such a position"  
As the room dissolved into chaos, Lotor sprang into action, his moves a blur and all carried out with lethal precision  
"Lance!"  
"Toral, get down!"  
Dropping, Toral ran to him, their existence so insignificant that they barely registered   
"What do we do?"  
"We need to get somewhere safe"  
"Can you move?"  
"My legs still broken, but if we work together, we can do this"  
"Ok!"  
Looping her arms around him, Toral pulled him back behind the closest control panel, her eyes wide with concern as she stared into his  
"What do I do?"  
"Can you see my Bayard?"  
"No"  
He knew both Zarkon and Shiro could summon their Bayards, and given his own bond with Red. He might not be able to feel her, but there was no way she'd stay down. Closing is eyes, he focused on his Bayard. The look. The feel. The energy that tied them together. He could do this. He just needed to feel it. It's connection to his own life force. Feeling a familiar warmth, his left hand moved on its own, coming to hip and finding it somehow magically there   
"Wow! How did you do that?"  
"I don't know. Toral. I'm going to activate my Bayard. You know how to fly a ship right?"  
"Lance... no"  
"Please. I can't fight knowing you're in danger"  
Activating his Bayard, the armour felt uncomfortable against his abused body  
"Go!"  
Throwing himself sideways, Lance used his gun to shoot down each Galra in Toral's way. All he could think about was saving her, and getting some pay back as he did. They tried to kill him and his family, which was soooo not ok. Firing shot after shot, he and Lotor culled the numbers down to one in just ticks  
"Lotor?!"  
"How are you Lance?"  
"I'll be better once Sendak is dead!"  
"Can you stand?!"  
With his blade pointed at Sendak, Lotor didn't even look his was as he whimpered, pulling himself to stand, before limping towards Sendak   
"Your plan sucked from the start. You Galra are all the same. You never think about forming families and having friends. Hobbling to Lotor's side, his strength faded and he crashed into Lotor. Charging Lotor, Sendak snarled while Lance fell to the floor  
"I'll kill you, just like I'll kill them"  
The doors at the far side of the room opened, soldiers and sentries pouring in. Ohhhh quiznak...  
"Lance!"  
With stray pink shots flying past his head, Lance crawled on his hands and knees to Toral, throwing himself over the girl and scrunching his eyes tightly closed. He could feel the blasts hitting his armour, and each sent his pain shooting through his body as his muscles spawned   
"Lance..."  
"It's going to be ok Toral"  
"Lance, stay there. I will deal with this!"  
"Got it!"

Behind him he could hear the battle and didn't need to see it to know Sendak's forces were being decimated. They were so close to this all being over again, when once again, Toral was pulled from his arms  
"So you resort to using a hostage"  
Looking up, Sendak was on the far edge of the elevator, dwarfed by the huge windows behind him  
"This one is Altean. Pure blood. Not like you, you filthy half-breed"  
"I am Toral! Daughter of Allura and Lotor!"  
Toral was livid, her face flushed red with anger and Lance had to admit he was proud of her  
"Lotor, I didn't know you had it in you!"  
Addressing him, it was clear Lotor was confused   
"Lance?"  
"She's from another reality"  
"That hardly matters, not when it's your own flesh and blood. Look at her"  
Raising his arm, Lotor laughed cooly   
"Unfortunately for you, I am not a fool, bound by sentiment. I thank you though, for returning this Paladin to me"  
Sendak's cocky grin dropped as Lotor fired, the blast passing through Toral's left shoulder hitting Sendak in the heart, or where his heart would be if he had one  
"Toral! Lotor, how could you?!"  
Unable to keep his Bayard activated, his armour faded away as he tried to reach Toral   
"Lance, you have no idea how sorry I am that you had to see that"  
From behind him, a pink blast took him by surprise. His world turned black as the floor rushed to smack him in the face.


	98. Chapter 98

"Keith!"  
Unable to stop and unable to breath, Keith could only watch as Lance disappeared through the wormhole. The anger and sheer desperation he felt threatened to send him feral, and his alpha was screaming at for his incompetence. With 8 large warships in the battle, he hadn't even considered another three wormhole in, let alone them doing so right on top of Lance. There'd been no time to move, the ship crashing into Red the tick it existed the wormhole  
"Keith!"  
"Keith, we need to stay focused. We can't help Lance until we clear the area"  
He'd failed him. He'd failed his husband. He'd been the one to suggest Lance take Red for a few vargas. He'd been the one who'd supported him because he knew something was troubling his omega. He'd been...  
"Keith, look out!"  
Gritting his teeth with a dangerous snarl, Keith felt power welling up inside him as he sliced through fighter jet after fighter jet. He knew the anger rushing to fill every part of him was dangerous and he knew his moves were growing sloppy because of it, but he just couldn't calm down. Not with Lance, and Toral, possibly hurt. The crash had been rough, rough enough for their lions to jerk back in pain, the light fading from Red's eyes and Lance's desperate cries. It was all he could see  
"They're wormholing!"  
"We need to follow them"  
"Keith..."  
Allura's voice was filled with exhaustion. There had to have been at least 300 fighter jets when they'd started, and he was proud to say they'd nearly eliminated every single one of them, yet with her soft tone, he knew what was coming next   
"I'm following them"  
"Keith, you can't. You can't throw yourself head first into saving Lance"  
"He's my husband! The mother of my boys!"  
Guiding Black towards the closest wormhole, his lion seemed to be in agreement. All the lions had a particular fondness for Lance, and Black was no exception. With his hands on the controls, he pushed down as hard as hard as he could, trying to draw as much power as possible from Black as he could, while still slicing down everything that dared to get in his way. As Black tried just as desperately to reach the wormhole, the last ship blinked away from him, the wormhole closing just a tick and half before Black reached the space it'd occupied... he... he was so close... throwing his head back, Keith howled. The broken howl of an alpha who'd failed his other half, a howl that seemed to reverberate in each Paladin's chest as tears filled their eyes and pain filled their hearts. Mere moments passed before he heard it, howls he'd never heard before, the howls of Pidge and Hunk, both alphas distraught and feeding off his own alpha's anguish  
"I... we need to return to the castle. Coran, we need to you track down Red. Also, begin pulling up absolutely everything you have on Sendak. We will not let him get away with snatching Lance from right under our noses"

It was a solemn group that entered the bridge. Pidge and Hunk both immediately moved to their chairs and pulled up their holoscreens, while Allura moved to stand on the Teladuv, ready to open a wormhole the moment they knew where Lance and Toral were. No one dared look at him. No one dared asked the stupid question of "How are you?", instead, the moment he sat, Coran carried the twins over to him, setting both boys down in his lap. His heart was breaking. The fault lines inside wretched apart by the curious and happy smiles of his sons. He'd just lost their mother, possibly forever and they had no idea. Gathering them to his chest, he held them tight as his emotions broke through his shoddily built walls. Lance had come in and destroyed all his walls, he'd trampled all over Keith's sense of self, before helping him build himself anew. These broken and shoddy walls, where what was leftover from his own personal pride. He hated crying. He hated crying in front of the team. He knew the looks of pity too well, and being bounced from home to home, he knew tears accomplished little. Lance had taught him the value of tears and now he couldn't stop them   
"Keith, we will find him"  
"How? Red was unresponsive"  
"With a ship that badly damaged, they couldn't have wormholed far, its structural integrity couldn't take it"  
"That means..."  
"He might not be as far away from us as we think"  
Anywhere that wasn't right beside him was too far away  
"I can't find Red's frequency! Either she's just that far away, or she's been knocked offline all together! Her last readings came through as they entered the wormhole!"  
Coran sounded panicked, his fingers tapping his holoscreens so hard, Keith swore he could hear it. All his senses seemed to be on fire, and alpha... he couldn't hold it back any longer  
"Shiro, take the boys"  
"Keith"  
"My... my alpha..."  
Shiro rushed to pull both boys from his hold while Keith grabbed the armrests of his chair, his pants turning into gravely snarls  
"Shiro, what's happening?"  
"Coran, come take the boys, Hunk, I need your help"

Throwing his head back, Keith howled before launching himself off his chair. Every single on of his friends now his enemy in his crazed feral state. Being the closest, Shiro took the brunt of his first blow   
"Keith, Keith stop!"  
"He can't think straight Allura! He's not in control of his alpha"  
"Lance..."  
His husband's name rolled off his tongue as his head filled with images of his omega, broken and bloody, cold and dead  
From behind, strong arms pinned his back  
"Keith, calm down!"  
"Lance!"  
Roaring the name, he kicked out as he fought Hunk with everything he had. Despite his stature. Despite his strength, Hunk was sent flying as Keith broke the hold  
"Shiro!"  
Activating his Bayard without even knowing, Keith lunged at Shiro, his eyes narrowed to the point of slits as his eyes flashed yellow   
"His Galra side is emerging! We need to put him down"  
"But... he..."  
"Keith could never live with himself if he hurt one of us. We all know that. He'd rather be hurt every single time than hurt us, despite how he acts. Hunk, shoot his leg"  
"What! I can't do that!"  
Shiro was barely hanging on as he dodged Keith's frenzied blows. He didn't have a blade of his own, and he was reluctant to hurt Keith, especially now they were talking again. He'd sorely missed his company, and now they were finding their way back to being brothers...  
"Keith. Keith, listen. Lance needs you to calm down. He needs you to take a deep breath and he needs you to rescue him. You can't do that when you're feral"  
"My mate!"  
"Yes. Your mate needs you. Hunk, now!"  
Catching his arms, Shiro fought to hold them high, before pain erupted through his leg and his blade fell from his hand. After that, Shiro swept his feet, capturing him in a headlock as he guided him down  
"Shiro..."  
"It's ok. This will knock him out. We'll move him straight to a pod to heal"  
Fighting a fight he couldn't win, not when Hunk and Coran moved to help pin him down, he finally passed out beneath him. His scent so strong, like rancid meat, the three men had tears in their eyes, while in the back ground his sons were screaming in fear.

 

*  
Falling out of the healing pod, Keith's mind was a muddled mess. He had no idea how he'd gotten into a pod, and even less about why. The strong arm under his stomach, holding him up, was very clearly Shiro's, the older alphas scent was filled with worry  
"Keith?"  
"What happened?"  
"You went feral on us buddy, and your Galra side decided to flare up. We had to knock you out"  
What... why?  
"I didn't..."  
"No. You didn't hurt anyone. Do you remember what happened?"  
Keith's eyes widen, his heart starting to pound as it all came rushing back  
"Lance!"  
Struggling against Shiro, the taller alpha lifted him off his feet  
"Put me down! I have to get to him!"  
"Keith. Keith, listen to me. Listen. You're risking going feral again, and you won't be able to help Lance if you do. Now. You've been in a healing pod for the last 3 vargas. Pidge used Green's long range scanner and picked up a Galra distress signal. It seems to have come from one of the ships belonging to Sendak. We don't know if Lance is going to be there, but at the moment, it's our best lead. I swear to you that we'll get him back"  
Keith swallowed hard, barely giving a single nod  
"You can put me down now"  
"You're not going to lose it?"  
"Possibly, how far out are we?"  
"We'll be in there within the hour. Pidge is also scanning for the metal and alloy composition of Red"  
"I need to be there"  
"You need to shower. Your scent... well, it's awful to be blunt"  
"How can I shower? I need to be there when we get news..."  
"I promise you will be the first to know anything. But please Keith, if Lance smells you like this, it's likely to trigger a panic attack"  
"Like you're one to talk!"  
Placing him down, Keith ducked his head in shame  
"Keith, I know it's hard. But we need to work together right now. We all need to focus on Lance"  
"I know..."  
"Then take a shower, change your uniform and bring something warm back for Lance. He and Toral are going to be just fine, but I think your scent will really help him"  
"I've always hated when you talk like that"  
"Like what?"  
"Like you know everything is going to be ok, even when it's not"  
"Patience yields focus"  
Right now patience and focus could quiznak the hell off. He needed results. He needed Lance. Finally catching a whiff of his own scent, Keith sighed heavily  
"Go take a shower and meet us back up on the bridge"

Scrubbing himself quickly, Keith sprayed himself down with scent canceller before dressing. Everyone would probably mock him if they knew, but before donning his uniform, he pulled on one of Lance's singlets... it was stupid, but he was scared he'd forget the smell of his mate. Before leaving their room, he grabbed Lance's favourite blankets and his husband's favourite jacket. Though Lance had been taller than him initially, Keith now stood a good inch over him, and his arms were getting too long for his trademark red one. He'd kept meaning to gift it to his husband, but never found himself truly able to let it go. It was stupid. He was stupid. He'd have plenty of time to give Lance the jacket once his mate was back with them.

Jogging up to the bridge, the mood was solemn and tense as he entered. Shiro moved to stand beside him, but it was up to Allura to break the spell, the Queen forcing a smile for his benefit  
"Keith. How are you feeling?"  
There it was. That stupid and accursed question  
"Better. I'm sorry for before. I hope I didn't hurt anyone"  
"No one was hurt. Your sons have missed you"  
Perched in Pidge's lap, the female alpha was trying her hardest to work around them  
"Thanks for watching them... D-Do we have any news?"  
Allura took a deep breath  
"We were just discussing that"  
"What? Why?"  
"Pidge believes she may have found traces of Red on a moon not far from here"  
"Then what are we waiting on?"  
"Well... there are also signs a large scale battle having occurred in the next quadrant over..."  
"Keith, they're Sendak's ships"  
"No..."  
"We need to decide our next move. Do we go after what might not even be Red, or do we go to the battle. We can't form Voltron, and right now we should be sticking together. It was us being apart that lead to this"  
He knew Allura didn't mean her words to be the gut punch it was, but fuck it hurt. He knew this was his fault. Placing his human hand on his shoulder, Shiro squeezed   
"Keith?"  
"I'll take Black and head to Red with Hunk. Pidge, use Green's cloaking abilities to get close. Allura will back you up, and Coran will standby on the castle. Coran, your priority will be backing up Allura and Pidge"  
"Keith..."  
"I'll for with him. If both Lance and Toral are hurt, we'll need the extra set of hands. Ok?"  
Keith nodded, though his alpha really didn't want to trapped in Black with Shiro. The smallest remark was likely to send him over... Shiro should know that. Yet, the alpha still follows him as he leaves the room, heading for Black. He could have taken the chute down to her, but that would have been way too fast and his mind was barely keeping up as it was.

Shiro insisted on leaning over his shoulder the whole flight out to the moon. It was more of a planet than a moon in his opinion, but Pidge was the expert and he was just a wreck. Lowering Black towards the green flashing light on his holoscreen, Keith's heart stops at the sight of her mangled form. She barely even looks like a lion, let alone a magical space lion  
"Keith"  
"Don't Shiro. Not now"  
"Let Hunk go first"  
Disregarding Shiro's concern, Keith lands Black beside Red, his own lion distressed over the state of her sister, and he could feel how much she needed to be beside her  
"I know Black. We'll bring her back, and we'll fix her up. She's family"  
Black "purred" into his mind, grateful to know this wasn't going to be Red's final resting place   
"Is Black alright?"  
"How can she be? Look at Red. Red deserved so much better than this..."  
"Yellow feels the same. I'm heading out now"  
"We are too. No matter what's in there, we'll bring them home"  
He should have snapped at Shiro, he should have yelled at him. He should have done something or felt something other than frozen  
"Keith, let's go"  
Black opened her mouth, and Shiro left in front of him. Why could they move when he was so useless?  
"Black..."  
Giving him the shove he needed, Black kept their connection strong as he finally staggered from her mouth and towards Red. Hunk had already disappeared into the cockpit, while Shiro had come to a stop at her mouth. Something was wrong.

Moving from a slow walk to a flat out run, Keith finally found his second wind, running across the moon he paid no focus to his own safety, each tick he did, would be a tick longer that he kept Lance waiting  
"Lance!"  
"Don't come in here!"  
Hunk's voice was muffled, yet he still heard him crystal clear  
"Lance!"  
As he reached Red's mouth, Shiro caught him by the arm, spinning him and pulling up to his chest   
"Lance!"  
"You don't want to see this"  
"No... no... Lance!"  
"Keith, he's not in there"  
"He has to be! He had to be in there! Let me go Shiro!"  
Kissing the top of Keith's head, he could smell that Shiro was trying to calm him with his scent  
"Keith, he's not in there"  
"Why... why am I always too late! He needed me! He needs me... I can't..."  
Keith's legs gave out from under him, Shiro guiding him down so they both kneeling  
"He's not in there Keith"  
Hunk's voice sounded as broken as he felt, talking over him, Shiro's voice shook slightly   
"How bad is it?"  
"I... uh..."  
"Let me see"  
"Keith, I don't think that's a good idea"  
"I need to see"  
"Shiro?"  
"Let him see"  
Keeping his arms around Shiro, Keith was helped from the ground and into Red. For a moment he thought he was looking at one of her Red panels, but as his eyes adjusted, he realised it was a deep red sea of blood. Not a single surface was spared. His stomach rolled, unable to stop himself from vomiting violently at the sight   
"Hunk, do we have any clues?"  
"No. The smell of blood is masking any scent markers we might have found, and there were no signs of footprint. Shiro, I don't think Lance or Toral could have walked away from this"  
"There has be something!"  
"I'll use Yellow to scan the moon... but for now... I guess... Do you want to tow Red, or shall I?"  
"I'll do it. I'll take her. Lance loves her so much..."  
He wasn't ready to leave. Not when there had to be more here  
"When we get Red back, we can run diagnostics. We can test the blood. This might not be Lance's at all. He wouldn't let the Galra get the best of him. He's so much stronger than they know"  
"Hunk's right"  
Looking to Hunk, Hunk was staring down at his hand  
"H-Hunk?"  
"This was on the floor..."  
Holding his hand out, Hunk placed Lance's wedding ring it it gently  
"No... he wouldn't have taken it off. He wouldn't have left it behind!"  
"Keith, he might have left this as a message? Something only you understand. What's the first thing you thought when you saw it?"  
"That he's alive"  
"Then that's probably what he wants to tell you. Hunk, get on that scan. Keith, we need to see if we can lift Red"  
Clenching his fist, he brought it to his lips, silently vowing on it to do whatever he had to to bring his husband home.

 

*  
Returning Red to her bay, Black propped her up the best she could, rolling her sister so she laid on her stomach, rather than her crushed side. It was weird just how "human" and "fragile" Red looked  
"Pidge and Allura are on their way back"  
"The shouldn't have to see this"  
He could tell from Shiro's tone alone they'd found nothing, so couldn't even bring himself to ask. He just wanted them back already so they could start performing scans on Red  
"Keith, I think you should rest"  
"I can't"  
"Even if you just take the boys and spend some time in Black..."  
Keith cut Shiro's sentence off with a bitter and twisted laugh   
"What?"  
"Lance. Lance was struggling and couldn't figure out why he felt so off. I told him to spend some time in Red. I told him to go. He even took Toral so you and Allura could have some space together. He left because..."  
"Because none of us expected this. This is not your fault. Not at all"  
He was useless. Useless and not fit to be a leader.   
"I... I need my boys"  
"Go rest in Black, I'll ask Coran to bring them down"

Rushing to join them, Hunk was out of breath, pushing some trolley loaded with tools and diagnostic equipment  
"Oh thank god! She doesn't look as bad as she did being towed back! Don't worry Red, we'll get you up and moving girl"  
"Before you do, we need to swab down everything. We need to confirm that that isn't Lance, or Toral's blood"  
"Right. I think I've got something in here that we can use. Have you called Coran?"  
"He called him just before you came in. I thought you were him"  
He must have looked pathetic as Hunk abandoned the trolley and rushed to his side, the sturdy alpha throwing his arms around him  
"No matter what, we will find Lance and bring him home. My best friend can be a bit spacey, but no matter where he is, he'll be fighting in his own way"  
"Thanks Hunk. I'm sorry. I should have asked you how you're feeling"  
"It's ok bud, he's your mate. I think you're allowed to be a little distracted. If you need help with the boys, or even someone to cook you pancakes in the middle of the night"  
"I'll come to you. Quiznak. I should be out there looking for him!"  
"Keith"  
"I know. I know..."  
"Sorry for the wait Paladins. What's the dam..."  
Coran trailed off, his smile falling as he looked to Red  
"Oh my..."  
"Coran, I think most of the damage is structural, but I won't know anything until we run diagnostics on her. We need to swab the cockpit so I can start cleaning before the girls get back"  
"Uh. Right. Yes"  
Walking towards Red, it looked like the man had completely forgotten he was holding the boys  
"Coran, I'd like to hold my boys..."  
Coran jumped, actually physically jumped at his words, before spinning slowly on the spot and walking very mechanically over to him. Taking Laneith and Kelance into his hold, he nuzzled against them, inhaling their scent  
"Thank you Coran. If I lost them too..."  
Hunk pulled him back against him, before releasing him, letting him know it would do him no good to go there  
"Keith, you should rest my boy. I know it's hard, but those boys need their father"  
"I know... I'm going to sit in Black. She was pretty hurt seeing Red like that"  
"Here, I'll open a call between our communicator. The girls will want to be able to talk to you too... but I think they're not really sure what to say"  
"Just keep the call between us... I don't think I can handle their concern right now"  
"I've got you bud, and I'm sorry I had to shoot you. It's being driving me crazy"  
"You shot me?!"  
Keith looked to Hunk, who looked exceptionally uncomfortable   
"You were feral. It took, Coran, hunk and I to hold you down"  
"Oh..."  
Well that was embarrassing   
"If it counts, Hunk made sure it was grazing blow, just enough to make you drop"  
"Oh... you did what you had to, and I'm sure there's plenty of times you've wanted to do it before"  
"So we're ok?"  
"Yeah, Hunk. We're ok. Now go fix Red. If I know Lance, that's the first thing he's going to ask about"  
"I can picture that. We come in, save him, and the first thing he says is "How's my best girl?""  
Keith couldn't manage a smile, but appreciated the sentiment. Breaking away from the group, he headed back into Black.

Despite clearly wanting to be alone with his boys, Allura still sought him out once she and Pidge returned. Sitting down on the edge of blanket the boys were laying on, she shook her head  
"I'm sorry Keith. We didn't find him"  
"What happened?"  
"Sendak's ship was destroyed, as were 6 others in the immediate area..."  
"Sendak?"  
"We don't know. The... the ships were ... destroyed, to the point of being in pieces"  
Keith closed his eyes  
"Keith, we still don't know if he was on the ship. We don't know who attacked him, or why. Have you tried contacting Krolia? Perhaps the Blade moved against Sendak due to Lance and Toral"  
"I didn't even think... how could I not think!"  
"Keith, it's ok. You're going through a lot. Each time... each time I think of Toral"  
Opening his eyes, Allura was playing with boys to hide her tears  
"I'm sorry. I've been so preoccupied with Lance"  
"I know she isn't my daughter"  
"But she still feels like family? We will find her"  
"And when we do, we will send her back to her home. If I miss her like this, I can only imagine how her Allura feels"  
"Can you let Hunk know I'm calling Krolia? I need to know what the Blade knows"  
"Will do. Hunk and Pidge have Red hooked up. So far it's mostly structural and Red's core is low on power. She's still alive and she's still with us"  
Then why had she abandoned Lance? Together they should have been able to do something. Was something wrong between Red and Lance? Sure Red hadn't liked Toral insulting her, but he highly doubted that would be enough reason for Red to abandon him  
"Keith?"  
"Sorry Allura. I was just thinking about how everything happened. It's like ship wormholed in, knowing exactly where Lance was... and why did Red stop? I just can't get my head around it"  
"Try not to think too hard about it. We'll know more once Red's scans are done"  
"Yeah. I might call mum, see if she knows anything"  
"I'll leave you to it, but if you need anything at all"  
"I know where to find you"  
Standing to leave, Allura made it to Black's ramp before pausing. He thought it was to say something else, but then Pidge appeared. Nodding to Allura, she left them alone.

"Soooo, how are they boys?"  
Keith snorted  
"You're not going to ask how I am?"  
"No, I figured everyone else would have done that by now"  
"Thanks. Yeah, they were fussy, but the Lance's scent is all his jacket and the blanket, so I think they're settling"  
"Do you need anything?"  
"Lance back... sorry, that was..."  
"Understandable. I'm sorry we couldn't find anything"  
"No Pidge. I know you would have done everything you could. Allura suggested I give mum a call"  
"Oh! We should call Lotor too. He has to have heard by now"  
"I really can't face him right now"  
"Then I'll ask Allura. Coran has taken the swab samples up to the medical room. Hunk already planning how to fix Red structural, and he's going to reach out to Matt"  
Looking down to his communicator, he hadn't heard a single thing coming through it  
"Wait. Pidge. You... you set Lance's communicator to automatically connect"  
"But you tried..."  
"Pidge, can you set up a trace on the call? If you take my communicator, can you try call him. Can you find him?"  
"I... I don't know"  
"Please Pidge. Please..."  
"I'll try my hardest. Here, take mine and I'll take yours. You should be able to call Krolia with it"  
"Thanks Pidge... can I be there when you try?"  
"I wouldn't try without you. I'm going to need about a varga to make sure everything is right"  
"I'll meet you in the Bridge. I'm going to go see how Coran is going"  
This. This could be something. Something to find Lance and something he couldn't believe he'd missed. When Lance's call had cut out, he'd just... he'd forgotten how to call. That he could even call. How many vargas had he wasted?   
"Your dads and idiot, but your mum. He's a genius. Pidge, I could kiss you!"  
"Keith. Calm down. I would rather kiss Hunk, but I might save that offer for another time. I'm going to get right on this"  
Trading communicators, Pidge took off running from Black, while Keith gathered up the boys. Finally. Something!

Ignoring Allura, Shiro and Hunk, Keith made his way straight up to the medical room. Coran's full attention was on the screens in front of him  
"Coran"  
"Keith... what?"  
His hope was showing, Coran's face lighting up  
"Did you..."  
"No. But I can't believe I forgot. When Lance drowned his communicator, he set it up so calls from mum and I are answered automatically. We don't know if it's on, or if it's working, but Pidge is going to trace the call, or she's working on a way too"  
"That's genius"  
"That's what I said. Please tell me it's good news here"  
Carrying the boys over to the examination bed, Keith settled down on it with them both firmly in his lap, looking to Coran in anticipation   
"Ah yes well. I'm still examining the data"  
"How hard can it be? We just need to know if the blood is his, or Toral's"  
"Ah... yes... well"  
Keith's smile faded. Coran had said it twice. Something was wrong here  
"Coran, what is it?"  
"Well, I'm not completely sure"  
"Was the blood his?"  
"Ah. Yes. I'm sorry Keith. Eleven out of the twelve swabs taken proved to be Lance's blood, the twelfth being Toral"  
"But that's not all"  
"No. I'm afraid it's not. Take a look at this, and tell me what you see"  
Pulling up two charts, Coran laid then over each other, they were almost exactly the same, minus a few minute, almost unnoticeable differences  
"What am I looking at?"  
"This is Lance's blood results and the results from Red"  
"What about them? They're nearly the same"  
"Nearly but not quite"  
Keith took an embarrassingly long time to process everything he was seeing on the screens  
"Do the others know?"  
"No"  
"Good. Don't tell them"  
"Keith"  
"Coran. If they think something is wrong with Lance, it'll only make them feel even more hopeless"  
"But"  
"Coran. I am begging you. It might be something. It might be nothing. We won't know until we find him and anything could happen during that time. Do you understand?"  
"I... yes Keith"  
"Coran. Promise me"  
Coran took a deep breath  
"I promise"  
"Thank you. Pidge is in the bridge, so I'm going to go to her. Thank you for looking after the boys"  
"I would do anything for them, and for you and Lance"  
"I know you would. Thank you"


	99. Chapter 99

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jfc 
> 
> 100  
> I'm so sorry you all have had to put with the selfish authors inability to stop writing

Unfortunately the Blade knew nothing. Krolia had wanted to drop everything and come, but the way Keith saw it, she couldn't do any more than he could. Having promised to call after she'd contacted Kolivan, Keith was left to wallow in his self-hatred, alone with the boys in a bedroom felt uselessly huge without Lance there. Allura had called Lotor, the half-Galra now heading to Olkarion as they did the same. And as for Pidge... his heart ached for Pidge. He'd asked too much of her, and now neither of them knew what to tell the others. They'd lied. They'd told the others she hadn't gotten through, but she had. For the briefest of ticks. Long enough for hysterical scream to fill the bridge, before cutting out. They hadn't been able to contact Lance since... but that scream. He knew that scream was his omega. He knew it from the very bottom of his stomach like, he'd never known anything else ever.

 

*  
It was all terribly clique, strapped to the clique table, with the clique henchman tapping away on his clique terminal. It was s clique that Lance would have laughed, if he could have. Separated from Toral, and from Lotor, he'd woken to find himself stripped down to his boxers and completely stuck against the icy slab of metal. Across his forehead, a particularly nasty metal sensor sat, the quiznakking thing alerting the Galra to the fact he was now unfortunately back in the world of the living. Being himself, he'd tried to be cocky, tried to turn everything into a joke, and had nearly had his brain liquified for it. That was when he realised he was all alone and that no one was going to swoop in and save, or at least not anytime soon. Wisely he'd kept his mouth shut since, instead trying to take stock of everything that had happened. He could remember seeing Lotor. He remembered that as clearly as he remembered his own name. But the lead up was kind of foggy, and he had no idea how he'd gotten to wherever he was. He was also sure he should be grateful he couldn't see anything but the blinding light that hung over the table. His left leg felt, wrong, for a lack of a better word. As did his right arm, his lower back, and it hurt to breathe too deeply. He'd been stripped, even of both his rings, but at least they were kind enough to leave his underwear, though that seemed to be irritating whatever was wrong with his back. Yep. He was glad he didn't have to look at himself right now.

Left to stew, like all bad guys seemed to like to do to their captives, he couldn't stop his thoughts from shifting to Keith, even finding a small smile playing on his cracked lips as he did. If he was home, he'd be in Keith's arms. His husband holding him and reassuring him it was just a bad dream. He loved waking up in Keith's hold. Even on the mornings they didn't have time to have sex, they'd touch a little and share small kisses like the world was made for them alone. He loved the morning's when they'd shower together, holding Keith in his arms and feeling the warmth of him against his skin. He even loved the morning where he'd wake before Keith did and he'd get to watch Keith's sleeping face. Sometimes he'd brush his mates fringe back, or just stare for vargas at Keith's fine features, memorising every little detail, even the stupid ones like how his husband had more eyelashes on the right than the left. He didn't even know when he'd decided that was the case, but somewhere along the line he had and it was way to stupid to ask Keith to sit still while he counted them. Being here like that this didn't scare him for his sake, but for Keith's and for the boys. He didn't want them hurting because of him. He didn't want anyone hurting because of him.

Seemingly left alone long enough, or the clique henchman had finally completed his work, who was he to judge the man for being computer illiterate, the door to the lab he was in finally opened and Lance wish he could say he was surprised. With that same cool smile, the one that never met his eyes, Lotor walked over to him and took his hands in his  
"Would you believe me if I said I wished things didn't have to come to this?"  
"Nope. Not really. Can't say I'm hardly surprised"  
Arching an eyebrow, Lotor paused before laughing   
"That's so like you. Playing the strong Paladin like your life is actually worth something, while crying yourself to sleep at night"  
"Probably. I don't know. It's been a while. Soooo, I guess this is where you start torturing me, and I start screaming. Though, I'm a little confused over you motives. You know all about Voltron, so that can't be it, and you know the team don't actually need me to be there to form Voltron because Keith can pilot Red, while Shiro pilots Black. That leaves only a few things I can think of. This is either related to the pure quintessence, or its related to the black goop. Now. You have no real interest in the black goop, so I'm going to go with it's the quintessence thing"  
Lotor blinked, and Lance felt momentarily smug  
"Yes, it is true I am fascinated by your relationship with quintessence, but there is something I am even more fascinated in, and that's your unusual body. No other humanoid male species gives birth. Not anywhere else in this whole solar system. I want to know what makes you so unique. I want to know what makes your bond with Keith, and I want to see his face when I break it"  
Forcing himself not to flinch back, Lance took a deep breath   
"Well then. Where do we start?"  
"To think you'd be so accomodating. This body showed me a moderately good time last time, even I was surprised how open to pleasure you really are"  
"That's a hard pass. I can't say your my type"  
"I don't need to be your type to breed you. The bastard child may just be the whole key to unlocking everything I could ever want or need"  
"Yeah. That's not how all this works..."  
"Then I guess I'll just have to break both your mind and your spirit until you know with every fibre of your being that you will never see those disgusting children of yours, or your friends again"  
Growing warm, the band across his head once again invaded his mind, an involuntary scream tearing from his throat  
"Yes. You have never looked more appealing. I must leave for now, but rest assured I will return, and you will make my dream a reality"  
Great. He should have just listened to Toral and killed Lotor when he'd had the chance.

 

*  
Lotor wasn't gentle. He wasted no time with words and Lance's world grew grey and muddled. The concept of time had fled after the first time Lotor had taken him. In his left arm ran an IV, depositing microscopic amounts of pure quintessence into his bloodstream, while black goop ran through the IV in his right arm. He had to admit he was really kind of impressed that Lotor had managed to trap so much of it. They'd already done so much to him in such a short time. They'd drowned him when he wouldn't speak, they'd sliced him open purely to watch his organs as he hovered between life and death. They'd torn his nails off, taken skin, bone, blood and muscles samples to understand how he could process quintessence. But the worst was when Lotor personally came to check on his project. Each time Lotor "visited", Lance would close his eyes and think of Keith. It was all just he and Keith being a little rough, and he was safe in the knowledge that the continual supply of quintessence would be damaging his womb and ruining his chances of ever conceiving this abomination Lotor wanted him to birth. Out of all the clique endings his life could settled on, this was probably the most disappointing. Fucked until he tasted blood, and Lotor had filled him... what a disappointing way to go.

Laying still as Lotor's fingers ghosted over his stomach, today was different to all the others. While he'd been unconscious, both IV's had been removed, leaving him with a horrible feeling. His head hurt, and a crippling nausea had set in. He didn't see how it could be possible, but if Lotor was being so gentle  
"I know you're awake. I can hear your heart racing"  
"If you know I'm awake, you can stop touching me"  
"But I have news. I've been to see Voltron. How they have fallen. Allura even begging me to help find you"  
Lance faked a yawn  
"That sounds nice. How was Hunk?"  
"You're not going to ask?"  
"Ask what? What's there to ask?"  
"Who would have thought you could still find the strength to be so insolent?"  
"Everyone always said I was stubborn. Who would have thought that would come in handy?"  
"Watching them grieve, knowing they couldn't save you... I hope one day they know how large a part you played"  
"So getting me pregnant isn't enough?"  
"You cannot deny you enjoyed it. Your cum still clings to your thighs"  
"I suppose you won't be happy to know I was thinking of Keith the whole time"  
"It matters not. You are carrying my child, a child who will be able to use quintessence in its most purest of forms"  
"Hate to break it to you, but my boys don't have my powers"  
"That's because their father is half human trash"  
Must. Not. Take. The. Bait. Lotor would fuck up all on his own. Whether it be Keith catching his scent on him, or some other way, Lotor would fuck up, because all he cared about was his own ego  
"I suggest you rest now. Tomorrow we continue testing your limits"  
"Just an FYI. Pure quintessence messes with my womb and I will miscarry this child. So go ahead and pump me full of it"

Before Lance could even blink, Lotor's hand was on his face. He didn't have time to process, before he was assaulted by the worst pain of his life  
"Let's see how much of a "sharp shooter" you are, with just one eye"  
Gouging his left eye, Lance swore he felt the man's thumbnail scraping every last bit of it out. The pain was so beyond words, yet his body wouldn't let him pass out as he screamed his throat raw. As Lotor drew his thumb free, he wiped his fingers down Lance's cheek bone in almost a loving manor  
"Red truly is your colour"  
Humiliated more by the fact he'd pissed himself in pain than the fact Lotor had raped him, Lance snarled in disgust. His scent shifting to that more of an alpha than an omega. Grinding his teeth together, his words came out in a vengeful whisper  
"I will fucking kill you"  
"All I see is a half starved and half blind brat. Tonight I am dining with your friends, perhaps I'll bring you something back"  
"You have no idea what you've done"  
"Oh, I'm sure I do. Try not to make even more of a mess and please don't expire in your own excrement"  
"As if I would ever make this that easy for you"

 

*  
Moved from the lab he was housed in, Lance woke to find himself in a much more agreeable environment. The bed was massive, and so very soft. Perhaps because he was now pregnant? God. How did this even happen? Sighing to himself, the bed dipped   
"Lance?"  
Shooting up, his eyes shot open... eye shot open, wide in happiness and confusion   
"Toral?"  
"Oh Lance! I'm so sorry"  
Throwing her arms around him, she at least had more range to move, and didn't have these annoying cuffs around her wrists  
"Hey, hey, it's ok"  
Could it really be her? Or was this some Druid trick to get him to spill his secrets... not that he actually had any. Lotor made no sense. Either way, the warmth of a friendly body felt wonderful   
"Lance, I was so scared"  
"I bet you were. What happened?"  
"Lotor shot you. You tired to save me on Sendak's ship, but he shot us both"  
"Oh... are you ok?"  
"I don't think I'll ever be able to use a heavy bow again, but... you. You look horrible"  
"You're supposed to tell me I look dashing. Where are we?"  
"I don't know. I woke up here and my head really, really hurts"  
"Lotor was probably in there. That's his thing"  
"Lance, what do we do?"  
"Is there a bucket beside the bed?"  
"Y-yes? How did you know?"  
"Because I'm going to be sick"  
Toral barely made it out his hold before he threw up over the side of the bed. His head throbbing like crazy with the force behind it   
"Lance!"  
"It's ok"  
"It's not ok!"  
"Toral, it's ok. This is... this is nothing"  
"You're sick and your hurt... your poor face"  
"It's better to lose an eye than your life. Besides, we're together again"  
"But why! I..."  
"Toral, Lotor knows Voltron extremely intimately. In fact, I would say there isn't a single thing he doesn't know about us. If you talked, it's ok"  
"Oh Lance, I couldn't help it. I could feel my mouth moving, but I couldn't stop. I wanted too"  
"That's probably why you've only got those chains around your ankle and waist. He said he wasn't foolish enough to be sentimental, but it seems to me he is"  
"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean"  
Vomiting again, he remembered how unfun morning sickness was. He had to play this smart. If he aborted the child, Lotor would just start all over again. If he kept it, he could use it as a bartering chip. Not that his omega was happy about that idea. It had already decided it wanted it and that they were keeping it, and would protect it no matter what. Dirty rotten traitor of a dynamic  
"Toral. I'm going to need your help. Do you understand?"  
"Y-yes, what can I do?"  
"I can't see very well, are there any windows or vents or doors? I need to know where every exit is"  
"There's a door, but that's it... I don't see any vents"  
"There's got to be a vent. We wouldn't have air if there wasn't. Don't look for it now, just wait"  
"How can we wait? You... you look like you're dying and you smell so bad"  
"Toral. Trust me. We wait for now"  
Sitting at the end of the bed Toral eyed the bucket in disgust, while Lance gripped it tighter  
"What did... why does he want us?"  
"You, probably because you come from another reality. Me back I'm a freak"  
"A freak?"  
"Yep. A guy who can have kids"  
"Your kids are cute"  
"I know. They take after their father"  
"I don't see it"  
"Then you're blinder than I am"  
Heaving, Lance's throat burnt as nothing came up. Ugh. Great. You actually had to have something in your stomach to throw it back up, and Lotor was hardly proving a three course meal before each encounter. God. A shudder rolled through his body at the thought, the unwanted memories surfacing   
"Lance?"  
"Sorry. I was just thinking about Keith"  
"You must miss him"  
"I do"  
"Why did Lotor chose to take just you?"  
"Like I know"  
"Is it because you and Keith are bonded?"  
The penny dropped for Lance. This... this was Lotor's new plan. He should have known it was too good to be true, but... if he could draw it out... he could actually get some real rest... hopefully. His head hurt way too much so he wasn't completely sure he was making sense, and he had no real idea why he was trying to justify his own thought trails to himself  
"Possibly. But it's impossible to break a bond. Even if one of us died, it would still exist. Even another alpha marking me as his wouldn't change that. Alpha and omega bonds are super strong like that, and once your marked, only that first mark stays with you"  
"And if you're not marked back?"  
"The bond doesn't take. The mark fades away. You can mark someone a hundred times with your mark, but each and every time it will fade if the bond isn't completed. Even cutting the skin off of a bond won't remove it. It alters you on a genetic level. Honestly, scientists only have a whole lot of theories and no answers. They don't know why it's like that, but nothing can ever change it"  
"Oh... that's..."  
"Intense?"  
"Romantic. Lance, can I get you anything?"  
"No. My stomachs settled. I need to sleep, or I won't have strength for tonight"  
"Ok... can I sleep next to you?"  
"Of course you can. Honestly, you have no idea how much better I feel having you here. Being alone... I've always been terrified, and of being in the dark"  
"I'm scared of that too..."  
Placing the bucket on the floor, Lance pulled one of the pillows into his hold the best he could as he settled with his face near the edge of the bed. He was about ninety percent sure that this was all Lotor messing around in his mind. A clear case of, "Lance would suspect this is a dream, so we leave it play out until his resolve wavers and he begins to question if it is, and then we pull him out once he spills all his fears and secrets to Toral, and make him watch his friends be destroyed", if ever he saw one. Even if she wasn't real, having Toral curl up and spoon around him felt nice. A warm and affectionate hug, and not an act of sheer violence. Perhaps that's why he really felt little each time Lotor took him? He felt each thrust, he felt himself tearing and he felt incredible shame as Lotor came... he felt the deep disgust from being so tainted and dirty, and cheating on his soulmate, but at the same time, it all felt so distant. Like it was happening to someone else and he was just along for the ride... that had to be it. This had to be in his head. Somewhere his body was hooked up to Galra tech. Somewhere he wasn't pregnant and he still had his left eye. Lotor thought he could break him, but now he knew the truth, and the truth was that none of this was real.

 

*  
"Keith, uh, dinners ready"  
Looking to Hunk, Keith sighed as he nodded. He appreciated the fact Hunk was forcing him to eat, but he didn't know how much more he could take of swallowing down food without tasting anything. Anything he did eat didn't stay down long, and his whole body felt like it'd been consumed with fever   
"Thanks Hunk..."  
"Do you want me to help with boys?"  
"No. Leave them sleep. They cried all last night and all of today. Lance's scent isn't helping anymore, they just miss him too much"  
"We all do. Lotor still hasn't uncovered anything, but we can't give up hope. He's coming to dinner tonight, maybe he'll have more news?"  
How could he not give up hope? A whole fucking phoeb had passed and Red was still being worked on. The Olkari had been a massive help, their vine platforms making it easier to move Red's panels and access the smaller scraped and dents that might have otherwise been missed. Everything was so fucked up and the twins had even said their first word without Lance being there to here it. "Ma Ma". Lance was their mum. He should have been here to hear them ask for him. He would have been so proud...  
"Come on, I know it's hard, but you need to eat"  
"I know... I just feel so sick"  
Hunk frowned as he crossed to him, squatting down in front of the bed he was sitting on. Reaching out, the large alpha placed his blissfully cool palm against Keith's forehead   
"You've got a fever"  
"Oh... I just thought... I was tired"  
"What other symptoms do you have?"  
"Hunk"  
"Don't Hunk me. Lance is going to need you fighting fit when you rescue him. I need to know how you're feeling, or I'll tell Shiro"  
Shiro. No. He didn't want that. He had no idea how Shiro had managed to be so patient with him. Every single time he lost his cool at him, Shiro would drag him to the training room, both of them practicing their hand to hand until Keith dropped  
"Nauseous. Tired. My head feels like it's going to split in two most of the time. Anxious because my alpha can't take this waiting around. I wake up and I'm verging on going feral. I have to fight to keep it back"  
"I think all of this can be explained by the enormous amount of stress you're under, but I think you should ask Coran to do a scan for you? Or maybe just go through a pod cycle? It's possible you caught a cold or something, and all your energy is going into that"  
"How can I? When Lance is out there... without Red, we won't find him"  
"Red is nearly ready to be brought back online. Her core is fully charged, and there's only a few more cosmetic things to deal with"  
"Then why isn't she awake?"  
"We didn't want to risk hurting her further. She had a huge shock to her system, and she might be mechanical, but we all know how our lions feel. When they hurt, we hurt"  
"Lance would appreciate that"  
"Yeah. He's going to be just fine. Maybe he's on some alien planet surrounded by beautiful girls?"  
"Lance wouldn't know what to do with a beautiful girl"  
Hunk gave him a smile, which Keith felt his lips return even if his heart wasn't in it. Letting himself be pulled from the bed, he followed Hunk from the nursery.

Insisting he go ahead to dining room, Keith tried not to draw back into himself as he took his usual seat. He could feel everyone looking at him, and he didn't want to admit that his own personal searches had turned up nothing. In the quite hours, he'd take Black out and scan the surrounding planets. He knew he wouldn't find anything, but he still prayed he would  
"Keith, how are you doing?"  
"I'm alright Shiro..."  
"Lotor's going to be here soon, if you're not up for it..."  
"No. It's ok. Hunk has already given me the talk about staying positive"  
"That's all we can really do"  
"So why is Lotor coming? I thought he didn't have any news?"  
"Probably to see if we do"  
"Keith, we all know how you feel about him, but he's our best shot at finding Lance if he's being held by a Galra"  
"I know... it just gets harder as continue to turn up nothing..."  
"We all feel the same way. Where are the boys?"  
"In the nursery. I'm thinking about placing them in a pod until Lance comes back"  
He'd been overly protective of them, even snapping at Allura for changing the boys while he'd asleep, so he really wasn't surprised when they all gasped in shock  
"Keith"  
"Look. They miss Lance, and they're not alright. They're upset all the time and not sleeping because he's not there. I can't stand to see them like this, and it's not fair on them"  
"But to place them into a pod"  
"Don't you think I've thought about this?! Don't you think I know how fucking weak it makes me look!? I can't even make my two boys happy, and I can't even bring their mother home!"  
Quiznak. There were tears in his eyes. 

"Sorry. I do not mean to interrupt"  
Rising from his seat, Keith ignored Lotor's arrival  
"Keith..."  
"I can't do this"  
Keith only made it three steps from his seat before the world swam in front of his eyes. Gripping his head, he dropped heavily to his knees with a strangled scream  
"Keith!"  
"Shiro..."  
Racing to his side, Shiro lifted him from the floor  
"Medical room, now"  
"Shiro... what's happening!?"  
"I don't know Pidge. His scents just changed and I can't figure it out"  
"Shiro... it hurts..."  
"Hold on Keith"  
With the whole team focused on him, no one saw the small smile of pleasure on Lotor's lips. He'd timed his arrival down to the last tick, and now it was time to see how Voltron took losing two of its Paladins. Yes. There was nothing quite like knowing a plan was going exactly as he'd foreseen.

Curled on the examination room bed, Keith was still clutching his head. Something deep inside felt like it had exploded, and fine needles of shrapnel were moving through his brain  
"Shiro?"  
"Hold him down, we need to scan him and run an IV line for the pain"  
Pidge's soft hand tugged on his arm, her touch feeling like fire as he screamed   
"Shiro!"  
"I know Pidge. Coran, how much longer before we can start the scan?"  
"Ready when you are"  
"Do it. Pidge, I know it looks bad, but we need to get that IV hooked up"  
"But... he just screamed... Keith never screams"  
He wanted to apologise to Pidge, but was afraid of opening his mouth to speak  
"I'll put the line in. Go tell Hunk what's happening"  
Good. Pidge shouldn't have to see this  
"Keith, I know it hurts, but we're going to figure this out"  
A new sensation filled him, a festering feeling covering the back of neck. His hand flew to his nape, his nails tearing at the skin in an effort to make it stop   
"Shiro, what's he doing?"  
"He... he's trying to scratch his bond mark. Allura, grab his hand. Keep him from touching his neck. We're going to have to sedate him. Coran, scan results?"  
"His hormone levels are through the room, his white blood cells levels are low"  
Some kind of infection? That didn't feel right. Consumed with pain, he barely felt the prink as Shiro injected him with a sedative, instead all he felt was Allura grabbing his hand and pulling it away from his neck   
"Shiro... something wrong with his neck"  
"Don't worry Allura. We'll treat it as soon as the sedatives kick in"  
"I don't... oh my gosh... Shiro, look"  
If he could ask, he would have. Being on his nape, he couldn't see that his bonding mark had turned pitch black, and the skin around it bubbled raised like it was infected burn. Snarling, his alpha tried to reject the sedatives as they slowly began to kick in  
"Keith. You're ok. You're going to be ok"  
He knew that tone. The tone they used when they didn't understand what was actually happening, but didn't want to worry him  
"May I be of some assistance?"  
"Sorry Lotor. This is hardly what we were expecting to happen. I'm sorry, but could you wait outside? Once the sedatives are in his system, we'll be moving him to a pod"  
"Yes. Of course"  
Lotor. Why was his alpha now turning its full attention to Lotor? And why did his teeth long ache to tear the man's throat out? He was no friend, but in the condition he was in... Lotor should have been the last thing on his mind.

 

*  
Trapped inside the same room, Lance had "eaten" and he'd "slept" the issue now was how to make everything seem realistic? His past plan had been to find a way to smash the container of black goop, but if this was all in his head, what was to say that wasn't too? For now he only had what was in the room to work with, and that meant using Toral for most of the "work".

Sitting next to him, Toral had her head resting against his shoulder and a firm hold on his left hand. He hoped Lotor hadn't found a way to read his inner most thoughts, because if he had, absolutely none of this would work  
"Toral?"  
"I thought you were sleeping"  
"Is that your way of telling me I need my beauty sleep?"  
"No. I just didn't think you'd slept well, you have a fever"  
"I'm ok. You know how I told you to wait, well nows our chance. We need to find that vent shaft"  
"But if Lotor find out, he'll hurt you"  
"Hey, none of that. I'm tough. You need to be tough too. What happened to the girl who kicked my arse?"  
"She started liking you"  
"Then if you like me, you need to help me. I can't move around like you can, so we need to find something to get out chains off"  
"I thought you wanted to find the vent"  
"I do. What you need to do is look around for something I can work at my chains with, while you find that vent"  
"Lance"  
"Toral. I know you can do it. You're cross-reality arse kicking princess"  
"Oh... ok... can't you summon that blade thing?"  
"I don't know how I did it last time. If I could do it again, we'd be out of here before Lotor knew what was happening"  
"Do you think he knows what he's doing?"  
"Of course he does. I'm the strongest Paladin of Voltron. That's the real reason he needed me out of the way"  
"You say some pretty funny things"  
"Rude much. I'm being serious"  
"Then how come I could kick your arse"  
"Because polite men don't hit girls"  
"You're so weird"  
"Yep. Now get going. These chains are driving me crazy"

As he'd predicted, their "escape" was far too easy. Toral pried the handle off the metal bucket, and it just magically fitted into the lock of his cuffs. He wasn't sure if Lotor was just that stupid, or if he'd watched too much TV and he was the stupid one with a kind filled of cliques. Probably the second one... ok, definitely the second option, but he wasn't going to admit it out loud  
"Lance, where do we go now?"  
"We go up. We need to get into the air vents and then into the hangar"  
"Can you fly?"  
"Of course I can. They don't call me the tailor for nothing!"  
"The tailor?"  
"Because I thread the eye of the... actually, you know what, it doesn't matter. Yes I can fly"  
"So we go through the vents?"  
"Yep. Do you need a boost up?"  
Having "escaped" their room, they were standing in the hall just in front of it, a large vent grate sitting in the centre of the roof above them  
"Don't you need the boost? You're in worse shape than I am"  
"Toral, just go first"  
Kneeling, Lance placed his hands together, forming a step for the girl. Placing her foot on his hands, Lance boosted her up easily  
"Stop wobbling!"  
"Get the grate open then!"  
"It's stuck!"  
"Stop being so loud. Do you want us to get caught?"  
"Of course not... whoa!"  
Toral would have fallen if he hadn't lifted her higher, this one eye business sucked  
"I've got it!"  
"Good, now get up there!"  
It took Toral a good tick to lift herself into the vent, a tick long enough that loud footsteps could be heard approaching   
"Lance!"  
Looking around, he could tell he didn't have time to follow  
"Toral. Listen to me very carefully. You need to go"  
"No. Not without you. Give me your hand and I'll pull you up"  
"Toral. Go. I'll be fine"  
"No!"  
"Go!"

Rounding the corner, three unfairly huge Galra appeared, the front one screaming something  
"Go!"  
There was a slight clang as the grate was pulled into place. This might all be in his head, but he was relieved he could "save" her. Placing his hands on the back of his head, Lance knelt in submission. That didn't mean the Galra took mercy. Kicking him harshly in the side, Lance fell face first  
"We should kill him. Lotor is too soft"  
"Not yet. He is the key to our victory"  
"I don't like the way he's looking at us"  
"Just because Lotor doesn't want him dead, doesn't mean we have to go easy on him"  
The last Lance saw was the tip of a boot coming straight at his face, before being knocked out cold as the blow connected.

 

*  
Waking, Lance found himself chained up in the bedroom again, Lotor was sitting on the edge of the bed looking rather bored  
"Look who finally made it to the party. Hey Lotor, how's it going?"  
"I understand you attempted to escape today"  
"Of course I did. Gotta keep you bad guys on your toes"  
"Where is Toral?"  
"She's not here? Shame about that"  
Narrowing his eyes, Lotor looked to him, his thin lips turned down at the edges  
"You do not want to test me"  
"Why not? I've already figured out your game. I've been waiting for you to make a move, but that got boring"  
"My game?"  
"Yep. This is all in my head. You're in my head. That's why escaping was so easy, you wanted me to. You wanted me to be crushed when I failed. How much more clique can you be?"  
Lotor broke into a wide smile  
"My. You figured that out fast. What gave it away?"  
"Everything. You're not even the type to be interested in sex, plus, you're completely rubbish. I mean, you've been around for like 10,000 years and you don't even know how to make your partner feel good. I feel sorry for all the people you've slept it. Zero out of ten for style"  
Lotor looked like he'd been sucking in a sour lemon, his lips so pursed and his face so red that Lance wasn't sure he was still breathing. All at once Lotor let out a long breath, clearly not talking to him  
"Reset. We try again"  
"You can try as many time as you like, but I'm going to figure it out every single time"  
"Oh, I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to the day when you can't tell what's reality anymore, and what's a dream. On that day, you will help me complete my plan"  
"Wanna tell me about it?"  
"How about we say that you killing my mother was the best thing you could have ever done"  
"Honerva killed herself. She was messing with something she had no idea about. If she'd bothered to learn anything, she would have known the black goop and the pure quintessence are essential in the rift for the stability of this universe. You can't take over a universe that's falling apart. Now, if we're done, I need some sleep and I'm tired of talking to you"  
Lotor let out a growl as he rose from the bed  
"Your mate is dying, it's only a matter of time before you do to"  
Keith... Keith was what? He couldn't stop himself from trying to launch himself at Lotor   
"Leave my husband the fuck alone!"  
"I think you have too much mobility. We're going to have to do something about that"  
"I can't wait to see you dead"  
"As you would say "I'm tired of you and your same old words". You're about to realise just how useless and wrong you are"  
"Ok. Have fun. Bye"  
Giving Lotor a little wave, he was proud of himself all over again as he wriggled down in his bed. This was fun in its own twisted ways.


	100. Chapter 100

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our boy is strong

The medical room was practically empty. Keith was sitting the examination bed, nursing his still aching head. Behind him, Shiro was trying to dress his neck, even though he'd been through a full cycle in a pod, which probably meant vargas, not that Shiro had told him when he'd asked. His neck hadn't healed, and it felt so wrong having Shiro touch him so intimately  
"Keith, can you tell me what happened?"  
"Like I said Shiro. I have no idea"  
"Hunk told me you've been feeling sick"  
"Hunk has a big mouth"  
"Keith, you tried to scratch off your mark..."  
"I don't know why. I don't even know how to describe it"  
"Try"  
Keith groaned, he didn't need Shiro babying him, but he had been an alpha longer than him  
"Do you think it's possible to break a bond? Truly break it? Because my head felt like something exploded inside it before I clawed my neck"  
"Keith, there's nothing that can break a bond, except for death"  
"I would know if he died... wouldn't I?"  
"Yes. Even mates seperate by distance are effected, their mark begins to fade and there's a feeling of hopelessness"  
"I already feel hopeless"  
"I don't think Lance is dead. You're neck will be tender for a few quintants"  
"Thanks... has Lotor left?"  
"Not yet. He was talking with Allura. With Lance gone, there's a threat we'll be attacked"  
"I don't trust him" "Keith"  
"I know, but what can we do?"  
"I'm serious. I seriously don't trust him. When he was in here, I wanted to kill him. I wanted to feel his blood in my mouth and running down my chin..."  
"Is it because he's hurt Lance in the past?"  
"Then why don't I want to tear your throat out?"  
"I don't know. But I do find it suspicious that Lotor can't find Lance, given how in control of his empire he claims to be"  
"See! I know it... I know..."  
Keith took a deep breath  
"I know he knows what's going"  
"If he does, he's a good actor"  
"He's always been a good actor, and Lance always saw through him..."  
"Keith, if we move against Lotor, we need undeniable proof. We can't just follow your gut instinct"  
"And how are we going to do that? Allura's under his spell because he's half Altean. Coran will follow Allura. Pidge doesn't like him, but doesn't like violence, and Hunk... Lance is his best friend. He's always been cool, calm and collected, but he's protective of Lance. And you... you got a new arm because of him. That's why Toral couldn't trust you"  
"I was surprised he granted my request so easily"  
Keith was dying to ask why Shiro had even placed his trust and "arm" in the first place, but that was a grey zone  
"So what do we do?"  
"We could place a tracker on his ship"  
"That can be traced back, and if it doesn't look Galra, he'll trace it back to us. Plus his sensors will detect it"  
"We can't sent Green after him either. His ship will detect her, or her heat signatures"  
"We can't risk sending someone with him. We're already down Lance and Toral..."  
"Then what do we do?"  
"Wait for Red to be finished. She's gone to extremes to save her Paladin before. We can claim deniability if she acts alone"  
"I don't think he's going to buy that..."  
"We also need to be prepared that she might not lead to Lotor. We can't afford to narrow our view. We can't risk Lance's life like that"  
"I feel so useless without him. The boys are talking. Talking, Shiro. Lance should have been there for that... their first words were "Ma Ma" and I know its them babbling, but I feel like they were asking for him. That they want him"  
"Is that why you want to put them in pod? So Lance doesn't miss this?"  
"Yes... it's pathetic, isn't it?"  
"No. Not at all. I think I understand. I would want to be there for my son's first words"  
"Shit... Shiro, I didn't mean..."  
"I know you didn't. I just, sometimes I wonder"  
"Lance does too. He never really got over it all, and he still thinks about them and wonders if things could have been different... thank you for taking care of my neck. I need to see my boys"  
"Alright. Let me know if your headache gets worse, and I'll need to change your dressings tomorrow"  
Keith nodded, immediately regretting the pulling feeling across the back of his neck  
"They're firing Red up this movement, aren't they?"  
"You'll have to talk to Hunk about that. He's been pretty tight lipped about when they actually want to reactivate her"  
"Right. I'll give him a call, or he'll come find me"  
"Well you did collapse at dinner"  
"Trust me, it wasn't intentional"  
"We know. You have no idea how hard it was to get the others to leave"  
"I'm grateful you did. I don't think I could stand their looks of pity right now"  
"It's not pity. It's love, as much as they love Lance, they love you too"

Walking out the medical room, Keith resisted the urge to run. Coran, Hunk and Pidge were all waiting patiently for him, and all of them had that questioning look on their faces  
"No. I don't know what happened"  
Taking two steps, Pidge threw her arms around him  
"Keith. I was so scared"  
"Sorry Pidge. I didn't mean to scare you"  
"Are you ok, bud?"  
"We don't know. Shiro dressed my neck and the pain in my head's still there. I was just going to head back to the boys and try get some sleep"  
"I checked on them, they're still sleeping. I left you something to eat"  
"Thanks Hunk. Shiro and I were just talking, do you know when you're going to try activating Red?"  
"Tomorrow the cosmetic damage will be repaired, and... probably the quintant after"  
"I want to be there"  
"We'll let you know. Pidge, let Keith go"  
"Sorry. I was just so worried"  
"Thanks Pidge, but I should be fine"  
"Take Hunk"  
"What?"  
Hunk looked just as confused as Keith  
"In case something happens between now and breakfast"  
"Pidge, I'll be ok. I don't need babysitting"  
"Hunk could use it too..."  
"Hunk, I think your girlfriend is trying to get rid of you"  
"Just for tonight. He misses Lance too, and he can help with the boys"  
Pidge must have been even more freaked than he realised  
"How about this, why don't you both come by in the morning, and you can both help with bath time?"  
"Ok... but you'll call if you need us?"  
"I will. Now go cuddle up with Hunk"  
"Sometimes you say something very Lance like, and I know I should be used to it, but it's still strange"  
"Lance used to tell me I was stealing his words"  
"I'm sure he will when he comes back"  
Letting go of Pidge, Coran met his eyes before looking away. He'd done something harsh to the man, and now he was suffering too. Not sure what to say, Keith fled as politely as possible, his headache already starting to come back in full force, which was something he didn't want the others to see. If this was really something to do with his bond with Lance, it could mean his husband was suffering even more than he was. The day the started Red up couldn't come fast enough.

 

*  
It was the morning of Red's activation, and Keith's sleep had been interrupted by persistent nightmares of Lance being tortured. The bonding mark on his neck burned. The fire radiating so fiercely, he couldn't take a deep breath without the fear of pain, and he'd followed through with his decision, placing the boys into a pod the night before. The only thing that had kept going, and the only thing still keeping him going was the knowledge that today he'd step inside Red.

Showering quickly, Keith dressed, ignoring the immediate ooze of the dressings against his uniform, reminding himself that no matter what they did to Lance, their bond hadn't been broken. It might be dented and bruised, but it was still there and he was going to save his mate, and place the ring on his finger, back on Lance's, where it belonged.

Walking into her hangar, Red had never looked better. The vibrancy of her red practically glowed, giving her a much sleeker appearance. Lance had always taken care of Red, but his husband never could have managed to bring her up to this level. It was what she deserved, and no doubt she'd be proud of how good she looked  
"Keith! You're late, I nearly sent Hunk to find you!"  
"Sorry Pidge. I lost track of time in the shower"  
"Of all the days to be late"  
"I know. Is she ready?"  
"More than ready. We're going to unlock her restraints, but do you want to be in her?"  
"In her?"  
"Like inside? In case she takes off"  
"What about Black?"  
"Keith, if Red takes off, we'll tow Black along ourselves if we have to. If it means getting Lance back, there's no way wouldn't take the chance"  
"Then I guess I'll be inside her"  
Pidge grinned, her already wide smile turning slightly creepy  
"Matt and Shiro are on standby in case something goes wrong with coding. Well, Matt is on standby and Shiro is doing an amazing impression of your brooding face. Hunk has triple checked all of Red's connections. Now, come on already"

Pidge walked him to Red's mouth Ramp, no doubt she'd be annoyed she'd been left sitting around with her mouth down  
"Alright. Well, we have no idea what happened, but if you get electrocuted, it's Matt's fault"  
"Of course it is. Pidge, you would have checked and rechecked everything, and so would Coran"  
"None of have been the same without Lance around. It's so lonely. I even miss his lame arse jokes and stupid puns. Red might reject you and might not even move, but she'd never leave Lance out there"  
"Yeah. I know. She's got a lot to catch up on"  
"Well good luck!"  
Swallowing, the steps of Red's ramp never looked longer, and they'd never felt longer either as he made his way up. Hunk had done an amazing job cleaning out the blood, but for a moment, that was all he saw. Swaying, he shook his head to rid himself of the memories. Lance would be just fine. Crossing to Red's pilot chair, Keith sank down. It was all so familiar and all so wrong. He wasn't Red's pilot now, and he wouldn't be surprised if she rejected him outright  
"Keith! We're starting her now!"

With a vibrating rumble, Keith felt Red to return to herself... right before she let out an earsplitting roar. Her pain and confusion made his heart ache in sympathy for her  
"I know Red. I know girl. You don't know what happened, but I really need you right now. Lance is missing. Red, he's been gone for over a phoeb, and I can't find him. I can't... I can't bring him home. I know you're lost and confused, and I know you know how much he loves you. You're his best girl. You're his... his friend. That day, he woke up and he... he wasn't feeling right so I told him to go with you. It's my fault you were hurt. I'm so sorry Red. I failed him and I failed you. So please. I need you to help me bring him back. I don't care if it costs me my life. I can't leave him out there"  
With his hands on Red's controls, Keith cried earnestly. His body shook with emotion and pain, and he wasn't even sure she was listening to him  
"Red... did you know? Is that why you stopped? Why you... why you let yourself be hurt? Were you trying to make sure Lance wasn't hurt? The Galra took him, while you were offline, they took and he could be anywhere. Please Red"  
Instead of giving him a reply through feelings, or even with her lights, Keith found himself forcibly ejected from her, his shoulder crunching as he hit the hangar floor and slid across the room limply. Placing her shields up, Red sat, her while aura screaming she didn't want anything to do with any of them.

"Keith!"  
Running across the hangar, Shiro was the first to reach him  
"She doesn't... she doesn't want him..."  
"Keith"  
Extending his hand to help him, Keith smacked it away  
"Shiro. She doesn't want him. He's fucking pregnant and she doesn't want him!"  
"He's what? I thought you guys were being careful"  
"Apparently not fucking careful enough. Though it's probably too fucking late now. He's probably lost another fucking pup, and it is her fault!"  
"Keith..."  
"Don't even fucking bother. If Red isn't going to help, I'll take Black and I will slaughter Lotor"  
"Keith... is he really?"  
Pushing himself up, his shoulder was definitely dislocated, and his neck... was in a bad way  
"Yeah. Coran found it in his blood. Low levels, so he wasn't far along... it wasn't planned. Especially not after his surgery. Some day... but not right now"  
"How long have you known?"  
"Since Coran took the swabs"  
"And you didn't say anything"  
"How could I? Everyone's worried enough as it..."  
When their conversation trailed off, the rest of the team made their way over, after keeping a respective distance  
"Keith?"  
"She doesn't care. I'm not her Paladin and she doesn't seem to want to help Lance"  
"I didn't see anything wrong in her diagnostics"  
"You did what you could. The problem is with her"  
Despite everything he was feeling, and the anger he'd felt when Shiro approached, Keith was amazed how clear his head felt now. Red had turned her back, so he'd just have to rely on Black  
"Uh, Buddy, I think your shoulders busted"  
"It's definitely dislocated"  
"I'll put it back in place"  
"Shiro, that could do more harm then good"  
"Shiro knows what he's doing"  
"Keith, I really think you should let a professional"  
"Pidge, this isn't the first time it's happened"  
"You should have seen his first stack... lost his both front teeth, busted his shoulder and he had the happiest smile on his face"  
"Don't tell them things like that"  
"Aw Keef! To think you had a cute phase"  
Shiro moved to his right side, taking his arm in his hand as he placed the other on his shoulder. Snarling, Keith ground his teeth together  
"Ready"  
Even with his teeth together, Keith still screamed. He couldn't forgive Red for abandoning Lance, but he hoped she'd feel some guilt over seeing him in such pain. After a very long tick or two, Keith finally let took a shaky breath  
"Thanks"  
"No worries. As now, what do we about Red?"  
"Leave her. She's made her feelings clear"  
"Keith"  
"No. I'm sick and tired of feeling hope and then having nothing work out. If I'm going to get Lance and Toral back, I need to take Black and search for them myself"  
"Keith, you're not going anywhere except up to the medical bay. Your neck's clearly infected, so we need to change that dressing and we need to start you on antibiotics"  
"I'll go later"  
"You'll go now. You're pain is setting all of us on edge, right now we need to stop and think"  
"Shiro's right Keith. Please, if not for your sake, do it for Lance's. He needs you to stay strong"  
Allura gave him a brave smile, desire the tears rolling down her cheeks  
"Allura's right. He's going to flip out when he sees how sick you look"  
"Fine. You can change the dressings, then I want absolutely everything we have on Sendak's attack, and what Lotor was doing at the time of the incident"

 

*  
Curled up in the same dream bed, Lance was trying to remember the faces of all his team. He found no matter how hard he concentrated, he was already struggling to remember. Hunk and Keith he'd know in a heartbeat. But Allura and Coran... even Pidge... they were slipping away from him, and despite his outwards bravado, he was so scared. In his "dreams" Lotor's face would morph to Shiro's, and sometimes even Keith's. His favourite nightmares were the ones with Keith, and it didn't matter how violent or horrific they were, he still relished the time he spent in them, when it was just him and his husband. That's not to say he didn't treasure the rare good dream he had, dreams where he was with Keith and the boys, but the nightmares always hit closer to reality. They made him feel alive. They made him feel connected to Keith, even though Lotor had tried to cut his bonding mark off... hell, the man had even tried to mark him. He'd always considered Lotor much more intelligent than he was proving to be. Even his mind games were boring. He'd woken up to find himself back in the same room, this time without Toral, but everything around him was perfectly clean, as if it had been "reset". The "rules" this time had changed in other ways too. His hands were still bound, but he now only had one ankle chained, and he had enough chain to make it into the bathroom to relieve himself. While he was still missing his eyes, and his stomach was ever so slightly swollen, he attributed that just to Lotor getting his own back for denting his ego.

Thinking of the devil made him appear. The door sliding back with the same ever so slight scraping that sent his heart racing, and his stomach rolling  
"How are you fairing?"  
"Do you really want to know?"  
"Not particularly"  
"Well... my neck hurts and my legs really sore..."  
"Silence"  
"You asked me a question"  
Drawing his blade, Lance wondered if he'd maybe pushed the Galra too far. His fear showing clearly, despite his face being half hidden by a pillow  
"It seems Keith's condition is even worse. Infection has set in, and today they failed to activate the Red lion"  
"Red? She's alive?"  
"That's what Allura told me as she sobbed into her communicator. Do you want to know what else she said? She said they've decided to scale back their search for you. With the Red lion, and you're team turning their backs on you, who will save you now?"  
"There's still Toral"  
"Ah yes... I never told you, did I? She severed her purpose"  
On moment Lotor was at the door, the next he was gripping Lance by the chin  
"The foolish girl had no idea just what she was carrying"  
"What... what did you do to her?"  
Taking out the necklace with the gold quintessence trapped inside, Lotor smiled down at the piece  
"See this. This allows the user to enter the rift on a whim. It grants its wielder access to unlimited quintessence, with no side effects. The dumb little thing probably used it to cross over and never even realised"  
Oh shit. Ok. No. That wasn't good. Toral being hurt or... was bad enough. Now for Lotor to have what he desired so badly... oh fuck. There was no other way to describe the situation... but fuck really wasn't strong enough. He could scream the word until his throat bled and it still wouldn't be enough  
"Nothing witty to say?"  
"What did you do to her?"  
"Nothing. She served her purpose, so I let her go. A little present for your friends? Of course she wasn't breathing when I placed her in the jet and sent her far, far away. Dead girls tell no tales, especially dead girls with no tongue"  
Images of Toral's happy and bubbly smile filled his mind. The way she laughed and the way her moods yoyo'd. She deserved so much better and he couldn't even save her  
"My friends are going to find you. They're going to smell you and they are going to hunt you down"  
"You wound me with that look. I've taken certain precautions, but I assure you, your time is coming soon and all this won't matter"  
"Screw you"  
"I can honestly say, that offer has never been more appealing, yet you're not bleeding anywhere near enough. Let me change that"  
Using the tip of the blade, Lance tried to escape as Lotor pushed him onto his back and pinned him down with a single hand on his throat. Holding firmly, Lotor dragged the blade just above his hand, the tip dangerously close to his major blood vessels as the wound began to bleed  
"Much better"  
Leaning in, Lotor ran his tongue over the fresh incision, causing a shudder of revoltion to run down his spine. Sadly enough, his night? only got worse.

 

*  
Keith was alone when he finally broke. His spirit too beaten, his alpha just as empty. It'd ceased its pleas to find Lance, and now... Red hadn't moved. No one knew anything. And without the support of his mate... he just couldn't do it. He wanted to be strong for boys, but it was so hard. Everything took more effort than he had. Even breathing was more effort than he could take. He was alone. A loneliness of his own making. Everyone had tried their hardest, both to prop him up, and to find Lance, but it was his fault Lance was gone, so this was the least he could.

Sitting on the bed in Lance's old room, Keith stared down at his wrists through tear blurred eyes. He didn't want to go out this way, but everything was so hard. He was so tired. Picking his blade up, the alpha balanced the tip against his left wrist, watching a drop blood form at the wound site. All he had to do was push, just push a little longer and drag the blade up to his elbow. It would all be over then. So why couldn't he do it?

Letting out a broken howl, he tried to push down  
"Keith! No!"  
Feeling the blade being ripped out his hand, he heard it clang as it hit the floor and Shiro's arms wrapped around him. Clutching shirts jacket, Keith howled against him, his sobs just as loud as his howl. Rocking him, Shiro held him tight as he rubbed his back and nuzzled his hair  
"I've got you. I've got you"  
"It's so hard! I want him back!"  
"I know you do"  
"I need him!"  
"I know. Shhh, it's ok"

Shiro let him sob himself out, too tired to move, the alpha lifted him from the bed with ease  
"You've lost weight"  
"I can't eat"  
"Keith, you need to try"  
"I just throw it back up"  
"That's not ok. Has this been going on the whole time?"  
"Y-yes"  
Keith felt his face burn with shame. He was a quiznakking alpha. He was supposed to be strong. Not have everyone hovering and watching his every move, making sure he didn't spend too long alone and making sure he didn't go to Black like he wanted to. Just as Shiro opened his mouth, the castle alarms began blare, sending his taxed senses into overdrive. Clamping his hands over his ears, Shiro span on the spot, obviously heading for the Bridge, with Keith still firmly in his hold. It wasn't until they reached the Bridge that he finally set him back on his own two feet.

"Paladins! We have news!"  
"We're not under attack?"  
"No. I had Coran set the alarm off so I could summon you here as quickly as possible"  
"What's going on, Allura?"  
"It's Red. We programmed the castle to alert us if she left, and she did, not even 5 doboshes ago"  
"She... she left?!"  
Keith's voice was higher than normal, his gut dropping like a stone while his heart skipped a beat  
"Yes. Coran is currently tracking her movements"  
"Then what are we waiting for? We need to go"  
"Keith, we don't have a plan"  
"How much more of a plan do we need? We need to follow her and see where she's going. There has to be some reason for her to leave right now of all times"  
"If we're going to get Lance back..."  
"We need to go now. It's been nearly two phoebes. We need to move. If we wait too long we won't be able to catch her"  
"He has a point, Allura"  
After literally just pointing out they needed a plan, Keith was grateful for Shiro backing him up  
"We'll form a plan on the way. Shiro, you go with Keith. Coran, make sure you keep tabs on all of Red's move. We'll need to take the castle. It's not the best option, but if he is hurt, or if Toral is hurt, they'll need immediate access to a pod"  
"The lions are faster than the castle. I'll go ahead in Black"  
"We should stay together"  
"He's my mate! My husband!"  
"We know..."  
"Do you?! We've had nothing and now we have this! Do you know what that feels like?!"  
"Toral might now be my biological daughter in this reality, but she feels like it! You might have lost your husband, but I have lost one of my best friends and my daughter!"  
There was that feeling of shame again. He'd honestly treated Toral as an after thought  
"We need to move. Coran?"  
"We still have range, but we should leave immediately"  
"Right. Please be prepared to pilot your lions. We don't know what we're headed into"

Forced to sit by Shiro, Keith had chosen to sit in Lance's seat rather than his own. In a very Lance way, he chewed on his nails, as his leg bounced uncontrollably. It seemed to him that Red was only getting further and further from them, and his heart couldn't take it  
"Keith, you need to calm down"  
"I can't"  
"You need to eat"  
"I'll eat once Lance is safe"  
His answers to Shiro's questions were painfully blunt, but it was Shiro's fault for asking stupid questions  
"Red is opening a wormhole"  
"We need to follow!"  
"We are"  
"We're not fast enough"  
"We're still tracking her"  
"The last time she went through a wormhole, communications were cut off!"  
"I updated her tracking just for that, and attached a secondary tracking system. Even if her signature goes offline, the second tracker will still work"  
"She's entered the wormhole, the moment she comes out, we can follow"  
"This is taking too long"

Spring out his chair, Shiro grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back down  
"Shiro..."  
Growling the alphas name, Shiro growled back  
"We have to wait"  
"Do you have any idea how tired I am of hearing that?"  
Tension filled the bridge. No one dare tell Keith they were tired of his complaining, nor would they admit they agree with Shiro. Biting his lip sullenly, Keith crossed his arms  
"Hunk, Pidge, keep an eye on Keith. I'll be right back"  
"Where you going?"  
"If you're not going to take care of yourself, someone has to"  
"I can take care of myself"  
"Shiro, it's ok. The way he's glaring at the screen, I don't think he'll be moving any time soon"  
"I won't be long"

True to his word, Shiro wasn't. Carrying in something Hunk had baked, Shiro was also carrying medical supplies  
"What's that for?"  
"Keith has an infection. I was taking him to the medical bay when the alarm rang"  
They were actually facing the other way when the alarm rang, so he had no idea where Shiro was taking him. Placing down a plate of something bready in his lap, Shiro then went about setting up an IV line in his right arm  
"I'm going to give you a vitamin shot, as well as one to help with the pain, and third one is antibiotics"  
Injecting them into the IV line, Keith was pretty sure he didn't need all of them, but Shiro looked too determined to argue with. With little interest he poked at the bread  
"They're garlic knots. Lance's favourite. Of course I had to give it a bit of tweak given the supplies we have... I find myself making all his favourites without thinking"  
Hunk's sentence slowly turned to a mumble, his face tinging red  
"I'm sure he's going to love them. Coran, do we have Red's coordinates yet?"  
"She just came out the jump... she's in... she's in Coalition territory..."  
"She's what?"  
"She's continuing forward. Allura, we should open a wormhole"  
"Right"  
As Allura powered up the teladuv, Keith was still trying to figure out if he'd heard Coran correctly  
"Lance is Coalition territory?"  
"We don't know if she's actually leading us to Lance. Pidge, I need you to search the coordinates. We need to know what races are there, and what we're heading into"  
"Already on it... ok... there's an abandoned satellite station... as well... the planets in the immediate surrounds have been mined to depletion by the Galra"  
"Good. We can make land once we've found Lance and Toral. We'll need to regroup, and we don't know what kind of condition he's going to be in. He might be very confused, and he might not even recognise us. Keith, I know you're going to want to rush in, but that could lead to them killing Lance just to get back at us. We need to be careful, and we won't be going in until we've preformed a full survey of the surrounding area"

Keith held his breath for the length of the jump, his hands gripping the plate in his lap as he strained his eyes, trying to see Red in the distance  
"What's she doing?"  
"She's stopped"  
"Coran?"  
"We'll reach her in approximately 27 doboshes"  
She didn't look that far away... he could make out her bright red shape now  
"She's stopped near the satellite. I'm scanning the space around it. Thanks to its composition I can't scan it directly, all my signals are being bounced back"  
"Then we'll have to go in blind"  
"We can't..."  
"This is supposed to be Coalition territory. Even the satellite hasn't been abandoned, there seems to be no other ships close. Oh wow..."  
"Wow what?"  
"There's time distortion waves around the satellite. I'm guess it was knocked out of its original orbit and was caught in one. Red can't go through because she's too big. We'll need to take one of the Altean flighers in, following a very tight course"  
"I'll pilot. We'll need to stay together..."  
"Keith, I'll pilot. You're exhausted"  
Keith glared up at Shiro  
"I can do this"  
"I'm not saying you can't, but we can't afford a single mistake"  
"So you're calling me a mistake?"  
"Don't put words in my mouth. Also, I'm not the one sitting there with an IV in my arm"  
"Keith, I know it's hard, but Shiro is right. Paladins. We do not know what we are walking into. If your instincts tell you something is wrong, please listen to them"  
In other words, Lance and Toral were important, but not important enough to risk themselves. Keith lifted the plate from his lap, having not even tried to eat  
"Coran. Let us know if anything changes and please have both the medical room and the healing pods ready in case we require them immediately"  
"Roger! You can count on me!"  
"Everyone else, we leave in 15 doboshes. Meet me in the main hangar, and Keith, bring something of Lance's incase he is out of it. The smell should help reassure him"  
"Then I should grab something of mine instead..."  
"I'll go. You rest"  
"I'm not a kid, Shiro"  
"No. You're an alpha. An alpha who's omega is currently missing and you're exhausted. If I didn't already know you'd disregard my words, I would ask you to remain behind"  
"I am not staying behind. I'm going to slaughter anyone who even looks at Lance the wrong way"

 

*  
The satellite was barely intact, in fact, its left side was pretty much nonexistent. That was their entrance, and miraculously, despite the damages, the power was still connected and gravity field was activated. Landing on the top floor, the plan was to sweep their way down as team. Pidge and Hunk would break off to check the satellites control room once they reached it, and if they happened across Toral, Allura would escort her back to the fligher. Leaving him and Shiro to find Lance. Silently nodding they were all in, they began, finding trouble almost immediately as a group on sentries converged upon their position. Pidge hadn't even been able to take her preliminary scans of the satellite's structure, but if they were being attacked so soon, then there was definitely something there. Activating his Bayard, Keith snarled, rushing towards the group on the right purely because they were closest, blind to everything but the battle, his blade found target after target while the others battled behind him. Throwing caution to the wind, he embraced the full brunt of his rage, hacking and slashing, weaving and dodging, never once looking back to the team. From behind shots hit the approaching sentries before they could even think, Hunk had his back, even if it only made him madder. Lance was his to rescue.

Fighting their way to the control room, seven burly Galra were waiting for them, their first shot flying past his head close enough to feel the warmth of the shot with his ear. Grabbing out his Luxite blade, Keith threw it across the room, where it embedded its self in the skull of the shooter  
"Keith..."  
"They're not going to bother listening, and they're in our way"  
As two Galra split off towards the control terminal, Hunk and Shiro moved to intercept them, while he and Allura made for the other 4. Even working together it took another 10 doboshes of their precious time to subdue them all  
"Pidge!"  
"Already on it. Hunk, watch the door while the mastermind does her thing!"  
With nothing to add, Keith doubled back and out the door they'd come through  
"Which way?"  
"Down. He's here. I know he's here"  
"Is it your bond? Do you feel him because of your bond?"  
Honestly he didn't. He didn't know what he felt, but Red had come here after all this time... that had to mean something  
"I... he has to"  
"Let's move. We aren't going to find him just standing here"

The first floor was a bust and the second had him praying Lance wasn't here. Lab after lab was covered in long crusted blood, and some other stains he was sure he didn't want to know about. With his helmet on, his sense of smell was being affected by his incoming air supply, so he couldn't tell each scent apart when it came to the hues under the thick Galra stink  
"Pidge, have you got anything?"  
"Possibly... the majority of the forces are another 6 floors down, but the satellite has a fail safe system in built. The data is corrupting as we speak"  
"Understood. Do what you can"  
"You don't need to tell me that Shiro. I'm on it"  
Shiro looked to him and Allura  
"We need to speed up. We don't know what will happen if that failsafe finishes its programming"  
"Then we need to split up. We can cover more ground that way"  
"Keith, Pidge just said there are more Galra here"  
"We have to find Lance"  
"And we have to be smart about it!"  
"Guys, let's not argue. Why don't we split up to check the rooms and meet at the end of the hall"  
Keith stared into Shiro's eyes, until Shiro nodded  
"I'll take the right side of the hall, you and Allura take the left. Watch yourselves"  
"Got it. Be careful"

Splitting up was definitely the best idea, and they were able to cover steady ground as they went. Most of the rooms had been empty, some even missing their back walls. Making their way to the fifth floor, Allura let out a cry as disappeared into the first room of the level. Shiro and Keith both rushed to her side, Keith's eyes widening. Lance's Bayard. His husband's Bayard and his uniform, which was barely an afterthought. Shoving Allura less than gently in his haste to reach the items. Lance... he was here. He was here and he was going to save him  
"Keith?"  
So focused on the Bayard, his mind had skipped the fact Lance's uniform was covered in blood... what was left of it at any rate. The visor of his helmet was smashed, the whole thing crumpled but not so much as to not be protective, but that didn't register until Shiro placed his hand on his shoulder, pulling his attention from the Bayard now in his hand. Looking up, he swayed at the sight of the tattered jacket Allura was holding, thorns curling around his heart and filling his stomach painfully  
"Lance was here"  
"He still could be"  
"Toral... we have to find her too"  
Keith snatched the bloody jacket from Allura's hold, the woman's eyes wet with unshed tears  
"You can do whatever you want, but I am going to find Lance"  
"Keith"  
"No! I'm sick of this! The guilt never leaves! I know I'm responsible for Toral going missing, but I can't even find the energy to care!"  
Wait. No. That... A slap rang out as his Allura's hand collided with his helmet  
"You're so selfish! Toral is scared and alone too!"  
"I know! I was the one who let her go with Lance! I don't need your fucking guilt trips!"  
"Keith, that's enough!"  
"You know what. You go with Allura and find Toral. I'm done with this. I'm done with you not even caring about Lance"

Marching out of the room, Keith stuffed Lance's jacket inside his. He'd messed up like the idiot he was. The only thing he could do now is keep going.

 

Making his way down to the 7th floor, Keith peered around the corner. Pidge had been right. It seemed like the whole crew was down here, as he counted 13 Galra and another 18 sentries. Whatever was on that floor, they didn't want him finding it. Looking around, he couldn't see an opening or a route that wouldn't end in him being injured. There were vents along the hall, but the moment he got in, he was leaving himself with no where to run once they noticed. He did have any explosives, so he couldn't create a distraction that was. He could use his Bayard... but that was risky. Lance was right there. He was right behind that door and he needed to sack up. Ducking back, Keith took a deep breath, yeah. He had a plan... and his plan was to go feral. Complete feral. Once his instincts kicked in, he'd be faster and stronger. He'd probably get hit, but the adrenaline in his blood would keep him upright... closing his eyes, he pulled up every image of Lance he could. Ever time he cried. Every time he was broken. Everyone who ever hurt him, forcing his alphas hand.

Armed with just his Luxite blade, the bloodlust radiated out of Keith as he ran, launching himself onto the closest Galra and riding him down to the floor, tearing his knife from his throat, spraying blood across the Galra armor as it came free  
"Keith!"  
Allura screamed his name, but he was too far gone to care. All he could hear was the beating heart of Galra who may have dared to touch his property. Lance is his and he would be until his dying breath. Which was not happening today  
"Allura, keep back. He's feral right now. He sees everyone as an enemy and obstacle between him and Lance. It's not safe for you to be here"  
Whatever else the pair bicker about, he can't hear. He's already leaping on the next Galra, kicking off the wall to get enough height to slice the man right down the chest. Even knowing he was feral, he feels Shiro come up behind him, backing him up while skirting the opposing wall. He felt a blow hit him hard enough for his brain to jostle in his skull. Slaying those closest to the door, Keith slams his hand on the doorpad, throwing himself in  
"Allura! Get in here!"  
He didn't even feel bad about leaving Shiro, his attention already on the sight in front of him.

All at once his world stopped. Literally. It felt like everything had been a whirl and a rush. Strapped upright against a solid looking table, Lance was slumped awkwardly against his shackles with a ridiculous amount of tubes attached, his breathing restricted by the thickest strap of metal around his neck, causing each breath to come to out as a whistling wheeze. The omega's eyes were wrapped in dirty looking bandages, which honestly blended into the filthy Lance was covered in. His mate had lost weight, so much so Keith could count each of his ribs, his small plump breasts now barely showing. Shaking, his alpha receded, his breath stolen from his chest as his eyes travelled down his husband, slowly settling on his stomach was ever so slightly swollen, more like a that of a starving child than a pregnant omega. It'd been too much to hope Lance might still be carrying his child. As the air found its way out from between his parted lips, time finally sped up. Most alphas liked to consider themselves smart, but in his feral haze, Keith wasn't smart. With three long strides, he started ripping every single tube and chain from Lance. The ones he couldn't do with his bare hands, he gouged out of their holdings with his blade. Fresh blood filled his nose, but after such a long absence, he literally couldn't stop. He wouldn't stop until Lance was free  
"Keith!"  
Screaming at him, someone dared to try pull him back  
"Keith, you're killing him!"  
"Allura, Toral, she's there. She's got the same memory device Lance had before. You disconnect her. They've probably been left connected and now Lance has been disconnected, there might be a backlash against her mind"  
Throwing his arm back, Keith found something crunch beneath his hand, but didn't give up his struggle. He just needed to get the awful thing off his mates neck. Once that was done... once that was done he could take him home  
"Keith"  
He didn't care. His hands scrambling as he tried to find the grove where the metal joined. His Lance. His... he had to have him back. Screaming in frustration, he couldn't get the stupid thing to give  
"Keith, stand aside, I'll use my hand"  
He didn't stand aside so much as he wrapped his arms Lance. He was so warm. So soft. So real. So completely filthy and fitting incredibly perfectly in his hold. Catching him, Lance gasped  
"Holy... he's awake"  
Tilting Lance in his hold, one arm supports the omega's shoulders  
"Lance? Lance, it's Keith. I'm here baby. I've got you"  
"Mmm... I was having such a nice dream... you were there, and you were there... And oh, Auntie Em, there's no place like home. There's no place like home"  
Coughing and wheezing, Lance was proud enough of himself to smile  
"Did he just quote "The Wizard of Oz"?"  
"I don't know. I haven't seen it... Lance?"  
"Keith, he's bleeding. Allura, how's it going with Toral?"  
"I can't get it off her her!"  
"Keith, take Lance and go"  
Lifting Lance complete into his arms, his husband went limp  
"Shiro... I..."  
"Take him and go. Allura, get out the way"

Looking up towards the doorway, Keith's ears caught the sound of approaching boots. There wasn't enough time to grab his blades, to put Lance down properly, so he did the only thing he could, turning and curling over Lance as a blue shot him on his left side. Screaming unintentionally, Lance whimpered and tensed, warmth running down his front  
"Keith! Shit, Allura"  
"She's free! I've got it. We need to go!"  
Stumbling, Lance slid from his hold, Shiro catching him as he did  
"Pidge, Keith's hit. We need a way back up"  
"On it! Holy Quiznak. That's a lot of Galra"  
"Pidge?!"  
"Just start moving! We'll meet you on the way"  
"I don't know if I can carry three..."  
"You found them!?"  
"It's complicated. They're not in good shape"  
Lance coughed, and Keith felt his husband pull him "tight"  
"I... I'll help with Keith... but I... he needs to be our eyes"  
"Lance, you're bleeding"  
"This is Keith! Back off!"  
Oh wow. Lance was pissed. Taking a random step forward, Keith tried to tell himself it was fine and it didn't hurt like a bitch. With his eyes covered, his mate wouldn't be walking far  
"Baby?"  
"Tell me where to go"  
The fact Lance didn't want his eyes uncovered scared him, more than he was prepared to admit. He didn't know if the bandage was there as a form of sensory deprivation, or.. or if they'd... the idea of never seeing Lance's beautiful blue eyes scared him. He itched to pull the dressings away so he could stare into the eyes of the one he loved so much  
"Shiro, you take Toral. Allura, you'll take point. Lance and I will stay between the pair of you"  
A small laugh came from Lance's lips. A laugh his heart didn't like  
"Lance?"  
"It's nothing. Let's go"

Allura did as requested, a fierce aura engulfing her as she stalked in front of their damaged group. Lance was barely able to support him, and because he'd taken the hit on his side, each movement his leg made him feel lightheaded with pain. In the back of his mind, Keith had to wonder if this was some kind of dream. Or maybe it was hell? Maybe he'd pushed too hard on the blade and he'd actually... no, it couldn't be hell. Lance was too pure and sweet, well maybe not pure, but anywhere where he was, was pretty damn close to heaven. It was slow moving going up the stairs, and even with his eyes covered Lance had growled when Allura had gone to assist them. She'd backed off in shock and what was unmistakably fear, for even when Lance went feral, she'd never witnessed this level of protectiveness. Being too tired and in too much pain, he didn't bother even trying to explain it. 

Hunk and Pidge rendezvoused with them on the fifth floor, and Lance instantly shrunk away from them. His fingertips digging painfully into Keith's side as he did  
"We need to go. Hunk, can you carry Keith?"  
Snarling, Lance once again bared his possessiveness  
"Lance, Keith needs help"  
"Touch him and I will fucking gut you"  
The icy cold threat didn't sit well with their alphas. The general look being "how dare an omega insult them in such a way"  
"Baby, I'm not going anywhere. But you need help too"  
"I can do this my fucking self"  
"Lance, I don't want to use a command on you, but you're barely standing and slowing us down"  
He could have decked Shiro for that. There was the tiniest shift in the feeling of the group, before Shiro actually followed through. His voice carrying way too well in Keith's foggy mind  
"Omega. I am ordering you to let him go"  
Lance's knees began to bend under Shiro's glare. His husband was fighting, but Shiro didn't back down  
"Shiro! Stop it!"  
Crying out, Pidge grabbed his arm  
"Hunk... do something"  
"We don't have time for this. We must get Lance, Toral and..."  
Her and never came. Appearing behind them, two sentries had their guns raised  
"Get down!"  
Grabbing Allura by the arm and pulling her flush against the wall next to him while simultaneously shoving Lance, his mate was sent flying to the floor as a second blast hit his back. This time closer to his spine, causing bloodied splittle burst from his lips. Oh fuck. Falling to his knees, Hunk shot down the sentries, while Shiro grabbed him and hauled him back against the wall  
"Keith!"  
Shrieking his name, Lance groped around for him, Hunk rushing to Lance and grabbing his hand  
"Lance, its hunk. I've got you bud"  
"No! No, let me go! Keith!"  
"Hunk, how confident are you to carry Toral?"  
"I can take her"  
"I'll take Keith. Pidge, you and Allura help Lance"  
"No! Don't touch me! Keith!"  
"Lance, listen. Keith is hurt. You're hurt and so is Toral. We need to get up 5 floors, and into the fligher. In less than 10 doboshes, Keith with be back with you"  
"No... no... ugh..."  
Throwing up, Hunk wrinkled his nose as most of it landed on his shoes, Lance didn't even seem to realise he had as he firmly shook his head  
"Bud. It's ok. We've got you"  
"No... Keith..."  
Coughing, Keith tried to gather enough spit in his mouth  
"Baby... baby, I'm here. I'm here"  
"Keith..."  
"It's ok. I'm ok"  
"Keith... please..."  
"Hunk, you carry him. I can't"  
"Alright bud. I've got you"

Playing musical wounded person, it ended with Allura and Pidge supporting Toral, him being piggybacked by Shiro and Lance in Hunk's arm. Their speed wasn't great, but they managed to make good ground and get back to fligher with relatively few delays. Sitting Lance on the floor, his husband immediately patted the ground around him, searching for him  
"Put me down next to him"  
"Keith, you're bleeding"  
"Please Shiro. Please... I'm so cold..."  
Shiro lowered him to sit beside Lance, Keith whimpering as his back hit the wall of the fligher. Moving automatically into medic mode, Hunk tried to work on his back while Pidge laid the blanket he'd brought over them  
"I'm here baby. I'm here"  
Intertwining their fingers together, Keith rested his head against Lance shoulder. Allura had Toral seated in her lap as Shiro took over the fligher controls and explained the situation to Coran. For Keith the trip took vargas, his body shaking as his core temperature dropped, leaving him fightin to stay awake. Even if he did die, he could do so knowing Lance was safe. He'd found him, and he'd be shot a hundred more times if it meant bringing him home.

Coran was there to meet them as they awkwardly moved from the fligher. Lance wouldn't, or couldn't let go of his hand, and Keith wasn't even able to walk. Supported by Shiro and Hunk, the were guided to the trolley Coran had brought down  
"Lance..."  
Placing a hand on his shoulder, Shiro shook his head, which Keith was grateful for. God. He was so tired. How was Lance even still upright? He wasn't exactly upright, but he was still conscious enough to hold his hand and whine each time Keith's own grew slack  
"Pod room"  
Urged to lay down by Hunk, Keith spooned around Lance, burying his face in his mates filthy hair  
"We need to ask him who did this, while he's still conscious"  
"We can't. Not when he's in this state"  
"We need to be prepared. There are going to be repercussions over us taking him"  
"Who the quiznak cares! Right now Keith, Lance and Toral need to be in pods! Or didn't you notice Keith is missing half his back, or that Lance's ankle is basically missing on his left side?!"  
It was? And Lance had managed to find the strength to keep going... Lance was so incredibly strong...  
"We need to take that bandage off"  
"We don't know what's under it. Removing it could do more harm than good"  
"And what's with..."  
Beside him, Lance whimpered, his hold on Keith's hand growing tight  
"Pidge. That's enough. You're scaring him"  
"We need to help him!"  
"And you losing it like this isn't! We can all see the damage, but if we don't move, they're going to die and it's all going to be for nothing!"  
Keith felt Lance roll against him, his husband forcing them to lay face to face as his arm snaked around his waist and his hand grabbed just above the singe line of his jacket. With his blurry vision, it took him a moment and a half to realise Lance's lips were moving. He didn't really know what he was saying, but he supposed it was the same thing he was thinking  
"I love you"  
Giving him a small smile, Lance let out a huffy breath  
"Lance?"  
Pidge ran to Lance's side, shaking his shoulder  
"Shiro! He's not responding!"  
"Hunk, move!"  
Ripping Lance away from him, Shiro lifted the omega and took off running ahead. The trolley had been fine in theory, but they weren't moving fast enough. Biting back a sob, he didn't fight as Toral was laid in the spot Lance had vacated. Instead, Keith prayed to whatever was listening that if Lance were to die, he would too.


	101. Chapter 101

Keith woke before Lance, Shiro there to calm him as he tried to fight his way to where Lance slept. There was the lingering scent of the others, but it was so faint he had the feeling they hadn't been there for quintants, while Shiro had stayed the whole time. Looking to his love, he shivered in pain. Lance looked like a broken doll, even worse than when he'd found him in the satellite. Everything about it was so wrong, and so unfair.

It was Shiro who broke the silence as he guided him to sit, before wrapping a blanket around his shoulders   
"You've been in the pod for the last movement"  
"A movement?"  
"Yeah. Your back was pretty bad, and you had a few other wounds from taking the Galra on with just your blade"  
"That doesn't matter"  
"It does. We nearly lost you Keith"  
"Shiro. Don't do this. Not now"  
"First you tried to hurt yourself, and then you took on the Galra alone, even going feral"  
"That was intentional"  
"What?"  
"I let myself go feral"  
"Keith!"  
"Shiro, look at him! Look what they've done! You can't tell me he deserved this!"  
Shiro shook his head, letting out a measured breath   
"No. He doesn't. But you nearly killed him. He and Toral were attached mentally. For all we know, they could both have irreversible brain damage form being pulled out like that. We may never know who did this"  
"It was Lotor"  
"Keith"  
"It was Lotor! He's the only one..."  
"Keith, there was nothing in the data mentioning Lotor. Nothing at all. Most of it was destroyed, and what we did get were old logs from when the satellite was operational"  
Keith's eyes widened, there was no way... no way that Lotor hadn't done this  
"No..."  
"I'm sorry. We don't know when or if they'll wake"  
"Lance is right there!"  
"If his brain is damaged..."  
"He'll heal"  
"You need to be realistic"  
"Fuck being realistic! Why don't you have some fucking faith in Lance?! He was awake and talking! He was moving! He was trying to protect me! So don't you dare tell me that shit! Don't you dare act like he isn't strong!"  
"Keith"  
God. He was sick of Shiro saying his name. He was sick of his scent. He was sick of everything. He wanted to break Lance out the pod, he wanted to hold him and promise him he was home and safe, not listen to Shiro's bullshit  
"No. Get the fuck out of here. You all think he's weak! I know you do. I know it because of every single look of pity and every hidden whisper and every broken conversation, over the last 2 and a half phoebes. No one truly expected to find him alive! No one. You were all treating me like I was stupid for believing he was still alive"  
"Look. You aren't the only one hurting. The only reason no one else is here is because they all worried themselves sick over when you and Lance would wake up. Coran even collapsed, so Allura had to take him back to his room. Stop acting like you're the only one affected by this. Now, go take a shower. You're covered in blood and piss, and Lance isn't going to be waking up anytime soon"  
"I am not leaving him..."  
"Keith, you smell hurt. You smell like Galra and what's left of your uniforms crusted with blood"  
"I don't care"  
"How are you going to look after him when you're sick?"  
"I'm fucking fine"  
Shiro's scent grew angry  
"You're acting like a child"  
"How do you expect me to act! He could be fucking blind and he could be fucking pregnant. We don't know what else happened to him, and Pidge said something was wrong with his ankle"  
"And you were missing half your back. Toral still has the memory device connected to her chest, she didn't even rouse when she was disconnected from the tubes attached to her. I am well aware of all your injuries. We nearly lost the three of you"  
Shiro's tone turned pained, Keith hung his head in frustration. He was supposed to leave Voltron to victory, not to death  
"Keith, you have no idea how scared we were for you. How scared I was..."  
"Alright. I understand. I'll take a shower, just... don't let him wake up alone"  
"I'll be here"

Heading down to the nursery, Keith stripped off his ruined uniform. Holding his jacket in his hands, most of the back was missing, as with the side and the edges singed. He'd known it was bad, but... Lance could never see this. Neither could the others. It... he was lucky to be alive. Maybe he had been a little childish... but Shiro had to understand how it felt. He'd loved and lost Lance, having to accept Lance moving on and their happiness. Well, wasn't this the same? Lance had left him behind, he loved and lost him, like Shiro, but now he was back. Things wouldn't be the same. They couldn't be the same... Lance was going to need so much time and help, to get back to where he was. His muscle mass was pretty much nonexistent, and even disregarding that, his mental health... how was he going to pull him back from whatever had happened? He'd been so scared to let him go... groaning to himself, Keith stripped off his pants, which were also pretty much ruined, before turning to look at his body in the mirror, his skin tinged red, but perfectly healed. That was a relief... he might be in perfect health, but the bedroom and the nursery were a mess... he'd need to clean them up, for Lance's sake. Everything would have to be perfect.

Spending half a varga working on both the nursery and their bedroom, he made nests on both beds to soothe Lance when he finally came out the pod, but kept Lance's favourite blanket free for the moment he came out. He'd be cold and confused, so Keith would wrap him in the blankets warmth, before carrying him down to the nursery. He'd take the disgusting bandages off his face, and Lance's blue eyes would take his breath away. They'd shower together, Keith washing Lance's longer hair, while holding him close. His husband would keep his face buried against his shoulder, in the adorable way he always did. They'd stay there until the water cooled and Lance was scrubbed completely clean of what happened to him, then Keith would carry him to their bed, towelling him dry, before putting him to bed and spooning around him. Lance would cry, but he'd be there. Once his tears subsided, they'd whisper about what Lance had missed, and he'd hide the facts the boys were speaking. It might be a stupid dream, but it was his. If things could play out like that, he'd be so happy.

 

*  
Lance was in the pod for another movement, Keith spent his time silently watching over him sleeping. The moment the glass finally rose, he was there to catch him, to sweep Lance off his feet and into his arms. Only reality didn't work like dreams, instead of hiding against his neck, Lance fought hard against him. His husband screaming hysterically as he fought against him, not calming as he repeatedly told him he was there and that Lance was safe. With all the screaming, it was no surprise the others came rushing to the pod room. Holding Lance tighter, his husband landed a blow against his face, the shock of which caused Lance to escape his hold. Falling to the floor, Lance screamed, scrambling backwards across the floor  
"Lance!"  
Rushing towards him, the others were too relieved to think. The onslaught of scents, too much for his poor mate, howling as he grabbed at his head, his fingers tearing at the bandages  
"You're scaring him!"  
How dare Pidge yell at him! Lance had been scared before they even came rushing in  
"You're the ones scaring him! He's confused! And you're not making it any better!"  
Snagging the blanket he'd brought down the previous movement, Keith rushed to Lance, wrapping it around his shoulders  
"Shhh. Omega. Omega, I'm here"  
He hated the fact he used a command, but he did succeed in pausing Lance's blind thrashing  
"Keith?"  
"Clear the way. There's too many people here, and with his eyes covered, he doesn't know what's going on"  
"Coran... Coran should scan him"  
"No. He needs to calm down first"  
"Keith"  
"He's my husband. I'll talk to him!"

This time when he lifted Lance into his arms, his husband didn't fight. He was tense, and scared, but he didn't fight him. Carrying past their watching friends, Keith couldn't believe he finally had Lance back, and in one peace. Instead of taking him down to the nursery and familiar surrounds, Keith took him to the closest quarters, just on the off chance something happened. Striding through to bathroom, Keith sat Lance down on the bathroom counter, positioning himself between their legs   
"Lance. It's Keith. Nod if you can understand me"  
Sniffing, Lance gave a tiny nod  
"Good. That's good. Do you know who I am?"  
Another tiny nod, sending Keith's heart soaring   
"Lance, I'm going to take that stupid things off your face now. The lights are on, and it's going to be bright. Just take a moment to adjust"  
Keith's fingers were shaking as he reached up, a lump forming in his throat from fear of what was hidden. Placing his hands on Lance's cheeks, the omega whimpered  
"It's ok. Just get used to the feeling. I would never hurt you, ever. I've missed you so much baby"  
Lance slowly nodded, giving Keith his permission to moved his hands to the back of the bandage. His husband's hair was caught in the knot, making him wince in sympathy as he pulled it free  
"Sorry. It's nearly undone. Just keep still a little longer"  
Struggling with the knot, he barely got it loose enough to slide it free from Lance's face. Lance letting out a small whine as he did  
"Ok... ok, just keep your eyes closed"  
Freeing the bandages completely, he threw the detestable item across the room, sighing as he did. Now came the hard part, actually looking at Lance's face  
"Lance, you can open your eyes now. You're safe. It's just us. Just you and me"  
Lance's eyelashes fluttered, his right eye the same brilliant blue he remembered, but his left... the socket was empty, and his eye barely open. Feeling tears well in his eyes, Keith threw his arms around him, nuzzling his cheek as he started to cry   
"K-Keith?"  
"Baby... oh baby, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I should have..."  
"Keith? What happened?"  
"Nothing. Nothing baby. We'll talk once I've cleaned you up. You're ok. I've got you now"  
"Keith..."  
"Yeah. I'm here. How does a nice warm shower sound? A real shower? I can wash your hair"  
"Throat"  
"Your throat hurts?"  
Lance nodded. It was probably tender from waking up and screaming immediately   
"Save your voice for now. Just nod. I'll talk for both of us"  
Lance sniffled with yet another nod  
"Do you want to take a shower?"  
Nod  
"Do you want to shower alone?"  
Nod  
"Ok. I'll start the shower and help you get your underwear off. I'll stay with you, but you can shower alone"  
Nod   
"Ok. See. We have a plan. We can do this"

Lance was in condition to stand on his own two feet, so Keith ran the shower water on the warm side of tepid. A bath would probably be better, but it was too late to bail out now. Watching Lance wobble like a new born calf, he made his into the shower, one hand on his stomach as did  
"K-Keith?"  
"I'm still here"  
Sitting on the toilet, Keith's hands were clutching his pants as he tried to calm his alpha side down. All sorts of stains and crusting had made Lance's underwear rock hard, they hadn't even bother to clean him up after using the toilet. He'd been left in his own filthy for possibly the whole time he'd been away, and the stink... it was nauseating, but if Lance noticed he didn't mention it  
"Keith... I don't know what to do"  
"Ok. Let me help you"  
"Don't know..."  
Lance was starting to panic. Ignoring the fact he was still dressed, Keith stepped into the falling water, grabbing the soap from the shelf  
"I'm going to clean you down. If you feel dizzy or sick, let me know"  
"Sick"  
"Do you feel sick?"  
"'m sick?"  
"Yeah baby, you've been sick. But you're getting better now"  
"Tired"  
"Then we'll get this done quickly"  
Keith was ashamed of himself, barely keeping from vomiting as he scrubbed Lance down. Half way through, Lance's strength gave out, leaving Keith to lower him to the floor. His hand coming to Lance's stomach as his hand splayed across it. He still didn't know if Lance was pregnant, and Lance wasn't up to a scan any time soon. Even the slightest amount of pressure on his stomach had him panicking, even losing control and messing himself. It was good Lance was so out of it, he'd be so embarrassed if he remembered this. Honestly, every bit of hope he'd had was now dead. He didn't know how to deal with this. He didn't know how to nurse a sick person, let alone a person who looked like he was one strong wind away from dying. Internally his alpha was mourning for Lance, for being so late. Cleaning Lance, it felt shameful. Shameful for being the cause of all of this.

When Lance was finally showered, he was asleep against Keith. Carrying his husband out to the bed, he placed him down carefully, the room wasn't set up for them to sleep there, but it was too cruel to move him now. Covering him with the blanket, he left the towel around Lance's waist in case of any accidents. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Keith clenched and unclenched his hands, before opening his eyes slowly and letting breath out slowly through his nose. Right. He could do this. Stripping off his wet sweat pants and shirt, Keith's thumbs paused at the band of his underwear. They were just as wet as the rest of his clothes, but full nudity might be too much for his mate. His mental struggle continued for the two long doboshes, before he finally pulled them off. Lance was protected by a towel. Their was fabric between them... that... that should hopefully be enough for now. 

Climbing over Lance, he gave his mate the outside of the bed. If Lance woke in a panic, his first instinct would be to run, and if he couldn't run things would only get worse. It wasn't like Keith wanted him to run, but if it helped bring his husband back to reality, then he wasn't about to get in the way. With a hold as loose as his possessive side could handle, Keith moved Lance so his head was against his chest, with one leg up across his stomach, with his hand resting against the small of the omega's back. Quiznak. He'd missed him. He'd missed this. Completely dead to the Keith's internal struggles, Lance slept on as more tears rolled down Keith's face.

 

*  
Surprisingly, Lance managed several vargas of undisturbed sleep. Keith watching him the whole time, too scared to close his eyes on the off chance he woke to find this all a dream. When Lance finally started screaming, he was prepared, if not confused. He'd expected Lance to scream something like "No!", but instead he was screaming "Reset", over and over, fighting hard against Keith even though his hold was still just as loose as it'd been when he'd climbed into bed. Taking each blow patiently, his weakened mate couldn't keep up with his own desires to escape, collapsing against in a shaking mess  
"Lance, I'm here"  
The mood change was instant, Lance's head snapping up, his mates one eye wide as if in disbelief   
"Keith?"  
"Yeah baby. It was just a dream"  
"What? What happened?"  
"There was a mission and you got hurt"  
"I... I got hurt?"  
"Yeah. But you're safe now"  
"No... no... none of this is real"  
"It's real. It's real. You're safe"  
Biting his lip, Lance pulled back  
"Baby?"  
"I... why can't I remember? This... this can't be real"  
"Lance?"  
"This... why? Why am I here? I don't belong here..."  
Lance's breathing grew uneven again, his colour rushing from his face  
"Have... have to go home... I have to go home"  
"Lance, you are home"  
Shaking his head, Lance stumbled as he shot off the bed  
"Home... no... I have to remember... I have to remember"  
Even the Lance back on the satellite was more stable then the version he was seeing right now. He'd expected some disorientation, but was it supposed to be this bad? Climbing carefully off the bed, Keith held his hands out as if surrendering, as he carefully approached Lance   
"Lance? It's Keith. Do you know me?"  
"I can't remember. What do I do? I can't remember..."  
"Ok. It's ok. You need to breathe right now"  
"Why can't I remember?"  
"Lance, I'm going to put my clothes on. Is it ok if I get dressed?"  
Lance stopped still, so Keith took that as a yes, skipping putting his shirt on in favour of just covering himself with his still damp sweat pants  
"Lance, I'm going to touch you now. I'm going to lift you up and take you to someone who can help"  
"Help me remember?"  
"Yeah. He can help you remember"  
"Good. Good... I need to remember. I can't forget it"  
"It's ok. Whatever it is, we'll get it back together"  
His words were stuttered thanks to his own confusion over the situation. Lance had seemed to know him, but now he didn't? Or was whatever he felt he needed to remember more important? Taking two very careful steps, Keith lifted Lance off his feet, using his knee to balance his mate as he readjusted his hold   
"See. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to help you remember"  
"Good... I need to tell them"  
"Tell them what?"  
Lance shook his head, leaning up to bury his face against Keith's neck in such a familiar way his heart skipped a beat. Even if he was confused, he still remembered that  
"You're really warm"  
"Are you cold?"  
"I don't know"  
"We'll get you warmed up real soon"

Making his way up to the medical room, he was relieved to find Coran already there. That made things so much easier   
"Keith?"  
"He's cold and he's not making any sense"  
"I'll get the blankets while you get him on the bed. I thought he might be disorientated"  
"Did you wait all night?"  
"All day actually, but it's fine. Just lay him down. We'll give him a sedative to help calm him back down"  
Keith didn't want to sedate him, even though it was probably the best thing for Lance right now. Laying him down on the examination bed, Coran appeared at his side, smiling down at Lance. Because the omega's eyes were closed, he had no idea about the truth of why Lance's eyes had been bandaged in the first place  
"Lance, it's Coran. Can you nod for me if you remember him"  
It was slow and hesitant, but it was there  
"Nodding?"  
"His throat's sore, and nodding seemed to work more than having him talk"  
"Ah right. Lance, it's good to see you my boy. We've missed you around here. Now Keith tells me you're cold, so I'm going to put this blanket over you, you'll be warm in no time"  
Lance nodded again. Yeah. Ok. They'd definitely be going with that, because he selfishly couldn't handle hearing Lance being so confused. Covering him with three blankets, Lance laid completely still, even allowing Keith to place a pillow under his head without flinching   
"Now my boy, Keith says you're a little confused"  
"He needs to remember"  
"Alrighty. I'm going to do a little scan, nothing to be scared of, and it's not going to hurt at all"  
"See, Coran is going to help. There's going to be a tiny little pinch on your arm, but that's it"  
"Pinch?"  
"Sedative"  
"Oh, yes, yes, completely forgot"  
Catching Coran's arm as he went to turn Keith pushed a smile  
"Coran. Thank you. Thank you for being here. Even if he can't tell you right now, when he calms down, he's going to be really grateful"  
"I... we all missed him"  
"I know. And I know I haven't been exactly pleasant. I'm sorry for taking it out on you"  
"Keith, I understand. I might not understand this alpha and omega thingy completely, but I know what you two mean to each other"  
"Still. Thank you"  
Releasing Coran's arm, he turned back to Lance   
"Lance, I'm right here. Can I hold your hand?"  
"P-please"  
Taking Lance's right hand in his, Keith sank to his knees and raised it to his lips, kissing the soft skin as he nuzzled against it  
"I've got the shot"  
"Lance, here comes that tiny pinch. I promise you're ok, and you're not in any danger. Coran, go ahead"

Even with Lance so still, they waited a few doboshes before Coran began the scan. Keith spent the whole time staring at Lance's face, too scared to look back at the results. Clearing his throat, Coran gave him a tick to compose himself   
"The pod has healed all his injuries, and I can see no signs of brain damage. His blood pressure is high, but that may be from confusion, vitamin and mineral levels in his blood are low, as is his red blood cell count... there does seem to be new scar tissue though"  
"Where?"  
"Keith, I don't..."  
"Where?"  
"Left heal, his left calf, right shoulder, across his back, and in his more intimate areas. As well, as well as his left eye socket"  
"It's gone"  
"What?"  
"His left eye. They... they tortured him. They took away his eye... and..."  
Coran knew what the and was  
"He's pregnant. Approximately 11 movements along. Should I test paternity?"  
"Yes. If it's not mine, it's going to tell you exactly who did this to him, and when we know, I will be the one to kill them"  
His voice was surprisingly cold, in his mind he didn't see how their pup could have survived. Reaching out his left hand, he cupped Lance's cheek  
"Lance, I swear I'm going to find who hurt you and make them pay. I'm going to find them and make them suffer"  
Lance said nothing, he didn't even nod. Behind him, Coran coughed again  
"What does it say?"  
"The DNA in his blood system matches yours"  
"So it's mine?"  
"I don't know how, I mean, yes. The results would say that the pup is yours"  
"Pup?"  
"Just the one. It seems to be healthy, the heartbeat and vitals are strong. It's going to be touch and go for the next phoeb or so. Lance is severely malnourished, and because of that his stomach has shrunk. He won't be able to handle solid food, and his body may even go into shock if the meal is too big. You'll have to start him on soft foods, and small meals instead of 3 main meals a day"  
"And the confusion?"  
"Most probably from being pulled from the memory device without being properly connected. There are no visible signs of damage, but the brain works in mysterious ways. He may grow confused and be quick to anger, so you'll need to be patient with him. You might also find him repeating phrases and certain words, I would encourage you to make a record of these. If we gather enough of them, we may be able to put the pieces together ourselves"  
"He started screaming "Reset" when he woke"  
"No doubt he was trying to reset whatever memory he'd been stuck in. He probably doesn't even recognise this as reality right now"  
"So he thinks we're still inside his head?"  
"There's a high likelihood. Either his or Toral's as Toral was the one with the device on her chest this time"  
Silently fuming, Keith rested his head against Lance's chest  
"Keith?"  
"He needs an IV line. I'll have to wait before waking the boys. He won't understand they're real"  
"Do you think he'll hurt them?"  
"No, but if he thinks this is all a trick, he might recede further into himself"  
"I honestly feel that once he's eaten and gotten some more sleep, he'll be much more coherent. So don't give up hope"  
"It's hard. Shiro mentioned brain damage and now... he was just. He was more together when we first pulled him out"  
"Healing is a complicated thing. Would you like me to do the IV?"  
Remembering the last time Coran did, Keith shook his head   
"No. I'll do it. Can I ask you to let the others know he's awake, but not up to visitors just yet? And we're going to need to figure out something to cover his eye with. I wonder if the Olkari can help with a prosthetic, maybe even a functional one..."  
"Keith, that's a discussion for another time. For now, you both should rest. If I know you, you didn't sleep at all"  
"I... I couldn't"  
"You don't have to leave his side, and you're not going to be disturbed. I will check in with you in a few vargas, so please try to sleep"  
"Oh... Coran, I hate to ask this, but could you possibly bring up something for us to wear? He'll want to be covered, and my sweats are damp"  
"It'd be my pleasure. If anything happens..."  
"I'll call"

Leaving them alone in the medical room, Keith briefly wondered if the team had pulled the security footage up and had been spying on them since he took Lance away from them all. In any case, if they were, they were about to see him naked because his sweats just felt way too gross. Making sure he explained everything to his too still mate, Keith set up an IV line into Lance's right arm, injecting both an antibiotic and vitamin shot into it. Once happy Lance wasn't going to pull or dislodge the line, he lost his sweats and crawled onto the examination bed, wrapping his arm around Lance's waist. This time it was his turn to rest his head against Lance's chest, while his left hand rested on his stomach. Another pup. They hadn't even been able to spend a full year with their boys, and now another pup was coming. What the quiznak had they done? What had he done?! Sure he'd knotted Lance, but Krolia had put the ring on Lance's finger while he was cumming inside his mate. They'd been careful. They'd done everything right, apart from that one hiccup. So... so how had this happened?! Shiro... Shiro was going to be so mad, and they'd only just gotten to an ok point... and then they're was everyone else. What would the team think!? He didn't think they'd believe it wasn't intentional, that they had taken precautions. Things were so dicey and he couldn't bare to leave another child for movements on end in a pod when they were off fighting. For a horrible moment, the answer seemed so clear. Abortion. They could abort the pregnancy. Lance would never know because he was so far out of it. The moment the thought crossed his mind, he hated himself for it. This was Lance's choice because it was Lance's body. He couldn't make the call for his mate because he honestly had no right. Fuck. Why couldn't life just give them a break?

Somehow amongst his self loathing thoughts, Keith fell asleep. He slept through Coran popping in to check on them, and then again when man returned with food. It wasn't until Lance started nuzzling his neck that he finally woke, confused as why the omega was being so affectionate. With a heavy heart, he opened his eyes slowly, his breath catching when he realised just how relieved Lance's scent was. It was like... like nothing at all was wrong, and this was just a normal morning for the two of them  
"Lance?"  
Pulling his head back, Lance smiled shyly  
"Keith... I didn't mean to wake you"  
"Oh what? No, it's fine. How about you? How are you feeling?"  
"I'm... confused, but ok. Where's everyone else?"  
"Uh. I don't know. Baby, what do you remember?"  
Lance raised an eyebrow  
"Not much? I think... oh, Toral and I, Sendak had us! Did you guys save us?"  
"Sendak's dead, baby"  
"He... ok... I... I think we were in a crash, and he took us"  
Well that explained the initial disappearance...  
"Baby, you've been missing for over two phoebes"  
Lance let out a low laugh  
"Keith, there's no way"  
When Keith didn't smile, Lance's own faded  
"There's no way"  
"Baby. It's true. You and Toral were taken from Red. I couldn't get to you in time"  
"But two phoebes? What... what happened?"  
"We don't know. We've been waiting for you to wake up"  
"Keith..."  
Lance's right hand slowly rose, moving towards his face. Catching it before his husband could poke himself in the eye, he pulled it back down, relieved at some point the IV line had been removed   
"Keith, what's going on?"  
"I..."  
"Tell me"  
"Lance, you need to know a lot has happened. I know you're confused, but listen to me"  
"You're scaring me"  
"I'm sorry baby. Fuck. Ok. How do I say this?"  
"Just tell me?"  
"Baby, you're pregnant"  
"What"  
"You're pregnant"  
"I'm what?"  
"Well, when two people..."  
"I know how sex works. What the fuck is going on?! Where are the boys?!"  
"Baby, you've been gone for two whole phoebes and then some. The boys are in a pod, they're fine. They're happy and healthy, but in order to save you, I had to make sure they were safe. Ok. The other thing you should know is that... is that I failed you. I didn't get to you in time"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Your... they took your left eye"  
"Keith..."  
Lance sucked in a breath, shoving him hard enough that he fell off the bed as Lance threw up over the floor on the opposite time. Climbing back up, he wrapped his arms around his mate   
"Keith... I can't... I can't be blind! I can't be!"  
"Hey. Hey. You need to calm down"  
"No! You don't understand! I need my sight! How can I be a sharpshooter with one eye?! And if I only have one eye, now can I be a Paladin!?"  
"Shhh, come here. Look, we'll work something out"  
"How?! It's my fucking eye!"  
"I know. I known it is, but we have options, and we'll try them all. The Olkari could have some kind of fancy tech or even one of our other allies"  
"I'm useless!"  
"No. You're not useless! You survived. You went through hell and you survived"  
"But... the baby?"  
"It's ours. It's ours, you were pregnant before the crash. They're ok. Coran ran a scan earlier. You woke up confused, so we ran a scan. Do you remember?"  
"N-no... Keith... I... I don't want the others to see me"  
What? Wait? Huh? Why was Lance even bringing them up?  
"Baby, it's ok. They know you've been hurt, and they've all been waiting for you to wake up. They missed you"  
"Don't you get it! I'm broken now! I was a joke before and now, now I'm just a half blind pregnant omega!"  
"You're not just anything. You're everything. You have no idea how worried I was. I couldn't find you. I couldn't save you. They had to rebuild Red. Every detail lead to nothing. No one knew where you were! You vanished before my eyes. You vanished and I was too late! I'm always too fucking late when you need me!"  
Keith's voice broke as he dissolved into sobs, matching the ones coming from Lance. Wrapping their arms around each other, Lance felt so frail as he cried   
"I failed you, Lance... I failed you! Nothing was right without you! I couldn't do anything right. I couldn't even calm the boys!"  
"No... if I was stronger"  
Shaking his head, Keith tried to breathe  
"You did nothing wrong. Nothing. And if anyone says anything, I will kill them"  
"Keith, please"  
"Please what?"  
"Please don't blame yourself"  
"If I hadn't told you to go out in Red, you would have been safe during Sendak's attack"  
"It's not your fault. You didn't know it was coming"  
"I should have done more"  
"No... just, please. I'm so scared. I don't know what to do when you cry"  
"I'm sorry baby..."  
How the hell had it turned into Lance comforting him? Sniffling, Lance pulled away  
"Baby?"  
"I... I want to see myself"  
"Lance, I don't know if that's a good idea"  
"Keith, I need to know"  
"Baby, you were held prisoner and tortured..."  
"I need to see. I need to see what you see"  
"I see the omega I love"  
"You're so cheesy, and I thank you for trying, but I need to see"  
"Ok... but remember, you're healing. They starved you, and they hurt you"  
"And the pup?"  
"You've spent two movements in a healing pod. The pup is fine. You're malnourished, with probably everything you had going to it. You've lost weight, but we're going to work on getting you eating again and getting those curves back"  
Lance rolled his one eye  
"You just miss my arse"  
"I can't deny that. But I also missed the rest of you. Can you stand? Coran brought up food and clothes"  
"I feel weak. Really weak"  
"Ok. I'll dress you, and I want you try eating a little before I take you back down to our room"  
"But you will let me see myself, won't you?"  
"As long as you remember what you've been through and that how things are right now, doesn't change that"  
"Wow. Is that your way of saying I look like shit?"  
"No, it's my way of warning you because I know you. I know you're going to jump to the worse case scenario, which isn't true. I've been waiting for you to wake up, so I could finally do this"  
Sliding Lance's ring off his finger, he slipped it back into its rightful position   
"I will love you always. No matter what"  
"I..."  
"It's ok. You don't need to reply right away. You're in shock, and you're recovering. Your thoughts are probably all over the place, but I'm here and I'm not letting you go"  
"What did you do with my husband?"  
"Trust me, you have no idea how much I've missed you. Things weren't the same with you gone"  
Lance shook his head  
"I... I know it's selfish, but I can't do this right now. I need to see how I look"  
Keith wished they had some magical mirror, so Lance wouldn't be able to see the damage his captivity had caused. But they didn't, so he was left to dress them both, before trying to get Lance to eat the tiny bowl of food goo, which he could barely choke down. They'd have to find something even easier to digest than food goo, which Keith didn't think was possible.

Lance tried to walk, but soon Keith was carrying him. They'd only made it to the doorway of the medical room when he'd been forced to pick his shaking mate up. Lance was panting and sweating like he'd run a marathon, which scared the hell out of him. His big bad alpha bravado was no where to be found... right when he could really use that boost, so he could successfully pretend everything was alright, just that little longer.

Walking into their bedroom, Lance took a deep breath, his smile coming back as he titled his neck, as if to present himself for marking   
"You cleaned?"  
"I couldn't have you coming back to a messy room"  
"You didn't have to clean"  
"Of figure I did. I finally have you all to myself again, and I wanted everything to be perfect. I thought we could rest today, and wake the boys tomorrow?"  
"Can we maybe do it later today? I... I need to see them. I need to know they're ok"  
"Sure. Do you want to lay down?"  
"Keith, you know damn well I want to see myself"  
"I'm just..."  
"You're worried. I'm scared, but I need this. I might be worthless to Voltron now, but I'm still yours, right?"  
"You're not worthless, and of course you're still mine. My mate and my equal"  
"Then put me down"  
"Baby, I think I should go in with you"  
"No. I... I need to see me"  
"Then at least leave the door open"  
"You know it closes automatically"  
"Lance"  
"I'll be ok. I mean. It's better to lose an eye, than your life... wow, I just had major déjà vu"  
"Just take it slow. And promise you'll see past how you look at the moment. It's temporary. We'll work together and we'll take it all back"  
Lance kissed his forehead as Keith stood him up. This was most definitely a bad idea. Crossing his arms, Keith didn't know what to do with himself as Lance made his way into the bathroom.

Silence. Dead silence before Lance howled. In three strides he'd made it into the bathroom, and another one carried him to Lance who on his knees. Lifting him, Keith carried him out the nest he'd made, before crawling across the bed and positioning Lance in his arms  
"I can't let the team see me like this!"  
"Baby, the team doesn't care what you look like"  
"Well I do! I'm hideous"  
"You're not hideous!"  
"I am"  
"No. You're not. Look, you've been starved, but a little home cooking and that will change"  
"I'm so ugly! You can... I..."  
"You are not ugly. Look, if it bothers you, we can work around it"  
"What? How?"  
"Well, we still have all the clothes from when you were pregnant, and your jackets going to hide how thin you are. Just wear loose clothes, and... and I don't know. I still find you beautiful"  
"I'm not. I look like my stomach is full of tumours or something, not pregnant with a pup. How... how did that even happen? Are you even sure it's really yours? We were careful. We were careful and I did everything I was told to"  
"I don't know. I honestly don't know"  
Carding his fingers through Lance's hair, he pressed his lips to Lance's cheek  
"I love you"  
"I..."  
"I know. I know. I just wanted to say it again"  
"I'm sorry"  
"It's ok"  
He'd be lying if he said it didn't hurt...  
"It's not ok. I don't even think I can talk to the team. Even thinking about them makes me feel so sick"  
"We'll take it slow. Maybe just start with Coran? He's the one who told me how to start helping you"  
"He knows I'm pregnant?"  
"And about your eye. Shiro knows you were pregnant when you disappeared, but not that you still are. Will you be ok with Coran?"  
"Yeah... maybe. He helped me before..."  
"Good. That's a start"  
Yawning against him, Lance tried to crawl from his lap  
"Are you tired?"  
"Yeah... sorry"  
"It's ok. You need your sleep and I'll be right here with you"  
"Promise?"  
"I'm not going anywhere"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just remember no matter then crap time the boys are having, everyone else ain't that crash hot either


	102. Chapter 102

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh. Grammarly won't let me log in... so still no chapter editing. This ones a little long, and the split might be a bit awkward... idk. I just want to reach the end...

The next movement sucked. For Lance at least. He hated how his body looked and moved, his sexy curves now gone, replaced with jutting bones, and because of that he'd tried to spend as much time in the nursery with the boys as he could. He knew logically that no one would judge him for how he looked, but emotions are hardly logical, and he just couldn't face them. Sometimes he even had trouble facing Keith, his tongue refusing to work as he was reduced to nodding or shaking his head, while he mentally screamed the words he wanted to say. He'd tried to see to others, but it all proved to be soon. Like a fool, he'd gotten as far as the dining room door, before their smells got to much as he'd had to rush to the nearest bathroom. He was tired, his omega was on edge, and he was plagued with a never ending headache... not that he'd told the others or Keith about it. He was sure it had something to do with his time help prisoner, but his brain couldn't put two and two together to make four, let alone tell him where his missing time had gone. Honestly, he would have preferred to be back on Olkarion, recuperating in their house there, the lights always seemed too bright for his one eye to handle, and there seemed to be a persistent buzzing on the ship that never left. But, for the sake of their allies, they had to "patrol" the Coalition territory in fear of retaliation over the rescue of him and Toral, which had apparently been a complete quiznakking mess if Keith was to be believed. He felt so stupid over his own capture, but Keith wouldn't even tell him how she was, and given his mate was pretty much his only link with the outside world, he had way too much time with his own thoughts anxieties.

Tonight he was going try again. Because of how tired he got, they were having dinner early, so for everyone else it was more mid-afternoon, yet because it was his forth small meal of the day, he called it dinner. After dinner, he'd sleep for a couple of vargas, before forcing down another small meal, and falling back to sleep. He was so sick of sleeping, but it never seemed like he got enough. Probably because he was growing a whole other person inside of him again, a person he didn't even know what to do with. Keith had insisted it was his, but that seemed way too easy. To survive that crash and to survive whatever they went through... he couldn't possible have gotten that lucky. He knew Keith would go along with whatever he wanted, but how was he supposed to decide when it came to a pup his omega was completely in love with? Especially when he couldn't ask Coran about running more tests. Could they even do paternity tests? Was that a thing? So many things were happening around him that he wasn't part of, and it only left him feeling even more disconnected and isolated. Sometimes he had to pinch himself to double check he was actually awake... 

It was exactly 4pm when Keith walked through the nursery door, his husband walking over to where he was laying on the floor with the boys, sinking down to his knees Keith kissed the top of his head  
"How are you feeling?"  
Didn't he ever get sick of asking the same question a hundred million times a day? Because he definitely got sick of hearing it   
"Fine. The boys were good. Laneith managed to walk all the way down to the other side of the nursery, while Kelance tripped over their playmat and decided to stay there"  
"Did they eat?"  
"Considering you insisted on making their bottle and bringing down their food, yes, they ate"  
"Did you?"  
"I had lunch. But I threw most of it back up. I don't think this one likes the food goo"  
"Baby"  
"I know. Ok. I'm trying and I'm freaking out, so I don't need you pushing right now"  
"It's going to be ok. Hunk has made enough food to feed an army, and it's not all just boiled vegetables. He's made some fruit purées and smoothies"  
"You weren't supposed to tell him"  
"Baby, he saw you. Everyone saw"  
"That was movements ago. Ok. You could have lied. I don't want to talk about it and I just want to move on"  
"I didn't mean to push. Let me get changed and we can head up. Do the boys need to be changed"  
"They're not coming"  
"I thought..."  
"I can't. Ok. I can't calm my omega. My omega is telling me I need to protect you and I need to protect them. I can't protect all three of you, or this pup or myself all at once"  
"Baby, you don't need to protect me. I'll hold the boys, we're having dinner in the lounge room, so they'll be happy and they'll be fine. You'll be fine"  
"You're not listening to me"  
"I am, but I think you'll feel better once you get there and you'll feel better knowing if you need an excuse to leave, you can take the boys"  
"Yeah, well, I might be leaving in a hurry. I don't know if the smell of foods going to make me sick or not. They still don't know, do they?"  
"I haven't said anything to anyone"  
"Good. Ok. I'm sorry I'm so cranky"  
"It's ok. I know you don't really mean it"  
"No. I'm just really stressed out over this, and I'm taking it out on you. It isn't ok. You're trying your hardest for me, and I'm just being a quiznak"  
"Baby, I would put up with you being a quiznak for the rest of your life if it meant I got to be with you"  
"Lay off, Romeo. I'm not up to having sex"  
"I know"  
"Then you don't need to be so sweet"  
"Maybe I've mellowed in my old age?"  
"And maybe you're going senile?"  
"Possibly. I pulled a grey hair out my fringe the other day"  
"You did what?"  
"Yep. I'm sorry to break it to you, but the mullet might be going grey"  
"Is it Galra related?"  
"Possibly. I don't know"  
"Keith, if you're sick, you need to take a break"  
"I'm not sick. It was just one grey hair. I wouldn't have told you if I thought you were going to turn it into a big deal"  
Keith gave a sooky huff  
"Actually, I'm pretty sure that's exactly why you told me, to distract me. I see what you did there"  
"Did it work?"  
"Maybe. Can you help me with the eyepatch Coran leant us?"  
"I thought you hated it"  
"I do. But not everyone is as understanding as you are about the whole eye thing"  
"You don't need to be self conscious"  
"You have like, met me, right?"  
"Point taken. Right. I expect you waiting on the bed by the time I get out the bathroom"  
"But it's soooo far"  
If he reached out, he could just touch it with the tips of his fingers   
"I know. However will you make it?"  
"I don't know. Ugh. Help me up"  
Keith blinked, but moved to do as he asked. Brushing past his alpha, Lance rushed to the bathroom sink, throwing up the pitiful amount of food goo that had somehow managed to stay in his belly  
"Lance?"  
Giving Keith a thumbs up, Lance waited a few moments before spitting   
"Sorry. I can't do any more goop"  
"Ok. You can try different things tonight, if we can find something that works, we can go about making it even better for you"  
"Don't go ruining food with your science. I don't even feel like cookie dough and that was my go to last time around"  
"What do you feel like then?"  
"Belly rubs and blowing up the castle's supply of food goo?"  
Keith smiled, walking over to him and wrapping his arms around his thin waist. Sliding his hands up his oversized shirt, Keith gently rubbed circles on his stomach, calming his nausea almost instantly  
"Better?"  
"Mmm, they like it"  
"What do you think it is?"  
"I don't know, what do you want it to be?"  
"Happy and healthy"  
"You said that last time"  
"I know you wanted two boys and two girls, so maybe a girl?"  
"It's stupid, but I think it's a girl. That's what my omega tells me"  
"You knew you were having boys last time"  
"I didn't know... it just... I don't know. I want it to be a girl"  
"Our little girl with her big brothers to protect her"  
"I like the sound of that. You should get changed, and I now need to brush my teeth"  
"Just a little longer"  
Keith had already grown attached to the pup, that was clear. He loved spending his time rubbing at the tiny swell, which made it even harder to talk to him about everything. Triply so given how nice it felt when his husband did pay attention to the swell. It calmed both him and his omega, and it also seemed to help ease the morning sickness he'd probably been experiencing for phoebes without knowing  
"Hey, I love you"  
"I... I love you too, Keith. It's just... hard"  
"I know baby. And I know you're trying, now brush your teeth and I'll get ready"

Keith carried the boys up to the lounge room, while Lance half hid behind him, his words having already decided to abandon him, while Kelance was happily babbling "Mama" over and over as he grabbed for him. Coming back to find the boys talking had left him so confused. They'd been verging on eight and a bit? months, excluding pod time, and now it was closer to 10. They were so big, with wide curious eyes and constant cheeky smiles  
"I think he wants you to take him"  
Lance opened his mouth, knowing his tongue didn't want to work. Part of him was scared to take his innocent son into his arms, knowing he had no idea how he was going to react to so many people, even if they were his family  
"Here, just hold him. It'll give you something to focus on"  
Nodding mutely, Lance took Kelance, the boy giggling and cooing as he did  
"See, he's happy now. They both really missed you"  
Swatting his pups hand away from his face, he captured Kelance's hand and smiled softly as it gripped his back. He had to admit his son's warmth felt so nice, it seemed like unless Keith or the boys were holding him, he was always cold... which was just something else to add to the list of things he was hiding.

Pausing outside the lounge door, Keith looked him up and down  
"Well, its now or never. Wait. That came out wrong"  
Lance shook his head, he got it. Keith was just as nervous as he was  
"You look fine, and honestly, everyone is just going to be happy to see you. If it gets too much, just shake your head at me and we can go. Ok"  
This nodding thing was growing old, but at least they had a plan now. Taking a moment, Lance took a breath and nodded, hoping he wouldn't walk into the table or even the door, because this whole lack of depth perception sucked badly enough as it was. Opening the door, Keith then grabbed his hands, towing him into the lounge room where Hunk had totally outdone himself. Everything smelt amazing, from the rich meat dishes, to the fruit tarts nearly stacked on a tier thing that just looked so prim and proper, and far more than he deserved  
"Lance!"  
Pidge yelled his name happily, but Keith must have warned them not to coming rushing over as they rose, but stayed in their spots  
"Hey buddy, its nice to see you up and about. We've really missed you"  
Allura's smile lit her whole face up, her hand firmly in Shiro's as she nodded  
"This place isn't home without you here. Come take a seat. Keith tells us you've been spending most of your time with the boys. I still can't believe their talking"  
"Allura, you're babbling. Lance, ignore her. She's been excited to see you all day. We all have. Why don't you take a seat?"  
Keith slid in beside Hunk, leaving Lance to sit on the other edge, with a clear shot to the door if he need. Propping Kelance up, he faced the boy towards the group to hide his slight swell   
"So... what do you want to start with? We've got the space version of Hunk's amazing garlic knots, we've got some fruit tart things that I don't know what's in them though... I think that's yoghurt? And we have some smoothies too..."  
Pidge was trying too hard, but no one stopped her, all too awkward to  
"Sorry Pidge, he's not up for anything too heavy just now. Do you want to try a smoothie?"  
Lance nodded, because that was all he could fucking do  
"We've got chocolate, so I guess that makes it more of a milk shake... Apple and berry, banana and something that tastes kind of like coconut, but isn't quite there"  
"Hunk, you're serving food not up to your own standards?! What happened?"  
"It's hard to make smoothies in space, some fruit just curdles the milk. Besides, I would say it's more a hint of coconut with a minty undertone"  
How the hell was supposed to answer this? All of Hunk's cooking was good, so maybe Keith would make the call for him... though his tender stomach wasn't loving the idea of mint  
"Which one, bud?"  
Hunk's smile wavered as he didn't immediately answer, grateful most of his face was hidden by the hood of his jacket so he wouldn't have to take the full brunt of his disappointment   
"Banana would probably be the best choice, right baby?"  
Nodding, his husband moved a tall glass of purple smoothie in front of him, his brain immediately telling him that wasn't banana  
"Hunk, do you have any straws? It might be easier for him"  
"I can go check"  
It was fine. It wasn't like he couldn't hold a glass, let alone drink from it. Shaking his head, he reached for it, Keith's hand catching and guiding his to the side. God. He wanted to smack him for that. Curling his hand around it, he ignored the way his arm shook as he raised the glass to his lips, taking the tiniest of sips before smiling for Hunk   
"I guess that's means it's good"  
Nodding, he elbowed Keith   
"Yeah, he likes it"  
"Sweet. But are you ok? You're being really quite... we all know you must have been through a lot... I'm just saying I've missed you, man"  
Keith looked to him, Lance shaking his head slightly before looking back down to Kelance   
"We're just saying, we're all here if you want to talk. We're going to have to talk about what you remember. We need all the clues we can get so we can figure out just what happened to both you and Toral"  
Talking would be fine if he could actually control his tongue. He knew what he wanted to say, but didn't know why it wouldn't come out  
"Guys, it's a lot for him to take in right now, he's still a little jumpy"  
"We know. We can smell him"  
"Pidge!"  
"Well its true"

Falling into the most awkward dinner of his life, Lance worked at his smoothie while actively avoiding "talking". Most of it was chatter back and forth about Coalition planets, and requests for their presence. Silly, simple things he should be jumping at. Gradually the conversation finally became unbearable. Elbowing Keith again, he shook his head to let him know it was time to go  
"Alright baby. We can go. Sorry guys, he gets tired easily"  
"It's alright, there's nothing to apologise about my boy. It's nice to see you up and about"  
"Coran is right. It really is nice to have you back"  
Whether because her curiosity or anger got the better of her, Pidge wasn't having this  
"You could at least thank Hunk for dinner. He tried to make all your favourites, and cater everything for you"  
"Pidge, it's fine. I got carried away"  
"No, it's not fine"  
"It's my fault. I..."  
"Coran and Hunk, neither of you did anything wrong. Baby, it's ok. We can go"  
"We busted our arses to save him and Toral, you nearly died, but he can't even look us in the face? Or thank Hunk"  
"Pidge. That's too far!"  
"Why won't you look at us Lance? We're... we're supposed to be family"  
Passing Kelance over to Keith, Lance rose  
"Baby..."  
Sliding from his seat, Lance kept his back to them as he slowly pulled the hood of his jacket down. If his family really wanted to talk, they had to first get over how wrong he looked. Removing the eyepatch was sorely tempting, but no doubt they'd figure out just what it meant  
"You don't have to do this..."  
He kind of did. They were a pack of alphas, even Allura and Coran were strong enough to be alphas. While he would always be the one omega. Turning slowly, he clenched his fists as he faced the group, their shock clear as day across their faces  
"Lance..."  
"Oh Lance..."  
"What? Why? Why is he wearing an eyepatch?"  
Pidge's voice tremble  
"Pidge"  
Placing his hand on her shoulder, Hunk shook his head  
"What. No... this is, this is a Klance joke? It... it has to be"  
"Pidge, you need to calm down"  
"How can I!? I didn't even realise! I forgot all about his eyes being bandaged because I was so happy to have him home! Lance... I'm so sorry..."  
Pidge dissolved into tears, Hunk lifting her into his lap. Shiro wrapped an arm around Allura, while the pair both glared down at the table   
"Now you guys know. He lost his left eye, and he's been having trouble with words. He's not great, but he's been trying. Tonight was really hard, and it's going to take time for things to get back to normal. So if he's not talking, it's not because he's mad at you, or ignoring you, but because something in his mind is telling his mouth he can't"  
Lifting both boys, Keith moved to him, holding out Laneith for him to take. His alphas face was soft as he gave a sad smile  
"I'm proud of you"  
No. Keith was the one to be proud of. He'd taken this in his stride and cleared up everything almost instantly  
"Uh... go you guys want me to bring down something a little later?"  
"That would help. He's tried just eating food goo, but it's making him sick. Lance, do you feel alright after that smoothie?"  
Nodding, Hunk found his smile again  
"Awesome. Just leave it me, I've got you covered bud"  
"If we can help, please let us know"  
"I think for now, Lance just has to readjust and get used to being up back on the castle with all us, before he gets back to normal life. Allura, you can go ahead and accept the missions for our presence, but let them know it'll be the four lions for now. Is that ok, baby?"  
Lance nodded, pulling his hood back up with his free hand. Exhausted, he didn't fight Keith as Keith guided him from the lounge room. He'd need to work on his stamina if he was going to get better, and if the team wasn't around, he'd be able to work on it without them watching.

 

*  
Pushing his night meals to morning meals, Lance forced himself to sleep through the night. Even when he woke in the middle of the night, because of nightmares he never remembered and he was wide awakes, he'd force himself to close his eye again, curling into Keith until his brief burst of strength passed and breathing finally calmed and fell back to sleep. He'd usually wake again long before Keith, watching his husband silently sleep until he felt safe enough to slip out the bed and get the twins and himself ready for the day. He'd lay Keith's uniform out for him, placing both his Bayard and Luxite blade next to it, before finally sitting on the edge of the bed and gently waking Keith with a morning kiss, which never failed to make him smile.

Today was the first of their public appearance missions, and the first day in two movements Keith was actually awake before him. His alpha hadn't slept well, so they'd spent most of the night just silently cuddled up against each other while Keith rubbed his stomach. He knew Keith wanted to be more intimate, hell, he judging by the fact he was being stabbed in the leg, he'd have to be completely bling not to feel how much more Keith wanted to be intimate, but for some reason that scared the absolute quiznak out of him. Naked shower time, sure. Naked cuddles, yeah, he could to that. Naked and as long as he could see Keith's face, yep, he was apparently completely fine with it. So why did the thought of actually being physically intimate scare him so much? He'd been getting so much better, and he'd learn to embrace just how good sex with Keith felt... Sighing to himself, Keith nuzzled against his cheek  
"You ok?"  
His alpha's voice was low and sleepy, his breath warm against his ear   
"Yeah. You didn't get much sleep"  
"Neither did you"  
"I'm not the one going out on a mission today"  
"No... I don't even know if I want to go"  
"Keith"  
"I'm serious. Right now I just want to stay here like this"  
"Says the alpha who's spent nearly the whole night rubbing my stomach"  
"I can't help it. I don't like the idea of leaving you alone today"  
"I noticed"  
"I'm serious. We're going to be down on the planet all day..."  
"Oh, so that's the real problem, the crowds. You don't have me to distract everyone from how hot you are"  
Keith groaned, but Lance could feel his smile  
"I think you're plenty distracting"  
"What can I say, it's my charms. Everyone loves me"  
"I can't deny that"  
Bucking his hips slightly, Keith's erection dragged against his leg, his mate pushing his knee between Lance's own as the omega's breath hitched  
"Lance...?"  
"Maybe we should get up and take a shower? Before the boys wake up?"  
"Have I done something wrong?"  
"What? No"  
"Then why are you so on edge every time I kiss you too deeply, or every time I touch you without thinking?"  
"You're really going to make me talk, aren't you?"  
"I'm worried something's going on that I don't know about"  
"Then worry about where you're sticking your dick"  
Lance's cheeks burned as Keith pulled back to look him in the face  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means I don't know why you're hard..."  
"Because I'm with my husband?"  
"But... look, I know how I look"  
"We shower together and you seen ok laying in bed like this"  
"I don't know ok. I'm ok with being naked with you, but... I don't know. I swear sometimes you can read my mind"  
"It would be easier if I could"  
"I don't know about that. I'm confused enough as it is, I don't need you being confused too"  
"I'm not confused. I know I want you"  
"And that scares me. I don't even know what I'm so scared over. I'm already pregnant"  
"Then what's holding you back?"  
"I just said I don't know! I've been trying to work it out and I don't know! I don't get it! I'm not scared of you, but the idea... I've spent so much time wondering because I know you want to be intimate. I know, but I'm pregnant with a pup I didn't even know about and I don't know what to do about. My body still looks revolting and I can't even look myself in the eye most mornings... I've spent all morning wondering what's wrong with me, but I don't know what it is!"  
Well. That happened. There went any chance of this morning being a good one  
"I shouldn't have pushed"  
"No. It's not your fault. I want to. I mean, I think I want to, but it scares me at the same time"  
"It's my fault. I know you're still healing, but now you're back, I don't want to let you go"  
"We're so pathetically in love, aren't we?"  
"Just a little bit"  
Pressing a quick kiss to his lips, Keith gripped his stomach with his finger tips   
"How about we just start slow again? Let me make you feel good"  
"It doesn't feel good if you don't too"  
"Then do you want me to top?"  
"You're supposed to go off world today. I'm not having something going wrong because your hips hurt"  
"Nothing's going to go wrong"  
Lance sighed, not sure what he was supposed to say or do now  
"Baby..."  
"Ok... but, I need to be able to see you and your hands, and not in here, in the shower"  
"Alright. I won't do anything without asking"  
"Keith, I trust you"  
"Then let me make you melt"  
Lance snorted, rolling his eye as Keith moved to scoop him up  
"I can't handle that level of cheese so early in the quintant"  
"But it goes with all that whine"  
"I'll make you whine"  
Kissing Keith's lips, his husband looked so ridiculously happy as he swept him into the bathroom.

Starting with small kisses under the water, Keith kissed his way down Lance's body, his husband moving boldly as he ending up kneeling in front of him, his pupils blown as waves of lust filled the space   
"Lance... can I?"  
Taking Keith's face in his hands, Keith said nothing as he smacked him just a little too hard   
"Just take it slowly"  
"I will"  
Grasping his erection, Keith tonguing at the slit before slowly sliding his lips down, making Lance moan at the hot warmth  
"Shit, Keith"  
He was barely even hard, but he'd forgotten how good Keith was at giving head, using just the right amount of teeth and suction that left his legs shaking long before he came down Keith's throat. Catching him as he sank to the floor, Keith's smirk was so cocky that Lance couldn't resist smacking his arm   
"What was that for?"  
"For sucking my brain out my dick?I'm seriously drained now"  
"Good. That was the whole point"  
"No, the point was for us to both feel good"  
Keith pushed a hard kiss to his lips, Lance's own taste still on them   
"Baby, I already came"  
"You did?"  
"Mhmm, you tasted so good that I came as you did"  
"Ok... that's ok... I'm really tired now"  
"Yeah, that's probably enough showering for this morning"  
"Keith, we haven't even showered"  
"Oh... right, we should actually do that"

Keith drew out every moment of their morning together, even staying when his stomach rebelled against Hunk's latest smoothie which tasted strangely like mango and celery. He knew because it was pretty much the only thing he could he handle, Hunk had been experimenting with herbs and spices to make his smoothies bit more nutritious, and he truly appreciated it. Coran said he could work on boiled vegetables next movement, which actually had him excited. Something as deeply wrong when he was happy to leave sugary treats behind for vegetables. Once the four of them were dressed, Lance lifted both his boys into his arms, making to follow Keith, his husband frowning in confusion when he did   
"Baby, you're not staying here?"  
"Um no"  
"I thought you were tired"  
"I am, but I thought I might try talking a little with Coran. If I can get the words out"  
"He's going to love that"  
"Yeah... I thought maybe he can tell me what's happening and why I keep shutting up when it comes to everyone else, and I thought maybe I'd talk to him about the baby"  
"Is something wrong?"  
"No... it's just weird"  
"What's weird?"  
Lance rolled his eye  
"I went missing for phoebes and come back pregnant. It's weird..."  
Keith didn't look happy, his smell wasn't that great either. Good job. He'd fuck this up again  
"I can not. If you don't want me to, I won't say anything"  
"Why wouldn't I want you to?"  
"Because we haven't even talked about it"  
"What's there to talk about?"  
Lance was about ready to throw his hands up and give up. He'd told Keith he didn't know what he wanted to do about it. He didn't even know how to tell anyone else about it. The pup was just suddenly there one day and he was supposed to go along with the flow?  
"Fine. I won't say anything, but can we go? You're going to be late"  
"The show doesn't start until I walk in"  
"Oh my god. Did you really just say that?"  
"I can't help it if it's true"  
"Don't make me go get Red and give you a lesson in razzle dazzle you'll never forget"  
"I will bow to your superior razzle dazzle another day. Today's just a meet and greet"  
"Until Shiro agrees to some mission and you end up flying all over the universe"  
"Don't jinx this. Allura's already wanting to start expanding our territory again"  
"More space?"  
"For now"  
"Is this to do with, what happened to Toral and I?"  
"Possibly. We found you in Coalition territory, and no one seems to know how you both ended up there"  
"Oh... I'm sorry... I still don't remember what happened. Even my dreams don't help"  
"You don't have to try to remember. We'll figure this out"  
"But what if something big is coming and I know what it is. What if it's in my head and I can't get it out?"  
"Well. I think by now, theirs nothing we can't handle and we'll handle it together"  
"Even if I can't shoot anymore"  
"You can still shoot Lance. I know you're trained to shoot with both eyes open, but I also know you close your left one when you're narrowing in on your target"  
"That's true. I guess if they really wanted to make me useless, they'd have taken my right eye, or even my hand"  
His light tone fell flat, it was still too raw for Keith and he should know that. With those words falling silent between them, he walked past Keith. He had plans for today, and standing around wasn't going to get things accomplished.

 

*  
Coran was in the bridge when Lance finally found them. The boys hadn't wanted to be carried, so holding their hands, they'd moved at a snails pace from where he and Keith had separated. Pidge had called Keith, scolding him for being late, so Keith hadn't been able to walk the full distance with him. Watching on as Coran wiped down his control station, Laneith wasn't patient enough to wait for him to be done, tugging his hand away, and stumbling over babbling "Ca" as he went. That was something new. They'd barely gotten "dada" from either of them. Spinning around, Coran dropped his cleaning rag as he hunched over and jogged to the boy, catching him with ease. Lifting Laneith high, his son giggling and squealing, the was scene sooo cute as they both as happy as each other   
"Laneith! What has that mother of yours been feeding you!? Look at you, you're as big as a Folov"  
"They're getting big"  
Coran lowered Laneith, resting him on his hip  
"Lance! You're up again"  
"I am. Apparently my stupid tongue has decided I can talk"  
"It's nice to hear your voice. With Keith, gone I thought you'd be making the most of it"  
"No. Well, I'll take a nap later. I just... I kind of wanted to try talking to someone who wasn't Keith"  
"I'm honoured you chose me. Very good choice"  
"You're pretty easy to talk to, and I kind of wanted to talk about all of this"  
"All of what?"  
"My eye..."  
He wanted to ask about his pup, but he still didn't know if he was allowed  
"Yes. Let's take a look and see how it's going. Pidge and I have also been working on a little something that should make things a bit easier to communicate"  
"What's easier than nodding or shaking your head?"  
"Let's take a walk to the medical room and talk. I've missed our little chats"  
"Is that your way of saying I was doing so well at staying out of trouble?"  
"You were doing very well, you still are doing very well"  
"I'm kind of hoping to be doing even better soon"

Laneith and Kelance were happily pulling everything out of the sages medical room cupboards while Lance was sitting on the edge of the examination. Coran standing in front of him as he titled his head back, examining the socket that housed his eye as he hummed   
"Having you been rinsing?"  
"In the shower, I can't really look at it for long"  
"It looks fine, I can't see any dirt or dust"  
"So I'm doing a good job?"  
"Indeed. Any headaches? Blurred vision?"  
"Headaches... well, headache. It never really leaves"  
"Anything else?"  
"Coran, you won't tell Keith, right? He's trying really hard. I don't want to stress him even more"  
"So there is more"  
Letting Coran throw his counter jab, Lance supposed Coran would be the only one who could actually give him straight answers, but only if he knew everything   
"Headaches. Nightmares I can't remember. Constant ringing or buzzing in my ears. I'm cold all the time. I keep forgetting what I'm doing. I forgot how to take a shower. I forgot how to use a glass the other day. I ended up staring at my smoothie for half a varga. I can't talk to the others, and I don't know why. I can't remember what happened while I was gone. It's completely blank. I know Keith wants to talk, but when he pushed, I can't remember how to talk. Oh, and the second biggest issue is I'm pregnant and I have no idea how that was even possible. I don't know who's it is. I don't know what it is. I don't even know if I want to keep it because I can't..."  
Having counted off everything on his fingers, his tongue felt like it twisted and his sentence was cut off. Growling, he jerked back from Coran's touch  
"You can't talk?"  
Lance nodded, trying to plead with his one good eye for some kind of answer  
"Now. Pidge and I have been working on this, and it is a prototype, so there are bound to be a few bugs..."

Walking over to the cupboard where the boys were, Coran picked something up off the top of it before returning. He'd honestly expected some kind of super cool tech, not a tablet   
"She says it's text-to-talk. You type what you want to say, and then hit the play button down the bottom"  
Lance nodded, taking the tablet and staring down at it. It kind of looked like a completely normal Earth tablet... but with a definite Pidge flare. The colour scheme was silver and green, and there was a small note in the top corner telling him to go ahead and try the swear options first. Thanking god for predictive texts and Coran's patience, he typed out his message before hitting play  
"Why is this happening?"  
Lance wanted to laugh like Coran did. Pidge's voice coming from the device in an incredibly annoyed tone. He wondered how much trouble he could get into if the others voices were available options  
"Did Keith tell you what happened when they found you?"  
He shook his head  
"I feel this muteness is a side effect of what you went through. We all know you never have talked, no matter what they did. So your mind made it so you physically couldn't. When Keith found you, you were connected to Toral through the same memory device the Galra used against you in the past. Shiro said that Keith was feral, and tore through all the tubes from your body without thinking about the side-effects. You were awake and lucid for a brief period, and exceptionally protective of Keith, to the point your were acting like an alpha, or at least that is how Shiro phased it. Both your scent and attitude changed completely, and though your eyes were covered, you insisted on being the only one to touch Keith. Refusing to allow the others too close to him, even after he was shot protecting you. If they were messing with your memories, that would make sense. You wouldn't what was reality, and your bond with Keith would have been..."  
Coran waved his hand as he searched for the word he wanted, while Lance typed   
"Saviour?"  
"I suppose, yes. He was the only one you felt was real. Or so I'm guessing. This is merely hypothetical"  
Lance nodded. It made sense. Even "delusional" Keith was his anchor  
"So the reason I can't speak is because I'm trying to protect you all?"  
"Indeed"  
"I am an idiot"  
"You're not an idiot my boy. You care so deeply for us, that you would do anything to protect us. Being disconnected so abruptly confused your body. Once you start feeling more at home and safer, your headache should clear, and you should feel warmer. I'm still going to run a scan to make sure this..."  
"Isn't all in my head"  
Cocking his head sideways, Lance smiled at Coran   
"Exactly my boy. You went through one hell of an ordeal"  
Handing Coran the tablet back, Lance swung his legs up onto the examination bed, giving him the thumbs up despite how mixed up he was feeling over all of this. He could appreciate Keith wanting to get him out, he probably would have done the same thing in the same situation. But now he was all kinds of messed up, and he didn't know how he was supposed to get past these mental blocks.

The pleasant warmth in stomach had him wishing it would stay around. Instead, all he could do was prop himself up on the bed and stare at the holo-screen. This was the first time he was actually getting to see his pup. The small life looking so big on the screen  
"With the help of Pidge, we've made some upgrades. I know you're scared about the father of the child, but thanks to Pidge, we can now detect the alternate DNA in your bloodstream. It's all very technical, and I know how much you appreciate her "techi-babble" as you call it, so very simply, yes. The DNA matches Keith's. He is the father"  
Lance could scream in happiness. He honestly could. If it came down to DNA there was no way anyone could mess with it. Well, there probably was, but the pup was truly Keith's   
"I would say you look to be about 14 movements along now. But as with the boys, they're big for the age and all your energy at the moment is going to them, with your own bodily needs a second thought. Hunk has been adding vitamins to your smoothies, but you need more than that, else this pregnancy runs the risk of leaving you too weak..."  
Coran trailed off with tears in his eyes. He needed to eat more for both their sakes or risk losing the pup and possibly his life. Nodding to Coran, Lance held out his hand, the man coming over to take it  
"You're doing very well, but it will take time. Your levels are better than they were during your last scan"  
Tapping his head, Coran nodded  
"There's nothing wrong with your brain. Your body has healed completely, even though you are scarred. You're back with us and you're safe now"   
Reaching over, Lance tugged the tablet. Balancing it against his stomach so he could type out everything without letting go of Coran's hand  
"So baby good. Head, ok, body... gorgeous as ever?"  
Coran let out a laugh  
"Yes my boy. Though hearing that from Pidge, is a little disconcerting"  
"Just think of all the things we could make her say. Oh yes Coran, I would positively love to clean the whole castle with you"  
Coran's laugh was magical, instantly his partner in crime  
"Do you mind?"  
Passing the tablet back, Coran struggled his way through it  
"Oh, Lance. When do you think Hunk and I will marry? Coran does so wish to throw a ceremony for us, and perhaps some day he will babysit our children"  
Lance silently howled with laughter. Pidge had mixed her tones up with some of her words, so half the paragraph sounded like her usual annoyed self, and the other sounded way too prim and proper and totally ridiculous   
"What do you say we go get something to eat? Maybe figure out which other voice settings this has? I'll grab the boys, you take your time getting up. I do have one other surprise for you, but you have had such a busy morning already"  
Lance whined, not really sure he could handle another surprise  
"Don't be like that, Lance"  
Oh Lordy. Coran was drunk on power. He was definitely enjoying the power making Pidge say anything he wanted, leaving Lance wondering if he'd accidentally created a monster.

Thankfully Coran settled for reheating something kind of soup like, Hunk had made for dinner the previous night. Having placed the bowl down in front of him, Coran gathered up the twins and sat down on the opposite side of the lounge   
"Give it a few ticks, it's still warm"  
Opening his mouth, both of them were surprised when he found his voice again  
"I'm not a little kid"  
"I didn't say you were, but let's not forget who is older here"  
"Does it really count when you're like 575 years older than me? Isn't there like a limit?! Like once you're older than a hundred, you just get to roll your eyes or something? And not even bother?"  
"Where's the fun in that?"  
"I've created a monster, haven't I? You're really enjoying using that tablet"  
"Only because you're smiling"  
"Because it's you. I don't think I'm up to having everyone around again... but I've always looked up to you, and you've always been really good to me. Even when the others ignored me and stuff, you always put up with me"  
Coran's face reddened, the man coughing in happy embarrassment over his words   
"It's true. Keith wouldn't talk to me about how I looked when they found me. I've got scars I have no idea about. I've even got one that looks like tried to cut my throat. He looks at me wish so much love, that sometimes I can't look at him. I mean, I know you're worried, but you aren't rushing to do everything for me, and you're not giving me looks of pity the others do. It makes me feel better... god, I bet you wish I was being silent again. I'm babbling now, worse than both the boys. I just guess, I really want to thank you. I love you Coran, you're like a big brother or an uncle even like my father sometimes or a grandfather, and sometimes like my mother. So thank you for not treating me like I'm broken... I don't want to be broken... I want to remember, and I want to move on..."  
"You're quite welcome Lance. It's no secret I have quite the soft spot for you my boy. You've come so far, and we will get you back on your feet, long before that little one is born"  
"Keith, is in love with it, and it's not even born yet. Do you think we can tell the sex?"  
"I have a fair idea, would you like to know?"  
"Not without Keith... Coran, I don't know how be a mum to three pups. The twins were birthed well over a deca-phoeb ago, but we haven't even spent a deca-phoeb with them. I don't know if I can go through... giving birth again"  
"Lance, this time you won't be alone. I might not have a clear idea what I'm doing, but I will do everything I can for you"  
"Thanks, Coran. God... another pup... the others are going to be mad"  
"Everyone loves the boys, so I think you mean worried"  
"That's even if I can carry it... seriously, what did I even do to deserve this? Keith and I did everything right. We took precautions... maybe I shouldn't have had that operation"  
"Lance, I'm going to be blunt with you. Do you want an abortion?"  
Lance's heart skipped a beat while a shiver ran down his spine, his left hand going straight to his stomach as if trying to protect his pup from the man  
"I would say no"  
"It's... no. My omega feels sick at just the thought of losing it. And Keith's so attached. I don't know. I don't want an abortion, but... I don't know if I love it the way I should. I'm a horrible mother..."  
"You're not a horrible mother. Look how happy and healthy the boys are. They love you, and you love them"  
Laneith was attempting to grab Coran's moustache, while Kelance was trying to crawl on the table, both looking exceedingly pleased with their attempts. Picking up the spoon next to his bowl of soup Lance sighed  
"I can make you something else?"  
"No. It's ok. This is fine. I'm just tired"  
"The others won't be back for another 9 vargas, why don't you take a nap?"  
"Mmm, you have no idea how tempting that is, but I want to get back to a normal sleep schedule. I... um, I also want to try and start training again"  
"Lance, it's far too soon to be thinking like that"  
"What if something happens? What if everyone gets hurt because we can't form Voltron? Sorry Coran, but I refuse to be the reason they all get hurt"  
"And they'll be just as hurt if something happens to you"  
"Hurt feelings heal faster than broken bones. Keith didn't even tell me how hurt he was. Toral is still in a pod and he won't tell me anything about that. Isn't there something we can do to get that tech off of her?"  
"Lotor has been busy with settling things after Sendak's attack. More rogue factions are... Lance"  
The spoon slipped from his hands and his hands flew to his head. Groaning, he couldn't explain what was happening, but quiznak, it hurt!  
"Lance?"  
"My head..."  
Oh crap. He couldn't stop himself, his cheeks burning as he threw up in own lap  
"Lance, what's wrong? What's happening?"  
"I... don't know... my head"  
There was a flash of something, someone... he knew it was important, but he couldn't grasp the tendril as it slipped away, taking the pain with it. Panting, he forced his fingers to release the hold on his head  
"Lance?"  
"Sorry... I... I don't know what that was"  
"I think that's enough for today. I know you don't want to rest, but after that... I am not letting you do anything other than go back to bed. I'll watch the boys"  
Looking down at the mess covering him, Lance nodded. It was revolting. He felt revolting. Hooking the bottom of his shirt, he pulled the back up and cover, collecting as much of the vomit in it as he could  
"I'll take care of it"  
"No... I made the mess, I should clean it up"  
"Lance, you're being stubborn again"  
"Sorry Coran, I just..."  
"I'll take care of it"

 

*  
Sleep was a blissful thing, even if his dreams made no sense at all. It was a good dream, he and Keith just laying in bed together... and then Keith turned into a cat and he was running all over the castle trying to catch him. It probably wasn't a "good" dream in the traditional sense, but it was crazy enough to be enjoyable and waaaaay better than a nightmare. Feeling semi-refreshed, Lance climbed from the nest Keith insisted on remaking for him, smiling when he realised Coran was sleeping on the floor with the boys curled up against him. It was sorely tempting to find a permanent marker and let them draw on Uncle "Ca", but Coran wouldn't appreciate that as much as the others would. Walking over, Lance snagged the tablet off the top of the boys set-of-drawers, Lance climbed back into bed. The tablet was kind of much easier than he thought it would be, and Pidge had handy little tips attached to pretty much everything. Scrolling through the options, he found all their voices had been uploaded. At least he choose his own voice now. Pidge had even installed a program much like Microsoft Paint, so he could draw stupid things too. He owed her for this... maybe he could just pull her aside? No. She'd get caught up not looking at his face, and if she spent too much time around him, she'd be able to smell he was pregnant. That wouldn't work. If he knew where his communicator was, he could message her. He could ask Coran, but wanted to thank her himself... chewing his lip, he backtracked through the tablets applications, not finding a messaging app like he'd hoped. Dammit Pidge. Maybe he could ask Coran for his communicator? Did they even find his communicator? See. This is why people needed to clue him in on stuff. And they'd fixed Red, but how bad had she been? He could feel her skirting around the edge of his consciousness, but not actually talking to him, or even trying to... was she mad at him?

Lance was saved from falling further down that rabbit hole by the sound of Coran's communicator pinging, letting him know there was an incoming call. Rolling over with a sleepy groan, Coran wrapped his arms around Kelance and pulled him up like the boy was his teddy bear. Mumbling something about how "he couldn't possibly eat anything else" and apologising to Hunk over it, Coran took a few ticks to finally come back to reality  
"Good nap?"  
Coran shot up, displacing Laneith, and scaring Kelance. Both boys started crying, while Lance laughed  
"I didn't mean to fall asleep"  
"No, it's fine. The three of you looked pretty happy. I can take them, your communicators going off"  
Coran spluttered, trying to calm both boys while answering the call, half screaming Allura's name in an attempt to hide the fact he'd been napping. Crawling off the bed, Lance pulled his twins back to him  
"Ma Ma Ma Ma"  
He could listen to them all day  
"Hello my babies. Did you have a nap with Uncle Coran?"  
"Caaa"  
Laneith kicked his legs, booting his brother in the arm. Kelance blinked in shock before screaming  
"Baby, it's ok. Look, Uncle Coran is talking to Aunty Allura, how about we stop these tears?"  
"Nomming" at Kelance's tummy, the tears were promptly forgotten with laughter. Coran managing to finally speak to Allura without having to yell over the tears  
"Ooooh, you're so big! Mummy's big boys!"  
"Lance, the others have been invited for dinner tonight, would you like to join? Keith said he's happy to come back to the castle so you can have dinner together"  
"What about you?"  
"I..."  
Coran wanted to go, and it wasn't fair to keep him up here   
"Coran, if you want to go, go for it. You deserve to have just as much fun as the others"  
"What about you?"  
"I'll be fine. I'll just read to the boys and feed them before falling asleep again, or maybe watch a movie with them, actually yeah, I have a date with two cute boys"  
"Keith says he can come back"  
"Keith! Go have fun! I'm not letting you back in our room unless you do"  
Coran laughed at whatever Keith said, the man nodding behind his hand as he whispered in reply  
"Okalie-dokalie? Am I saying that right?"  
"Did Keith say that?"  
"Pidge did"  
"That explains it. Basically it means ok, though I bet he just asked you to think of reason for him to come back"  
"Perhaps"  
"Just tell him to have fun. If he's a good little alpha, I might let him crash my date when he gets home"  
"He says you better. Are you certain you don't want to join? Allura will be returning shortly"  
"Coran, I'm seriously not up for it right now. I'm just going to hang out with the boys in the games room"  
"I'll make you something to eat before I go"  
"It's fine. The boys and I can share some of their puréed apple. How does that sound, mummy eating the same thing as you"  
The boys clapped, so that was a yes. Was this his life now? Eating baby food? Maybe for the rest of his life? Hell no. When Coran left, he was going to choke down something solid... even if it killed him.


	103. Chapter 103

"Baby, you done in the bathroom?"  
"In a tick!"  
"Ok!"  
Lance was lying. It was definitely going to take more than a tick to straighten up the glorious mess he currently was. Coran being the beautiful and kind angel that he was had really outdone himself, somehow custom making him a glass eye to replace his lost one, the man even nailing the blue of his eyes. It was the surprised he'd mentioned the other quintant, and Lance had been working so hard to feel worthy of it, even asking Coran to hold off giving him his surprise until his last scan, which was the night before. All his scan results were looking better, he'd even put on weight. He was still tired, but he'd started working out when alone in the nursery and had doubled the amount of calories he was taking in each day, feeling oh soooo much better for doing so. Today he was attempting breakfast with everyone, which was the perfect opportunity to show his face, as not all his teammates knew he'd actually lost his eye completely... cough cough, Pidge and Hunk... he had the feeling Shiro knew, and if Shiro knew, Allura knew  
"Lance?!"  
"Give me a goddamn tick!"  
His harsh tone summoned his husband, Keith frowning at him  
"What's that?"  
"A gift. Coran made it for me"  
"But what is it?"  
Walking over, Keith plucked the glass eye from his hand  
"Oh"  
"Yes oh! Do you have any idea how long I took cleaning that this morning? Only for you to put your grubby little alpha hands all over it"  
"I didn't mean..."  
"You didn't mean to just ruin all my hard work. Right. Great. Well, you did. So thanks for that"  
"Baby, you don't have to come to breakfast"  
Snatching his eye back, he glared at Keith. The effect kind of ruined by the fact he only had one eye  
"I told you I would and I am. Just back off"  
"I'm worried you're taking things too fast"  
"It's been three fucking movements since I showed my face at dinner!"  
Keith sighed, backing away from him. Yeah... his mood swings were back in full force, making him appreciate the times he couldn't actually speak all that much more. He might not have been able to change his scent, but at least he didn't have to explain it, and he wasn't above pretending he couldn't speak when things got too awkward   
"I'm sorry. Ok. I'm nervous, your kid kept me up all night and I can't get this in properly"  
"Is everything ok with the pup?"  
"Yeah. She's just cranky. Can you just help me with this? You need to rinse it again and dry it off"  
"I think I can manage that"  
"I just don't want them staring"  
"They're only going to happy to see you"  
Rinsing his eye, Lance turned to Keith   
"Ready"  
"Not really. Go ahead though"  
Keith's hands were shaking, his scent slightly angry as he pressed the eye into his open socket. Blinking a couple of times, he found it strange. No, more than strange. It was a weird sensation that made his stomach knot. His omega didn't like at all, it didn't want it, it didn't want to show its weaken state, but the eye looked semi-normal enough to pass  
"It looks good"  
"It feels weird"  
"I'm sure they won't mind if you don't wear it"  
"Keith, who honestly wants to look at the space where my eye was. Even if it feels weird, it's better than making everyone feel sick"  
"Baby..."  
"I know. Blame your kid"  
"Our pup. Besides breakfast isn't going to be as bad as you expect"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means what I said"  
"Thank you captain obvious. Now go get the boys"  
"You're not going to ask what's happening?"  
"Nope. Because I know you want me to"  
"Where's the fun in that?"  
Sighing dramatically, Lance placed his hands on his hips, pursing his lips   
"Go on. What's this surprise?!"  
"A certain mother who's very upset we didn't call and invite her over sooner"  
"Krolia's coming!?"  
"She arrived last night"  
"And you didn't tell me?! Are you serious! Move, come on! We've got to go! Oh my god! I want to see mum!"  
Shoving Keith, he pushed him all the way out and back into the nursery  
"I need to get changed! I can't believe she's here!"  
"Just calm down"  
"How can I calm down!? I can't show up wearing this!"  
"Mums seen you wearing even less..."  
"Don't say that in front of the boys! Do we have those super comfy jeans? The one with that broken button?"  
"Err..."  
"You threw out my jeans! Seriously?!"  
"Baby, they were broken"  
"What am I going to wear? I need a hair cut... the nursery is a total mess... oh my god Keith, I'm pregnant!"  
"Baby, calm down. It's just mum"  
"She's not going to be happy. God. What do I do?"  
"Put your uniform on"  
"No! I don't want to wear it in case I throw up"  
"Then just stick with your sweats and your hoodie"  
"I don't want mum thinking I'm not caring for you and the boys"  
"Seriously. She isn't going to care"  
Wrapping his arms around him, Keith peppered kisses to his lips  
"You look great. You're eating proper meals, you've put on a little weight and you're doing better at talking"  
"What if I can't talk to mum?"  
"Then breakfast is going to be quite"  
"Keeeeith!"  
"Laaaaance"  
"I hate you so much right now"  
"I know you do"  
"I mean, I like, really hate you"  
"Yep. Message received"  
Message was not received. Keith rutted up against him, his husband nuzzling his cheek as his teeth came to tug on Lance's earlobe   
"If you don't want me to continue, then get your arse out the door"  
"That's not playing fair"  
"Yep. Now off you go"  
"I don't really hate you"  
"I know you don't. I love you, so let's go"

Lance was still grumbling as he walked through the castle with Keith and the boys, the pair holding hands with them on either side. How could his husband have not told him Krolia was coming!? She was going to take one look at him and lecture him for nearly dying again. It wasn't like it was on purpose, but Krolia's lectured could be scary, even if she meant well  
"They're getting really good on their feet"  
"You should see them when it's just the three of us. Something this small shouldn't be allowed to run, especially when they're running in opposite directions and I don't know who to chase"  
"Baby, how far could they possibly get?"  
"If we let go, they're going to take off running. They'll be at the end of the hall before we even get half way there"  
"I think you might be exaggerating"  
"That's because they don't run away when you're around. All they do is babble for "da da" these days. I'm being shunned by my own sons"  
"That's why they've taken over half the bed at night"  
"Don't get mad. It calms my omega down to have them safe"  
"Can't I calm your omega down instead?"  
"I know exactly what you have in mind, and I don't think that counts as "calming down""  
"It's your fault. I wasn't like this until I met you"  
"And I wasn't like this either... pregnant I mean and a mum, not the other stuff"  
"I know what you meant. I haven't told mum about you being pregnant, but I think Shiro knows from your scent"  
"Great. I swear, you think it would be easy to have a secret around here. If Shiro knows, Allura knows"  
"I didn't want you to worry"  
"I know. But warning would be good"  
"Baby, just so you know..."  
"Keith, I swear I'm going to hit you"  
"Do you promise"  
"Oh my god! Calm down. Seriously"  
"Well, now mum's here..."  
"Nope. That's it. You're banned from talking until we reach the dining room"  
"Baby, that's like right around the corner"  
"I can't hear you!"

Keith kept quite until he opened the door to dining room. Releasing their hold on the boy's hands, they let the twins run on ahead  
"Su'p guys?!"  
"Lance! Kelance, Laneith. They've gotten even bigger"  
Climbing onto the floor, Krolia opened her arms for the twins, which they promptly ignored in favour of running towards Coran  
"Try not to take it personally. Even I've been getting shunned now that they can ask for their dad"  
Snorting, Krolia rose to her feet, walking over and wrapping her arms around before lifting him off his feet   
"You're so light!"  
"I'm not that light"  
"Hunk, have you been feeding my boy?"  
"Do you think Keith would let Lance get away with not eating?"  
"Krolia, can you put me down?"  
"Nope, you're mine now"  
Carrying him over, Krolia manoeuvred them so he was sitting in her lap, her hand coming to his stomach as he and Keith both blushed   
"How are supposed to talk to him if he's not facing us?"  
"Yeah. We haven't seen him in quintants"  
"Guys, it's ok. I'm getting better"  
"Not just getting better. You look great"  
"It's a blessing and a curse"  
"Keith, are you sure he's been sick?"  
"Yep. Mum, let me take my husband back"  
"No. He's mine now"  
"Muuuum, you're being embarrassing"  
"Fine. But you two have a lot to fill me in on"  
"If it's about what happened, I can't remember"  
"Keith told me as much. And about Toral"  
Swapping to Keith's lap, Lance held his head up, feeling more confident because of his fake eye   
"Whoa, dude. Are you ok?"  
"Of course I'm ok. Just a little overwhelmed"  
"You look pale"  
"Because Krolia just squeezed the quiznak out of me. Guys can we not make this awkward"  
"Sorry. I made extra pancakes"  
"Hunk, all is forgiven. I have missed real food so much and pancakes before training sounds so good"  
Pidge blinked  
"You're coming back to training?"  
"Coran says I'm doing better. Right?"  
"That you are Lance. Your recovery is somewhat miraculous, you've done marvellously over this past movement"  
"See. I'm miraculous and marvellous"  
"Alright. We can all go home. Lance is fine"  
"I wouldn't quite go that far. He still needs to take things easy, and will need to work on rebuilding the strength in his left leg"  
"Coran, stop bringing me down. I promise to use a training sword for now"  
"How are you going to train with..."  
Pidge stopped herself   
"What she means is..."  
Hunk leapt in, only to stutter to a fault   
"Say it"  
"You're depth perception is off"  
"Really? I thought I was walking into walls because they looked so pretty"  
He was defaulting back to being snippy and witty, attempting to redirect the attention, and because being himself wasn't what they wanted right now  
"Lance, if you need more time"  
"I'm sick of sitting around. Honestly. The other day I found myself trying to count all the tiles in the bathroom"  
"How many did you get?"  
"I gave up. I'm ready to feel normal again"  
"Lance, I think you should hold off going back to training"  
"Mum, I'm fine"  
"But..."  
"Fiiiiiiine. Keith, a little help here?"  
"I think you should wait"  
Lance jumped up off Keith's lap  
"Seriously?"  
"Baby"  
"Nope. I'm mad at you again. You didn't tell me mum was coming and now..."  
Oh quiznak. His words stopped abruptly, leaving him gaping like a goldfish. Shaking his head, he realised he hadn't remembered the tablet  
"Keith, did he forget his tablet"  
Krolia perked up   
"His tablet? Lance is on medication?"  
"No, I suppose a dataslate is the closest description. Lance has been having trouble with his words"  
"Trouble? For how long? Why didn't you tell me about this?"  
Pointing to Coran, Lance made talking movements with his hand, while the other pointed to his head  
"Lance?"  
"Krolia, if I may. When Lance was held prisoner, he was connected to Toral through a particularly nasty memory device. We've discussed this and the best theory we have is that when Lance feels close to saying something personal about Voltron and the team, his brain automatically tells him to be quite to protect us. Even though he is quite safe, he was disconnected abruptly and still experiencing side effects. Pidge created a tablet to help Lance communicate, but by the looks of it, he was in such a hurry this morning, that he forgot it. Am I right?"  
Lance nodded and gave Coran double thumbs up for explaining everything so easily  
"It comes and it goes. I was hoping he was having a good morning, but it seems something triggered him without even realising"  
"Not to be a downer, but he can't go on missions if he can't communicate"  
"I think he still needs to focus on recovering"  
Rolling his eye at Shiro, he forgot the glass eye wouldn't do the same  
"Did you just roll one eye? What's wrong with the other one?"  
"He's blind in one eye, remember Pidge"  
"Both should still move, shouldn't they?"  
"You mean you don't know his left eye is artificial?"  
Dammit Krolia. Why didn't she have to go drop such a bombshell when breakfast looks so nice?  
"What do you mean it's artificial? He's just blind..."  
"Pidge, that's enough"  
Keith growled the sentence as his anger flared, the scent setting the other 3 alphas. Pinching his nose at the onslaught of smell, he turned to smack Keith on the shoulder  
"What was that for?"  
Could Keith not smell the anger of their friends? With four angry alphas right there, his omega cowered in the back of his mind as if he'd actually done something gravely wrong   
"I think we all need to take a breath and calm down"  
"Lance, Buddy, you ok?"  
"He smells scared"   
Reaching out to pull him back into her lap, Krolia rubbed his back as she kissed him on the temple   
"You're ok. You've done nothing wrong and I am sorry for upsetting you. I didn't realise the rest of the team didn't know"  
"Lance, it doesn't change how we feel about you. You're still the heart and soul of Voltron"  
"Allura's right. Now that we know, we can try and hunt down some seriously cool tech. Ooooh. How do you feel about X-ray vision?"  
"Maybe night vision would be better?"  
"He is our sharpshooter. Can we perhaps find some way to help him calculate distances?"  
"Maybe there's something that can do all three?"  
"Perhaps this talk should wait. He seems to be growing more distressed"  
Shaking his head, he leant back into Krolia's hold, resting his head on her shoulder   
"We'll talk about this at another time. Our pancakes are getting cold, though it looks like Coran will have to fight the twins for his"  
"Let me take them"  
"It's quite alright Keith. You and Lance enjoy your breakfast, I'm more than happy to hold them while you eat"  
"I'll take Laneith, I've missed his cuddles"  
Lance nodded his permission and Allura took the boy into her hold  
"He's gotten so big. They both used to be so small"  
"They're still pretty small"  
"Yes, but what I mean is, they're now walking and beginning to talk. It seems like just yesterday we were meeting them both for the first time"  
"Oooooh, watch out Shiro. It sounds like Voltron's going to be adding to the number of children around here"  
"Pidge. Don't even joke about it. It's dangerous enough for two children, let alone anymore"  
"I'm just saying, things are much more fun now they're big enough to enjoy everything"  
"It's far too soon in our relationship to be considering children"  
"Not really. Keith got Lance pregnant when they were still dating"  
"Oh yeah. If you're going to be like that, when are you and Hunk planning on having children?"  
"Hunk and I have a fur baby. Besides, we're the super cool aunt and uncle"  
"That's what I thought. Now is not the time to be having children"  
"Shiro, you said that last time and look, we have two innocent minds to corrupt... I mean, educate"  
"She definitely means corrupt"  
"Pidge, you're not corrupting my sons"  
"Fine, I'll take your first born daughter"  
"You're not taking any of my children"  
Bringing his right hand to his stomach, Lance whined against Krolia's neck, wishing the conversation would hurry up and move along  
"Those are my grandchildren. The job of corruption falls to me"  
"Awww yes! Krolia gets it!"  
"Mum, don't encourage the gremlin"  
"Why not? It could be fun"  
"When one of your grandchildren comes back with no eyebrows, remember that you said it could be fun"  
"You burn your own eyebrows off once, and they never let you forget it"

Using her left hand, Krolia divided the stack of pancakes in front of them with her fork, piercing two thick pieces before bringing them up to his lips  
"Open up"  
Closing his eyes, Lance did as Krolia said, his friends laughing at sight   
"Leave him alone"  
"But it's so adorable! Lance is being fed by Krolia instead of Keith!"  
"Hunk will be spoon feeding you for a week if you keep this up"  
"Ooooh, I'm so scared. Hunk, Keith's being mean"  
"You brought that one yourself"  
"I did not. I just said what we're all thinking"  
"Something's don't need to be said"  
"Like how Lance's scent is a bit funny?"  
"Exactly like that"  
"I swear I know the smell, but I just can't place it"  
"Now that you mention it, it's really not his usual scent. Shiro?"  
"Don't look at me. He smells perfectly fine"  
"I didn't say it was a bad kind of..."  
"Pidge?"  
"I'm still trying to figure out where I know that smell from"  
"Well don't think too hard. We have training after this, and now Lance has rejoined us, we can work on our team building exercises"  
"I'll watch the boys. I can also take a look at Toral if you wish"  
"Thanks Krolia. We've kept her asleep in a pod due to the device in her chest. It's too dangerous to have her laying on an examination bed"  
So Toral hadn't woke up on her own because they were keeping her under? That made him feel the tiniest bit better. If it was like the others said, and she was connected to the same device that he had been, then it was definite for the best that she wasn't awake to suffer and they knew how to pull her out. Even if no one was prepared to go into her mind. Having been held prisoner her with her, Lance honestly felt like he was going to be the best choice, but already knew Keith would say no. 

 

*  
Keith was smiling as he stepped into the training room. The boys were with Coran while Krolia checked on Toral, breakfast hadn't been completely awful, Lance had even made it through it without throwing up, though he was struggling with lingering jealousy with the fact his mate chose Krolia over him to help him eat and protect him. His husband was even feeling brave enough to play a small game of bump with Hunk, both bumping into each other playfully as they'd made their way here. As far as Keith was concerned, just because Lance was here, it didn't mean Lance was going to practice with the rest of them, but he didn't see the harm in his husband watching or doing some light leg exercises. Plus, if Lance was with them, he could actually see his mate was alright. Every time he'd left to go on a mission, since Lance's return, he'd had to fight his instincts over leaving their vulnerable mate alone, it was quiznakking exhausting being torn in two by his dynamic and job. With a new pup on the way, it got harder to get out of bed each morning, and a life celibacy was killing him. Lance was practically dripping pregnant pheromones, which somehow the others hadn't noticed, leaving his groin throbbing and aching, his arousal never really leaving. His alpha was dying to make his mate melt beneath him, to knot him, to bond with him all over again, to feel that love and warmth that came from being connected as one... He'd hoped Lance would be a little more up for physical contact after their shower, but his husband just couldn't, even flinching away when he'd woken up Keith nuzzling and kissing his neck. But today looked like a good day, so maybe he'd finally be open to something a little more.

"Alright. Today we will splitting into pairs. Hunk, you and Allura will be working together. Pidge, you're with Keith. You'll take turns protecting each other"  
"That leaves you with Lance?"  
"Lance isn't participating"  
Lance huffed, flipping him off. Pidge snorted, while Hunk hid his own laugh in a cough  
"Oh snap, Keith. I think Lance wants to participate"  
"Lance, you're still healing"  
"Keith, we're just going to start with the lower levels of the training simulator. It shouldn't be too hard"  
"Shiro, back off. He needs to work on his balance and rebuilding muscle tone"  
Taking a deep breath, Lance looked down before looking up, clenching his hands into fists, his eye narrowing as he cast a glance around the group. Here came another mood swing, he could see it all over his mates face  
"Fine. But if you're not going to let me train, at least let me practice summoning my Bayard"  
"Summoning your Bayard takes a toll..."  
"So you're all saying I'm useless?"  
"Lance. Bud, no one is saying you're useless"  
"Then why won't you let me practice! I lost my eye, not my life! Telling me not to be a Paladin and to rest... well, what did I go through everything for? If not to come back to you all?!"  
"Baby, no. We're just worried"  
"Then let me do this! Let me pretend everything is normal! I want to be normal! I want to be myself again! I don't want to be scared of something I don't know anything about! I'm so sick of being scared!"  
Lance trembled, his scent suddenly rising, so thick he could taste his distress. Not caring what his mate wanted, Keith rushed to pull him into his arms  
"Baby, you don't need to be scared. You're safe"  
"You keep saying I'm safe! How am I supposed to protect the boys! Another pup and all of you! How do I protect you all when I'm like this!?"  
"It's not your job to protect us... it's our job to protect you. You did so well. You did so well baby, you fought and you stayed alive... I know you hate standing still. I know you hate feeling like you're pulling the team down, but you aren't. We were all miserable without you. Nothing was right and each day blended into the next... you just being here... it gives us all strength"  
"I'm sorry"  
"You've got nothing to be sorry about baby. Nothing. I love you. I love you and I'm here. Nothing's going to hurt you"  
Lance's knees folded as he cried weakly against Keith's shoulder. Lifting his husband by his arse, Lance's legs wrapped around his waist, his lips moving against Keith's neck as he mumbled  
"I don't want to be useless. I want to be happy. I want to be me again"  
"It's ok. It's just going to take a little more time. Guys, I'm sorry but I'm going to take him back to our room"  
"Keith, did Lance just say he has to protect another pup?"  
Out of everything, that's what Allura was focused on?  
"Allura, perhaps now isn't the time. Lance looks exhausted. Keith, take him down so he can get some rest"  
"We'll talk about this later"  
"Just get some rest, and I'll bring something down for lunch in a few vargas"  
"Thanks, Hunk"

Lance was silent as he carried him back down to their room. His husband not letting go when he tried to place him down on the bed, causing them to end up with Keith pressed firmly against Lance's chest  
"Baby, I'm just going to move so I can hold you"  
"No! No... please don't let me go"  
"I'm not letting go"  
"I'm scared. Keith. I'm scared and I'm cold"  
"You're got nothing to be scared about"  
"I... Keith, I'm so close to remembering something. I know I am... but I don't know why I'm so scared"  
Lance was trembling underneath him, his fingers clutching him desperately as he turned as if to present his neck  
"You don't need to try so hard"  
"I... I just want to be useful"  
"You are"  
"I feel so weak"  
"Baby, you are not weak. You're the strongest person I know"  
"Everyone knows about the pup now"  
"So?"  
"They're going to be mad. I ruined the morning. I was trying so hard"  
"You didn't ruin anything. Everyone was really happy to see you"  
"You were angry. I could smell it"  
"I wasn't angry. I... I was jealous"  
"Because I was sitting on mum?"  
"You looked really cute, but... I wanted you with me. I wanted to be the one to protect you"  
"I'm not cute"  
"You are. And beautiful. And precious"  
"You're delusional..."  
Lance paused to sniff at him  
"... and horny? Are you seriously horny right now?"  
"I can't help it. You smell really good"  
"Keith, I'm scared"  
"Do you want me to let you go?"  
"No..."  
"Lance. I can't deny I want you, but I'm not going to do anything while you're scared. Let me move us so you're more comfortable and so I can hold you properly"  
"And you won't leave?"  
"I'm not going to leave"  
"Do you promise?"  
"I promise all I want to do right now is hold you, so no, I'm not leaving"  
"I sound so pathetic"  
"I think it's nice, you know, knowing how much you want me"  
"That's a convenient interpretation"  
"Doesn't make it any less true"  
"Fine. But if you leave, I'll never forgive you"  
Keith snorted, easing himself off of Lance so he could move to his usual side of the bed, pulling Lance up against him once he was settled. Burying his face against his neck again, Lance slipped his leg between Keith's, whining softly as he tried to press himself closer, despite the impossibility of the action   
"Better?"  
"Yeah"  
"Good. Get some sleep, you had a big morning"  
"Oh... I... I forgot to take my eye out... it feels weird"  
"Lift your head for me"  
Lance looked up for him, his cheeks dusted red as bit his bottom lip  
"Don't give me that face. It makes me want to kiss you"  
"Your stupid scent is making me slick"  
"I can't rein it back in"  
"Just please take this eye thing out"  
Keith swallowed hard, his alpha taunting him for not making the most of their slicking mate as he gently eased the fake eye out  
"What do I do with it?"  
"Put it on the ledge, I'll need to clean it later. I'm way too tired to deal with it now"  
If Lance was exhausted now, there was no way he would have made it through training safely. Maybe his omega had told him so, and that had triggered the flip in his attitude? Or maybe he'd just put his foot in it... snuggling back up to him, Lance let out a hum  
"What?"  
"Just sleepy. Make sure I don't sleep too long, or I won't sleep tonight"  
"I'm pretty sure you'll sleep tonight, even if you slept all day"  
"Oi. Don't make fun me"  
"I'm not"  
"Feels like you were"  
"Nope. How about I just wake you up when Hunk brings lunch down?"  
"Yeah. That sounds good. Sorry. I wasn't this sleepy this morning"  
"It's fine, but the more you talk, the less sleep you get"  
"Point taken. ' love you"  
"Love you too, baby"

Keith swore Krolia planned her visit right down to the tick. The moment Lance started snoring was the moment their door opened his mother came walking in  
"Is he sleeping?"  
"No, he's just snoring for his health"  
"Why didn't you tell me he was pregnant again? Or that he'd lost an eye? Didn't you trust me?"  
"Of course I trust you. He just didn't want anyone to know. It's barely been a phoeb since he woke up. He's been working hard, but between his mood, hormones and side-effects, it's just been intense. You're the one who told us not to share anything too personal, anyway"  
Krolia rolled her eyes, sinking down on the edge of their bed  
"I would have liked to know my son was half dead"  
"Mum, don't. I seriously can't deal with much more right now"  
"I can smell it on you"  
"Lance could too. The thought of being intimate scares him, so I've been trying not to push him"  
"Did they...?"  
"He doesn't remember. He was in rough shape, so we can't say anything for sure. And if he does remember, it'll be hard to say what actually happened, and what happened while in that memory device"  
"I'm surprised you've left Toral like that"  
"You're surprised? We've had a hard enough time making things feel as normal for Lance as we could. Toral is safe as she is right now, and once Lance gets to a good place, we can see about releasing her"  
"She might have information on what happened to them"  
"And she might freak out and take Lance down with her. I am not risking my husband and our pup, not when I've finally got him back"  
"If he's struggling..."  
"No. Don't"  
"I'm just saying..."  
"Well don't say it and don't say it around him. If he remembers what was done to him, I might lose him all together. Even if he hates me for it, I'm going to protect him"  
"You do know you're not alone. You have the whole team. You have the Blade of Marmora. You have the planets in the Coalition. All you have to do is ask"  
"How can we ask? We're supposed to be protecting them all. It's already hard enough because we can't form Voltron. Lance hasn't even gone to see Red"  
"Does that mean you think he can't continue his role as Paladin?"  
"I honestly don't know. He's been through so much, and now another pup is coming"  
"Is it yours?"  
"Of course it's mine"  
"He was tortured..."  
"Coran did a test, and the results say it's mine"  
"I wouldn't put it past the Galra..."  
"I didn't ask you to come so you could pick apart everything we've been trying to build back up"  
"Keith. I'm worried about both of you"  
"You worrying isn't going to help Lance. This morning, he was so excited to see you. That's why were late. He wanted to change so that he looked good for you, because he didn't want you to worry"  
Unable to keep the anger from his shaking and rising tone, Lance whined while trying to burrow his face into his shoulder  
"K-Keith?"  
"It's ok baby, just go back to sleep"  
Scowling at Krolia, Keith made his feelings clear. Yes the baby thing might be too good to be true, and yes he was still worried about it, but he knew that pup was his. He knew it from the very bottom of his gut, and he didn't need Krolia putting more ideas in Lance's head  
"I'll come back later"  
"Good. And try not to bring him down any further than he is"

He didn't need the added stress, and he hadn't invited his mother to start a fight. He just needed someone else around to help with Lance when he freaked out... not someone else to freak Lance out. He definitely didn't need her filling his husband's head with ideas on dealing with Toral. Ideas he hadn't had himself. He'd thought about hooking Lance up to Toral, about letting Lance come out of the memory connection naturally. But he just couldn't. Lance was just... he was his world and he'd rather he never be whole if that meant he wouldn't be broken. He was horrible and selfish, undeserving of Lance's intoxicating love... His possessiveness even prompting him to leave Lance sleeping when Hunk dropped lunch off, curtly dismissing the anxious alpha worry before coldly hurting him by snarling at him to "get lost", when all Hunk had done was innocently enquire as to how Lance was feeling, and offer to watch over him so Keith could go to the bathroom and check in with the twins. He was quiznakked up, and Lance was going to be so disappointed.

 

*  
Dinner time was shrouded in a thick aura of awkward, with Lance having no idea what was going on. Hunk had made a cake congratulating him on his pregnancy, and everyone had been much more supportive than he'd expected as he'd explained how far along he was and that the one pup seemed to be doing really well. If he was being technical, he'd have to phrase it that everyone apart from Shiro who'd decided to think more like the leader of Voltron and soldier than a friend had been super supporting, while Shiro was on the fence, but Lance had expected that and that wasn't the problem. Keith wouldn't look at the others, instead sat their with his arms crossed and his brow drawn leaking anger. Krolia wouldn't look at him or Keith instead she was focused on keeping the twins out of the cake, and Hunk... Hunk wouldn't look at him. His best friend smelt scared and worried, yet when Lance had tried to reach out and take his hand, he'd moved it away! Which was confusing as all Quiznak! Was it his eye? He seemed ok about the pup... so why did his best friend seemingly hate him now! Drawing into himself, he hid his face against his legs as he started to cry, embarrassed over the fact he was, and over the fact he couldn't stop his stupid tears. Even being miserable, no one said anything. He didn't want the attention, but he did want someone just to notice. Someone to tell him he was imagining this awkwardness. But it never came. Dinner passed with him still curled up, his friends leaving until it was just him, Keith and the boys. Even Krolia had left him to cry. Hearing her leave, Lance untangled himself. The omega climbing to his feet slowly as he wiped at his face   
"Lance?"  
"I'm going to bed"  
"Did you eat enough?"  
So now he cared? When he'd finally given up   
"I'm fine. Can I carry the boys?"  
"I've got them"  
"Ok..."

It was the worse feeling. All his secrets coming out and being left to stew in his own misery. Reaching their bedroom before the nursery, he wanted to reach out and kiss his sons. He wanted to read them to sleep, and have cuddles, but they were nearly asleep in Keith's arms. Meaning their was no space for him. Placing his hand on the door pad, he was stepping inside before Keith even seemed to notice. Wasn't there something Keith wanted to tell him? If he'd made everyone mad, why wasn't Keith telling him what he'd done?  
"Lance?"  
"I'm going to get ready for bed"  
"Okay. Do you need help?"  
"No, but can I maybe sleep alone tonight"  
Keith sighed, but nodded. His scent remaining calm and level, the complete opposite to Lance's racing heart and shaking limbs  
"If that's what you need"  
Hadn't his husband promised to never leave him, mere vargas earlier? Was he mad he'd slept so late? He couldn't think of anything else he could be mad about... the pup? It had to be. Keith didn't want the pup, and he didn't know how to tell him... no. Keith wanted their pup... so he was the problem. He wasn't getting better fast enough for them. They probably saw right through him, like they always had.

 

*  
After barely sleeping thanks to his stupid anxieties, the next few quintants were exhausting. Krolia would sit with him, or ask him about the pups, but she never really seemed to be fully there. Keith hadn't crawled into bed with him like he'd expected, and Hunk still wouldn't meet his eyes... eye. Coran and Allura were busy being diplomatic, which usually involved Keith, or sometimes Shiro, depending on the race they were talking to, leaving Lance to feel like he was going through the motions all alone. Without Keith by his side, he felt vulnerable and open to attack from unseen force, while all the work he'd put into things seemed to slip away like sand through his fingers. He couldn't hold meals down. He couldn't remember what he was doing. He couldn't even crack a fake joke or a smile. He was there, but he wasn't at the same time.

Fed up with not being able to sleep, Lance quietly crept through the castle, making his way up to the bridge for the sheer fact that the room had the best view of the stars. On Earth he'd had the ocean to calm him, but tonight all he wanted to do was watch the stars. Slipping into the bridge, he mentally cheered over the fact the room was empty. Even being ignored by everyone, he still somehow managed to stumble across one his friends as he tried to stay out of their way, but this time he had the whole room to himself. Making his way over to the window, he sank down and rested his head against it, the coldness feeling nice when compared to his sweaty nest. How he still managed to sweat up a storm while being freezing cold was beyond him.

Sitting there, Lance watched the stars twinkle far beyond his reach. Most likely some of them were actually planets they'd liberated, or Voltron had liberated while he was just in the background. Closing his eyes, Lance drew his hood up, hiding the fact he was once again silently crying. Coran had said he'd kept his mouth shut and feared talking in case he said something wrong, but he was home. He should feel like he was home. Home was supposed to feel warm and welcoming, not frosty and awkward like it had for the last half a movement. He needed to change that. He needed to do something to bring his friends back together again. Something to make them all smile again, because him just being around wasn't cutting it. As he reached out and placed his palm flat against the glass window, the door behind him opened, causing him to try and meld into the glass. If they couldn't see him, he wasn't there, and if he wasn't there, then they were really ignoring him  
"Lance? Everything ok?"  
Shiro's voice was soft, yet carried well over the usually humming of the castle's functions. The alpha's steps were soft as he crossed the room, coming to sit down across him   
"Lance?"  
"Hey, Shiro"  
"Are you ok?"  
"Why wouldn't I be?"  
"Because you've been quiet for days, and it's the middle of the night"  
"If it's the middle of the night, what are you doing here?"  
"I couldn't sleep"  
"I, um, couldn't sleep either"  
"Lance, I know you've been through a lot, and I know you might not want to talk about it, but I want to be some help, if I can be"  
"Do you have a time machine?"  
"A time machine?"  
"Yeah, so I can go back to before this all happened"  
"Before what happened?"  
"All of it? None of it? I don't know. Before I made everyone mad"  
"You think we're mad at you?"  
"You don't need to pretend you're not"  
"Lance, no ones mad at you"  
"You could have fooled me. I know I'm not getting better fast enough"  
"You're doing well"  
"Then why does everyone hate me?"  
"Why don't you take a deep breath and tell me what happened?"  
"I can't tell you, because I don't know. Keith's keeping his distance from me. Hunk won't look at me, and when I try to touch him, he practically runs away. Pidge hasn't been making fun of me. You, Coran and Allura are all busy, so I can't blame you for not talking to me. I just wish I knew what happened"  
"Keith and Hunk had a fight"  
Lance frowned at Shiro   
"They fought?"  
"Keith lost his cool at Hunk, and he probably doesn't know how to apologise"  
"But Hunk is a giant teddy bear, how can anyone be mad at him"  
"You were upset, and he snapped. With the anger coming off Keith, my guess would be that Hunk doesn't want to accidentally upset him or you"  
"He's my best friend! I just wanted to thank him. I wanted to try and tell him I was grateful, but now he won't even look at me. Everyone treats me like I'm a burden. I don't want to be a burden. I don't. I just don't know what to do"  
"I'm sorry for my part in this. I didn't want to upset you, not anymore. Especially not when you're expecting another pup"  
"It's Keith's"  
"I never said it wasn't"  
"I don't know how it is, but it is"  
"Are you excited?"  
"About the pup? Maybe. I lost two and half phoebes of my life that I can never get back, and when I finally get my head on straight, I find out in pregnant again. Everything is changing and I can't keep up"  
"If everything is changing, why not try taking control?"  
"Because no one fills me in on what you guys are up to"  
"It's really nothing much"  
"That's what you all say. I'm stuck on the castle and it's boring. I'm tired of the artificial light and the recycled air. I want to go out side. I want to be able to talk a walk without anyone around. I... I want to talk to Toral, and I want to remember what happened"  
"Lance, that could break you"  
"And it could fix me! I want to remember. I feel like I'm forgetting something super duper important, but I can't tell you what it is"  
"We're still..."  
"It's been phoebes since this all began. Toral has the answers I need, but there's no way Keith would let me go see her"  
"Then why don't we go see her together?"  
"Um, because I'm barely even a Paladin and you're dating Allura. The others would be mad"  
"I don't agree with keeping Toral in status. We got you out of one of those devices before, so I don't see why we can't get her out"  
"Really? Do you remember?"  
"No. I've been talking to Allura about it"  
"Oh..."  
"Lance, there are things in this life that only you can do, but they're not going to happen if you give up before you try"  
"I just don't want to make Keith mad"  
"Keith's always mad about something"  
"Not always. He... he promised he'd never leave, and then that same night he let me sleep alone"  
"It's probably the day he had a fight with Hunk. He probably didn't want to upset you by telling you"  
"Being ignored is a hundred times worse. Shiro, do you really think we can help Toral?"  
"I do"  
"So we can go see her now?"  
"You should probably sleep. You don't look like you've been sleeping"  
"I can't. Not without Keith... it's stupid, but I've been too scared and anxious. Can we please just go see Toral now?"  
"Alright"

Toral was sleeping peacefully in her pod as the pair of them stared at her. For someone who'd been held prisoner, the girl looked stunning. Not a single slash or scar blemished her beautiful face. Moving over to the control panel, Shiro didn't even seem to think twice as he opened the pod, sending Toral slumping to the floor. Lance had nearly gone to grab her, but the experience from being on the receiving end of one those devices made him freeze in place. He could have possibly just sent the girl hurtling back into whatever assault was prying into her memories. Jogging back to join him, Shiro gave him a warm smile as he knelt by Toral  
"Lance, we can't help her if you're not even going to touch her"  
"Sorry. I froze... the thought of what's going on in her head..."  
"It doesn't matter what she's seeing. We both know the way to get her out, so we need to help her"  
Lance mumbled the words to himself   
"If you die in your dream, you wake up..."  
"Besides, we don't know if we'll be taken in. We've all touched her since we pulled her out the satellite and none of us were sucked in. It could be that though this device looks the same, it works completely differently"  
"Should we call the others?"  
"No... we'll take care of this ourselves. Are you ready?"  
Lance looked to Toral and nodded, he felt like he owed her for something, but had no idea what. Placing his hand on hers, the omega felt a sudden rush of energy, before he was tumbling like Alice down the rabbit hole. He couldn't do much, but this could be the very thing he needed, so there was no way he was turning back.


	104. Chapter 104

Keith had a gut feeling something was wrong the moment he woke. He'd spent the last few days trying to give Lance some space, as he was deeply ashamed of how he'd treated Hunk. Things between them were tense, the whole team dragged down by his bad mood and stubborn pride. He needed to fix things before the slipped even further out of control, but the avalanche he'd caused just seemed to snowball out. He didn't want to admit to Lance how badly he'd messed up, yet Hunk was now taking it out on the omega and that wasn't ok. Sliding from the bed, he left boys sleeping. First he'd stop in and check on Lance, make sure he was sleeping peacefully, and then... then he'd head up and find Hunk. 

It didn't take a genius to realised Lance wasn't in his nest. When the bedroom door opened, Keith's heart sunk at the lack of omega. He hated it, but he was now twice as sure that Lance was the cause of the bad feeling he was carrying around. The knowledge sending a fine layer of goosebumps forming across his skin, while the hair on the back of his neck rose. Jogging to the bathroom, he found it just as empty as the bedroom. Quiznak. Lance was in no state to be wandering around. He shouldn't have left him alone. He shouldn't have promised not to leave and then actually leave because he was disgusted with himself. He shouldn't have taken out his fight with Hunk on his husband. Running back to the nursery, Keith snatched up his communicator, requesting a group call as he tried to pull his boots on  
"Keith?"  
"Pidge. This is very important. Is Lance with you?"  
"What? Why? Do you have any idea how early it is?"  
"Pidge!"  
"No, god. Keith, I don't have time for this"  
"Pidge, I can't find him! Is Hunk with you? Have you seen him?!"  
"Hunk's still asleep... oh, hey Allura"  
"Pidge? What's going on?"  
"Lance is missing. I mean, I don't know where he is"  
Allura yawned   
"Have you checked the bridge?"  
"No... but, he's... he hasn't been himself lately. He could have taken off. We need to find him"  
"Keith, calm down. I'm sure he's just milking Kaltenecker"  
"How many times do I have to tell you?! He's missing!"  
"Keith, do you have any proof he's missing?"  
"No, but something in my gut tells me something is wrong! Something has happened. I know it has and I need your help to find him!"  
"Ok, I'm getting Hunk up. I swear, if he's just fallen asleep somewhere else, and there's nothing wrong, you'll be washing dishes for the next deca-phoeb"  
"Fine. Just... call me if you find him"  
"Ill start at the bridge. Keith, you start with Kaltenecker and we'll work our way up"

Keith had barely made it to Kaltenecker's room when his communicator beeped. Accepting the transmission, Allura sounded breathless as she spoke   
"Keith, he's ok. He and Shiro went to check on Toral and Krolia found them. She's guided them out the device, and the three of them are currently in medical room"  
"Lance did what?!"  
"He's fine. He and Toral are curled up against each other, while Shiro and Krolia are talking about what they saw in Toral's mind"  
"Did... did he say anything?"  
"No. He says he'll only explain everything once everyone is here"  
"I'm on my way"  
"Oh, he asks that you bring the boys"  
That meant backtracking, and he was less than thrilled at the idea. He needed to see Lance and ask him what the hell he'd been thinking? Did Krolia put him up to this? And why hadn't Shiro stopped him?!

Marching into the medical room, Keith put both boys down before walking straight up to Lance. His mate didn't even seem to care he was standing in front of him. Never in his life did he feel like punching Lance as badly as he did right now, but moving to stand between them, Toral stated him straight in the eyes  
"If you so much a raise your little finger at him, I will kill you"  
"Toral"  
"No. Lance tried to save me! He took everything that happened and he still tried to save me! I will not let him be hurt ever again"  
"Toral, that's enough"  
Lance's voice was rough, his pain causing silence to fall. Turning her back on him, Toral wrapped her arms around Lance, only for Lance to push her aside as he shook his head  
"Not now"  
"I... I'm sorry"  
"No. It's thanks to you that I remember everything. I should have come back for you sooner"  
"Don't say that! You did all you could!"  
"We both know that's not true..."  
"Lance, this is my fault. If you hadn't protected me, you could have escaped"  
"I chose to protect you. I knew it was all in my head, but I didn't tell you. I knew it couldn't be real"  
"No..."  
"Will someone please explain what's going on here?"  
Plonking herself down on the second examination bed, Pidge pulled on Hunk's hand until he did the same, before wrapping her arms around his waist, looking incredibly tired as she did  
"Lance and Shiro decided it was a good idea to wake Toral"  
"And it's a good thing we did. We've been lied to and manipulated"  
"What do you mean we've been lied to? By who? By Lance?"  
"No... well, not intentionally. I honestly didn't remember what happened until I went back into Toral's mind..."  
"Lance, will you just spit it out already"  
"Lotor. We've been lied to by Lotor. He killed Sendak and took both Toral and I..."  
Keith wanted to groan. Everyone knew how the memory device worked and Lotor was clearly Toral's greatest fear. It wasn't hard to make the leap in logic  
"Keith, it's true"  
"I didn't say anything"  
"I'm your husband. I know when you're annoyed and you clearly don't believe us. We were first taken by Sendak, who planned to use us as bait to lure Lotor to his. He intended to kill him, and to kill us. Only Lotor killed him and took Toral and I. He separated us initially. He wanted to know more about our bond, and how to break one. He also wanted to know how my body worked... he... he wanted to create a child who could use quintessence like I could, but... I told him it wasn't possible... that didn't stop him from trying to breed me. He laughed over it all. Laughed about how stupid we all were and how I was going to be the key to whatever he has planned. He pumped my body full of quintessence and black goop, cutting me open to try and watch my body processing it. When I stopped screaming, he'd have one of his assistants down me, revive me and stick me in a pod. Over and over... I think... I think he was testing he much a human body could take... And then, one day, he moved me to a room. I think that's when he reunited us. Toral was there and I was pregnant. I helped her escape, but I knew it was in my head because everything was just so easy. A bucket handle that fitted my cuffs. The door opening after barely being jimmied. I sent to Toral ahead in the ventilation system. That's when I told Lotor I knew what he was doing... he was mad. He kept asking for information on my bond with Keith, he even tried cutting off my bonding mark and remarking me as his, purely to see how it worked. I think the only reason he let me keep the baby is because he thought it was his... his to do with as he pleased. After that, each time I kept figuring out what he was up to. That we were trapped inside our own minds... I told him things... I told him about the goop and quintessence and about how it holds everything together, but he doesn't care. Toral came through to this world with a necklace given to her by Alfor. It holds gold quintessence and with it, he can access as much quintessence as he needs..."

Lance gripped his pants, tears dripping and soaking into the dark grey fabric  
"I'm so sorry. I... I tried to protect Toral. I tried and I failed! If only I could have gotten her out of there sooner"  
"Lance, your leg was broken! You gave me your helmet when Red stopped responding! You're the only reason I'm alive!"  
"It wasn't enough! I couldn't defeat Sendak! I thought Lotor's hand would be forced and he'd have to help us because I was a Paladin! I thought he wouldn't make his move, but he killed everyone! And he looked so happy as he did! I couldn't save them..."

Keith's breath was stuck in his chest. His lungs felt like they were filled with cement, and he couldn't take another breath to save his life. Lotor. He'd known it. He knew Lotor was behind it! Snarling, Lance jumped and flinched back  
"I'm going to kill him"  
"Wait. We need to be sensible about this"  
"Didn't you fucking hear what he did?! I don't care what was in Lance's mind and what was in reality! I'm going to string him up with his guts!"  
"You can't... you can't touch him"  
"Lance?"  
"He can teleport. He can jump from spot to spot. He can target any of us at any time and we won't know about it until too late"  
"Allura, you've spoken to Lotor. Did he have anything to say?"  
"N-no... he was relieved Lance and Toral were found, and upset over Lance's memory loss, but now I see, this alliance never meant anything to him..."  
"Allura, we were all fooled"  
"That's right. We all were"  
"I need to inform the Blade of Marmora"  
"We need to inform out allies"  
"You can't"  
All eyes went back to Lance   
"He could be monitoring our communication. If he suspects anything, he'll be forced to implying his plan early"  
"Did he give you any kind of idea?"  
"No... he mentioned his mum, but not much... I... I was kind of giving him a hard time. That's why he cut my throat. He said I wasn't covered in enough blood..."  
Keith had heard enough. Stepping forward, he grabbed Lance hand and hauled him off the bed  
"Keith!"  
"No one is to disturb us"  
"Put me down"  
"I am not putting you down"  
"P-please. I feel sick"

Striding through the halls, Keith carried Lance to the first room available, throwing his mate down on the bed and climbing to straddle his lap as he pinned Lance's arms down. Pushing his lips to Lance's, Lance trembled as he cried softly  
"Keith... I'm dirty"  
"You are not dirty"  
"I am! Lotor... every time... every time I was thinking of you"  
"I will not let him hurt my mate and act like he can get away with it! You are mine! You are my omega! My partner!"  
"But..."  
"Don't you dare deny it! How fucking stupid were you!? Just going into Toral's head like that! Do you have any idea how I felt!? Do you?! I am your alpha! I am the one you're supposed to depend on!"  
"I knew you were going to say no!"  
"Of course I would! I am so sick of people hurting you! And I'm so sick of you hurting!"  
Releasing Lance's hands, Keith tore his shirt off, before hastily fumbling the button of his jeans undone  
"Keith?!"  
"You're mine. You're mine and I am the only one who gets to do this to you"  
"He.."  
"I know what he did. So let me show you how much better the real thing is, when it's with someone who loves you more than this whole fucking universe"

Lance was already slick as Keith pushed inside. His husband so warm and wet as he rippled around him. Normally he'd be gentle, but his anger and need to claim Lance again won out. His pace hard and brutal as Lance mewed underneath him. Capturing his lips, Keith kept his lips to Lance's, panting into his mouth as he drove each thrust in as deeply as he could. Cumming without warning, Lance clenched around him, his knot popping before he could stop himself, and both of them moaned as his seed pulsed into Lance  
"Alpha?"  
"Baby. This is us. It's fights. It's screaming. It's yelling. It's love. It's happiness. It's us. You're mine. You're the only one I love and the only one I could every love"  
Wrapping his arms around him, Keith lifted Lance into his lap as he sat back, his husband wrapping his legs around him as he let out a howl  
"I've got you"  
"He... it hurt so much. It hurt, but I told myself if I could just get through it, I could come home again"  
"You're home. You're home and you're safe"  
"He tried to take everything from me!"  
"He didn't take anything. You're still you. You're still the same stubborn omega I fell in love with"  
"Keith..."  
Rolling his hips, slick squelched between them deliciously, Keith was still cumming inside his mate. He understood all Lance's fears and hesitation. He understood why he was so cold and why he was so scared. Lotor had done this to him, and Keith wasn't going to let it slide by, but right now, Lance needed the physical connection a whole lot more, he needed to see that nothing changed between them, that he still wanted him, no matter what Lance's mind was telling him  
"I'm here. I never should have tried to give you space, but I was scared of just how much I love you"  
"I thought you hated me"  
"No. I had a fight with Hunk. You were upset and I lost it at him, after having a fight with mum. I lost my head and I didn't want to disappoint you again"  
"You're stupid. You should have just told me"  
"You're dealing with so much"  
"I... it hurts to know, but... I feel better..."  
"Because I fucked your brains out?"  
"No... because I understand why I didn't want to remember. I understand what happened and why... It was movements of my life, just gone"  
"Lance, I know I just... but it's not enough"  
"I feel it too. I feel so dirty that nothing will ever make me clean"  
"No. You're not dirty and I will always love you"  
Laying Lance back down, his husband even managed to smile for him. With his knot still caught, he couldn't do much, but each time he rocked his hips, Lance's hands gripped the sheets as he moaned, his back arching, his Adam's apple bobbing. This was his. This sight of his mates swollen stomach belonged to him alone. Sliding his hands over the swell, Lance turned to face away from him  
"Baby?"  
"I... I don't understand how she survived? I had pure quintessence flowing through my veins... for days Keith"  
"I don't know, but she's here. She's ok, and I know you like having your belly rubbed"  
"It's the only thing that settles her"  
"Mmm. Our little princess"  
"We still don't know for sure"  
"I trust you and I trust your feelings. Even when I don't understand"  
"That's why you were ready to hit me before"  
"No... maybe. Ok. Yes. I just, I didn't understand why you'd stupidly put yourself in danger and do that... but, I get it now. You, you're different. You even smell different"  
"Keith, it was killing me not knowing. I didn't know what to do or say. I tried my hardest and then everything fell apart and I felt it was my fault. Now... now I understand why I wanted to forget because it... he tried to break me. He tried to break me each and every quintant... every time... I just kept thinking of coming home"  
"And you're home"  
"With you"  
"Yeah baby"

So the emotionally mature thing would have probably been not to spend the night between his husband's legs, but Lance was only hungry for more. Falling together, they seemed to melt into one, over and over until they both laid sated, Lance purring a rumbling purr as he laid along his chest, exhausted and drooling against Keith's salty skin, both of them uncomfortably warm, yet neither of them wanting to let go while the stink of sex hung in the air, leaving their second dynamics drunk off sex, stripped of all reasoning. 

No one invaded their space, both of them managing to get 8 solid vargas. Keith woke feeling like absolutely nothing was wrong in the world, and Lance... he seemed ok. A little jumpy when Keith came up behind him in the shower, but even the way he carried himself was different. Smiling shyly, Keith peppered Lance's lips with soft kisses, as Lance washed his hair. Small laughs fell between them, mostly at Keith's expense due to his impatience and copping shampoo to his eyes. Everything was so perfect, so much like a dream  
"What are you thinking about? You've got this smug look on your face"  
"I would hardly call it smug. I was thinking about you"  
"Really? And just what were you thinking about me?"  
"That you're here and you're doing better"  
"I couldn't be doing worse"  
"You could be and we both know it. Right now, if this is a dream, I don't want to wake up"  
"Don't say things like that... not yet... I'm ok, and I'm sleepy, but... you're my anchor to reality... I can't have my anchor thinking this is all a dream"  
Taking Lance's face in his hands, Keith nodded, his thumbs gently rubbing the marks on his husband's face   
"I'm sorry. I'll probably say and do a lot of things that will upset you, without even realising"  
"You usually do anyway. So what's the difference?"  
"That's not funny"  
"Who said I was trying to be?"  
"You always think you're funny"  
"Isn't that why you're with me? For my sharp wit and humour?"  
"And the amazing sex"  
"Yeah, I'm pretty good at that too"  
"More than pretty good..."  
Lance groaned, taking his hands and shaking his head, his hair spending droplets of water flying like a wet dog  
"We have to go talk to the others"  
"I know"  
"I don't know what to say"  
"Just tell the truth... and if you can somehow find a way to get Hunk to forgive me..."  
"Nope. You hurt his feelings, so you need to be the one to apologise"  
"I don't know what to say"  
"How about you just tell him you're an arse?"  
"He knows that"  
"Then you're half way there. We need to get out of here, I'm ready to fall asleep again"  
"Ok... but give me a kiss?"  
"Come here you big sooky alpha, I'll give you all the kisses you want"  
Making kissy noises like he did with the twins, Lance kissed his cheeks sloppily   
"Enough. You can stop"  
"Nope. You wanted kisses"  
"Lance, I'm not a pup"  
"I know... now, hurry up and get out the shower. Or we're going to make them even madder"  
"Fiiiine. God. Why do I love you?"

 

*  
Wearing the same clothes they'd worn the day before, Lance held Keith's hand firmly as they walked through the castle. His mate had lead him up to the kitchen, but Hunk wasn't there, now he was trailing half a step behind Lance as they headed to the bridge. Despite his outwards happy appearance, the hold on Keith's hand was growing steadily tighter with each step closer to the bridge, leaving him to wonder if they had been in some kind of dream. Reaching the bridge, Lance opened the door, before darting behind him to propel him forward, though Keith was 90 percent sure that his husband's bravery had failed him at the last second and he found himself scared of everyone's reactions.

Sitting on the floor rather than in their chairs, Hunk, Pidge, Allura and Toral were all whispering about something, while Shiro talked to Coran, a star map pulled up on the holograph screens. Elbowing him in the back, Keith stumbled slightly, his boots squeaking against the floor, and drawing their attention to the pair of them  
"Lance, Keith! How are you both feeling this morning?"  
"We're alright Allura. Sorry we took off, we needed some space"  
"I would say that's fair given what you've been through..."  
Nodding his head, Lance hid the left side of his face against Keith's arm, though he did half step out of hiding as he did  
"So, what have we missed?"  
"Coran and Shiro are collecting information on the planets where Galra activity has been sighted. As we don't know what of lies hold a glimmer of truth, we've been making notes on everything. Toral has been filling us in on her own experiences while connected to the memory device"  
"Um... why don't you just watch it?"  
"Lance?"  
"We can do that. You know we can. Shiro did it before, he watched my memories. If... if we're watching things from Toral's view, then they shouldn't be that bad"  
"Toral would prefer we didn't. For both her sake and yours"  
"But it might hold some clue"  
"Lance, no. I'm not going to let him hurt you again. We're going to figure out how to stop him"  
"How do you plan to do that? He has a device that allows him to access as much quintessence as he wants. He could easily execute whatever he has planned, whenever he wants"  
"We don't think that is the case"  
"What do you mean?"  
Stepping out from behind the holoscreen, Shiro crossed his arms, looking completely exhausted as he did  
"Well. Lotor said Lance is the key to all of this"  
"That's because he's a nutjob"  
"Keith, maybe we should let Shiro talk? He did some see some of it"  
"Thinking about what Toral has said, what Lance has said and what I saw first hand, it's clear Lotor was targeting Lance all along. He both being an omega and his unusual relationship with quintessence, are something he hadn't encountered in his ten thousand plus years. For him, Lance was an unknown variable, but with our hope for peace blinding us, we allowed Lotor access to Lance and the secrets of the Castle. Lance being pregnant, is probably the reason Lotor is yet to make a move"  
"I doubt it. He didn't care anything for Toral, even knowing somewhere out there, another one of him was her father. He just wanted a pup that could be used for quintessence experimentation..."  
"Yet, you did fall pregnant, and almost immediately you were moved away from the lab. If he believes the child is his, he could be waiting for its birth before taking it"  
"But she's not his! Coran did a scan. She's Keith's!"  
"Lance, no one is disagreeing. We're trying to figure out Lotor's end game"  
"He wants quintessence! He needs quintessence. Whatever he has planned, he needs a ton of the stuff. But we know the universe can't take it being harvest! We can't stop him, because he come and go as he pleases. He slaughtered everyone one Sendak's ship, with a smile on his face. How are we supposed to stop the unstoppable!?"  
"Ok baby, it's ok. Come here"  
"She's ours..."  
"I know"  
Gathering his omega against him, Lance shook, his scent screaming he was exhausted, and also maybe a little hungry. In the aftermath of Lance's yelling, the whole bridge was silent. No one sure what to say, especially when Lance had just yelled what they were all thinking. Pidge looked to Hunk, her eyes filled with sadness as she did, and in turn, Hunk looked to him  
"You guys haven't eaten, why don't we go get something to eat?"  
Lance nodded against him, while Keith felt like a dick. Hunk was being the bigger man here, when he should have stepped up instead.

Sitting down in the kitchen, Lance nudge him. The walk had been stiff and silent, his mate was now telling him this way the time. Taking a breath, he nodded to himself   
"Uh. Hunk. I have something I want to say to you"  
"Go on..."  
Smacking Lance lightly, Keith took another breath  
"I'm sorry for the other day. I... I lost my head over Lance. I let my jealousy get the better of me"  
"Keith, bud. We all know you lose it over Lance, but that wasn't cool"  
"I know..."  
"See, don't you feel better now?"  
"Kind of... but he didn't have to ignore you over it too"  
Lance sighed, looking less than impressed   
"Don't give me that. You thought we all hated you"  
"It was kind of hard not to. No one knows what to do..."  
"I wasn't ignoring Lance because of you..."  
"Dude, I tried to hold your hand and you moved away. You've barely looked me in the eye and I can't for the life of me figure out what I've done wrong"  
"Every time we take our eyes off you, you come back hurt. You lost your eye and I didn't even know. And now you're pregnant again... Lance, we're all worried about you. We know how you feel, but you take it too far. It's like you don't even trust us"  
"I do... I would do anything to protect you all. All I could think about was coming home to you all... and all I could do was wait for you... wait for you to rescue me"  
"Then don't make us worry like this! You didn't even talk to us before going to Toral"  
"I talked to Shiro. He said he didn't agree to how she was being treated... after quintants of not talking, he reached out..."  
"You didn't talk to the rest of us"  
"Because no one wanted to talk to me..."  
"Lance, you've just got to be more careful. That's all we want"  
"How am I supposed to be careful when we know what's happening? When we know Lotor is playing us?"  
"For now, you need to think about your boys and your pup... you said it's a girl?"  
"It's just a feeling... Coran says he knows what they are, but I didn't want to have the scan without Keith being there"  
"Another girl..."  
"And they're healthy?"  
"By some miracle"  
"Your mums going to die of shock when you come back home with a whole brood"  
"She wasn't planned. Keith and I did everything we were supposed to. We used the ring... and I never took it off. Coran said she was conceived after my heat, so even if we weren't thinking right, that's not to blame"  
"I didn't say... I didn't mean..."  
Hunk looked flustered, his pointer fingers inching together  
"Hunk, she's ok... and I don't... I have no intention of seeing Lotor anytime soon. Right Keith?"  
"If he ends up on my sword anytime soon..."  
Lance scowled and made to elbow him again  
"I mean. None of us will be getting close to Lotor. We will be distancing ourselves from him as much as possible, before we sever this alliance. We also need to prepare for whoever takes over"  
"Well you guys half destroyed the Kral Zera... we could finish it off? That's what the Blade of Marmora wanted to do"  
"You remember that?"  
"Of course I remember that! I nearly killed you"  
"You were pregnant with the boys"  
"And I was certain you were going to freak out and leave me... good times"  
"Guys, that's enough being gross. Are we having a baby shower for this one?"  
"No... not just yet. She's already moving, but I'd rather be further along... and I've decided, I want to give birth on Olkarion... it's as close to home as we're going to get out here..."  
"Olkarion..."  
"Yeah. The castle has too many memories. I... I want to be in our house, in our bed... with you there"  
Keith paled. His mind flashing back to all the blood from the birth of the boys...  
"I think you scared him"  
"I think I did too. Keith, you don't have to be there if you don't want to be"  
"No... I'm just... there was so much blood"  
"Because there was two of them. I only have our little girl this time. But it's a lot..."  
"I... I'll be there"  
"Her daddy delivering her. Nothing could be more right"  
"I don't know about delivering her. I've got no idea how to deliver a baby"  
"I do. We can get through this together"  
And with the help of someone actually trained, and medical staff nearby and clear access to the castle in case something went wrong... was Lance even going to be help him? No. He was the alpha. He should know what he was doing, before Lance went into labour... suddenly 17 movements seemed way too close to full term. Closing his eyes, he felt Lance take his hand  
"I definitely broke him"  
"Keith, I've made food"  
"I don't think he's thinking about anything other than our girl right now"  
"I'm right here"  
"He lives. You're food has revived him!"  
"I'm fine"  
"Keith, if this baby thing is too much..."  
"Lance, its fine. Its movements away"  
"Exactly. So there's no point glaring your breakfast"  
"I'm not glaring"  
"No, you're huffy and pouty. Thanks for breakfast"  
"It's more like lunch. You guys were gone for vargas"  
"It was Keith's fault"  
"Don't pin that on me. It's your fault just as much as mine"  
"You're the one who didn't want to get the shower"  
"And you're the one who didn't want to get out of bed"  
"I was warm, and you're really comfortable... any my hips are sore"  
"I do not need to hear this. Eat your breakfast, then go find Krolia. She's got the boys"  
"Mmm, thanks Hunk. You and Keith are definitely ok now, right? Because he's going to keep brooding over it"  
"Yeah bud, we're ok"  
"Thanks Hunk..."


	105. Chapter 105

With Lance's desire to return to Olkarion public knowledge, thanks to Hunk spilling his guts to Pidge, the team had begun making their way back home. Even if Lance was a little confused as to why they were headed back so soon. He still had movements until he'd give birth, even if it was almost certain he'd go into labour early, and even if the shock of knowing what had happened had turned into nightly nightmares, mostly for Keith, the way he saw it was they could do more good out in Coalition Territory, than just sitting back and watching his stomach swell. But being pregnant, had turned everyone into mother hens around him. He wasn't allowed to carry the boys for too long, or to stand for too long. He wasn't allowed to train or practice on his own, and with his stupid nightmares playing up, he wasn't allowed to fall asleep on the bathroom floor because it'd taken Keith too long to find him when he'd started screaming. He missed them all talking, but they'd gone from one extreme to the other. 

By the third movement of their trip back "home", Lance had had enough. He'd wanted to take Red out for a few hours, just for some peace and quite, but Keith had caught him sneaking out, so he'd been pulled back to bed... which of course lead to sex. Even the nights where he'd fallen asleep the moment his head hit his pillow somehow ended up in sex, as well as the nights where he woke up screaming, Keith would pull him into his lap... and... sex... His slut of an omega loved the attention, but Lance himself would take a full nights sleep over 15 minutes of pleasure, half an hour of Keith knotted inside of him, and then his body deciding he wanted another round. He was tired, cranky and getting fat again. Even napping with the boys had been taken away by the others insisting he rested. There was only so much one omega could take, and he'd thought he'd taken it all pretty well considering how annoying everyone was.

It was another three quintants before he finally lost his temper and completely blew up. Having snuck out of the nursery with the boys, they were sitting in the games room watching some children's series, as they ate breakfast together. Laneith had been fussy lately, so he'd really wanted to spend some time with both the boys, just the three of them. He wanted to make more memories with them, before their sister came and he'd be flat out trying to take care of a newborn pup again. Only, his private time was interrupted first by Hunk, then by Pidge and finally Allura completed the trifecta. Both his alpha friends took over feeding the boys, while Allura insisted he was cold and needed to cover himself completely with the blanket across his legs. If anything, he was hot, and the only real reason the blanket was across his legs was to hide the fact he didn't have his boots on. Bossed into laying down, he groaned, which was somehow misinterpreted as a yawn. The next thing he knew, the TV was being turned off, while Pidge and Hunk gathered up the boys. They hadn't even finished their breakfast, or covering each other in banana and pumpkin. He hadn't even finished his breakfast, which was now a soggy lumpy concealed mess of cereal, because he'd been put feeding the boys ahead of his own needs. They'd all be fine, quietly watching cartoons. Not hurting anyone or causing any trouble and it wasn't fair that his friends had just come in and taken over. They already got to leave the castle. They got to visit their allies and check in with new races joining the Coalition... while he got left behind. Picking up the bowl of cereal, his mind was blank with anger as he hurled the bowl at the door, starting his friends  
"Lance!? What the hell man!?"  
"Give me back my kids"  
"We..."  
"Give me back my kids and leave!"  
"Buddy, I think your hormones are out a whack again"  
"No. You know what is. You guys. I was having breakfast with my sons! Watching cartoons and not annoying anyone. But you all come in here and take them away. I can't even go to the bathroom in peace!"  
"You should be resting"  
"I'm sick of resting! It's all you guys ever let me do! I'm not allowed to train. I'm not allowed to nap. You get mad if I carry the boys around, and now you're taking them away from me!"  
"You're still recovering"  
"Then stop taking my kids away! If I need to sleep, I'll sleep. If I need a break, I'll find a way to call you! You're driving me insane!"  
"We were just trying to help"  
"Then help by leaving me alone when I actually get time with my boys! You all get to leave the castle, so I should at least be allowed to be with my boys!"  
"Lance, no one said you couldn't leave the castle"  
"And yet, no one said I could. Every time I mention Red, Keith changes the topic. Every time I ask you for a new communicator, you say you're on it, but it's been movements! I'm 21 movements pregnant! I'm not dying!"  
"Lance, we didn't realise"  
"I know you didn't! But you keep doing it! This, this was the first morning Keith was too tired to pull me back into bed. This was supposed to be time for me and the boys. Just the three of us hanging out! Now you've decided to take the boys away, and I will bet GAC that Keith will magically appear shortly. I just want to spend some time with my boys. Why can't I do that?"  
"Um... well, we kind of agreed you shouldn't be alone. Not with Lotor out there and targeting you"  
"Are you serious? It's been movements!"  
"And what if he goes try and pull something"  
"Even if he did, I doubt you guys could stop him. So just give me back my boys, they haven't even finished breakfast!"  
Hunk and Pidge shuffled over to the bed, placing the twins down on it  
"We'll just leave you alone"  
"Thank you!"  
"Lance, you do look a little tired"  
"I swear to god, Allura. If you tell me to rest, I will scream. I'm so sick of being on the castle! I want to be back on Olkarion! I'd even taken some freezing cold planet right now. I miss the outside world!"  
"Maybe Keith will let you go out with him in Black next time we have a mission?"  
"Ha! He won't even let me near my own lion, let alone Black! I might as well be a prisoner here. That's what it's starting to feel like. I'm going to like explode if I don't get of this castle soon!"  
"We just want to keep you safe"  
"I am safe! It's you guys who need to worry. I'm pregnant and moody and hormonal. I'm pretty much the scariest thing in the universe right now, and you insist on babying me"  
Pidge giggled, ruining the serious mood he'd been going for  
"You are pretty scary. As for your communicator, it's been done for quintants. I just keep forgetting to give it back to you. Allura, is there a planet we can stop at, before Lance explodes? I do not want to be cleaning him off the walls"  
"I will talk to Coran. I too do not wish for Lance to explode, not when he's carrying my niece"  
"Thank you Allura. Now you guys should go before I start crying or yelling again, because right now, it could really go either way"  
"You don't need to tell me twice. The wrath of Keith is even scarier than the thought of you exploding and he'd kill us if we upset you"  
"He's not even that bad"  
"Haven't you noticed his non-stop glare?"  
"He's always glaring at something. You just kind of learn to see past it"  
Kneeling down, Hunk cleaned up the broken bowl  
"We'll try our best to keep him preoccupied for the morning. That's the best we can do"  
"Yes! Hunk, you're the man. I just want a few vargas with the boys. That's all"  
"Then we'll see you at lunch?"  
"Only if you promise not to start cutting my food up again"  
"I never cut your food up"  
"No, Hunk did. He got carried away and cut my food up for me like I was pup. I can eat. I know how to eat. He was basically one step away from the aeroplane noises"  
"Oh. I didn't realise, man"  
"Now you know"

Hunk rose with the broken bits of bowl in his hands, his friend didn't even get to place his hand down on the door pad before it was opening and revealing an angry Keith   
"Lance?! What are you doing here?! What are you all doing here?"  
"I am trying to have breakfast with the boys"  
"Why didn't you invite me? Why didn't you tell me you were coming up here?"  
Allura cast him a look of sympathy, while Pidge rolled her eyes, completely devoid of sympathy   
"I left you a note"  
"You should have woken me up"  
"Oh my god! What is it with this castle!? I just wanted to have breakfast with my sons!"  
"You could have said"  
"Nope. I can see it on my tombstone now. Here lies Lance. He exploded from being cooped up in the castle for way too long. Tell my kids I loved them"  
"Baby, that's not funny"  
"I'm not being funny! I just yelled at our friends for doing the same thing you're doing now! I've had enough of being watched! I want to get off this castle! I want to lay in the sun until I resemble a tomato! I want to actually feel the wind and I want to be able to pee in peace!"  
"Too much information, dude"  
"I don't care. You can all leave. I'm spending the morning alone, with my boys"  
"Then you're not really alone"  
"Pidge! I will make you change all the dirty nappies for the next deca-phoeb if you start being all technical this early in the morning"  
"I was just saying"  
"Nope. You're all killing my vibe, and I don't..."

Lance's sentence was cut off by the blaring of the castle alarms. Instead of being scared, or angry, he felt strangely energised. Scrambling up, he lifted both boys with him  
"We need to get to the bridge"  
"Lance..."  
Striding over to Keith, Lance offered him Kelance, the small boy grabbing for his daddy as he babbled "da da"  
"Lance, we don't know what's happening. We need to get you somewhere safe"  
"Or we might need to form Voltron, which means we need to move"  
"You're..."  
"I'm fine! Just move out of the way"  
"Baby, you don't even have your Bayard"  
"So what? We don't know what's happening"  
"You can't go into battle like this"  
"I am fine. I don't need to rest. I don't need to be protected. I need to get to the bridge and I need to know what's happening"  
Staring at him, the others were torn. Lance doubted it was Lotor attacking, which meant there really wasn't that much danger...  
"He's right. We need to get to the bridge"  
"See. Now move. Coran could be in trouble, or even Toral and Shiro. We can't waste time like this"  
Slipping past Keith and into the halls, Lance started jogging. Praying nothing too bad was happening, while at the same time praying to finally get off the castle.

Catching up to him easily, the group spilled into bridge. Coran frantically tapping away on his control panel, while Krolia and Shiro were staring out the castle window  
"What's going on? Are we under attack?!"  
"Not us. One of the Coalition planets has just been invaded by Galra forces. They claim Voltron killed Sendak, and violated the alliance. Panic is spreading through the surrounding planets!"  
"What can we do?"  
"We need to get down there and stop the Galra"  
Marching across to his seat, Lance sat heavily, before placing Laneith down  
"How long ago did they call for help?"  
"Approximately 20 doboshes"  
That meant a whole lot of people could be in a whole lot of trouble  
"Paladins we have no choice. We need to help them. Coran, please send the coordinates to our communicators. Everyone else, you have five doboshes to get ready"  
All eyes went to him  
"You don't need to worry! I can handle this"  
"We don't know if we need Voltron. This could be a trap for all we know"  
"Are you serious?! No wait. I know you are. I can do this"  
"But if Lotor's behind this..."  
"I'm not staying behind!"  
"You don't even have your Bayard"  
Rising to his feet, Lance thrust out his left hand, his Bayard materialising just as magically as when he and Toral had been Sendak's prisoners  
"Lance! When did you learn to do that?"  
"A while ago"  
Activating it, his armour formed around him, filling him with satisfaction. They could say what they liked, but he was the one with the most power when it came to Bayards and he had the best armour  
"Look, we can't stand around waiting. People could be dying"  
"Fine. But you stay back and you observe. We don't know what we'll be walking into"  
"Done"  
They all knew he wouldn't be able to help himself, so he didn't know why Keith was bothering giving him the lecture  
"Paladins, move out!"

Lance managed to keep everything together long enough to get inside Red, but the moment her mouth closed, he felt completely isolated. Something felt off about his girl, and the interior held the scent of blood. His stomach rolled, the burn of the bile in his throat bringing tears to his eye. Grasping her controls, Lance tried to calm his nerves, while Red barely reached into his mind. It was like she was mad with him, like she didn't want him, and he had no idea why. Launching from her hangar, the feeling of rejection grew until it felt like he was fighting through sludge to pilot her, leaving his movements slow and jerky. Following the other lions, it was only about 30 doboshes before they reached the planet. 3 large ships sat outside the atmosphere, shooting pink beams down. Beside him, Yellow went hurtling past, shooting at the ships without a second thought  
"Come on Red. We need to work together!"  
Trying to push her closer, Red came to a complete stop, not moving despite how hard he pulled on her controls  
"Red! Come on! What's going on with you today? I know I haven't been to visit, but I haven't been allowed!"  
Roaring, Red began shooting on her own at everything and anything watching the immediate vicinity. Powerless to stop her, he could only sit back as the ships turned their attention to both Red and the other lions. Not having a communicator quiznakking sucked. They needed to form Voltron and deal with the ships, but Red was having a tantrum and making that hard. As the world outside the windows of Red's eyes lit up bright pink, Lance threw his head back and deactivated his Bayard, suddenly trapped in the memory Red falling uncontrollably towards that strand planet. He could hear her tearing. He could feel the coldness of his lack of consciousness in his mind... and then the smell of blood intensified. Gagging, his hands scrambled to grip the arms of his pilot chair, his heels digging down against the floor of the cockpit. He didn't know if this was her memory, or his, but he couldn't breathe. He couldn't speak. He couldn't even think. Black spots danced across his vision. He was just... so incredibly terrified. A terror that didn't pass, even when the blast whirled past them. Turning tail on a battle was something Red would never do, yet, she did. Turning her back on the pink bursts, she started back towards the castle. 

Lance didn't remember making it back to the castle. Instead he woke to find himself already there. Red was in his mind, but compared to before, she seemed so timid. Groaning with the effort it took to push himself so he was sitting upright, he wrinkled his nose as he realised he'd vomited in his sleep  
"Red. What the hell was that?"  
He could almost feel her shaking her head  
"The others... the others need us!"  
Sitting down, she continued until she was laying, her shield rising around them  
"What they hell!? What are you doing?! Why won't you listen to me? Are you scared? Is that what it is? Red, I can't understand you if you don't communicate! We're supposed to be a team, so why are you cutting me out?! Don't you want me to be your pilot anymore? Is that it? Do you think I'm just useless as everyone else does?"  
When Red didn't reply, Lance kicked out at her controls  
"Answer me! You're supposed to be my partner! You're supposed to be on my side! We need to go back. We need to help Keith. We need to help our friends!"  
Red's shields stayed up, nothing changing. He didn't know what was wrong, and her mental tendrils just weren't giving anything away  
"Dammit! Fine! I don't need you! I don't need you giving up on me! Everyone else has because I can't see properly! I lost my fucking eye! It's better to lose an eye than you're life, or everyone else's!"  
Hanging his head, he was completely disgusted by his looks cowardly ignorance. She knew the others needed them, but her choice had been to let fear rule her. To bring him back here, where he was going to have to answer no end of questions  
"Just tell me why you hate me? I love you. I've always loved you. I missed Blue but I thought you and I were a team... you're my best girl. The best girl in my life. I know we crashed. I know it was scary. But we're both alive Red. We're both here and we both need to fight... so why won't you just talk to me?"

With Red holding him "captive", Lance gave up trying to talk to her. She was shaken from their last battle together, from not protecting him, from the pain of nearly being destroyed, from the pain of failing him so badly. Yes things had been horrible, but they were both alive. Even with no depth perception, and one eye, she'd still moved the way he'd wanted her too... even if her moves were so slow and chunky. So why couldn't she just believe in him? He believed in her. He was proud to pilot her, and even loved every single facet that made up her pissy personality. It wasn't until the others arrived back at the castle that he was finally realised. Red dropping her shield and opening her mouth, to reveal Coran standing there, looking pale, his brow drawn and his complexion nearly ashen. Something had happened. Something had happened to one of the others...  
"Lance, can you come out please"  
Coran's tone hurt. It was like a disappointment parent, the time they use which makes you wish you were being yelled at or even hit instead. Shaking as he rose to his legs, his knees felt like they'd give out at any tick. Stumbling down to Coran, he collapsed against Coran   
"What... what happened?"  
"Red returned on her own. You've been in her for the last varga"  
"I mean, the others. Are they ok?"  
"Pidge has a broken wrist, but they managed well enough"  
Sinking lower, he would have hit the floor if Coran hadn't hefted him up  
"Lance, what happened with Red?"  
"I don't know... I didn't have control of her"  
Coran hummed, his hold tightened   
"I expect the others will be in the healing room by now"  
"I... I can't face them. I told them I could do this... but Red doesn't even want me. I'm useless"  
"You are not useless"  
"I am! What do I have left?! What right do I have to be here if Red doesn't want me?"  
"Lance, put that out of your mind for now"  
"How..."  
"Come on my boy. We should get you cleaned up"  
"I'm sorry. I'm always such a burden"  
"Nonsense. You are no such thing"

Each step back to his quarters hurt. His body taxed to its limits, despite having done practically nothing. Leaving him to shower, Lance sank to the shower floor, curling up with his back to the shower wall. Pidge had been hurt. He hated when anyone was hurt, but Pidge... so was so much younger than them. Out here, two years might as well be a lifetime. He should have been there to protect her. To protect the people on that planet. If Red was just going to turn tail, why couldn't she have done it sooner?

With no idea of how long he stayed on the shower floor, he was still there when Keith finally found him. His sobs had long turned to small sniffles, and his hand was rubbing at his stomach while his pup made it known she wasn't impressed by him crying. It wasn't like he wanted to be crying. Hearing the rustling of fabric, it didn't take long for Keith to climb down next to him, wrapping his arms around him as he pressed a kiss to his wet hair  
"Baby?"  
"How's Pidge?"  
"You know Pidge. She'll be just fine"  
"I'm sorry... I don't know what happened"  
"It's ok. You need to calm down, your scents so strong I could smell it in the hall"  
"How can I calm down? I wanted to fight, but Red doesn't want me..."  
"Hey... shh. None of us knew what would happen"  
"But we're supposed to be a team! I was supposed to back you up! Pidge got hurt!"  
"Pidge got hurt all on her own. The Galra ships pulled out, so we headed down. She tripped on her own feet and fell off Green's ramp"  
"She what?"  
"It was actually kind of spectacular"  
"She... she's really ok?"  
"Yeah. She's just fine. Here, come up here"  
Lifting him into his lap, Lance buried his face against Keith's neck, his husband moved to take his right hand in his  
"Everything was supposed to go back to normal... I was supposed to feel normal"  
"You are normal"  
"No I'm not. Everyone is smothering me. You're all treating me like I'm fragile! I had to fight just to have the morning with my boys! I'm so tired. I'm tired of it all"  
"We care about you"  
"There's caring about me and then there's telling me I can't carry the pups or I can't summon my Bayard and practice. It's been going on movements and I'm just so tired of it"  
"Are you tired of me?"  
"No... maybe... I'm tired of sex"  
"Baby, that's all you have to say"  
"But I can't stop slicking. I can't control my stupid body"  
Keith snorted  
"Your body isn't stupid. It's working hard to grow our daughter"  
"I know that. I hated it when no one was talking, and now we've gone all the way to the opposite side where no one leaves me alone"  
"We just want you to be happy and safe"  
Keith wasn't getting it, and after the disaster with Red, he didn't have the energy to keep fighting  
"Can we just go to bed? I don't feel great"  
"Of course. Let's get you up and dry"  
"And can I have the boys?"  
"Baby, they're your sons too. You don't have to ask"  
"I want them..."  
"I'll see what I can do"

Dressed in loose sweats and one of Keith's shirt, his husband found up the boys. Changing them into their pyjamas, Keith placed their boys up beside him. Smiling as both boys smacked his face for attention, he was barely awake, but he'd make the effort for just a few more doboshes with the boys   
"They're pretty hyperactive"  
"That's because they're nearly one. They literally don't have any worries, and smacking me in the face is obviously the greatest game ever invented"  
"Mum probably let them have something sweet"  
"It's fine. They're pups, they're supposed to be carefree. I refuse to be one of those mums who ban everything fun. Isn't that right babies?"  
Smacking him particularly hard on the nose, Kelance screamed with laughter  
"Ok. Maybe mum did give them sugar... but let them stay..."  
"I'm not taking them away, and I don't think there's anything they can't into around here"  
"Just make sure our Bayards and your blade are out of reach. Everything else is fine... I'm going to take a nap"  
"Alright. I need to go check in with Pidge, I'll be back in a bit"  
"We're not going anywhere"

 

*  
After a few vargas, Lance came wandering up to the bridge on his own. Pidge was making her notes over what happened on the planet, while Hunk hovered with a tray of danishes. Standing as his mate walked into the room, Lance set the boys down, before walking over to him and wrapping his arms around him  
"You ok baby?"  
"Yeah, the nap helped. What did I miss?"  
"Nothing. We were just making notes about what happened down on the planet"  
"Pidge, you ok?"  
Pidge huffed. She'd warned them all not to mention what had happened, lest they wished to be castrated in their sleep  
"We aren't talking about it. What happened with you? What happened with Red?"  
"Yeah bud, you totally bailed when we needed you"  
"We were lucky the Galra pulled back"  
"Which doesn't make any sense at all. They wanted to take us down, but the moment we showed up, they just took off"  
Sinking into his seat, Keith patted his lap, Lance immediately crawling into it  
"It was Red. She was scared"  
"She was what? Allura, can the lions even get scared?"  
"I haven't heard of it, have you Coran?"  
"I can't say I have"  
"Lance, are you sure your own insecurities weren't getting the better of you"  
"Are you saying she wouldn't cooperate because I was scared?"  
"You're connection with her is probably the strongest of all our connections. If you were scared, she probably picked up on it"  
"I wasn't scared! I wanted to fight, but she wouldn't listen! She kept me shut inside of her until you all returned. She wouldn't even talk to me, and I could barely even feel her. She wasn't herself"  
"That doesn't sound like Red"  
"Exactly. When she saw the pink blasts, she panicked. It felt like she didn't even want me in her"  
"But you're still her Paladin, you can still activate your Bayard"  
"I think... I think she's scared. I don't know, I don't even know if I'm making sense. What I felt inside her, it was a total mess"  
"So Red abandoned us?"  
"It sounds to me like Red wanted to protect you. To make sure you didn't end up hurt or prisoner again"  
"I'm fine! She's fine... she doesn't need to protect me, we just need to work together..."  
"Does this mean we can't form Voltron anymore? Or does Red want a new pilot"  
"I think she would have rejected Lance completely if she wanted a new pilot"  
"But she locked me out! She wouldn't respond to me when I tried asking what was wrong, and trying to pilot her was hard, like really hard. How are we supposed to protect everyone if Red won't talk to me?"  
Keith hated the way Lance's scent turned from sweet sunshine and honey to strawberries, because the hue of sour strawberries came next. He couldn't help Lance fix his relationship with Red and he couldn't just throw himself head first at the problem  
"For now, we should open a wormhole to Olkarion. We were out here to protect the Coalition from revenge attacks, but the Galra may very well bait us by attacking another planet, just because we happened to be close. At Olkarion, we have allies and back-up"  
"What if the Galra go for the Olkari? Lotor knows the place pretty well, and they don't know he's betrayed us. It's better if we just find somewhere out the way for now, somewhere that won't lead to planets being destroyed when this whole situation blows up"  
"Lance, you're the one who wanted to go back to Olkarion"  
"To give birth. I've still got movements to go..."  
"Shiro, what do you think?"  
Just because they were dating, didn't Allura the right to turn the decision over to Shiro...  
"We'll head to Olkarion. We'll need help to find a way to stop Toral's amulet from working. The Olkari studied it, so there should be some kind of record about it"  
"We should get the amulet back to Toral, then Toral should use it to head back home"  
"I'm not going back home until Lotor is defeat"  
"Which is practically impossible while he has that amulet in his hold"  
"I don't know how to use it"  
"Alfor entrusted it to you. The power to use it must be there"  
"I don't even know how I used it the first time"  
"When we get to Olkarion, we'll take a look at the data. But Toral, you need to be prepared. We don't know when Lotor will strike, and when the time comes, you can't hesitate"  
"So we're all agreed that we're returning to Olkarion?"  
Lance didn't answer, but Pidge and Hunk both voiced their agreement. Keith could personally see both sides of the argument, but if he didn't back Lance up, he was liable to upset his husband   
"Keith? Lance?"  
"I don't think we should go back"  
"Keith?"  
"I... for now, yes"  
Climbing off his lap, Lance crossed his arms  
"We need that data, and we need to find a way to counteract the effects of the amulet"  
"We could end up killing the whole planet!"  
"Lotor doesn't know we know. For now, it's going to be weirder if we don't go back!"  
"I'm sick of people getting hurt. Lotor is evil and he knows just where to hit Olkarion to cause the most amount of damage! It's not just our lives in danger"  
"No. It's everyone in the universe. Lotor could be up to anything, and when he does come, he's not going to care if you're pregnant. Or if Red isn't working. He's only going to think about killing us all. You. Me. Mum. The boys. The pup! All of us dead!"  
Lance rushed across the room, lifting both boys up to his chest from where they were holding onto Hunk's chair  
"Baby..."  
"No. Don't. Lotor took my eye and left my body covered in scars. I know how little he cares, that's why I know this is the wrong move. The Olkari are like family to us. Ryner is like a really awesome grandmother. She's always eager to help us... it doesn't feel right pulling her into this..."  
"I don't think you can tell Ryner she's an awesome grandmother"  
"You can! She might not know what to do when you start praising her, but she's helped me out a lot. She's helped all of us out a lot. If she dies..."  
Lance shook his head  
"I'm going back down to the nursery. You guys are going to do what you want anyway"  
"Lance..."  
"No. I need to be alone"

Leaving them, Keith growled in frustration, scrubbing his face tiredly as he did. He'd well and truly pissed Lance off  
"He'll come round"  
"Yeah. He's just had a rough day"  
"And don't forget he's pregnant. His hormones are all over the place"  
"Guys. That's enough. For now, we should jump. Once he's back on Olkarion, he should feel better"  
"I don't believe he's as moody with this pregnancy as he was with the boys"  
"No. He's worse..."  
"Keith! That's your mate"  
"I was joking! We all know Lance has been prone to being dramatic. Pregnancy brings out the best and worst of that side of him"  
"You're just unhappy because he smells so sweet all the time, and you have to work instead of being with him"  
"Ew! Pidge. Do not go into how Lance smells"  
"It's true. And his stomach's kind of obvious now. And further more, Keith smells like an alpha in a rut... he would much rather be with Lance than performing his duties"  
"I'm doing my job just fine. I didn't even need to activate my Bayard today"  
"We're really lucky we didn't need Voltron. Hunk, do you think we got something wrong when we put Red back together?"  
"Not from an engineering point of view. She's as good as new! No. I think Lance might have been right. We all feel it when our lions get hurt. And Red got more than hurt. I think she was just scared of Lance getting hurt again"  
"But she did leave him for a phoeb..."  
"Look, we can come up with all the theories under the sun, but they're just theories. This is something Red and Lance have to work together to figure out. I think we could all use some time with our Lions for bonding purposes"  
"Did Keith just tell us to go cuddle our lions?"  
"I didn't say cuddle. But we all know our lions were upset over what happened to Red. They might be able to give us some clue as to why she's acting like she is. We could be in real trouble if she continues to deny Lance. Coran, did Red do anything overly unusual when she came back?"  
"No. She landed in her hangar, and rose her shields until you returned. I had thought it at Lance's request as I couldn't hail him on his communicator"  
Pidge groaned  
"That's my bad, Coran. I still haven't given him a new one"  
"Pidge, you should do that. He couldn't even tell us what was happening"  
"As soon as I finish organising my notes, I will"  
"Make sure you don't forget"  
Pidge rolled her eyes with loud sigh  
"Yes, dad"  
"Good girl"  
"Ugh. I'm so glad you aren't my dad, Shiro. That would just be weird"  
"I don't think Shiro would be a bad dad..."  
"Hunk, I didn't say he'd be a bad dad, I said it would be weird. Allura is like a sister and I don't want to think about my dad sleeping with my sister and wow, did that actually come out of my mouth?"  
"Pidge, please shut up"  
"Yeah. I'm just going to listen to Keith and shut up"  
"Hunk, make sure Pidge gets some sleep before she says anything else. Maybe in Green, where Green can keep her from just blurting everything out. Allura, go ahead and open the wormhole, after that, go spend some time with Blue, and take Shiro with you. Hunk, I would tell you to go to Yellow, but we all know you're going to stay with Pidge, so at least drop by on the way. I'm going to talk with Black, and we'll arrange to meet with Ryner either for dinner tonight or lunch tomorrow, depending on how close to Olkarion we come. Coran, you, Krolia and Toral should all get some rest too. We need everyone fresh. Tomorrow, we're going to start planning the destruction of Lotor, and we need to figure out what to do. If we destroy the Kral Zera, a new emperor can't be crowned, but if the Galra unite under a Warlord, things out here are going to get bloody. What we really need to do is cause internal fighting between the factions before they can grow too large. If we can get as many as possible to take out each other, we'll be eliminating the future headaches they're sure to bring. Mum, do you think you contact Kolivan safely?"  
"We can't say for sure that Lotor hasn't some how managed to install a device so he can listen to our incoming and outgoing transmissions, so for now, it's safer if she doesn't. I do have a scan running, but we need to be careful and make it look a full systems scan, and not that we were scanning intentionally for bugs"  
"Pidge, I thought you were shutting up"  
"I was just saying... besides, Krolia is part of the team. That makes her family to all of us, not just you, Lance and the boys... and the pup, and we protect our family"  
Keith was momentarily struck dumb before clearing his throat and nodding in a very Shiro manner  
"Alright. We'll need to find another way to contact him. The Blade absolutely needs to be informed. They're going to be vital, and any intel they can gather relating to Lotor's movements may very well give us the advantage we need"  
"Right. What about Lance?"  
"What about him?"  
"Should we talk to him?"  
Allura was confusing his overworked brain  
"Why wouldn't you be talking to him?"  
"With Red rejecting him, and with the pregnancy, stress is the last thing he needs"  
"Lance will be kept in the loop. He'll stress even more if he thinks we're hiding things from him"  
"But he's still recovering"  
"Allura, you're not supposed to mention it. He already yelled at us over it"  
"He's just not the same"  
"Of course he's not the same. He lost his eye. His left leg still aches, and he's still dangerously thin. He can't shoot properly and his to hand combat has been thrown off completely. He woke up scared and pregnant, not knowing what he'd been through, and now he has his memories back. He has nightmares, screaming to be left alone, or for the "simulation" to reset, screaming for them to stop cutting him open or to let him breathe, and thankfully he's only freaked out badly enough hurt himself once, but he's determined to bring Lotor down before more people get hurt. Lotor tried to break him, but Lance did what he had to to survive. He took the abuse and never gave up on us, so we aren't going to give up on him. He is the Red Paladin of Voltron. He is strong and he is my second in command. He will not be left out of our plans or decisions. Even if Red decides she doesn't want to risk hurting Lance, there are other ways he can help. We've all been over crowding him, after leaving him to suffer alone, making him feel unwanted and disgusting. We are all making him feel weak, when we all know how strong he is. We need to accept this is our new normal, and move on, or we don't stand a chance against Lotor"  
Keith trailed off, his mouth had acted on its own, but that wasn't to say he didn't completely agree with what he'd said. By now, everyone should have noticed Lance was working hard, much harder than he'd have to if they were really in synch as a team  
"I'm going to see Black now, but I want everyone to take a look at their actions. We can't be fighting amongst ourselves or hurting each other unintentionally"  
Climbing from his chair, Keith strode across the room. It could have been perceived as him fleeing, but in reality, he'd said all he'd needed to say. The rest was up to everyone else.

 

*  
Having spent a good varga with Black, Keith knew Lance had been right. His lion was scared. Scared to lose her Paladin again. scared of her own failings when it came to protecting him, and most surprisingly, she was scared of depriving the boys of their mother, and hurting the pup growing inside Lance. Black's mental tendrils conjured up images, her emotions guiding and making it feel like Red was placing her role as the Red Lion secondary, with her main concern on Lance's health and happiness. Keith wasn't completely sure how to take it. Red was fiercely loyal, and the first to rush in to save her Paladin, but she'd left Lance in Lotor's clutches for movements. How many untold and necessary vargas of suffering had he been forced to go through because of it? She might say she loved him, but you don't just leave the one you love suffering. Knowing his emotions were too raw to go directly to Lance, Keith wandered around the castle, hoping to walk off his frustrations. Despite his dislike for Kaltenecker, or rather the cows dislike for him, Keith found himself in the room housing her and the chickens, the cow mooing almost happily at the sight of him, as she trotted? did cows trot? trotted over to head butt him in the arm  
"Hey girl. I thought you didn't like me, or do you miss Lance?"  
Rubbing her velvety nose, Kaltenecker nudged his palm for more contact  
"I don't even know why I'm down here... has Lance been to see you lately? Has anyone been to see you lately? We've all been busy, so I suppose this means I'm not your first choice, but your only one"  
Walking a Kaltenecker back to her stall, the cow nudged him so hard that he was nearly lifted off his feet  
"I don't know what you're trying to tell me. Lance was always so much better at all of this"

Keith swore he nearly had a miniature heart attack as Lance's voice came from nowhere  
"She's telling you she wants to be milked"  
Spinning around, Keith found Lance coming towards him from the direction of the chicken coop. Six was curled into his hold, looking smug, despite the mouthful of feathers she currently had  
"I didn't know you were down here..."  
"I know. I was cleaning up a bit, and Six was stalking the chickens"  
"It looks like she got them"  
"No. She's so fat and lazy, all the feathers are from her rolling around in the grass. The chickens have given up on her"  
Coming up to him, Keith reached out and scratched Six behind the ears  
"I always thought chickens would be scared of cats"  
"If Six was as fierce as she liked to think she is, they probably would be. Here, take her"  
"Why can't you hold her?"  
"Someone has to milk the cow, isn't that right beautiful girl"  
"I... I'll milk her"  
"Do you remember how to?"  
"You can talk me through it"  
"Or I can just do it"  
"No, it's fine. Six looks pretty happy in your arms"  
And it was long way down to sit on the milking stool with his husband being pregnant and all... if Kaltenecker kicked out and hit Lance in the stomach. Nope. Decision made. He'd milk the cow. Gathering up the pail, before seating himself down on the stool, Keith was surprised the cover actually moved into position without any prompting   
"I know beautiful girl, but go easy on Keith. He doesn't know what he's doing, but he'll be gentle. It's just like riding a bike"

Milking a cow was nothing like riding a bike, Lance supplied plenty of "creative" criticism, but soon enough the pail was filled with fresh milk, and Six was struggling in Lance's arms, trying to get to tasty treat  
"Why don't you just let her go?"  
"Because cats aren't supposed to drink milk. They're lactose intolerant. She could make herself sick if she gets to that much milk"  
"Cats are lactose intolerant?"  
"Didn't you know? I suppose if you didn't grow up with pets around, it's not something you'd pay attention to"  
"Wow... Disney has lied to kids for years"  
"Don't insult Disney... especially when I already know it's not what you want to talk about"  
"I know you don't agree, but the Olkari are our allies. And we need the help"  
"They could have just sent us the data"  
"They could have, but we all could use some time off the castle. You said so yourself"  
"Not when it puts them in danger... we can't form Voltron, which means we can't protect them"  
"The Olkari are strong. They have weapons, and with us backing them, we have to believe in their strength"  
"I... I know I'm being stupid"  
"You're not being stupid. You care for them deeply and want to protect them. That's not stupid"  
"I feel stupid"  
"Because you're always over thinking... somedays I miss your airheaded enthusiasm"  
"You think I'm stupid too"  
"Baby, I literally just told you that you're not. Sometimes I don't understand you at all. One moment you're the most confident person in space, and other times you get so mad and down at yourself that it makes me wonder how you possibly find the energy to get out of bed in the morning. I know you think I wasn't listening to you, I did... I have... I was... I always listen to you..."  
Keith was pretty sure he wasn't making any sense anymore, but trying to figure out what he'd actually said was too much effort  
"The point I'm trying to make is that, even though you're scared and you're worried, I do value you. You're my right hand man, and my mate. I just wish you could accept the love and affection you shower the others with, just as easily as you give it. And I'm now sure I'm no long making sense. Just remember that I love you, even when you think too much"  
"I'm not the only one who's changed. You used to be so cold and stand-offish. I never thought you'd be so open, or so loving"  
Scratching the back of his head, Keith didn't really know how to respond. They'd all changed since coming out here, Lance much more than the others   
"I guess it's part of of our bond... and maybe... I realised some of the things holding me back wouldn't change if I didn't"  
"I love you, but I still don't agree with this"  
"I know you don't. I know and I'm sorry I disappointed you, but I want to keep you and our pup and boys safe... and I feel for now, Olkarion is the right choice"  
Starting to walk towards the door, Lance fell into step with him, Six still struggling in discontent   
"Am I going to be stood down?"  
"No baby. You're still the Red Paladin. We all spent some time with our lions. Black helped me understand what was going on with Red, and the others have probably talked to theirs by now. Red, Red just wanted to protect you and the boys. She didn't want them to lose you, or our girl to get hurt"  
"So she abandoned everyone else?"  
"She knows we couldn't cope with you gone, let alone if..."  
"If I was dead. She made me feel so weak and isolated, and she knew what she was doing"  
"If you want to talk to her, I'll come with you"  
"No. Right now I think we should take the milk up to the kitchen, then check in on the boys. I put them in Laneith's cot, but they've probably staged their escape by now"  
"Probably. There really is no stopping them"  
"Nope, and they always have a partner in crime. I wonder if they're just going to blame each other, or deny it completely when they get old"  
"Deny what?"  
"Whatever they've done. They'll definitely be getting bum smacks if they blame their sister"  
"Or brother. Before you say it, I believe it's a girl, but we still haven't asked Coran"  
"It's girl. There's no way you can tell me anything different"  
"At least this pregnancy is going smoother than the boys"  
"Don't jinx it. I'm already exhausted from growing this little one, and I don't need her getting any ideas"  
Placing Six down, the fat feline glared at them, before plopping down and beginning to groom herself   
"I thought you were exhausted from sex"  
"I'm exhausted from everything. I'm so sick of slicking. My underwear is practically soaked with it at the end of each day"  
"Really? I think I can help with that"  
"Noooo. We're taking the milk to the kitchen, then going to check on our boys"  
"It's not my fault that you have no idea what you do to me"  
"You just have no self control"  
That was probably true, his penis was already twitching with the thought of Lance being soaking wet. Letting out a growl, Lance rolled his eye at him  
"See, no self control"  
"You still have your clothes on"  
"Down alpha. Down. Wait until tonight, or tomorrow..."  
"I don't want to wait. I want you"  
"If you're a good boy, I'll let you have me. Now move it!"  
Lance's tone was light and teasing, but his scent told Keith he was definitely aroused. Licking his lips, Keith followed his husband, his hand wrapping around Lance waist while his fingertips slowly pulled Lance's shirt up. Sighing, Lance smacked his hand and fixed him with a very halfhearted glare.

With the milk dropped off and Keith half clinging to Lance as they walked through the castle, his husband didn't stand a chance, especially when his pheromones were screaming how much Keith wanted to claim him. Barely making it into their room, Lance shoved his pants down, before leaning against the desk and sticking his arse out. Thick rivers of slick rushed to pour down his thighs now that his underwear was out the way. The sweet smell has filled the room in less than a dobosh, while Keith was wondering how the quiznak he'd gotten so lucky. Torn between the need to mount his mate and drinking down that sweet slick, the alpha growled as he fumbled his pants down to his ankles. Smirking, Lance slipped a hand down to toy with himself, his fingers brushing his wet opening as let out a lewd moan   
"You're a tease"  
"You're taking too long..."  
"Maybe I'll just watch the show"  
"If you're not going to join in..."  
Shuffling behind Lance, Keith moved to grope his omega, his hands firmly massaging Lance's arse, while his thumbs pulled at the skin around his opening, spilling more slick in the process as Lance slid his own hand out of the way  
"Enjoying the view?"  
"You're such a slut for me baby"  
Before Lance could come up with a witty retort, Keith rutted against him, catching the tip of his erection against Lance's opening. Pushing lightly so he wouldn't slip, he watched as Lance took him so deliciously easily, letting him sink in with one move  
"Fuuuuck..."  
"You ok?"  
"Move"  
Releasing Lance's arse, Keith took him by the hips, and yanked him back, bending him into a much better position. Throwing his left hand back, Lance clawed at his arm, before finally taking his hand  
"Such a slut... listen to yourself. God, you're soaking wet"  
Filling the room with the squelch of slick, and the sound of skin slapping against skin, Lance fell silent, while Keith couldn't stop himself   
"Look at the way your stomach bounces, and your boobs... it makes me want to pull out and cum all over you. Mmm, would you like that baby? If I pulled out, flipped you over and came across your chest?"  
Lance moaned sweetly as he nodded  
"Such a good little slutty omega. Makes me want to breed you all over again. Makes me want you heavy with my pups... I'm going to knot you and breed you real good, have you cumming and slicking, while so full"  
Shit. He wanted to see Lance's face. Roughly pulling out, he grabbed Lance by the hips, forcing him to turn, before hefting him onto the desk and pushing his way back in. Keith's hands moved to push Lance's shirt up, exposing that swell he loved so much   
"God I wish there was more than one in there. So plump and full..."  
Closing his eyes, Lance clenched around him, a strangled mew coming forth as he unexpectedly came. Sucked deeper by his lovers greedy body, Keith threw his head back, slamming in three more times before grabbing Lance by the hair as he knotted him with groan. He'd never understood the words "sexually frustrated" before being with Lance. Slumping forward, he licked his lips as his chest heaved, his hips still stuttering as his seed spilt into Lance  
"Shit baby..."  
When Lance didn't immediately reply, Keith opened his eyes. Lance had a hand across his mouth. His face pale and his whole body was shaking  
"Baby?"  
Shaking his head, Lance looked away. Forcing his fingers from Lance's hair, they ghosted down to Lance's cheek  
"Baby?"  
Slapping his hand, Lance scrunched his eye closed  
"Don't touch me!"  
Well fuck. That had escalated quickly. Ignoring Lance's wish, Keith lifted Lance by the arse, holding him close as he carried him over to the bed, sinking down carefully so as to not jostle his knot  
"Baby, shhh... I'm sorry. I let my alpha take control. I'm sorry"  
"'s not your fault. When you grabbed my hair, I panicked"  
"Baby, I didn't mean to. The last thing I would ever want is to scare you"  
"I know... I don't feel good"  
"You're going to be sick?"  
"I don't know..."  
"Ok, it's ok. I've got you"  
Rubbing Lance's back slowly, his mate managed to hold back his need to vomit until Keith's knot faded. Climbing off his lap, Lance stumbled into the bathroom, with the door closing just as his mate threw up into the bathroom sink.

Giving Lance some space, his husband had made it to the floor in front of the toilet by the time he came in. Hacking and gagging pitifully, it was physically painful. Lance clearly had nothing left to throw up. Lowering himself on to the floor, Keith wrapped himself around his mate, resting his head on his shoulder as his hands came to Lance's belly. Rubbing gently, Lance hummed weakly in appreciation as his head dropped back against Keith's shoulder   
"I guess I did give her ideas"  
"I wish you hadn't"  
"So do I. Do you think you're done?"  
"No... but thanks for rubbing my stomach"  
"I've got to have some use"  
"You have plenty of uses. Oh god..."  
Pitching forward, Lance gagged as he spat and drooled, barely managing to throw up the smallest amount of bile  
"I think your mind and body are telling you different things. Here, just come back here and rest against me. When you feel less nauseous, we'll take a shower"  
Guided back against him, Lance smiled weakly   
"I'm sorry my breath stinks"  
"It's fine. I've smelt way worse"  
"I don't want to know"  
"Probably not..."  
Lance let out a long breath, his hand coming to rest on Keith's   
"I'm sorry it's only one pup"  
"Baby, no. It's my alpha. I mean. I love that you're pregnant, but I thought it wouldn't happen so soon and seeing you carrying my pup makes me just... it's like I'm in heat for you. I can't control myself. You don't need to be sorry. You've done nothing wrong. And we're still getting used to having the boys and a new pup... it's going to be so hectic. So imagine if we had two newborn pups crying at the same time as the boys"  
"Keith calm down and take a breath"  
"Sorry. I just mean... I love the pup inside of you"  
"I know you do. I honestly didn't know if I should keep it, but now I'm glad we did. I just want this pregnancy to be over and to be able to hold her in my arms"  
"Have you named her?"  
"Noooo. I learnt my lesson last time, when Shiro laughed at the boy's name. I've just been calling her little one or princess"  
"Shiro had no right to say anything about those names. I couldn't picture calling them anything else now"  
"And when they get older, they'll probably shorten them anyway"  
"Probably. Or just pull a Pidge"  
"Space is a big place. They've got plenty of names to choose from. You know. Back on Earth, I used to feel that there was no way this could be reality. It made no sense for our planet to just happen to exist so perfectly and for us to evolve so magically. I mean, look how far we came. It just seemed like, maybe this was all a dream and some big cosmic joke. None of this went over well with the family being so religious. But it's not like I don't believe in god. Nothing as perfect as Earth just happens. I'm sleepy and I'm babbling. Sorry. I don't even know what the point of this was now. Oh wait. Yes I do. I'm glad we came out here. Even with how much I miss home and how much we've all suffered. I'm glad I got to see all of this with you"  
"I love you, baby"  
"I love you, too"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zee fluff is coming


	106. Chapter 106

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still can't edit my chapters...
> 
> but there's fluff and more fluff coming...

Keith had jinxed him. Completely quiznakking jinxed him and now Lance was playing the price. Coming back to Olkarion, Keith had met with Ryner every single day, sometimes multiple times a day, until it'd all become too much for Lance to keep up with. With the castle potentially bugged, they'd all sort of moved down to the house, including the chickens and Kaltenecker, though they were outside in a small enclosure made from secure vines. The house was chaotic, loud, and grating on Lance's nerves... it really should have reminded him of home, of Earth. Of Veronica yelling at him over something, or his mother singing as she cooked. It should have been warm. Welcoming. Loving. But Quiznak, he'd pay good GAC for just 5 doboshes of complete and total silence. Even alone, he couldn't really feel alone, and as much as he wanted to kick them all out, he couldn't. He'd wanted off the castle, but this... well, his last straw of patience had come and gone, and now even the bathroom was grating on his nerves. Lance was sure he hadn't moved from in front of the toilet for the last movement, because everything and anything he ate just came straight back up. A drip running almost constantly was the only thing keeping him hydrated. His stomach had popped, like really popped, finally making him look every bit the 23 movements he was. Ryner had been shocked, but she's been happy enough to congratulate him, even allowing him to give her a huge hug in appreciation. They couldn't do anything for his eye, but Lance was adjusting to just having one. As for the nausea, Ryner had a long list of traditional Olkari medicine that could possibly help, but just the memory of those disgusting garlic horse sized tablets sent a shiver down his spine as his stomach clenched in a clear nope. As strange as it was, even a burning throat full of bile was better than choking down one of those pills. Throwing up half a mouthful of spit pitifully, Lance cursed Keith and his stupid knotting penis with everything he could, before laying back down on the blanket he'd pulled into the bathroom on the first night he'd gotten sick.

It felt like his eye had only just closed when two small hands were shoving at his back, causing the world to sway, despite being completely black  
"Maaaaa. Ma Ma Ma Ma"  
How was he supposed to be mad at that, the drawn out "Maaaaa" was Laneith's new thing, while Kelance had decided all he wanted to do was yell "dada", and snob him with every inch of his tiny frame  
"Baby, mummy's sick. Go find Kel, or daddy"  
Rocking him harder, Laneith had no idea how much worse he was making things. Lance wanted to hold the small boy, he wanted to shower him in kisses and love, but right now he wanted sleep just as much. Pidge was supposed to be watching the boys, or maybe it was Hunk's turn. Whoever it was, they'd failed miserably, and his son wasn't old enough to understand that mummy couldn't play  
"Maaaaaaaaaa! Maaaaaaaaa! Maaaaaa!"  
Screaming in his ear, Lance ground his teeth together. He hated this. He hated the fact he wanted to yell at his own son  
"Maaaaaaaa!"  
"Keith!"  
His stupid shout barely came out, his throat too raw to manage much above a whisper  
"Maaaaa!"  
The small hands finally released him. He could hear something, but that something was cut short by the sound of something smashing. Jumping and flinching, Lance rolled over, forcing his eye open as he looked across the room. Some how Laneith had pulled down the glass Keith had left in the bathroom for him, so he could rinse his mouth during the brief times he didn't feel like he was going to puke. Sitting up, his head swam... which probably wasn't great, but he had to get Laneith away from the broken glass, which the boy was already looking at with wide curious eyes  
"Laneith, leave it alone"  
Casting a look back at him, Laneith giggled, before grabbing at the bottom of the glass, the only large fragment to have survived the fall. Ignoring everything, Lance leapt to feet, rushing to his boy and lifting him high, not even noticing he'd pulled the IV from his arm in the process. Starting to cry, Laneith's sobs made both his head and heart hurt, he wanted to kill which ever team mate had taken their eyes off the boys. They should have known better. No. They did know better.

On shaky legs, Lance carried Laneith to doorway, poking his head out to find Pidge with her headphones in, and Hunk tying on his dataslate. He had no idea where the others were, but that didn't stop him from "marching" over to the pair, and dropping Laneith down in Hunk's lap  
"Wha... what? Lance? Bud? Laneith, what's up little man!?"  
"What's fucking up is that you're supposed to be watching him! Where's Kelance?! Do you even know where my boys are right now!"  
Taking her headphones out, Pidge turned to face him. Kelance smiling in her lap  
"Lance?"  
"Get the fuck out"  
"What?"  
"I said, get the fuck out"  
"Whoa bud, what's going on?"  
"You two can't be fucking trusted with my kids. Now get out"  
As the world decided it needed to be doubled, Lance grabbed for the sofa with his left hand as his right covered his mouth  
"You're bleeding!"  
"Hunk, I think he's going to be sick"  
"Pidge, call Keith back"  
"On it. You help him to bed"  
Shaking his head, the last thing Lance wanted was the smell of Hunk clinging to his already sweaty and sensitive form  
"Bud?"  
"Get out of my house"  
Even with his words mumbled by his hand, Hunk got the message loud and clear. His friends eyes widening with hurt, while Pidge scowled at him  
"Lance, stop being stubborn. You're bleeding and barely upright. You can't look after yourself or the boys right now. I don't know what Laneith did, but it couldn't be that bad. We just got a little distracted"  
Because Laneith hadn't scared the quiznak out him by grabbing Keith's blade... grabbing that glass could have been just as bad  
"You can't get distracted when you're watching kids!"  
"Stop being dramatic"  
Grabbing Laneith back, he glared at his friends  
"Come on bud, give me back Laneith. We've got this"

Stuck in this stalemate, Lance continued to glare at the pair... right up to the moment Keith came bursting through the front door. From his red face and panting, his husband had ran all the way from wherever he'd been  
"What's going on here?"  
"I have no idea. Lance came out the bathroom and started having a go at us"  
Striding over to him, Keith took Laneith into his hold, shifting him to his hip so he could snake an arm around Lance's waist   
"You should be resting"  
"That's what I was telling him"  
"Fuck all of you"  
Pushing Keith away, Lance slunk back into the bathroom, crawling back onto the blankets when his shaking legs had finally given out. All he needed was 5 doboshes where he didn't have to play the mum. And another 5 doboshes where Keith didn't have to play dad, mate and leader of Voltron. He knew his husband was stressing. He knew he was having nightmares, even if he wouldn't talk about them. And he knew Keith was struggling with having a sick omega. It wasn't fair, and the way he saw it, Keith was going to burn himself out sooner rather than later.

Announcing his arrival with a soft knock, Keith let himself into the bathroom, closing the door with a solid thud as he did  
"Baby?"  
"Go away"  
"Nope. You're bleeding, and you're upset. Think you can tell me what happened?"  
"Take a look for yourself"  
"What am I looking at?"  
"The glass all over the floor. Laneith pulled it down because Hunk and Pidge were too busy to give two fucking shits about our sons"  
Sliding up against him, Keith placed a hand on his stomach, rubbing just as gently as he always did  
"Coran's coming down to watch them. We were up on the bridge. A lot of requests have come through, so we'll probably have to go deal with them"  
Great. Fucking great. Keith didn't need the stress or pressure and he couldn't do anything  
"Ok"  
"Is the nausea any better?"  
"Does it look any better?"  
"No, and your voice sounds worse"  
"Thanks. You know how to make a guy feel real loved"  
"I'm sorry"  
Lance huffed, trying to burrow against the blanket even though it barely protected him from the solid flooring   
"It's not your fault"  
"Look baby, I know you don't want to take the Olkari medication, so how would you feel about going into a pod? It won't help with your morning sickness, but it might help with your throat?"  
"I've already moved enough for today"  
"Then I'll carry you"  
"No. You're busy"  
"I'm never too busy for you, or our baby girl. Besides, next movement is the twins first birthday... I know you're going to hate it if you're sick for it"  
Fuck! He hadn't done anything. He'd wanted to go shopping for something small. Something to say "oh my god you made it to one, and I haven't completely ruined your life!", but his quintants were so messed up now  
"Lance?"  
"I just want to sleep"  
"Then you should sleep in bed"  
"Can't... I'm going to throw up again"  
Taking that to mean that very tick, Keith pulled him up, supporting him as Lance groaned   
"I was comfy"  
"You said you were going to vomit"  
"Ugh. Keith. No more babies. Not for a long time"  
"I'm sorry..."  
"It's not your fault"  
Pitching forward, Lance threw up yet another tiny amount of spit and bile   
"Ok. No more. You're going into a pod. I don't care what you say. If you're not better by the boys birthday, I'm going to let Ryner pump you full of drugs"  
Lance internally cringed as he tried not to show his discomfort. Having the IV had been enough. It brought a lot of not so great memories back, but he'd kept his mouth closed because both he and their little princess needed it. Strange medications and concoctions... he'd be lucky if he didn't manage to show his internal meltdown. Lotor had pumped him full of drugs, and now Keith was prepared to do the same. Tensing, Lance knew he had to just keep it together a little longer. Keith wasn't Lotor. He wasn't going to strap him down and drug him for the mere sake of inflicting pain and fear. He loved him... it was just his brain being stupid  
"Baby?"  
"I'm ok... I just don't think I can walk far"  
"It's alright, I'll carry you"  
"You're always carrying me. How are you not sick of it?"  
"Because you're my world. You. Me. Kelance and Laneith. Our little girl. My family. You were my family before I even found my mother. You gave me love when I didn't know what it was. Loving Shiro and living in his shadow, it was suffocating. And then never reaching his expectations... but from day one, you didn't care. You started with this stupid rivalry, which spurred both of us to grow. You have no idea how good you are, and how loving. We never could have survived out here if you weren't here"  
"I was an insufferable jerk and an even worse flirt"  
"Yet you kept trying"  
"So now I'm trying"  
"Your words, not mine"  
"Keith, can we go now? I want to be out before your mission"  
"I don't know if that will happen, but even if I am gone, I'll be back before too long"

 

*  
Lance was still in the healing pod when he left. Hunk and Pidge had been severely scolded by the alpha over not supervising Laneith properly, both more apologetic once they understand situation, still an awkwardness between them persisted through their mission, if it could even be called a mission. They'd flown out to find the problem in question had already been sorted out by the planets inhabitants, which hadn't bothered to inform them. With nothing for them to actually do, Allura had accepted an audience with the ruler of the planet, in case there was maybe something they could do. There wasn't. They'd harvested their whole crop. People had been paid, and all was now well in their world... so why? Why oh why, had they been stuck recounting "The Exciting Life of a Voltron Paladin", all damn day... and late into the night. Keith hadn't even had a moment alone to call Coran, or Lance, probably Coran because Coran wouldn't hide things from him like Lance did, and the one time he'd made to leave the table, the King?, the pompous red faced idiot in charge of the planet, had started talking to him directly. With the varga so late, and Allura still working her charm, their was no way they were flying back to Olkarion tonight.

It wasn't until they were shown to their rooms for the night that Keith finally had the chance to call Lance. Not getting through to him on his communicator, Keith ended the transmission, calling through to the castle, Coran's whole face lighting up the moment the call connected   
"Keith! How are you? Where are you? Are you all ok? Are you on your way back?"  
"Sorry Coran, we were stuck talking to the ruling family here. We're all ok, just stuck spending the night"  
"Oh... I guess it can't be helped"  
"I'm sorry. I would have called sooner if I could have. How's everything there?"  
"Lance is still in his healing pod. Krolia has been looking after the boys. They've been unsettled since you left"  
"Are they there?"  
"No. They're down at the house with Krolia. She started sorting the boys things for you"  
That was something he and Lance were supposed to do. They'd intended to sort out the boys clothes, to see what still fitted them, what didn't and what they could use for their baby girl. Only Lance had been too sick, or too exhausted, and the boys had gotten into the piles of clothes before anything had a chance to be sorted... so they'd kind of just been left strewn across the bedroom floor  
"She does know the boys are going to ruin her progress the moment she turns her back"  
"I don't think Krolia will be taking her eyes off them. They were quite grizzly"  
"Lance will probably want to see them when he wakes up. Are you ok? On your own?"  
"I'm quite alright Keith. I was more concerned about the safety of you all"  
"We're all ok. We'll see you in the morning"  
"Will do. I'll let Lance know you were delayed"  
"Thanks, Coran"  
Ending the call, Keith flopped down on his obscenely huge bed. If Lance was here, he'd go crazy for it. Hell, his mate would probably even try and jump on the bed like he was one of the twins, but for Keith, it was way too big for him to feel comfortable. He could go see Shiro... but Shiro would probably be with Allura... making the most of their bed, and that was a sight he really never wanted to see. Pidge and Hunk were probably doing the exact same thing... scrubbing his face, Keith climbed back off the bed. Maybe taking a shower would help? If he didn't sleep, Lance would use his Lance powers and know it in an instant.

A shower didn't help, his communicator didn't ring to tell him Lance was awake and missing him, and as the morning rays bathed the room in pinks and oranges, Keith was in a filthy mood. He'd gotten zero sleep. He hadn't heard from Lance. Despite how comfortable his downy bed was, he'd somehow ended up with a kink in his lower back, leaving him feeling sooo much older than his 20 years... or was it deca-phoebes? Ugh. Maths was too hard in the morning. Redressing in his uniform, all he could do then was sit and wait as he counted down ever tick until he could see Lance again.

Breakfast was silent, for him at least. Both Hunk and Allura were sporting new and rather prominent hickeys across their necks, which Pidge had cackled at, before beginning to demolish the massive spread of food in front of them. Shiro was too wrapped up in watching Allura to bother talking to him, and the king was making, what Lance would call, "dreamy" eyes at their Queen. Flinching as something wet hit his face, Keith glared directly at Pidge. There was no question. None of the others would have dared. Wiping his face, he shook whatever it was off his fingers in disgust. Giggling, Pidge wasn't perturbed   
"So Keith, what do you think?"  
"I think I'm tempted to drown you right about now"  
"It was your fault for not paying attention"  
"Attention to what?"  
"This place has a huge market place, which Allura just agreed to a tour of"  
Keith leant forward to fix Allura with a glare. He wanted to go home to his three boys. Bringing her hands together as if praying for forgiveness, Allura mouthed what he assumed to be "sorry", even though she really didn't look like she was  
"Naw, does Keef miss Lance?"  
"You'll be missing if you keep this up"  
"Ooooh. I'm so scared"  
"You should be. Imagine what Coran would say if I told him you were making fun of Lance. He'd cut you off from the castle tech before you knew what hit you"  
Pidge let out a gasp, drawing all eyes to her, pursing her lips, she shook her head, waiting for everyone to look away before hissing  
"You wouldn't dare"  
"Throw something else and see what happens"  
"Fine. Truce"  
"Nice try. But you're going to help me pick out things for Lance, the twins and our baby girl. It's the twins birthday next movement, so both Lance and the boys deserved something special. And something that has absolutely nothing to do with tech"  
"But... tech is the best gift there is"  
"Nope. The boys have more than enough access to tech"  
"Keith... that's just cruel"  
"Should I tell Coran..."  
"Don't you dare! You're a monster! I don't know what Lance sees in you"  
"I'll take that as "Yes, Keith. I'd be happy to help as payment for throwing things at you, and because Lance deserves nice things""  
"Dude. If I said that, Lance would probably have a stroke on the spot and want to know what happened, and where the "real" me is. Plus. You get super possessive over him"  
"Minor details. You just wish he was yours"  
"Not after the other day"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means you two were doing the do, and called us! We heard way more than we ever wanted"  
"We didn't call you"  
"We didn't think you did it on purpose, but we didn't need to hear Lance moaning. "Oh Keith! Fill me!""  
Keith's face burnt. What was said between him and Keith was supposed to stay private. Not only had Pidge and Hunk interrupted them before, now they were accidentally calling them mid-screw... no wonder things were so awkward.

 

*  
So the market hadn't been awful, or as awful as he'd expected and Pidge had managed to actually be helpful. They now had a theme for the boys party, and gifts for them, and for Lance. After all, his husband had done all the hard work, not only growing the twins, but birthing them alone, as well as phoebs of breastfeeding, late nights, tantrums and more dirty nappies than Keith had imagined possible. So yes, in his mind, Lance deserved this birthday party as much as the boys did. With the help of the others, they were going to make the day absolutely amazing for the three of them.

Landing Black in her hangar, Keith left the gifts and party supplies for later. Lance wouldn't think to check Black, and he didn't imagine a situation arising where he'd have to empty Black. Climbing from his lion, his weariness showed in stumbling steps. Now that he was home and safe, all he could do was think of climbing into bed with Lance and sleeping for a solid 8 vargas. He wanted to know his mate was safe, he wanted to know their little girl was just fine, and he wanted to rest his head on Lance's belly so he could feel her kicking as he talked. She wasn't even born yet, but she was every bit as feisty as the boys and more than happy to make her complaints known with solid kicks. He still wasn't confident about being there for her birth, yet he couldn't wait to hold her. 

Wandering up to the bridge, Lance was sitting in the corner of the room, the boys in his lap as he stared out the window. Looking to Coran for an explanation, Coran popped up beside him in the weird way he sometimes did  
"Lance is feeling a bit down. He came out the pod feeling a bit confused, and he's been sitting with the boys since"  
"Did he say why he's feeling down?"  
"Probably missing you. How were things on your end?"  
"Good. I think we made a new allie, but you'll have to ask Allura about that. Shiro might not be so keen, the King had an eye on our Queen"  
"Well that is to be expected, Allura is beautiful. I'll have a word with Shiro, you go talk to Lance"  
"Alright"  
Allura would be able to fill Coran in so much better than he could, and Shiro would let Coran know if they were actually going to go through with forming a proper alliance. With heavy feet, Keith walked over to Lance, wincing as his knees cracked  
"Baby?"  
Lance turned to look at him, his husband had been crying silent tears   
"Keith?!"  
"Sorry I'm so late back"  
"I was worried"  
"Baby, I'm just fine. We're all fine. Didn't Coran tell you?"  
"Yeah... but it's different to actually getting to see you and then I just got distracted and couldn't stop"  
Quiznak. Lance was so adorable. Way too adorable and sweet to be looking so sad  
"How are you? How are you feeling?"  
"I haven't thrown up. Coran made me eat... he cooked"  
"That's enough to make anyone cry. So you and our princess are alright?"  
"I think so. The boys missed you. Mum said they wouldn't settle. They fell asleep so I didn't want to move them"  
With their arms on Lance's stomach, the boys looked like perfect angels that could do no wrong  
"I'll take them. A nap sounds really good right now"  
"I don't want to wake them"  
"I won't. I really missed you. You would have loved the bathroom and the bed. It was huge"  
"How huge?"  
"Twice as big and twice as thick as the ones in the castle"  
"Wow... that sounds so nice"  
"If we get stuck out there again, I'll make sure you get to enjoy the bed"  
"Right now, I'll settle for our bed. I'm sorry, but I'm really sleepy"  
Kissing the top of Lance's head, Keith couldn't resist ruffling his mates hair before moving to place Kelance up against his shoulder first as he was closest  
"You've got nothing to be sorry about. I really missed you. It felt so weird not having you by my side"  
Laneith stirred slightly as he was lifted, but the boy was soon back to sleep. Rising, his knees once again protested  
"Do you need a hand?"  
"No. I've got this. They look so innocent in your arms"  
"They've gotten heavier. I have no idea what mums been feeding them"  
"Just be grateful they don't have claws. Or fangs... or claws and fangs"  
"They'd still be cute"  
"You can say that because they've never mauled your nipples"  
"Don't lie. You love them"  
"I didn't say I don't love them. Whatever..."  
Getting to his feet ungracefully, Lance placed both hands on his stomach and whined, causing Keith to raise an eyebrow half in worry, and half because he wanted to laugh at how uncoordinated Lance looked  
"Don't give me that. Now that I'm standing I need to pee, and she's kicking again"  
"We can't stop off on the way"  
"It's fine. It's like a 5 dobosh walk"  
"Or you could just pee?"  
"I'm not just going to pee in the bridge"  
"I didn't mean right here"  
"You're impossible"  
"Probably"  
"Quiznak. I should have recorded that"  
"Recorded what?"  
"You admitting you're impossible"  
"If the rest of them team haven't figured that out by now, they never will"  
"Touché"  
"Don't touché me"  
"Fiiiiine. Only because I'm too tired to think"  
"My poor omega. Do you need your big mean alpha to hold your hand?"  
"I'm going to kick you"  
"Mhmm. I'll believe it when I see it"  
Lance sighed dramatically, before using his right hand to shoo him forward. The four them leaving the bridge with a small wave goodbye to Coran.

While Lance was in the bathroom, Keith settle both boys down on the left side of their bed, the pair using his pillow as they happily curled into each other. Tucking them both in, he kissed their foreheads. That stupid king could keep his massive beds, this was all he could ever want. His sons and his mate. Stripping down to his underwear, Keith rearranged the blankets, making more space for the pair of them, before climbing into the middle of the bed and settling down. It was another few doboshes before Lance came in, having already discarded his pants. Crawling in next to him, Lance half face planted against his chest with a long groan  
"That good?"  
"You smell really good"  
"You don't smell half bad yourself"  
Letting Lance throw a leg over him, his husband's stomach was over his, while his head came to rest on Keith's shoulder. Beginning to purr, Lance smiled up at him  
"What?"  
"I just missed you. You feel so nice and warm"  
"You're cold again?"  
"No. Yes. But only because I took my pants off"  
Reaching out to take his hand, Lance placed it on his stomach, then covered it with his own  
"She's been kicking like crazy. I think she missed you"  
"I missed her. I missed you and I missed the boys. Did you eat? Or are you hungry? I could probably find something to cook"  
"Keith, if you so much as think of moving, I will hit you. I came out the pod and you were still gone. It scared the hell out me, and for a moment I couldn't even tell if I was stuck in Lotor's stupid game, or if this was reality. So no. I'm not hungry. I just want to lay here, with you, and not think about Lotor"  
"Baby, you should have said something"  
"To who? Mum? She's wonderful, but she's incredibly tough and brave. Coran would have overreacted, and he would have insisted on doing everything for me and I just can't disappoint him like that"  
"Being afraid isn't disappointing. You had your head messed with again and with all things considered, I think you're doing amazing, so a few moments of mental confusion is hardly going to change that"  
"I don't want them to know"  
Even though they already knew... but he couldn't just say that  
"Alright. I just wanted to make sure you're ok"  
"I am... what was the planet like?"  
"A huge waste of time"  
"But you said they had big beds"  
"Is that all you care about?"  
"My husband sleeping in another bed..."  
"You make it sound so wrong. So. We spent 9 vargas flying all the way out there, to find they've already sorted out the problem and hadn't bothered to let us know. After that, we had to spend the whole day talking with the king, who seems to be about as smart as a pile of dog crap. He's all flirty with Allura, but when I tried to call you, he decided he had to talk to me. It was nearly the middle of the night before he finally got tired enough to give us rooms there for the night. This morning, Pidge tried to pick a fight, she didn't win, so we did some sightseeing before leaving"  
"Pidge tried to start a fight?"  
"She threw space cereal at me because I wasn't paying attention"  
"I'm shocked. You never not pay attention"  
"Ha ha. I was busy wondering how you were. So yeah. Basically the king had a thing for Allura, Allura and Shiro definitely had sex, so did Pidge and Hunk. I was busy thinking about you and I have no idea if we're going to allie ourselves with them, or what the go is. They are a Coalition planet, but honestly, if I ever go back there, it will be way too soon"  
"You're such a people person"  
"I'm a Lance person. I'm not going to go running around telling everyone I love them"  
"You told Shiro"  
"Because we're brothers"  
"You told the boys"  
"Because they're our sons"  
"You told mum"  
"I think you're just teasing me now"  
Lance nodded, shifting closer so he could steal a kiss  
"Maybe. I'm just happy you're home"  
"Me too"  
As Lance's breathing evened out, and his scent filled with calming tones like warm milk tea, Keith couldn't keep his own eyes open any longer. Lance had smiled, and even purred for him. Yeah. He was whipped.

 

*  
Despite being animated the first night after the teams overnight trip, and insisting on helping Hunk make dinner, Lance had been kind of quite since. Because of that, Keith hadn't had a chance to talk to him about the plans for the boys birthday party. He was happy enough when it was just the two of them in bed, laying intertwined in each other as they talked about their baby girl, but something was definitely off when it came to the boys. With just two quintants until the party, Keith turned it into his mission to find out, even temporarily kicking everyone out the house so it was just him, Lance and the boys. Knowing Lance was more likely to tell him the truth when he was sleepy, Keith went about pampering his mate. After the boys were put to bed, Keith went about running a bubble bath for the pair of them, using the bubbles Lance liked best. The alpha found some candles he didn't even know they had, setting them up in the bathroom to create the right kind of mood, and triple checked the boys hadn't escaped from their room, before walking over to the sofa in the lounge. With his knees bent, Lance was lazily playing with the tablet in his lap  
"Baby, let's get ready for bed?"  
"It's still pretty early"  
"I was thinking we could take a bath?"  
"It's fine. I had a shower earlier"  
How was his amazing husband so damn dense?!  
"Fine. I want to take a bath, and I want you to join me"  
"Why? If you want to take a bath..."  
Yanking the tablet from Lance's hands, Keith threw it down onto the sofa, before scooping up his mate and making his way towards the bathroom  
"Keeeeeith. Put me down"  
"Nope"  
"But I was..."  
"Too bad. It's been against since we took a bath together"  
"Because I've been sick"  
"And you're not sick anymore"  
"I still don't..."

Lance's sentence was cut off as his mate gaped at the bathroom  
"Do you still not want to take a bath?"  
"What? When... when did you do this?"  
"When you were playing on the tablet. I thought maybe we could take a bath together"  
"It's... shit... I'm crying"  
"It's shit?"  
"No! I... you... it's really sweet"  
Standing him up, Keith smiled as he cupped Lance's cheeks  
"Good. Now, let me help you undress"  
"I can undress myself"  
"Or, you could let me help you"  
"If you're trying to bribe me with a bath..."  
Don't lie. You love them"  
"I didn't say I don't love them. Whatever..."  
Getting to his feet ungracefully, Lance placed both hands on his stomach and whined, causing Keith to raise an eyebrow half in worry, and half because he wanted to laugh at how uncoordinated Lance looked  
"Don't give me that. Now that I'm standing I need to pee, and she's kicking again"  
"We can't stop off on the way"  
"It's fine. It's like a 5 dobosh walk"  
"Or you could just pee?"  
"I'm not just going to pee in the bridge"  
"I didn't mean right here"  
"You're impossible"  
"Probably"  
"Quiznak. I should have recorded that"  
"Recorded what?"  
"You admitting you're impossible"  
"If the rest of them team haven't figured that out by now, they never will"  
"Touché"  
"Don't touché me"  
"Fiiiiine. Only because I'm too tired to think"  
"My poor omega. Do you need your big mean alpha to hold your hand?"  
"I'm going to kick you"  
"Mhmm. I'll believe it when I see it"  
Lance sighed dramatically, before using his right hand to shoo him forward. The four them leaving the bridge with a small wave goodbye to Coran.

While Lance was in the bathroom, Keith settle both boys down on the left side of their bed, the pair using his pillow as they happily curled into each other. Tucking them both in, he kissed their foreheads. That stupid king could keep his massive beds, this was all he could ever want. His sons and his mate. Stripping down to his underwear, Keith rearranged the blankets, making more space for the pair of them, before climbing into the middle of the bed and settling down. It was another few doboshes before Lance came in, having already discarded his pants. Crawling in next to him, Lance half face planted against his chest with a long groan  
"That good?"  
"You smell really good"  
"You don't smell half bad yourself"  
Letting Lance throw a leg over him, his husband's stomach was over his, while his head came to rest on Keith's shoulder. Beginning to purr, Lance smiled up at him  
"What?"  
"I just missed you. You feel so nice and warm"  
"You're cold again?"  
"No. Yes. But only because I took my pants off"  
Reaching out to take his hand, Lance placed it on his stomach, then covered it with his own  
"She's been kicking like crazy. I think she missed you"  
"I missed her. I missed you and I missed the boys. Did you eat? Or are you hungry? I could probably find something to cook"  
"Keith, if you so much as think of moving, I will hit you. I came out the pod and you were still gone. It scared the hell out me, and for a moment I couldn't even tell if I was stuck in Lotor's stupid game, or if this was reality. So no. I'm not hungry. I just want to lay here, with you, and not think about Lotor"  
"Baby, you should have said something"  
"To who? Mum? She's wonderful, but she's incredibly tough and brave. Coran would have overreacted, and he would have insisted on doing everything for me and I just can't disappoint him like that"  
"Being afraid isn't disappointing. You had your head messed with again and with all things considered, I think you're doing amazing, so a few moments of mental confusion is hardly going to change that"  
"I don't want them to know"  
Even though they already knew... but he couldn't just say that  
"Alright. I just wanted to make sure you're ok"  
"I am... what was the planet like?"  
"A huge waste of time"  
"But you said they had big beds"  
"Is that all you care about?"  
"My husband sleeping in another bed..."  
"You make it sound so wrong. So. We spent 9 vargas flying all the way out there, to find they've already sorted out the problem and hadn't bothered to let us know. After that, we had to spend the whole day talking with the king, who seems to be about as smart as a pile of dog crap. He's all flirty with Allura, but when I tried to call you, he decided he had to talk to me. It was nearly the middle of the night before he finally got tired enough to give us rooms there for the night. This morning, Pidge tried to pick a fight, she didn't win, so we did some sightseeing before leaving"  
"Pidge tried to start a fight?"  
"She threw space cereal at me because I wasn't paying attention"  
"I'm shocked. You never not pay attention"  
"Ha ha. I was busy wondering how you were. So yeah. Basically the king had a thing for Allura, Allura and Shiro definitely had sex, so did Pidge and Hunk. I was busy thinking about you and I have no idea if we're going to allie ourselves with them, or what the go is. They are a Coalition planet, but honestly, if I ever go back there, it will be way too soon"  
"You're such a people person"  
"I'm a Lance person. I'm not going to go running around telling everyone I love them"  
"You told Shiro"  
"Because we're brothers"  
"You told the boys"  
"Because they're our sons"  
"You told mum"  
"I think you're just teasing me now"  
Lance nodded, shifting closer so he could steal a kiss  
"Maybe. I'm just happy you're home"  
"Me too"  
As Lance's breathing evened out, and his scent filled with calming tones like warm milk tea, Keith couldn't keep his own eyes open any longer. Lance had smiled, and even purred for him. Yeah. He was whipped.

 

*  
Despite being animated the first night after the teams overnight trip, and insisting on helping Hunk make dinner, Lance had been kind of quite since. Because of that, Keith hadn't had a chance to talk to him about the plans for the boys birthday party. He was happy enough when it was just the two of them in bed, laying intertwined in each other as they talked about their baby girl, but something was definitely off when it came to the boys. With just two quintants until the party, Keith turned it into his mission to find out, even temporarily kicking everyone out the house so it was just him, Lance and the boys. Knowing Lance was more likely to tell him the truth when he was sleepy, Keith went about pampering his mate. After the boys were put to bed, Keith went about running a bubble bath for the pair of them, using the bubbles Lance liked best. The alpha found some candles he didn't even know they had, setting them up in the bathroom to create the right kind of mood, and triple checked the boys hadn't escaped from their room, before walking over to the sofa in the lounge. With his knees bent, Lance was lazily playing with the tablet in his lap  
"Baby, let's get ready for bed?"  
"It's still pretty early"  
"I was thinking we could take a bath?"  
"It's fine. I had a shower earlier"  
How was his amazing husband so damn dense?!  
"Fine. I want to take a bath, and I want you to join me"  
"Why? If you want to take a bath..."  
Yanking the tablet from Lance's hands, Keith threw it down onto the sofa, before scooping up his mate and making his way towards the bathroom  
"Keeeeeith. Put me down"  
"Nope"  
"But I was..."  
"Too bad. It's been against since we took a bath together"  
"Because I've been sick"  
"And you're not sick anymore"  
"I still don't..."

Lance's sentence was cut off as his mate gaped at the bathroom  
"Do you still not want to take a bath?"  
"What? When... when did you do this?"  
"When you were playing on the tablet. I thought maybe we could take a bath together"  
"It's... shit... I'm crying"  
"It's shit?"  
"No! I... you... it's really sweet"  
Standing him up, Keith smiled as he cupped Lance's cheeks  
"Good. Now, let me help you undress"  
"I can undress myself"  
"Or, you could let me help you"  
"If you're trying to bribe me with a bath..."  
"No bribery"  
Lie. That was definitely a lie...  
"Then why?"  
"Because I love you"  
"But..."  
"Lance, are we going to argue about this, or are we going to take a bath together?"  
"Bath... bath sounds really good now"  
"Good. Put your hands on my shoulders, it'll help you balance"  
"I know how to take my own clothes off"  
"You're arguing"  
"Sorry. Being quite"  
Keith seriously doubted Lance would stay quite, but he did. Right up until he stepped into the bath with a happy moan. Settling himself down, Lance sank down between his legs, so his back was against his chest  
"Should I be jealous that the bath is making you moan?"  
"Maybe. I didn't realise how sore my lower back was, but this feels amazing"  
Wrapping his arms around his mates waist, Keith nuzzled at their bonding mark  
"Do you want a massage?"  
"Keith, you've got to answer me honestly. Am I dead?"  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"You lit candles, and filled the tub with bubbles and now you're asking if your pregnant husband needs a massage. I think I've died"  
"You make it sound like I never do anything romantic"  
"I did mean to... you take amazing care of me..."  
Sniffling, Keith sighed mentally. He'd pushed Lance too far with his joking   
"I was joking. I just felt like doing something nice, and we have the whole house to ourselves. I just wanted to pamper you a little"  
"I blame my hormones"  
"So does that mean you do want a massage?"  
"Yes... please?"  
"That's all you had to say. We'll let your muscles loosen up, then I'll work from your shoulders down"  
"Can..."  
Lance broke his own sentence with a shake of his head  
"Can, what?"  
"No. It's embarrassing"  
"Baby, nothing to do with you is embarrassing. What do you need?"  
"My chest... my boobs are developing again and they're really tender"  
"You want me to massage your breasts?"  
Lance groaned before sinking down in his hold, only the top of his head remained unhidden by the bubbles. Slipping his hands up to cup Lance's small breasts, he massaged them firmly, sending his husband shooting up, and water sloshing out the tub  
"Lance?"  
Trying not to laugh at Lance, his husband groaned, or perhaps it was more of a moan. His scent was certainly turning sweeter by the tick  
"That was mean"  
"You wanted a massage"  
Working his Lance's small breasts, he slowly worked his omega until he was panting and wriggling against him. Smirking to himself, Keith released Lance's breasts and moved his hands to his husband's shoulders  
"Keeeeith"  
"Stop wiggling"  
"I... I'm slicking like crazy... alpha..."  
"Hmmm? Just stay still"  
Ignoring the way Lance was trying to mount him, Keith massaged Lance's shoulders firmly, feeling his mates knots slowly dissolve under his careful touch. Preventing Lance from just skipping to sex, he held his mate captive as his made his way down, finally reaching Lance's lower back, which felt painfully knotted. Hissing and gasping as Keith's thumbs rubbed on the largest of the knots, Lance unexpectedly threw his head back, whining as he did, his whole body tensing momentarily before slumping. Well that was new. He'd never made Lance cum from just a back massage  
"Feeling good?"  
"Mmmm... so good"  
"Good enough to get onto your hands and knees for me?"  
Lance didn't think twice as he obeyed, arching his back so the bubbly water pooled in the centre of it as it ran down from his arse. Rising up, the water rocked as Keith took Lance by the hips, teasing his soaked opening with the tip of his erection   
"Keith?"  
"What is it baby?"  
"Please... I need you"  
"You need me to do what?"  
"I need you inside"  
"Inside where?"  
"Inside me... please... I feel so empty, I need you to fill me"  
Pushing in, Keith sank in as slowly as he could, Lance rippling and gripping him, trying to draw him further inside as they both held their breaths. Finally sheathing himself completely, the alpha bit his lip, as he his hands roamed back up to Lance's breasts  
"You want me baby?"  
"Please... please, Keith..."  
Sliding back, his forwards thrust sent water spilling from the tub, while Lance's hand shot out to grab the edge  
"Is this what you want?"  
"Y-yes..."  
Lance's reply came as needy whimper. Keith hadn't actually planned on sex, but Lance wanted him and there was no way he could say no   
"Slow, or hard?"  
"Hard... need to feel your knot"  
Keeping his hands firmly on lance's breasts, Keith began to rock against his mate, starting slow, before his own need to knot Lance became too strong. Slamming into him, Lance whimpering and mewed, his hand leaving the edge of the bath to support his swollen stomach as it bounced. Fuck... with Lance so ripe with pup, he couldn't... he couldn't last. His knot popping as his world turned momentarily black. Gasping down a desperate breath, he fell back, pulling Lance into his lap as his mate came again. As his senses returned, his lips moved to Lance's shoulder, peppering kisses along the smooth caramel skin  
"Baby, you're so good. So good to me. I love you so much"  
"Keith... mmm"  
Snorting through his nose, he finally released Lance's breasts, moving his hands to his swell  
"So beautiful"  
"Alpha...?"  
Turning to look at him over his shoulder, Lance's lip trembled  
"Hey, are you ok?"  
Extremely awkwardly Lance turned in his hold, the best he could given Keith's knot had caught, and laid his head against Keith's chest  
"Lance?"  
"I... sorry. I panicked for a second when I came again..."  
Shit. They'd avoided sex from behind for that very reason  
"You're ok. I've got you"  
Wrapping his left arm up behind Keith's neck, Lance nodded  
"I'm sorry"  
"No. You're fine. You're more than fine"  
Smiling just for him, Lance poked the tip of his tongue out  
"I think you're high"  
"Maybe a little. You're pheromones are getting more and more intoxicating"  
"Is it bad?"  
"Not at all"  
Sliding his arm back down, Lance took a deep breath as he turned back, leaning into Keith's hold completely   
"I'm exhausted"  
"You can rest"  
"I don't want to, I just want to lay here with you"  
"Really? What do you want to talk about then?"  
"I don't know..."  
"Baby, did I do something wrong?"  
"Hmm?"  
"You've been a little quite the past few quintants"  
"Is that what all this about?"  
"Partially"  
"I knew you were scheming something"  
"I'll have you know, sex wasn't part of the scheme"  
"I know. You're sweet like that. No. You didn't do anything wrong"  
"Then what's up?"  
"Me. It's me who did something wrong"  
"Baby, you've been eating, and sleeping, and looking after the boys. What could you have done wrong?"  
"I'm a bad mum"  
"What?"  
"I'm a bad mum... I haven't even got the boys anything for their birthday. We're supposed to be having a birthday party, but I haven't even done anything about that and every time I see them looking at me so happily, I just feel like I've let them down"  
"You haven't let them down"  
"I know they're turning one and they won't remember it, but I will. I'll be the mum who didn't even throw his kids a proper birthday. The mum who couldn't even keep them out of pod so they could actually celebrate their birthday on the day they were born. I feel so useless. I can't even go to the space mall, or in Red. I don't know what to do"  
"Well. I think you're a great mum. You... you know I was in and out of homes, and... not every home was good. There were more bad ones than good ones, and any of the kids in the foster system would be lucky to have a mum like you. As for the boys birthday, we've got that covered"  
"We?"  
"Pidge, Hunk, Allura, Shiro and I picked up some things on that planet we stayed on. I didn't tell you because I wanted to surprise you"  
"But... I'm their mum. I'm the one who's supposed to be doing all the hard work"  
"No. We're equals. We do everything together. You're already doing enough. You're doing more than enough"  
"I didn't even get them presents"  
"Baby, they have a ton of toys and stuff up on the castle that they haven't even seen..."  
"It's not the same. I... it's just not the same..."  
They'd bought most of with future birthdays in mind... so how was it not the same?  
"I want to give them something now that I know them. Laneith, he loves shiny things. The shinier, the better... and Kelance, he loves his soft bear. He loves exploring with Laneith. They love getting into mischief with each other..."  
"Then what do you want to do? We can go to the space mall?"  
"But what if I can't find something?"  
"Baby, we are literally in the middle of space. There isn't anywhere else with this kind of variety"  
"I just want their birthday to be perfect"  
"And it will be. I think we're off tomorrow, so we can head to the space mall in the morning and spend the whole day there. We don't even have to tell the others"  
"We kind of do... something might happen"  
"Nothing is going to happen"  
"We can't take the boys with us"  
"We can if you want to. We have the strollers and the pram. There is no way I'd ever let anything happen to them"  
"We can really take them?"  
"Of course we can..."  
And Krolia too... for back up, just in case something went wrong. She'd have to hide though. Lance would freak if he knew she was there...  
"I think maybe I want Coran to watch them. I known you'd protect us, but I'm not confident in my own abilities..."  
"Baby, I know you can still snipe nearly everything. I know you always closed your left eye. I know you can do it"  
"I'm not risking their lives"  
"Ok. Ok, they can stay, but only if you promise me one thing"  
"What's that?"  
"That you'll trust me about having the party thing under control. Hunk has already planned the cake. Allura and Pidge are working on the decorations, which even the mice have been helping with. Coran has like a hundred stories ready and waiting, while Shiro is in charge or heavy lifting"  
"What about mum?"  
"Back up babysitter. So if you need to rest, I can be there with you"  
"I don't deserve all of you"  
"Yes you do. This is what family does. You thought me that... and I know we all kind of mutually agreed not to celebrate our own birthdays, but we all want to give the twins an amazing birthday party"  
"Thank you... thank you so much"  
Kissing Lance's temple, Keith nodded  
"You're worth it baby. They're worth it. Don't ever forget that"  
"You're so cheesy"

 

*  
Lance was nervous. Keith had woken to find his husband gently playing with his hair, whispering how lucky he was to have him and how much he'd loved him. He hadn't realised at first it was because Lance was nervous, but as they were dressing, his mate made sure they both had their Bayards and communicators, and that he was also carrying his Luxite blade. That was the first hint. The second was the way Lance held his hand during the flight to the space mall, and his third hint was the way his husband half hid behind them as they finally walked into the Space Mall. For Lance it had been phoebs since he'd been around so many unknown people, leaving Keith kicking himself for backing down on his plan to ask mum to come. It wasn't like she was doing much work back on Olkarion, and Toral was watching the boys for them... under Coran's supervision... so really, Coran was babysitting the three of them. Eyeing the neat rows of stalls, Keith squeezed Lance's hand comfortingly   
"Do you have any idea where to start?"  
"N-no..."  
"Then I guess we'll have to check them all out... kind of like we're on a date"  
"This is date?"  
"Why not? It's just you and me, and while we are here to buy the boys a birthday present, I wouldn't mind showing you off"  
"Showing off how fat I look?"  
"Showing off how sexy and pregnant you look. I want everyone to know I'm the one lucky enough to be going home with you"  
"Keeeith..."  
Nuzzling his shoulder, he could feel the smile on Lance's lips  
"You don't want to go on a date?"  
"After last night... I don't deserve this much love"  
"Then let me be selfish and say I want this. Just because we're married, doesn't mean we can't go on dates"  
"You really want to go on a date with me?"  
"Yeah. Unless you see another beautiful omega..."  
Nudging him with a whine, Lance finally stopped hiding behind him  
"Don't make me get jealous"  
"Why not? I like it when you get possessive"  
"You're my mate... of course I'm going to get possessive. Besides. You're smoking hot and great in bed... anyone out there would be a fool to pass up a chance with you"  
"Is that so?"  
"You know you're hot. Don't even try pretending you're not"  
Lance blushed brilliantly, his lips forming a pout as he stared up at him  
"I think I'm pretty average"  
"Nope. You're hot. That's all there is to it"  
"So you love me because I'm good looking"  
"Weeeeell, it certainly doesn't hurt"  
"Mmm. Maybe I'll show you just how hot I am later, but for now, we're on a date"  
"Does that mean you're going to bottom? Because if it does, I should probably warn you I'm kind of horny"  
Keith snorted, tugging Lance along as he started towards the stalls  
"You're always horny, but if you're a good boy, I'll definitely enjoy myself by riding you tonight"

With Lance still recovering, and his omega's cheeks still tinged red, the pair of them rode the escalator up to the top floor. Dressed in dark hoodies and jeans, Keith doubted they were going to be in any real danger. They just looked like any normal couple on a date, even if Lance's jeans were sinfully tight, and his stomach was evident despite how big the hoodie he was wearing was. No. They definitely weren't in danger, but quiznak help anyone who dared take a second look at Lance  
"Keith, you're staring"  
Finding himself at the top of the escalator before he even realised, Keith blinked, while Lance rolled his eye  
"Stop staring. I seriously want to find the perfect present for the boys"  
"I know. Do you have any idea what you want to buy yet?"  
"Nothing techy. I want them to enjoy being kids and having an imagination, so maybe something for outside? I don't know"  
"Right. We'll keep that in mind. We have plenty of GAC, so that's not a problem"  
"I have no idea how we get GAC. Seriously. Most of the fighting we do and stuff, we don't get paid for"  
"We're technically still in an alliance with Lotor, and he didn't want his allies going without"  
"Lotor gave us GAC"  
"Yep. He's not the smartest tool in the shed"  
"He's had 10,000 years. You'd think he'd know better"  
"He was too focused on his own little corner of the universe to realise someone out there might be smarter than him"  
"Yeah. Like Allura"  
"And you. You never liked him from the start"  
"Yet, I still ended up..."  
"Lance, you don't have to say it like that. I bet you gave him hell and he had no idea what to do with you. He's probably relieved you're not there to keep giving him shit"  
"I just wish I knew why he hasn't made his move"  
"I know. But hey. We're all in this together, and together we're stronger, right?"  
"That's only if we stay together. Neither of us is great at keeping our emotions level enough not to rush in head first"  
"I think we're not quite as bad as we used to be... were are you going?"  
Releasing his hand, Lance moved away from him  
"I just want to take a look in here. Wait here for me"  
Keith had no idea what Lance could possibly want to look at in what seemed to be some kind of soap? store. They had plenty of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and bubble bath thanks to the Olkari... and they even still had things from their trip to Earth last year. Standing outside the store, he felt like a stalker as he was waited, trying to watch Lance from the corner of his eye without being too obvious or overbearing. His mate ended up only taking a few doboshes to look around, before walking out  
"All good?"  
"Are you asking me if I found what I was looking for?"  
"Maybe?"  
"I wasn't actually looking for anything specific. I was just curious"  
"If you were just curious, why did I have to wait out here?"  
"Because you're not into skin care and face masks...?"  
"It doesn't mean you have to go alone. This is date remember, I want to buy you what you want"  
Lance sighed  
"Keith. If you start following me around and asking me if I want everything I look at, I'm going to leave your arse here. I know we have different tastes, so I'm not going to make you look at everything I want to, and because I look at something, it doesn't mean I don't want it"  
"What about what you're looking at now?"  
"I'm not looking at anythi... oh. I see what you did there"  
Lance punched his shoulder lightly   
"I'm already going home with you... though I'm curious how much you charge"  
"It depends"  
"On what?"  
"On if it's you? You get me for free"  
"Oh greaaazat. My husband's cheap"  
"Not everyone else gets me for free"  
"No... I suppose not. But what am I going to do? Some days I'd have to pay someone to take you"  
"Trying to get rid of me?"  
"Never... maybe... I'll get back to you on that"  
Grabbing Lance's hand, he pulled him close kissing him softly to silence him, melting into the kiss, Lance whined into his mouth, his hands grabbing Keith's hoodie as he rocked up against him. Breaking the kiss, Keith smiled  
"If you keep kissing me like that, we're not going to get anything done"  
"I'm pregnant. Blame the hormones"  
"I'll make you moan"  
"Keith!"  
"Later"  
"Good. That means we can keep shopping!"  
Stepping away like he wasn't just as aroused as Keith was, Lance bit his lip, nodded to himself, then started pulling him towards another store. Quiznak have mercy.

Wandering and weaving between the stalls, Lance was like a kid in a candy store. His nervousness was gone, and he didn't seem to give two shits about the looks the vendors were giving them. He was determined. If he didn't like something, it went straight back, and he was off to look at the next thing. They'd already picked up some small things for the boys and their princess, all of which were clothes, but that didn't count as a present in Lance's mind. He'd mumbled something about receiving way many pairs of socks and bad sweaters, and something else about being traumatised due to Veronica and itching powder. All he'd really gotten was that clothes didn't count, and Veronica was never babysitting. Letting out a huff as he placed down the piece of tech he was holding, Lance looked to him and shook his head  
"Sorry. I need to use the bathroom again"  
"It's fine. We aren't that far from them"  
Not like when he'd had to go while they'd been on top floor, Lance had been sure he was going to wet himself as they'd speed walked down to the bathrooms  
"I know. You keep looking around. I'll be back soon"  
"You sure?"  
"I just have to pee. In and out. 5 doboshes max"  
"You make it sound like a mission"  
"It is. Everything's a mission! Try being pregnant and having a baby kicking at your bladder"  
"I'll wait here"  
"Good... try not to get lost. I know what you're like"  
"You take one wrong turn in one spaceship and they never let you forget it"  
"Nope"

While Lance was gone, Keith wandered down the isle, trying to find something suitable for Lance to gift the boys, but the Space Mall was severely lacking. Even his gifts to the boys and to Lance were definitely space influenced. Come to a stop, Lance kept him waiting much longer than 5 doboshes, and carrying three small boxes with him as he did  
"Sorry! I got distracted"  
"I can see. Did you find what you were looking for?"  
"For the boys? No. Not yet... I mean. Maybe... I'm not sure"  
"Then what's in the boxes"  
"They're for later. Can we eat? My stomach keeps rumbling and it's getting annoying"  
"We can't have that. Is there anything you particularly want?"  
"A strawberry glazed donut... and bananas dipped in peanut butter"  
"I don't think we're going to find that here, but you never know"  
"Don't get my hopes up. I could seriously eat myself into a food coma right now"  
Taking the boxes from his husband, Lance looped his arm through his, stuffing his hands into his hoodies front pocket   
"Whatever we end up deciding on, you'd better get double"  
"I'll keep that in mind"

Lance couldn't decide what he wanted, so they ended up getting half a dozen meals, which seemed like way too much... until Lance devoured almost everything like he hadn't eaten all deca-phoeb. Leaning back in his chair, his mate closed his eyes and rubbed his stomach   
"Keith. You are the best alpha a fat omega could have. Seriously. I am so full... and it was sooooo good"  
"That was the plan. How was your space fruit?"  
"Good. We really need more space fruit on the ship, or on Olkarion. Whatever that green one that looked like an avocado was, we really need more of that"  
"We could ask Coran when we get back"  
"We both know I'm probably going to forget. Did you get enough to eat?"  
He'd had half his "sandwich", before surrendering the rest to Lance. So no. He hadn't. But Lance was way too cute to admit that too  
"Yeah baby. I'm good. Do you want to sit for a bit? Or do we keep shopping"  
"Sitting is good, but my feet and ankles are throbbing, so we should probably go back to shopping again. If I stay like this for much longer, you're going to have to carry me out on the chair"  
"And explain to Hunk that you pigged out on Space Mall food without him? I don't think so"  
"Yeah. No. That would be scary. I'm getting up"

They were running out of shop stalls when they finally found one that made Lance actually squeal. Rushing over, his husband picked up two giant stuffed bears? Before turning back to him and grinned  
"Keith! Look!"  
Wandering over to actually look at the display, he was half shocked. Giant stuffed Voltron cats. He'd thought they were just really weird bears, but it was the Voltron lions  
"We have to buy them! They're adorable! Look, they even have Black!"  
"Calm down"  
"How can I calm down?! They're our girls in plush form!"  
Reaching down, Lance grabbed a black, yellow and green lion, adding them to the blue and red ones in his hold  
"They're so cute! I wonder if they have toy Paladins?!"  
"I don't think so..."  
"But that would be totally cool! Look, here comes the vendor!"  
The vendor didn't seem as enthused as Lance was, the man's four eyes all seemed to be filled with the acceptance of this being his life now  
"Excuse me, do you also have the Paladins?"  
"No. Honestly, this is all just Coalition propaganda. Not worth the hype if you ask me"  
Lance's smile dropped as he shuffled back as little  
"How much for the five of them?"  
"4000 GAC. They're on special. No one wants to buy them"  
"I'll take one of each"  
Lance peaked over his armful of lions, his sadness adding to Keith's brewing anger. Fishing out the GAC, he slammed it down into the man's outstretched hand  
"Whoa buddy! No need to get so defensive. They're just kids toys"  
"They're more than toys. Voltron is bringing hope to everyone. Young and old"  
"Yeah yeah. If you ask me, things were going just fine before they came along. Now everyone wants peace and fair trade..."  
"Keith, let's go"  
"Lance..."  
"Please. We still need to finish shopping"  
Glaring at the man, he snorted when Keith broke his gaze. Letting Lance turn and walk away first, his fingers itches to grab his blade and cut down the man who'd hurt and insulted his mate. His alpha wanted him to tear his throat out... which Keith kind of felt might be a public service. They worked hard to make people feel safe, and to keep them safe. They didn't need a small backwards marketer slandering them over it. Catching up with Lance, his husband was crying softly  
"Baby, don't let him get to you"  
"How can I not? I feel stupid for thinking the boys would like them"  
"The boys will love them. Especially when they're older and understand just what Voltron accomplished"  
"I just... I wanted them to know that even though we have to leave, they'll always have "lion" of their own... sorry, I'm kind of feeling like I've been kicked in the guts"  
"I think it's sweet. I think the boys are going to love them, and I think the others are going to be pretty jealous"  
"You don't have to lie"  
"I'm not. You're right. The boys don't understand the work we're doing right now, but one day they will, and they're going to know you wanted them to feel loved and protected. I think they're great gifts"  
"Really?"  
"Yeah baby"  
Lance sniffled   
"Red even looks mad like she does"  
"Red doesn't look mad"  
"She does. She's always scowling"  
"No she's not. Not when you two are together. I've seen her enough to know she's happy with you as her pilot"  
"Sorry. I was stupid to get upset, I just really wanted to punch him"  
"I did too. My alpha wasn't happy"  
"Your alpha's like that"  
"He upset you. I wanted to tear his throat out"  
"That's sweet... but maybe a bit too much. We'd probably be banned from the Space Mall for life"  
"Or, they could appreciate our actions and give us everything we want for free"  
"You've been spending way too much time with Pidge. For a tick I could have sworn I was listening to her"  
"Don't ever say that again. Do you really want to go?"  
"Yeah... I'm tired and sore, and your daughter won't stop kicking. I'm happy I managed to at least get the boys something"  
"Baby, you give them the best present any kid could hope for every single quintant. You love them. They need that more than they need presents"  
"Mmm. Yeah. I suppose"  
"Besides, you've got them their own lions"  
"I was hoping to find something for outside... I wonder if Allura would let us borrow the castle for a phoebs, we could go back to Earth..."  
"We'll go back to Earth once things out here settle down. For now, let's just go home to our boys"

 

*  
Lance had been very appreciative on the flight back from space mall. So appreciative, Keith had nearly killed them both by getting a little too close to a stray asteroid, thanks to Lance kneeling between his legs and giving him one hell of an amazing blow job... even pulling off just before he came, so his husband copped a full facial, and fuck that was hot. When they'd arrived back at the castle, both of them were panting, licking, nipping rutting, unable to keep their hands off each other, meaning it was another half a varga before they made out the pod. Keith's arse throbbing in time with his heartbeat thanks to Lance bending him over the control panel of the pod, using his own slick as lube. With both of them eager to continue what they'd started, they stumbled through the hangar, and into the first room the found leading off the floors main corridor. In such a hurry to feel connected again, they'd only stripped naked from the waist down, Lance was a whimpering and soaking mess as Keith did as he'd promised, riding his husband while his hands roamed over Lance's swell. Too blissed out by Lance hitting his sweat spot over and over, Keith barely slowed as he came across Lance's swollen stomach. Fuck. He'd missed this. Lance wrecking him so thoroughly from the inside, before cumming hard inside him again as if trying to breed him. Keith clenched down, trying to drink up every drop of Lance's seed as he ground his hips, so as to not let any escape, until his mate finally slumped against the floor with a dopey grin on his lips  
"Feeling good?"  
"Mmmm... feeling like I'm yours"  
"You are mine"  
"Covered in your seed and your smell. My omega feels so good right now and you feel so good around me"  
"I can feel your seed"  
"Should I have pulled out?"  
"No. I like it..."  
"Does it make you wish you could be the one who's pregnant?"  
"I wouldn't look nearly half as hot as you do"  
"Mmm... if alphas could get themselves pregnant, they'd never need us"  
"I need you, and not just because you're pregnant"  
"Keith, chillax. I just came inside you again. I'm too boneless to care about much right now"  
The idea of being pregnant wasn't actually appealing at all to him. He'd seen what Lance had been through, and there was no doubt in his mind that he wouldn't be able to take it. He just wasn't patient enough to deal with it. He could cope with Lance being pregnant because it was Lance. Him. Nope  
"Keith, you're still frowning"  
"Sorry baby. I'm going to slide off now"  
"Ok. I think I made a mess on the floor"  
"It's fine. I didn't even know this room was here, so I doubt the others do"  
"Mmm... I'm still slicking, I should get up, it's way too wet"  
Wincing as he climbed from Lance's lap, his husband groaned as he propped himself up onto his elbows  
"Keith, I don't think I can get up"  
"Alright. Let me pull my pants back up, then I'll help you up"  
"No... um..."  
"What?"  
"I feel sick"  
"You feel sick?"  
"Yeah... I don't think I can actually stand"  
"Ok. Gimme a tick"  
Fumbling to get himself back into his pants, he ignored the cum dribbling from his abused opening, and the way his hips hurt as he lifted Lance up to his feet. Pulling Lance's pants up for him, he waited until his mate was standing before placing his palm against his forehead  
"You feel hot"  
"Maybe I ate something bad?"  
"Maybe. Or maybe you're just feverish from exhaustion. You've been on your feet almost all quintant. You blew me and we had sex twice. That's a lot of strain on your body"  
"Sorry. I was really feeling ok until I sat up"  
"I'm going to lift you now. Do you want to go to the medical room, or down to the house"  
"House. I wanna take a nap"  
"House it is"

With aching hips and leaking arse, walking all the way down to the house wasn't exactly fun. Thankfully it was empty, and he was able to carry Lance straight through to their room. Stripping his mate down, he winced at how tender his feet looked, and the imprints made by his boots. He'd have to give Lance a massage later, but for now he needed to take a nap. Stripping his own clothes off, Keith threw them across the room, before guiding Lance to lay down and spooning up behind him  
"Sorry I felt sick. Today was pretty good"  
"It was, wasn't it?"  
"You're just happy you got laid"  
"That blow job was pretty hot. I didn't think you'd be one for facials"  
"I like being yours, and facials are pretty possessive"  
"Have you been hiding that particular kink?"  
"I'm allowed to have a kink or two"  
"What are you others ones?"  
"Nope. I'm too tired"  
"Baby..."  
"I already know you have a breeding kink. You love touching and rubbing my stomach when I'm pregnant"  
"Only because I'm so proud to be the sire"  
"You also love drinking my slick"  
"You like being eaten out. It's a win-win situation"  
"You make me sound so slutty"  
"I know for a fact you like it when I tell you are, and tell you how greedy you are for my knot"  
"That's because..."  
"Because what?"  
"I don't know... I'm too tired now"  
"Take a nap"  
"I'm always napping"  
"You had a big day today. It's fine"  
"What about you?"  
"I'm just going to lay here and watch over you"  
"Stalker"  
"I don't think it quite qualifies as stalking"  
"It does. Mmm... I love you Keith, and thanks for today"  
"You're very welcome"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cut this off before the boy's party... purely because the start of the next chapter dips a tiny bit before the party...
> 
>  
> 
> Also... bottoming Keith riding a pregnant Lance... yummy


	107. Chapter 107

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter not edited, blah blah blah, Fluffffft alert!

Waking up screaming, Keith's heart was racing as he tried to breathe. Covered in a fine layer of goosebumps, his clothes were soaked with sweet, with his lap especially wet. Wiping his face, he slowly came back to reality, his nightmare being pulled back into the dark abyss it'd come from  
"Keith?"  
How he hadn't realised he had Lance sitting in his lap, he had no idea, nor had he realised he was actually sitting up on an examination bed in the medical room  
"What... what happened?"  
His throat feels like he's swallowed half sand from the desert he used to live in, before following it with a shot of razor blades for good measure. His stomach is rolling, a cold kind of nausea rising to his already throbbing head. Closing his eyes again, he tries to gather enough saliva to swallow, to give his throat some kind of relief. Pulling him tighter with his left arm, Lance's right hand starts to massage his scalp, hushing him as he does. He knows for a fact he'd fallen asleep with Lance right beside him, so this made no sense at all.

A few ticks, turned into several long doboshes before his heart begins to finally slow, and the throbbing in his head begins to ease. Opening his eyes again, he gently pushed Lance back, his eyes widening at the split in his mate right eyebrow and badly blacked eyebrow. Fresh blood was smeared across Lance's face, his husband's whole frame was trembling   
"Lance?"  
"You're ok. It was just a nightmare"  
"A nightmare?"  
"Yeah. You're ok. I'm here. I've got you"  
Swallowing painfully, Keith shook his head, his alpha prickling as he caught traces of Shiro's scent. He felt so completely sick and confused  
"A nightmare?"  
"Yeah. But you're awake now. You're ok. I'm here, and you're ok"  
"Baby, a normal nightmare doesn't usually end up with you looking like you've been beaten"  
"It's ok. You were confused"  
"I... I did this?"  
"It was my fault. You were sleep walking, and screaming how you had to get me back from Lotor. You were trying to get to Black, to get me back"  
"I'm sorry. I don't remember"  
"It's ok... when I couldn't wake you, I had to call Shiro"  
"Baby. You're not making enough sense for me to follow. Start from the start"

The medical room door opened, Shiro carrying a mug of something   
"He's awake?"  
"Yeah. He just woke up"  
"I made you some tea. It's got herbs that'll help calm you back down"  
"I'm not sick"  
"Then it's a good thing I didn't make it for you. Lance, you should rest"  
"No. He's awake properly now. I'm not leaving him to have another nightmare"  
"You were bleeding"  
"Baby?"  
"It's nothing. You just didn't know it was me. It was kind of like the episodes I have, and you lashed out"  
"I'm so sorry"  
"Lance, let me help you"  
"No. I'm not letting him go. I know how badly nightmares mess you up"  
"Baby, I'm ok. I'm awake now, and you need to clean up a bit. Shiro, help him up"  
Taking the mug from Shiro, the alpha basically picked Lance up from his lap, sitting him down on the end of the bed, while Keith slowly turned, drawing his legs up under him as he held the mug back out. Taking it, Shiro placed it into Lance's hands, curling them around the warm ceramic   
"Did you tell him what happened?"  
"What he needs to know"  
Keith frowned at the pair, Lance wouldn't look him, nor would he look at Shiro   
"Baby, what happened? What aren't you telling me?"

Taking a deep breath, Lance shook his head  
"You had a really bad nightmare"  
"You hurt Lance"  
"Shiro! He didn't know what he was doing!"  
"I hurt you?"  
"Only because you thought I was trying to stop you from getting to me"  
"This makes no sense"  
"Keith..."  
Shaking his head, Lance finally looked back to him  
"It's ok. I know you've been having nightmares, and usually I'm there to calm you down, so you know, you don't wake up. I just hold you and play with your hair or talk to you, you get a bit upset when I get up during the night. But I took too long in the bathroom. You were already thrashing in your sleep before I got back"  
Keith's face reddened at his secret being exposed in front of Shiro, it wounded his alpha's pride, even if he knew Shiro used to suffer with nightmares, it just wasn't the same  
"You were screaming to give me back, and when I tried waking you, you shoved me off. So, it was my fault. You didn't mean to hurt me"  
Shiro scowled at Lance, Lance was apparently leaving something out  
"Baby, I want to know"  
"Knowing won't change anything. We have the twins party today. I don't want to spend the day thinking about all of this. I want you to be happy and ok"  
"How can I be happy when you're hurt, and I hurt you"  
"You were scared. I know what it feels like. I know what it's like to do things and not remember. I'm ok, and our little girl is just fine. I just called Shiro because I couldn't wake you and I knew you'd worry. He, um... managed to get you back here, and you woke up not long after"  
"Shiro, what is he hiding?"  
"Nothing. I'm hiding nothing. Please, can we just go back to bed?"  
"Shiro"  
"You were over him, trying to claw at him. You were basically feral while sleep walking..."  
"Shiro! I told you not to tell him!"  
"He hurt you! He could have hurt your pup"  
"He was fucking sleep walking!"  
"Don't think I didn't see the way your arms and back were bleeding, or missed the fact you wet yourself"  
Throwing the mug at Shiro, the alpha dodged as Lance slid off the end of the bed  
"Get the fuck out! I tried to trust you and you don't even listen! Keith wasn't himself. Come on, Keith, we're going back to our room"  
Grabbing his hand, Lance pulled him from the bed, marching across the room, his scent thoroughly soaked in anger as he glared at the world  
"Lance"  
"Nope. Don't want to hear it. You were having a nightmare, so it doesn't count"  
"Are you really ok?"  
"I'm fucking fine. Shiro wasn't supposed to tell you. I told him not to"

Dragged back to their room, Lance pushed him down onto their bed, so he was sitting on the edge  
"Now. Are you ok? Do you feel ok? Sometimes nightmares can make you feel really shitty"  
"I'm ok. I just can't believe it happened"  
"You've been stressing over me and the boys, and I think being back in the castle probably left you a little disoriented, and you have been having nightmares pretty regularly"  
"I don't even remember having them"  
"That's because you usually get woken up by my ones, where as yours, you calm back down when I hold you"  
"I wish you'd told me... I feel like an idiot"  
"You're not an idiot. We can't help our nightmares. But seriously, do you feel ok? Shiro had to restrain you until you pretty much slumped over in his hold. I'm sorry. I should have left you? But I was worried about you hurting yourself"  
"I feel... tired?"  
"That's ok then. I'm going to take a shower, why don't you strip off and get back into bed?"  
"A shower sounds good. Besides, I want to make sure you're ok"  
"It's just a couple of bruises and scratches"  
"A couple too many"  
"Keith, please. You know I get it"  
"I just can't believe it happened"  
"Well it did. And we're both ok. Come join me in the shower?"  
Keith managed a small smile, climbing back up and wrapping his arms around Lance. Breathing his scent in, Lance smelt a little scared, but mostly ok. How could he have possibly hurt him? How could he hurt the man who loved him most?  
"Keith, you're sniffing me really loudly. It's creepy"  
"I'm sorry. I love you so much, you're my whole world"  
"As I should be, now let me clean you up"

Lance stepped into the shower first, holding his hand out for him once Keith had stripped. He vaguely remembered Shiro mentioning Lance wetting himself, which explained his wet crotch. Stepping into Lance's hold, Lance hummed  
"I'm going to wash your hair"  
"What's wrong with my hair?"  
"Nothing's wrong. I just feel like it"  
"Then it's all yours"  
"Kneel down for me?"  
"The effort..."  
"Oi! It's not my fault you decided to grow taller than me!"  
"I'm not that much taller"  
"You're tall enough that I need you to kneel"  
Snorting, Keith sank down, nuzzling against Lance's swollen stomach. Closing his eyes, he jumped slightly when he felt Lance's hands move to his hair, his fingers soon massaging his scalp  
"I hate how nice your hair is"  
"I know. You've told me before"  
"It's still true. It's so perfect and soft..."  
"Your fingers feel really nice"  
"Of course they do. Can you feel our daughter moving?"  
"Not really. I don't think she wants to talk to me"  
"She does. She's doing somersaults at the moment"  
Pressing light opened mouth kisses to Lance stomach, he finally felt a light kick in return  
"See. I told you she wanted to talk to you. At this rate, I might have to get jealous"  
"Jealous of our daughter?"  
"She's already daddy's little girl and she's not even born. She's going to have you wrapped around her finger the moment she comes out"  
"As long as she loves her mummy just as much, and as long as mummy knows daddy loves him the most"  
"Mummy knows... you can come back up here now"  
"What if I like it down here?"  
"I can't wash you down properly if you stay down there. It's too hard for me to get back up"

Sliding his hands up Lance's body, Keith held him tightly as he rose, nuzzling against Lance's neck as his omega giggled   
"You need to stand still"  
"I can't help it. I want to hold you"  
"Hey, I'm not going anywhere. You know that. I'm right here with you. No matter what"  
"You've been through so much, and I hurt you"  
"Keith. Serious talk for a moment. Do you blame me or hate me for the things I've done or do when I space out?"  
"No..."  
"Then how can you blame yourself? I don't blame you"  
Lance would probably say he didn't blame him, even if he'd bashed him into coma. His mate had that horrible habit of thinking he deserved to be hurt, and love isn't some magical cure that takes away the trauma. Even if he wasn't mad, or didn't blame him, Keith blamed himself. Flinching as he was flicked in the forehead, he looked up to see Lance frowning at him  
"You are not to blame"  
"Ok. Alright. If I agree, will you let me hold you"  
"If you agree, I'll let you take me back to bed. We still have vargas before the party starts, and the boys are still sleeping"  
"Mmm, ok. Let's finish up here"

Finishing their shower, Lance insisted on drying himself, while Keith was sent from the room. The alpha already dried off before his husband came back, climbing right back to the far side of their bed, Lance held his arms open  
"Come here already. You look lost just standing there"  
"I'm not lost"  
"Just come here already"  
Rolling his eyes, Keith was smiling as he crawled up into Lance's arms, only for Lance to push him down and climb into his lap  
"Really?"  
"You're still too tense"  
"And that equates to you climbing into my lap?"  
"Yep. I'm already slick, and I want to watch you as you cum"  
"Are you sure you're not just using your pregnancy to cover how horny you naturally are?"  
"Oh, I totally am. And it's all you fault"  
"I guess we should do something about that then?"  
"Yep. You're going to lay there while I ride you. You looked so hot fucking yourself on my erection, now I want to return the favour"  
He didn't deserve his omega. He didn't deserve him at all.

Lance was beautiful. His moans and mews. The way he had to support his stomach as he rode him. The way his head lolled back. The way his breasts bounced. The way he came between them, his erection trapped between their stomachs. The way he slumped forward, smiling as a hand moved to cup Keith's face. All of him was so beautiful. So very beautiful and precious. To everyone outside their relationship, it might look like he was continually rescuing and reassuring Lance, but Lance had rescued him right back. And this. Them together. Everything the did together was the best. Purring, Lance rubbed his cheek with his thumb, nodding as he did  
"You ok baby?"  
"Mmm. Yeah. You're ok. Your scents finally evened out, and you don't smell like you're about to freak out again. Plus, you're knotted, and that always feels so good"  
"Do you want me to flip us, or lay you down?"  
"No, I'm ok. I'm enjoying the view just fine"  
"If you keep this up, there's definitely going to be a round two"  
"Mmm. That sounds good to me, but we do have a birthday party to be at. You know. For our sons"  
"I know we have a birthday party. It's the whole reason we kicked out the house, so everyone else can decorate"  
"So you're saying they're not going to mind if we're a little late?"  
"I think they'd be more shocked if we were on time"  
Lance giggled beautifully, nodding as he did  
"Once your knot deflates, I want to try having sex from behind again... I want to lay in your arms though. Can we do that?"  
"Baby, are you sure?"  
"Yeah. I want to be in your arms. I want to feel you curled around me. I love feeling you so around me"

With Lance curled up in his hold, his husband was holding his hand tightly as he slept. Still feeling some guilt over his nightmare, Keith didn't sleep. Instead he watched his husband sleep, until the sound of the twins crying came through the baby monitor system Pidge had set up for them. Regretful over waking him, Keith tried to make it as gentle as possible, rolling Lance into his hold, kissing him awake. Groaning with a sweet smile, Lance reached up and wrapped his arms around him, nuzzling his lips against his  
"Good morning"  
"Good morning baby. How are you feeling?"  
"Horny"  
"Mmm. It's a good thing we need to take a shower before we get the boys sorted"  
"A very good thing. Carry me?"  
"I wouldn't dream of making you walk"  
"Good... I feel so full from last night... I want more"  
Jesus. Did Lance have any idea what those words did to him? Growling, Keith lifted him, crawling off their bed, and rushing his mate into the bathroom. Sitting him down on the bathroom counter, Lance leaned back, his legs wrapping around Keith's waist as he moaned. Scrambling to push into Lance's heat, Keith didn't last long at all, while Lance came even faster, his hand pumping himself in time with each thrust. Basking in their love, Keith made sure to double check he hadn't torn his mate in his haste, while Lance bopped him on the head over it. Today was going to be the perfect day.

Moving from the counter to the shower, Lance playfully nipped at his ear, and groped at his arse. His mate really and truly seemed to be truly happy. A sensation that left Keith once he saw Lance's back and arms under the light. The bruises across Lance's skin were bad enough, but the scratches... the scratches were bad. Some had already started to scab, while some were painfully red welts. They were awful. And he'd done that. How could Lance be so happy? Turning in his hold, Lance looked up at him, his smile falling slightly, and Quiznak... in the light his black eye looked so painful  
"Keith?"  
"Sorry. I was in my own head"  
"Are you ok?"  
"Yeah baby... um... your eye looks sore. I didn't mean to..."  
Placing a finger to his lips, Lance hushed him  
"Keith, its fine. I promise you. Nothing a little bit of make up won't cover"  
"You shouldn't have to cover it"  
"Because I've never accidentally given you a black eye. If the others ask, I'll just say we had very enthusiastic sex. That'll stop them from asking anything more"  
"You wouldn't"  
"I would if it meant they wouldn't make this into something it isn't. You're my husband and my mate. You would never hurt me on purpose... and speaking of that, I've got a present for you"  
"You got me a present?"  
The others would have gotten the things out of Black, and Keith had already retrieved everything from fligher they'd taken to the Space Mall. He'd wanted to keep the fact he'd brought Lance something a secret, but now his husband was surprising him with a gift of his own  
"Well dah! Of course I did. You have been the greatest father in the universe for over a deca-phoeb now. So I wanted to get you something to say thank you. From me and the boys. You didn't have to stick around. But you did. And you treat us so good. You've come a long way since your first dirty nappy"  
Keith's face reddened, while Lance laughed softly   
"You really are a great dad"  
"Ikindofgotyousomethingtoo"  
Keith stared at his feet as he mumbled  
"What was that?"  
"I kind of got you something too!"  
Great. He went from mumbling to yelling. Cracking up, Lance's laughter filled the space   
"It's not funny!"  
"No... I was just thinking that we're pathetic. Anyway. Come here, we need to make you look presentable"  
"Make me look presentable?"  
"Yep. Starting by losing the scowl"  
"I'm by scowling"  
"You totally are"

From the shower, Lance started rushing around to get things ready, while Keith was sent to check on the boys. His husband refused to give him any hints over what his present was, so Keith decided not give Lance any hints about the boys party. He knew Lance would love it the moment he saw it, so the alpha put his all into getting the boys ready for their baths... only for his sons to be completely adorable. Reaching up for him, they both called for him, with "Daddy, hugs!", or "dada 'ugs" which was the exact same thing. How could his boys be one?! It just... it blew his mind. Lifting them out the cot, Keith snuggled into them, his boys kissing him wetly, the way Lance had taught them to, while brimming with pride. He and Lance had made them... oh boy. They needed a nappy change.

Stripped down and cleaned up, the boys were sitting in their baths, while Keith was watching them splash. The house definitely had a better bath for them, but they seemed happy enough. Listening to Lance walking in, his husband came up beside him on the left side   
"Stick your hand out"  
"No. You stick yours out"  
"Come ooooon. You'll enjoy it"  
"It depends what it is"  
"They call surprises, surprises for a reason"  
"It's not going to bite me, is it?"  
"No, but I might if you don't just stick your hand out already"  
Looking Lance in the eye, Keith extended his arm out towards his mate, with his palm up  
"Close your eyes"  
"Why do I have to close my eyes?"  
"Because it's a surprise! You're terrible at this"  
"Maybe you're just bad with surprises?"  
"Keeeeith, please just stick your hand out already!"  
"My hand is out, I think you meant to tell me to close my eyes"  
"If you know what you're supposed to do, why aren't you doing it?"  
"Because you're cute when you get huffy"  
"Close your eyes!"  
Doing as he was just yelled at to do, Keith waited as Lance slipped something onto his finger. Opening his eyes mid way, his omega glared  
"It was supposed to be a surprise"  
"You bought me a ring?"  
"Surprise?"  
"Baby, you bought me a ring?"  
"So... you're my husband... and I wanted to um... you're my mate... god. I can't get the stupid words out"  
"You want to marry me all over again?"  
"Maybe... I just wanted you to have something too. It's not as nice as the one you got me, but, I give up. I'm going to go get dressed"  
"Lance, its fine. It's sweet"  
"How is it sweet when I can't find the words to tell you how much I love you? Any other time, yep, ok, I've got this. Now. Nope. Nope. Nooooo. Not happening. Worst proposal ever"  
"Baby, we're already married"  
"Well maybe I wanted to tell you I would marry you all over again, if I could. I'm going to get dressed and get clothes for the boys"  
"You're not going to stay?"  
"After that stellar performance? I'm going to go before I start crying"  
"You don't have to cry"  
"You've obviously met my hormones... I need to take a few doboshes and calm back down"  
Backing away, Lance looked like he wanted to bolt, reaching the door, Keith called out to him  
"I'd marry you all over again, and when we get back to Earth, we'll make it legal"  
His mate blushed, disappearing as he mumbled.

 

*  
"Oh my god! This is amazing!"  
While Lance and Keith had been up in the castle, their friends had transformed their house for the boys party. The theme being "Space Pirates" mixed with "under the sea". The whole team were wearing eyepatches over their left eyes, painted badly with the typical skull and crossbones. Lance being forced into one by Hunk, as pudge insisted on placing Keith's on his. Various sea creatures covered the walls, as holographic "streamers" hung from the ceiling. The lions they'd purchased were already sitting on the floor rug in the lounge area, with a small mound of presents. Keith's gift to the boys was the space version of a rocking horse. It was some six legged creature, with copious amounts of fur, and eyes way too wide for his horsish face. He knew the boys were going to love it the moment he saw it, but the vendor only had one of them, so they'd have to share. There was also two small saddles made from a brown leather with a kind of crocodile pattern. He didn't know what they'd use it on, but there was a whole universe out there, and Earth couldn't possibly be the only place with "horses". The clothes they'd bought at the Space Mall sat on the coffee table, while the kitchen bench was covered in food. Two huge cakes at the centre of it all.

"You... wow... this is amazing. Pidge, have you taken photos, because the moment I put the boys down, they're going to start tearing into everything"  
"Yep! Photos taken. You can release the Kraken-s!"  
"What do we do first? Do we do presents? Or food?"  
"Presents! We are so doing presents! Lance, you get to sit on the sofa with Keith and the boys, and we'll film you"  
Lance looked to him and shrugged, Pidge seemed to be more excited than the boys, leaving Keith wondering what she'd found to gift them with  
"Presents it is then... guys, thank you so much for this"  
"I must confess, I am rather curious about Earth parties"  
"Allura, stop distracting them. Guys, hurry it up!"

Pidge insisted Lance hold both the boys, while Keith showed their pups their presents. Both loved the lions, Kelance promptly trying to "eat" Yellow, which Hunk wasn't impressed over, slowly coaxing Yellow from his hands, to replace her with Red. Not to be outdone, Laneith giggled as he pulled on Green's head, causing Pidge to come rushing to her lions aid. After Lance's presents came Krolia's, which was spinning galaxy light with a holographic picture or Lance, Keith and Krolia from the party they'd had when Krolia first left. .. naturally Lance began balling as he thanked her, Pidge yelling at him to suck it up because the best was yet to come.

From Toral the twins were given an embroidered pillow each, the stitching was a little round, but they were clearly made with love, even if they were barely "pillows". Shiro gifted the boys the space version of a "cap gun", which Lance confiscated, sayings he didn't want to be shot by his own sons, though Keith was pretty sure he didn't want his boys growing up to be better shots than him. Allura gifted the boys two small cloaks of their own, each in a rich deep red with a gold lions face embroidered in the centre of them. And then came Pidge and Hunk's gifts.

Despite Lance having voiced the fact he didn't want the boys receiving tech as a present. Pidge had found a way around his wishes. Placing two small boxes in Keith's lap, Keith found himself shaking as he opened the first to reveal a small gold bangle  
"Now. We all know what you two are like. You're always going off and doing your own things, or getting lost and into trouble without us around. Don't give that look Lance, and Keith, don't even bother trying to defend him when you're both as bad as each other. Sooo, given that they're your kids and that they're probably going to be just as hopeless as the pair of you, I made these. They're designed to be worn around the ankle and they'll grow as the boys do, buuuut, and I'm super proud of this bit, they're trackers. So no matter where they run off to, we'll be able to track them down"  
"You... you made my boys ankle monitors?"  
"They're not ankle monitors, they're trackers. The amount of times you two needed one... I think it rivals all the stars and planets out there. Coran has one of the receivers, and I've got one for each of you. Think of it like this, even if you're on a mission, you'll be able to see where the boys are"  
Lifting the anklet from the box, Keith rolled his eyes at the inscription on the inside "If I'm lost, my parents probably are too. Please return me to the Black and Red idiots of Voltron"  
"Idiots is a bit harsh"  
"I had limited space to work with"  
"Thanks Pidge... they're... they're um... they're certainly very you"  
"I know right! They're gonna be super handy, I just know it! Now hurry up and put them on"  
"If we put them on, they can come back off again, right?"  
"Yep... or at least, I think so"  
Lance groaned  
"How about we save those for a little later?"  
"Lance, are you mocking my gift!?"  
"I'm not mocking it. I just don't want to try and have to get a onesie off an on around the anklet"  
"Good... I've got one for your pup too"  
"I think you should have just made one for Keith and Lance. It would be a whole lot simpler if we didn't lose them"  
"They're big enough and ugly enough to get themselves out of trouble. I'm not having anything happen to my nephews, or my niece"

The gift that had Lance sobbing was the gift from Coran. He'd made the boys new suits, but that wasn't what did it. Coran had gone to the trouble of actually making the boys toys. Wooden blocks for buildings. A puzzle board filled with different shapes. A wooden castle that was kind of like a dolls house, complete with simple wooden people... and dragons and such. Things the boys could play with, and things they could let their imagination run wild with. Joking about how his cuff from Atlantis had come in handy, Coran was soon balling his eyes out as he and Lance clutched each other and wailed about how they were growing up so fast.

Once the presents were done, Lance set the boys down on the floor to play, before climbing up from the sofa with a hand on his stomach. Stepping over, Hunk pushed him back down  
"Nope. Today we're going to take care of everything. You just enjoy the day with the boys, especially when it looks like you had a rough night"  
"Yeah. Hunk's right. What happened to your eye?"  
"And your arms. Dude, did you and Keith go pick a fight again?"  
Keith never thought Lance would say it, yet he did, recorded clear as day by Pidge's camera  
"We had some pretty enthusiastic sex... and being pregnant, my balance isn't great"  
Pidge screamed, nearly dropping her camera as her hands flew up to cover her ears   
"Lance! Go wash your mouth out! I can never unhear that!"  
"You're the ones who asked!"  
"You could have lied!"  
"And missed seeing your reaction? I don't think so"  
"I hate you so much right now!"  
Shiro bit his lip, his arms crossed and frowned down at them. Ignoring this, Lance tried to stand again  
"Seriously buddy. Whatever you need, we can get it for you"  
"Hunk, I appreciate that and all, but I need to pee..."  
Hunk blushed brilliantly, backing away as he held his hands up as if surrendering. Staggering to his feet, Lance carefully stepped around Laneith playing the stuff version of Blue  
"You guys don't need to wait for me"  
"Who said we were going to! You'll be lucky if we even share the cake with you!"  
"Pidge, even you wouldn't deny a pregnant omega cake"  
"I would if he's going to tell me things I can never unhear"  
"Pidge. How do you think babies are made?"  
"By magic! You sneeze and it happens"  
"Oh my god... that's gold. Quiznak..."  
Rushing off to the bathroom, Lance was laughing so hard that Keith wouldn't have been surprised to find he'd wet himself. Coming over to take the spot his husband had abandoned, his mother pulled him into a fierce head lock  
"Look at you! You've survived a whole year of parenthood! But more importantly, my grandbabies survived you and Lance!"  
Ruffling the hair that Lance had carefully brushed and set, his mother finally let him go once it was completely messed up  
"Thanks mum. And thanks for ruining my hair"  
"I didn't take you to care that much about your hair"  
"Lance did it. He wanted everything to be perfect today"  
Laughing, his mother tried to smooth out his hair, though he was sure she was actually making it worse  
"I'm so proud of you. You're a wonderful father"  
"I wouldn't say that"  
"You are. Don't think I haven't noticed how you're sporting a new ring. A gift from Lance?"  
"Wait?! He has a ring? How much more pukingly disgustingly into each other can you be?!"  
"Pidge, that's too far. Let them be happy. Today's a day to be happy"  
"Thank you, Allura. Yeah. Lance gave it to me this morning"  
The ring was a simple band, that shimmered a light silver, almost white as the light hit it. He'd never been one for jewellery, and he hadn't been able to understand why Lance was so upset over losing his "wedding" ring, but now he did. His husband had chosen it just for him, as symbol of their love. Krolia looked around at the group, before lowering her voice   
"It's nice. I couldn't help but notice Lance seemed to be bruised"  
"Yeah..."  
"It wasn't sex, was it?"  
"No. I had a nightmare last night, and lashed out in my sleep. I kept trying to get to him, and he couldn't wake me up. He ended up calling Shiro over it"  
"Do you remember your nightmare?"  
"No. Apparently I was trying to get Lotor to let him go... but I slept walked as well. It's... it's a bit much to think about"  
"And Lance is ok?"  
"He's bruised, and he's got some pretty bad scratches from where I attacked him. I finally understand how he feels about things that happen whenever he has an episode. He told me I'm not to blame, but I still hurt him"  
"Lance is strong. I'm sure he'll be just fine"  
"Mum. He was bleeding. His nose was bleeding, and I split his eyebrow. Shiro had to drag me off him, or something. Lance doesn't want to talk about it"  
"Maybe he really does understand?"  
"No... it's more like he feels like he deserves the pain"  
"Why don't you go check on him? I'll watch the boys"  
"Thanks. I know he's just in the bathroom, but I also know he's hurting, even if he won't tell me"

While the others started picking at the numerous dishes on the kitchen counter, Keith made his way over to the bathroom, knocking lightly on the door before letting himself in. Lance was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, wiping at his face while he sniffled   
"Baby?"  
"Hey. I knew it'd be you"  
"You were only going to pee"  
"Sorry. I'm just really emotional right now. Everything is so amazing and perfect. It's so much more than I could ever imagined or have hoped for... but..."  
"Let me guess. You wish your family was here"  
"My mum... I wish my mum was here... I mean, Krolia is amazing and all, but I miss my mum!"  
Coming over to Lance, Keith wrapped his arms around him  
"I promise we can go back to Earth once everything settles down"  
"I... I don't know if I want to. Mum's going to freak when she sees I have no left eye"  
"So what if you're a little bumpy around the edges, you're alive and that's all she's going to care about. Until she meets our kids and we become after thoughts"  
Lance snorted  
"Probably. Do... do you think they're ok?"  
"Of course they are. Pidge's dad would have been able to explain everything, and he has schematics of the castle and different ships. They're probably building their own fleet back there"  
"Can you imagine... if Earth built their own castle... I don't think I could live there. It would be filled with all sorts of pilot's and cadets, and they'd probably try and replace us with other recruits..."  
"We know that's not how the Lion's work. We were chosen"  
"But there are better choices... people with two eyes"  
"Two eyes are over rated. Red wants you. She wants you so much she doesn't want to go into battle in case you get hurt"  
"God. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be complaining and crying. It's just... I still can't believe what they did. The house looks so cool. Space pirate and normal pirates! It's awesome!"  
"And they boys loved their presents"  
"I can't believe made them tracking devices"  
"I can. She seems to think we're hopeless"  
"Not hopeless... maybe spirited?"  
"Directionally misplaced"  
"It's not retreating, its advancing in the opposite direction"  
Lance raised his head, finally smiling again  
"See. Everything's ok"  
"Yeah. I just need to calm down. Our girl is kicking like crazy and it's starting to hurt"  
"Is there anything I can do to help?"  
"No. I just want to eat cake and watch the boys play"  
"Then cake we shall have"  
"Yeah... oh, by the way, what the hell kind of rocking horse did you buy the boys?"  
"You don't like it?"  
"Oh I like it, but it's so freaking weird"  
"Baby, I've got one word for you... actually, three. Space is weird"  
"That's true. They're going to look really cute riding it together"  
"Yeah. That's what I thought. I would have got them one each, but the seller only had one"  
"No. It's fine. They'd probably try and have a rocking competition"  
"They are our boys after all"  
"Yeah... I'm so proud of them"  
"Me too baby. We make kind of amazing babies"  
"Yeah. We do. And our little girl is going to be just as amazing"  
"Of course she is. Are you ready to head back in?"  
"Yeah. I feel a bit better now I've cried out some of my feelings"

Making their way back out and into the main living area of the house, Keith lead Lance over to the sofa they'd abandoned, before pulling him down so he ended up sitting in his lap. Wrapping his arms around his mates waist, he nuzzled at Lance's back   
"Guys, do you want food?!"  
"Yes please!"  
"On it!"  
Lance wriggled in his lap, sliding between Keith's legs and resting his own two over the Black paladin's left leg as he curled into him  
"You would be an awesome space pirate"  
"We kind of already are"  
"Mmmm... I think we're more like Robin Hood. You know. Robbing the Galra and helping the poor"  
"Does that make you Maid Marion?"  
"Keith! Did you just make a funny?"  
"I'm pretty hilarious. You just don't appreciate my humour"  
"Maybe you're not as uncultured as I think you are?"  
"No. We got the boys the animated version of Robin Hood on DVD. I read the cover"  
"So close. You were so close to being just that little bit cooler"  
"Sorry to disappoint?"  
"The only thing disappointing is that you're terrible at movie trivia... but we've got plenty of time to work on that"  
"Yep. And I expect I still won't understand half of what you say even after we've watched the films"  
"But you'll still listen to me prattle on about them and I love you for it"  
Walking over to them, Hunk placed a plate piled with food onto Lance's stomach. It sat there for barely a tick before starting to slide  
"Sorry bud. I'm too curvy to balance right now. Give it a couple more movements and it should be alright"  
"I'll hold you to that"  
Settling himself down on the floor, Hunk speared what seemed to be a mini-quiche onto his fork  
"So what do you think?"  
"Of the food or the decorations? Because honestly, I can't believe either of them. This place looks amazing"  
"We couldn't decide if we wanted to be normal pirates, because you love the beach, or if we wanted to be space pirates because we're in space"  
"Both. Both is good. It's more than u was expecting. Crap. I'm tearing up again"

With Hunk sitting on the floor, Toral took it as an invitation, moving to sit right up against the alpha. She'd been busy talking to the Olkari about the readings from the tech she'd come through with, and her presence had definitely been missed   
"Lance! I feel like we haven't got to hang out in ages. All I'm doing these days is talking about tech and I'm so bored"  
"Yeah. It's been a while... how do you like the Olkari?"  
"I like them better now that I'm not in a cell... but they're all so old. Like, we're are the cute boys?"  
"Sorry Toral, the only cute boy around here is Lance, and he's taken"  
"I know right! And he's pregnant! How's your baby going? Can you feel it move? Is birth scary?"  
"She's good. We're having another scan next movement, for my 25th movement. She's really active, and she's always kicking"  
"So she's a she?"  
"Yeah. That's what it feels like, and I think she's going to be another alpha. Which is good. It means she'll be able to keep up with her big brothers"  
"Wow! Do you know what you're going to name her?"  
"Not yet. She's mostly just called our princess, or little one. But I'm not freaking out. I'm sure we'll know what to name her once we meet her"  
"Wow... this is so cool. You're like the only pregnant person I've ever met"  
A flustered Lance was adorable, and Toral had turned Lance's cheeks red. Starting to eat, Toral didn't seem to get that Lance didn't know what to say  
"I can't believe how big the boys are. Or how long I've been here. I mean. It totally feels like I was meeting you for the first time yesterday, and now you're growing a whole new person in side of you and the boys are walking and talking. And trying to eat their lions again..."  
"Babies live to put things in their mouthes. They're going to be trying cake for the first time today, and it's going to be a total mess"  
"They've never had cake?"  
"Not yet. We're working to more solid foods, but they're happy and they're healthy"  
"That is so weird"  
"Just think, there was a time before you ever tried cake"  
Toral's eye widened as if she'd never thought of that bed, her eyebrow now visible over the top of her pirate patch   
"Wow..."  
Finally joining them, Pidge glared at Toral, before sitting herself down in Hunk's lap, clearly claiming Hunk as hers   
"What are we talking about?"  
"How there's a time in your life before you eat cake"  
"Of course you are. Are the boys having cake?"  
"Yep. It's going to be a mess"  
"And that sugar high. I'm glad I don't have to deal with the clean up"  
"Awww, does Aunty Pidge fear a bit of vomit and smeared cake?"  
"They're fine as long as they're clean"  
"Don't make it sound like we don't bath them"  
"I didn't say that. Oh, before I forget, Matt sends his apologies. He and the rebels are busy at the moment"  
"It's fine. I'm just happy you guys are here"  
"Dude, there's free cake. Where else am I going to be?"  
Pulling the green lion from Kelance's hold, Kelance's started to cry as his brother cuddled into the toy. With an impending tantrum brewing, Krolia sprang into action. Before Keith could even tell Lance to move, his mother had the boy in her hold, tickling his belly and quieting his cries  
"Whoa! Go Krolia!"  
"Thanks Pidge. We don't need tears today"  
"Nope. Today is a work and tear free day!"  
"Lance, you hear that. No more tears"  
"Shut up, Pidge. I'm pregnant. Tears, and peeing and vomiting is all I really have going for me right now"  
Leaning up to tug Lance's earlobe, Keith gave his mate a gentle reminder that that wasn't all he had going for him. Half yelping and half moaning, his mate promptly choked on what seemed to a carrot? stick  
"Dude. You're supposed to chew before you swallow"  
Nodding, Lance coughed, before wincing  
"Take the plate. I need to use the bathroom again"

Picking his way back across the room, and back to the bathroom, Lance vanished behind the door again, while Keith picked at the plate of food with little interest  
"Keith, he's just gone to the bathroom. You don't need to glare at the food over it"  
"Leave him alone Pidge, he's just worried about Lance. Lance looks like he didn't sleep very well"  
Toral stared at him until Keith nodded  
"Yeah. Something like that. He's ok, it's just hard letting him out of my sight"  
"Toral, don't worry about Lance. He and Keith were totally bon-... ow! Hunk, you didn't have to hit me"  
"Then stop picking on Lance and Keith. It's getting tiring"  
"I'm not picking on them"  
"You are. You're taking things too far again"  
Whoa... Hunk scolding Pidge?! Since when was that an actual thing?  
"I'm just joking"  
"It's ok Pidge, but it was kind of a rough night, so maybe don't joke about it with him..."  
"You mean you two didn't spend all night between the sheets?"  
"Not quite..."  
"Keeeeeith!"

Lance's voice was kind of light as it came from the bathroom. Passing his plate of Hunk, Keith climbed off the sofa, heading to the bathroom. Lance was sitting in front of the toilet, throwing his guts up, and looking incredibly guilty over it as he did  
"Oh baby..."  
"Sorry. I think I'm going to be here for a while. Can you ask them to..."  
Lance heaved, retching as he vomited   
"You want me to save you cake? We aren't doing cake without you. It's the main thing at birthday parties"  
"Thank you. I'm so over this"  
"Can I get you anything? Water? Juice?"  
"No. Go back to the party. I'll be ok"  
Lance didn't look ok. He looked worn out. Walking over to his mate, he sank down behind him, rubbing his back as Lance vomited again  
"If you're stuck in here, you're not going to be stuck in here alone. The boys have already ditched us to play with everything, and everyone's watching them. This day is about you just as much as it is about them. You're the best mum they could have, and you've come so far baby. I'm so proud"  
"I've gone from the toilet, back to the toilet"  
"Maybe..."  
"Keith, I'm ok. Really. It's just morning sickness. I know you're worried, but I'm ok"  
"If you know I'm worried, you should know I'm not going anywhere"

With the pair of them taking so long in the bathroom, Allura was sent to find them. Joining them on the floor, the woman wrapped her arms around Lance, kissing his temple as she sighed   
"I thought all this was over"  
"So did I..."  
"You two are silly. Vomiting happens"  
"You've been in here for over a varga. Pidge was joking that you both must have fallen asleep"  
"Sorry Allura. If it counts, I don't think I actually have anything left in my stomach to throw up"  
"Can I get you anything?"  
"No. I'm ok. I've got Keith for that, besides, I was thinking of maybe moving to lounge area. I miss my boys"  
"You should see them. They're playing with Coran right now, he's trying to teach them everyone's names using the wooden people he made, but they just want to play"  
"I hope Pidge is filming this"  
"Yes she is. I think she's happy the boys aren't biting Green anymore"  
"Mmm, probably. Ok, Keith? Can you help me up"  
"Let me, Keith, why don't you get him some water to sip on?"  
"Baby?"  
"It's ok. I'll be ok"  
Evicted from the bathroom as Allura and Lance began whispering to each other, Keith didn't quite make it to the kitchen. Coran and the twins were just too cute. Coran was getting worked up over the boys calling all of the characters "Ma" or "Da", and not using their real names. In the background Pidge was cackling like the gremlin she is, while Hunk had his hand pressed up against his face, trying to hide his laughter.

"Hey Keith, have you got a moment?"  
He had a moment for anyone other Shiro, but didn't really have an excuse not to talk to Shiro without making it too obvious   
"I need to get Lance some water"  
Standing on the opposite side of the kitchen counter, Shiro poured a glass of water for Lance, before sliding it across the counter top to him  
"I just wanted to ask how you were after last night?"  
"Me or Lance?"  
"You. Both of you? He was pretty shaken up"  
"He's alright. He's tough"  
"But being assaulted by you..."  
"Look Shiro, I appreciate you're worried about Lance. But we talked. It's not like I could blame him for the things he said and did during his episodes, and he feels the same way over last night. It's a shit feeling, but we're both ok"  
"If you need someone to talk to, especially if the nightmare are becoming a problem..."  
"I have Lance. I worked hard to get him talking to me about his nightmares and fears, so I wouldn't be much of an alpha if I didn't show him the same respect"  
"Just remember. He is an omega..."  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Omegas aren't as mentally or physically strong as alphas. It's not their fault, but it is proven..."  
"Lance is fucking strong. He is stronger than all of us put together. So don't you dare try make this into something it isn't"  
Grabbing the glass of water, the alpha stalked over to the sofa, sinking down in a huff. Fucking Shiro.

After Coran gave up trying to teach the boys everyone's names, the man settled himself down to play, some of the sparkle in his eyes seemed to die each time time the boys would yell "Ma" or "Da". Watching them, Lance was relaxed in his hold, nearly asleep as watched them with a content smile. Catching his eye, Hunk nodded. Lance wasn't going to be able to stay awake for much longer, which meant it was time to tear the three children away from the castle, so the younger two could blow their candle out. Patting Lance's hip, his husband purred, stopping Pidge and Hunk, and probably Shiro if Keith could see him. It was such a loud rumbling purr, filled with a happiness that made his alpha glow with love for their mate, and he definitely wasn't the only one feeling it. The whole room filled with the smell of protective alphas, yet instead of setting each other off, their hues all melted together, leaving them all feeling good. Blinking at them confused, Lance finally settled his on him  
"What's going on?"  
"Nothing baby. It's cake time"

Hunk had made a two tiered cake for the boys birthday. It was iced in different shades of ocean blue, progressing up to black with white speckles. Sea creatures decorated the bottom tier, with space ships and planets across the top one. Happy First Birthday was nearly written cursively in white, with two small purple lions facing each other along the bottom curve. Beside the boys birthday cake, was a smaller one layer cake, iced in pink and white flowers, which seemed incredibly dainty given Hunk's massive stature, printed with "Voltron's Little Princess", a hot pink lion face drawn underneath. The moment Lance saw them, he was crying all over again. Sobbing his way through "Happy Birthday", before Keith had to blow the candle out for the boys. Cutting two small pieces for them, he and Lance settled down on the floor, breaking the pieces into manageable bits before chaos ensued. Screaming and yelling, the twins pretty much smashed the cake into everything the could, laughing and giggling at the faces Lance was pulling, before finally Kelance's stuck his cake covered fingers in his mouth. The boys eyes went wide, rocking back and forth, he was totally loving the subtle chocolate taste. Laneith wasn't quite too sure about it all, until Keith pressed a small bit of his own cake against the boy's lips. After that, Laneith was sucking at his fingers while trying to conquer this whole feeding himself thing in an attempt to get as much cake into his mouth as possible. It was equal parts gross, hilarious and adorable all at once. Leaning against his side, Lance nuzzled into his arm, his hand finding Keith's. It barely took a few ticks after that before Lance was asleep against him. 

Letting Lance sleep, the boys were having the time of their lives. Covered in cake and drool, they started smearing cake across each other, before Krolia stepped in and scooped the pair of them up, nomming at their stomachs, right up until Laneith threw up over her face. Scrunching her face up in disgust, Krolia didn't appreciate her "gift" at all, nor their laughter. Shooting them all a glare that would cause even the most hardened Galra to shake in this boots, Allura braved his mother, offering to help clean them up while Keith put Lance to bed. With the help of Hunk, Keith moved Lance to their bed, Hunk immediately taking Lance's shoes off for him, then fetching a damp towel to clean the cake off the sleeping omega. With a smile that almost bordered a smirk, Lance's expression summed up how felt about the boys party. He couldn't have asked for a better day, or a better group of people to celebrate with.

When the party wound down, Keith was banned from helping clean up. His job was to watch as everyone went around cleaning their house, Hunk boxing up left over food, Pidge turning off the tech streamers, Shiro and Toral moving the boys presents into their room, while the boys napped with Lance. There was the usual friendly banter, everyone relaxed from the much needed party, and it was truly a happy family vibe. Once the clean up was done, everyone said their goodbyes so that Lance and Keith could spend the rest of the night with their boys, and Pidge promised to make him a copy of the film from the party, while Hunk looked a little sad and lost as he towed from the house by Pidge. If Keith was honest, he was relieved everyone had finally left. He loved everyone in his own way, but now he could spend some quality time with Lance and the boys. Just the four of them together, which lead to his next idea. Clearing everything out of the lounge room area, Keith gathered up the blankets from the boys beds, and the cushions laying around the house, carrying them into their room and building a nest around his family. When Lance woke up, they could cuddle with their boys and watch movies, and Lance could actually eat something more than a few bites of carrot sticks.

 

*  
It was late when Lance woke, Keith smiling down at him from where he'd moved Lance head into his lap. The boys had already woken, and were watching some cartoon thing on the dataslate, while laying on the further side of the bed. Stroking his mates hair, Lance yawned, sleepily nuzzling up against his hair  
"How long was I out?"  
"About 5 vargas"  
"5! Holy quiznak... does that mean everyone else has already left?"  
"Yeah baby. It's just us and the boys now"  
"Mmm... as much as I love everyone, I'm glad we get to spend some time together with them"  
"I know what you mean. I feel the same. Are you hungry?"  
"A little... but this is nice"  
"Yeah. Today was a good day. The boys really enjoyed themselves"  
"And you?"  
"Yeah. You missed it, but Laneith threw up all over mums face"  
"Oh god. Was she mad?"  
"You should have seen her glare. Don't worry, her and Allura cleaned them. I think they love cake"  
"Of course they do. They take after me"  
"That they do. Anyway, I got you a couple of things, I picked them up at the market where I got the rocking horse"  
"That isn't a horse"  
"Close enough. Now, do you want your gift or not?"  
"I'm always open to gifts"  
Closing his eye, Lance held out his hand  
"Really?"  
"Yep. Unlike you, I'm good at this surprise thing"  
"I don't know if I should give you your presents if you're going to be like that"  
"Awww. I thought you loved me"  
"I do love you. Now hold still"  
Reaching over, Keith was glad he'd moved Lance's gifts to their bedside draw. They'd never actually used it for anything other than condoms and lube, which they'd been neglecting to use both items anyway, so the drawers were the best place really. They were kind of silly gifts, but Lance loved silly gifts  
"Keith, I'm waiting"  
"I know you are, now open your eyes"  
Placing down the flat rectangular box, Lance lifted it to examine it  
"You got me a box?"  
"I got you what's inside the box"  
"This box is pretty snazzy"  
"If you're going to be like that..."  
Tugging on the edge of the box, Lance tugged harder, hitting himself in the face with his hand as he did  
"God. You're hopeless"  
"I'm half blind. Depth perception and that"  
"So what was your excuse before?"  
"Everytime I looked at you, I was trying not to fall in love with you"  
Keith swallowed hard. What was he supposed to say to that?  
"Now let's see what you got me"  
Inside the box were two goldish chain link bracelets, with blue-green gems inlaid in every third of their thick links. There was also a silver necklace with a blue-green pendant, the three items of jewellery brought because of their resemblance to the ocean. Then there were a couple of glass slivers, that held on the right angle shone a rainbow. Like a light prism from a science class. Squeeling, Lance threw his arms around him  
"These are beautiful! How did you find them?! Keith! You're the best alpha ever"  
"I do have something else for you, but I kind of stole it"  
"You stole something for me?! Keith! Who knew you had it in you? What is it? No. Let me guess. You got me a pony!"  
"Not quite. Remember how I said that we had really big beds and a really big bathroom connected, well that really big bathroom was really well stocked. And, after being stuck there and having to listen to that moron go on and on and on, I thought I deserved some kind of payment. I had to limit it to what I could fit in my uniform, but there's all sorts of fancy bath stuff. It's in the bathroom cabinet"  
"I have the best husband in the universe! In any universe! Can we take a bath? Did you get face stuff? Please tell me you'll let me put another face mask on you!"  
"Slow down. We'll take a bath after the boys have dinner and go to bed"  
"Mmm. I think I'm going to have show you how appreciative I am"  
"Oooh. Is that so?"  
"Definitely. Or I can show you now. The boys are distracted, and I'm already slick"  
Keith caught Lance's hand as it moved to his groin  
"Not in here"  
"I'm not some kind of weirdo who's gonna have sex while kids are in the room"  
"Then you can wait a little longer"  
Lance huffed, pouting his perfect lips  
"Can you put my necklace on for me? And do you know what happened to my cross? I want to wear that one too"  
"Maybe in the bathroom? Or it's on the castle"  
"That's too faaaaar. Just put that one me"  
"Do I get the magic word?"  
"Please?"  
"Good boy. Sit up so I can see what I'm doing?"  
Sliding into his lap, Lance closed his eye, waiting patiently... for Keith to kiss him. He couldn't help it. Lance was just too cute. Wrinkling his face, Lance sighed at him  
"Keeeeith. You can't tell me I have to wait, and then do that to me"  
"I know... but you're too cute for your own good"  
"Just hurry up already. I want to see how it looks"  
"You're so needy"  
"Shut up. Why are you being so mean?"  
"Because I can be"  
"Fine. Give it here. I'll do it myself"  
"I said I'd do it"  
"You're taking forever"  
"And if you keep complaining, it's going to take even longer"

The moment the clip was done up, Lance was scrambling off of him, rushing to the bathroom while Keith was left to deal with the unimpressed twins. Both crying and confused as Lance threw their blanket over them, not even thinking about the fact the boys were right there. Rushing back just as fast as he'd taken off, Lance climbed onto the bed, tackling the three of them down  
"I love it! I love you! I love our babies! I'm so happy!"  
"That's good, but I think you're scaring the boys"  
"I'm sorry my babies! Your daddy has no idea how much he makes me. I love you my babies! I love you Lan and I love you Kel and I love my princess and I love my alpha"  
"I'm glad I got included"  
"How could I forget you?! You're the whole reason we have these amazing little people. Quiznak. I wish I could have seen Laneith vomit on mum"  
"Pidge says she's going to give us a copy of the video"  
"Aw yes! Hey... what are we going to do now I'm awake? We could watch movies or go for a walk? Go watch the stars?"  
"I grabbed the boys blankets thinking we could maybe watch a movie in bed together"  
"Mmm... best husband ever"  
"I try"  
"And you're amazing at it"

One movie, a bed full of crumbs and two sleeping boys later, Keith was finally shown just how appreciated he was... and it was definitely worth the wait.


	108. Chapter 108

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Screaming

It'd been a movement since the twins birthday party, and Lance was exhausted. His pheromones were out of control, to the point the others would move away from him. His slicking was on a whole other level, leaving him pretty much gushing slick non-stop, which made it hard to leave the house. He was pretty miserable over it all, but having woken up with a very tender back, he knew better than anyone that he had to keep moving to stretch the muscles or things would only get worse. That's why he was now walking into the control room. Toral watching the boys, as his scent didn't seem to affect her to the same degree it had begun to affect Coran and Allura, despite their lack of secondary dynamics. Feeling fat and frumpy, he honestly felt like the next 10 movements couldn't come fast enough. Though he was sure it was going to be a lot less than that. Their pup was big and healthy, to carry her to full term would mean a dangerous birth, so they'd briefly talked about his options, before settling on "if he hadn't gone into labour by his 35th movement, he was going to have a caesarean", which was scary, but not as scary as tearing as badly as he had with the boys. Rubbing his stomach, he watched his friends turn to him   
"Lance, what are you doing up here? I thought you were resting?"  
"Just stretching my muscles. What's going on?"  
"We're making plans for taking down Lotor..."  
"Oooh. Anything I should know?"  
Krolia looked to Keith, Keith not looking too happy   
"Yeah... why don't we take a walk?"  
Great. He wasn't going to love this. He wasn't going to love this at all"

With Keith holding his hand, his husband lead his from the castle and out onto the terrace. Walking a short distance, Keith stopped near a bit of raised platform, perfect for sitting, which they did  
"Keith, just tell me what's going on"  
"Don't freak out"  
"You're making me freak out"  
"Sorry. You know I wouldn't leave you if I didn't have to"  
"You're going off on another mission, aren't you?"  
"I'm sorry. If I didn't have to go, I wouldn't... but it's for the Blade's, in preparation for after Lotor's gone... I don't want to go, and mums coming with me, but we don't know how long it's going to take"  
Lance could feel his bottom lip trembling. Sniffling as he nodded quickly, he knew Keith had to go. With Lotor gone, things would get ugly super quickly... but both he and his omega... they needed their alpha, the baby would be here soon, he needed Keith. He needed his mate to feel safe... and stuff... his body definitely wasn't up for abstinence right now  
"Baby..."  
"I get it... I know it's your job... I know"  
"I know you don't want me to go"  
"I'm scared! Keith, you have to be there. I can't give birth alone. I can't..."  
He was panicking. He was panicking so badly. He couldn't even breathe   
"I'll be back. I'll be back before you go into labour. I'll be back. I'll be here, and you won't be alone"  
"I know! I know that!"  
Trying to suck in a breath, he shook his head, he couldn't get his lungs to work  
"Baby, breathe. You need to breathe. Mums going to be with me. You're not going to be alone. Toral will stay down there with you, and Hunk and Pidge... and Allura and Coran and Shiro. I don't want to go. I don't. Nothing is going to happen"  
Realising he wasn't actually calming him, Keith switched to trying to bringing breathing his back under control as tears streamed down his face. Their princess was going absolutely crazy, his stomach hurting from his panic  
"Baby, breathe. Breathe for me. I'm not leaving until later, which means you have me for a few more vargas"  
Keith was leaving today?! Today, today! Today! He couldn't! He couldn't do this! He needed Keith! He needed him! The boys needed their dad. Their daughter needed their dad. Keith was the only one who really helped keep him centred, and the only one their daughter calmed down for  
"I'm making this worse... Lance, are you ok?"  
No he was soooo not ok! Breathing was important. Breathing was one of those things he actually really needed... and he couldn't even get his words to work  
"I... need... you..."  
"You're going to be ok. It's alright. I'm going to be fine, we'll get this done and I'll be fine. Nothing is going to go wrong"  
Cupping his face and rubbing his cheeks, Keith wasn't getting that he couldn't actually get a breath down... right up to the moment his eye rolled back and he slumped forward onto a somewhat surprised and confused Keith.

Lance was only out for a few doboshes, but enough for Keith to be looking extremely scared, as he carried him through the castle halls, presumably towards the medical room. Groaning at the pain in his back, his chest and stomach, Keith stumbled to a stop  
"Lance! You scared me"  
"Sorry... I couldn't catch my breath"  
"I'm still taking you the medical room"  
"It's fine. I'm fine. You can put me down"  
"You're still shaking, and you're still really pale"  
"Keith, just put me down"  
"Not until we reach the medical room"  
"Put me down!"  
Keith raised an eyebrow, but wouldn't let him down. Didn't he get the fact he was hurting over the fact Keith had to go, but needed to calm down on his own terms... and now he was just getting more emotional  
"Baby, you need to sit"  
"I need to walk"  
"Lance"  
"Quiznak Keith! Listen to me! This fucking hurts and you're fucking leaving. So put me the fuck down! I need to fucking calm down, and I can't, when you won't even let me walk!"  
"Stop yelling at me! You just collapsed!"  
"I couldn't fucking breathe! And you kept fucking talking!"  
Lowering him down, Lance glared at Keith, his hands gripping his stomach as he slowly hunched over. Fuck. Everything hurt  
"See, you're not ok... baby, please"  
"Don't "baby please", me. You're leaving me. And I know it's your job. I know ok! But I'm not ok. I'm freaking out! My back hurts. My stomach hurts. I can't fucking breathe and you're leaving! I need to calm down, but I can't do that when you're hovering. I don't want you to go. My omega doesn't want you to go. Ok... I don't want you to go"  
Letting Keith catch him as he sank down, his husband wrapped his arms around him  
"I don't want to go either. I don't. But this is for our future"  
"I know... I know... I'm just so scared that you're not going to be here when the time comes"  
"Baby, I'm going to be there. I'm going to be with you when our little girl comes into the world. I know it's scary. I know you're hurting, but I'm going to be back in time. Even if I have to leave mid mission, I will be there"  
"You're... you're going to be that long"  
"No, baby. I'm just saying... I love you, and I love her. I wouldn't miss this for anything"  
"You were supposed to be there last time. Keith, it hurt so much. As my due date is getting closer, I'm getting scared"  
"You're going to be ok. I'm going to hold your hand and I'm going to help you"  
Sniffling, Lance nodded, his omega was still in full panic mode and his emotions couldn't take anything else. All he'd wanted was to go for a walk and hope it helped him feel better... not this. How long had Keith known he'd be leaving? And had the others been hiding it from him? Did they think he was weak? And that he still needed to be protected?  
"So, how about we get you off the floor?"  
"I'm stuck. My back is really sore"  
"Is that your way of telling me we over did it last night?"  
"It's my way of telling you I feel fat. I feel like a beached whale, and I can't even see my feet anymore"  
"Your feet are still connected, and you're not fat. You're beautiful and you're pregnant"  
"You didn't say I wasn't a whale"  
"If you're a whale, than I'd have to be a whale too"  
"So we're both beached?"  
"You're not beached. Can you stand?"  
"It hurt when you carried me. My back's all knotted up"  
"Then you should be at home taking a bath"  
"I don't want to. I'm scared of slipping. The pregnancy has gone so well and I don't want to jinx things"  
"I don't think throwing your guts up counts as going well"  
"You know what I mean. I haven't slipped or fallen on my stomach. I haven't hit it hard. I haven't been out fighting and getting shot. No early labour or contractions, other than fake ones. And you know... I just want to keep it that way"  
No. He'd just been tortured, before coming to the party late over the fact he was in fact pregnant... but this pregnancy had been going so much smoother than the first. Keith hadn't even noticed he wouldn't take a bath if he wasn't around. He just wanted his time to come without any hitches, and he was embarrassed about the fact that he was going to have to ask for help with bathing the boys, or maybe even taking a shower. He wasn't comfortable with everyone seeing his scars, or seeing him without his fake eye in...  
"Everything is going to be ok. I'm going to lift you now, lean your weight on me"  
"You might not ever get off the castle if I do that"  
"I'm an alpha. Super strong remember"  
Looping an arm around Lance's stomach, Lance moaned in pain as Keith helped him stand  
"I'll make you a deal. If you let me take you to the medical room, I'll give you a back massage"  
"That sounds soooo good"  
"And I might even do a little more that"  
Quiznak his quiznakking hormones. All it took was a flirty joke, or that slight smirk on Keith's lips for his penis to throb with interest  
"Massage first"  
"I'm a gentleman. Of course I'll give you a massage before getting into your pants"  
"It's because you got into my pants, or got me out of my pants that we're in this situation"  
"I definitely got you out of them"  
"You'll probably have to get me out of them again. My arse is soaked"  
Keith growled, Lance's jab doing exactly as he'd wanted. His husband was now just as frustrated as he was, and he was going to have to wait too.

Laying on the examination bed with a pillow supporting his stomach, Lance was well aware of how loudly he was moaning. Keith gave amazing massages, and he was practically melting into his touch, while fighting the urge to touch himself. Behind him, the alphas breathing has grown ragged, Keith's hot breath across his back sending shivers down is spine. Conflicted between telling Keith to stop and yelling at him to fuck him already, Lance didn't even notice the fact he was rocking his hips in an attempt to get some kind of friction against his weeping erection  
"Fuck, Lance... your smells so thick baby"  
"Can't help it... Keith, you feel so good"  
"If you're already feeling this good, imagine how good you're going to feel when I start eating you out"  
"No... I... fuck, I need to cum"  
"You want me to eat you out, don't you? Have you riding my face as I fuck you with my tongue"  
"Yeees..."  
Groaning, Lance rolled onto his back, Keith's hands moving to pull down his sweats enough to free his erection  
"Oh god baby, you're so soaked"  
"Alpha... it hurts..."  
Thrusting his hands into his hair, he tried to ignore the fact that the position really wasn't working for him, but it didn't matter anyway. All rational thought flew out his mind as Keith's lips sank down around his erection, his husband's mouth so warm and wet. All it took was for keith to slide up and back down again once for his orgasm to hit, filling Keith's mouth as he drank down his seed. With his whole body blissfully warm, and shaking, Keith tugged his pants down far enough for Lance to bend his knees, spreading his legs enough for Keith to have full access. Pulling off his erection, Keith made a show of catching the cum dribbling from his mouth with his finger, before sucking the digit clean  
"You ok?"  
"Mmm..."  
"Baby?"  
"I came so fucking hard..."  
"And I haven't even knotted you yet"  
"I don't know if you can on this angle"  
"Don't underestimate me"  
"I never do"

Pulled to edge of the examination bed, the pillow that had supported his stomach was now under his hips. Keith holding his legs apart as his mate thoroughly drilled him. The pleasure was intoxicating, Keith just as gone as he was, unable to say or voice anything other possessive growls. With his stomach exposed, and bouncing with each thrust, Keith's eyes never left the swell. They were both so close, so close that he could feel Keith's knot forming, the stretch burning so perfectly, that all he could think about was having that knot driven in as far as Keith could get it. Spreading his legs wider, Keith's thrusts grew sloppier, before stuttering as his knot popped, and Lance screamed, his own semen splattered across his stomach in small pulses as a second dry orgasm hit on the waves of the first. Gasping for breath, he whimpered as he lost control, unable to stop himself from peeing as Keith released his right leg, unthinkingly pressing down on his stomach to support himself through his orgasm. Both of them lost to the moment, they didn't hear the door opening, or hear Shiro retreating from the room, all he'd come to do was tell Keith that it was nearly time to leave, having followed Lance's pained scent to the medical room like a sniffer dog. Slowly regaining his breath, Lance tried to turn away from Keith, mortified he'd wet himself, but all that did was cause Keith's knot to tug and him to whimper in response  
"Lance, you need to stay still baby"  
"I.. I'm so sorry"  
"No. It was my fault. I didn't think"  
"It's... it's dirty"  
"I don't mind"  
"How can you not?! Don't tell me this is one of your kinks"  
"No, but you're my number one kink, and you look so perfect with knot filling you up. Especially when you're already so full"  
Rocking forward, Lance hissed, pulling his own hair out without even intending too  
"I couldn't stop myself. Stop looking at me!"  
Post orgasm bliss was not supposed to end with him sobbing again, nor was the pain in stomach supposed to come rushing back. He wanted Keith's knot out of him, and to curl up on the shower floor, which would hopefully let him disappear down the drain hole like it did with the water  
"Hey. No..."  
"Keith... it hurts"  
"Your back? Is it the position? Let me lower your leg down"  
"Everything hurts..."  
"I don't know how long my knots going to stay flared"  
"I want it out... it hurts"  
"Baby, hey. It's ok. You're ok. It's just me and you. You need to keep breathing for me"  
Groaning, he tried to curl around his stomach, hurting his back as he did while yelping in pain. He probably would have laughed if everything didn't hurt. Here he was. Stuck on Keith's knot, very pregnant and covered in his own fluids, while he and Keith were both verging on panicking over the fact they were very much stuck together. They might as well write his tombstone right now. "Here lies Lance. Beached on Keith's knot"  
"I don't think my knots going too last. My alpha's telling my body that I need to knot you again, and it can't do that while it's still flared"  
"Ok... fuck... this was a terrible idea"  
"Probably. Did you at least enjoy it before it started hurting"  
"I came twice from your knot, and came down your throat. I enjoyed it..."  
"That's the main thing. If you weren't so pregnant, I could lift you up"  
"Don't! No. I don't want to be carried"  
"Baby?"  
"Sorry... just... no"  
"It's ok. I'm not going to carry you like this"  
"We're going to need to clean the medical room"  
"It's fine"  
"Did you miss me wetting myself?!"  
"No, but most of it went down my shirt and pants. You're fine"  
That didn't make him feel better at all... instead, that drain hole was looking more and more appealing  
"God. I just... I wish we could restart today. I should have just stayed in bed"  
"Then we could have ended up doing this in bed"  
"Keith! You're not helping"  
"Do you want me to pee? Will that help?!"  
"No! Just stop talking about it!"  
"Oh... hold on... I think my knots deflating"  
"Oh thank Quiznak. Can you pull out?"  
"It's going to hurt"  
"Right now, it hurts. I don't think I'm even going to feel it"  
"Give me tick..."  
Lance moaned as Keith pulled his knot free, barely noticing the pain over the throb of everything else. Stuffing himself back in his pants, Keith straightened his clothes, before finally helping him sit up. If he sat all the way up, his back didn't twinge, but fuck. He wasn't having sex like that again. At least not while he was pregnant  
"Are you sure you don't want me to carry you?"  
"You... you can now. Just, no piggyback's or reverse piggyback's. Those are too scary"  
"This might hurt"  
"I don't care. I need to be clean"

Carried to the first available room, the shower was everything Lance knew it would be. Keith kept him propped up while helping him clean up, before letting him sit on the shower floor while he took his own shower. His mate was considerate enough to even rinse their dirty clothes, so no one would know he'd wet himself. Once Keith was done washing, he left Lance there so he could fetch clothes for them both. There was no way Lance was leaving the room without being fully clothed, and once Keith left for his mission, he was just going to crawl into their bed and attempt to become one with it.

 

*  
Lance did just that. Keith had helped him back down to the house, even though each step felt like hell, and other than having to get up to use the bathroom, he gave becoming one with the bed his very best shot. For the first quintant. After that, he stubbornly insisted on shuffling around the house, but that was usually to the bathroom or to the sofa. He wasn't allowed to even think about training or doing something useful, and had nearly ended up screaming in frustration. It took a couple of quintants, but Toral caved. She was more than happy to sit on the bed with him and the boys as he read them books or they watched a movie together. Nothing managed to take his mind off Keith, but it was nicer than being alone... even if Keith had been gone exactly 6 quintants, 19 vargas, 36 doboshes, and 17 ticks... not that he was counting or anything, and wasn't able to call in case it jeopardised the mission. Fuck he missed him.

Another two quintants had ticked over, and Lance was mentally swearing so foully that if his mother could hear him, he'd be disowned. The boys were sleeping, while Toral was asleep in the spare room... and Lance... he was lonely as hell, and definitely paying for it. His stomach hurt like hell. Their daughter was kicking up a storm, while he was curled around Keith's pillow with his eyes scrunched closed. He hadn't been sleeping great without Keith by his side, and when he did manage to fall asleep, his dreams were all nightmares, filled with every bad thing that could go wrong with the birth of their girl. He woke up feeling more drained than when he fell asleep, and because of his smell, he could only talk to everyone else through video calls. Hunk had tried to visit, but within a matter of moments, he'd had to rush off with a very red face. It hurt to know his dynamic was messing with his friends, and friendships, but it wasn't something he could control. He just... he need someone. Someone other than Toral. Toral didn't have an alpha dynamic, so she couldn't soothe his omega like one the others could, leaving his omega to make him feel incredibly vulnerable, and just a little bit paranoid. Late at night it would whisper that Keith could be up at the castle for all he knew, and other equally traumatising things, but when the morning came and he got to hold his boys, life felt "good" again. Whimpering again, he flinched as the door to the bedroom opened. It wasn't uncommon. Sometimes Toral didn't close it all the way, so he could hear the boys when they woke in the morning, but when you're scared and alone, it was scary as hell. The first time it happened, he'd nearly screamed in fear. He was in a misery of his own making.

When the next movement came, Lance found himself completely crippled by his pregnancy... again, though not with nausea. His stomach and back were constantly sore, and having the twins sleeping with him didn't help that, but he couldn't bare sleeping alone anymore. He'd lay in bed, watching them sleep while whispering how much he loved him. Eventually he'd drift off, and the morning would come to great him with two very energetic boys, climbing over his stomach for morning kisses and cuddles. He was so completely in love with them, but felt like a bad mum because it wasn't enough. He needed Keith. He was in pain and his husband wasn't there. Even with all his best acting efforts, Toral knew he was in pain. She'd tried her best to make things easier for him, making sure clothes and toys were out the way, and that the bathroom floor was always puddle free, but she was also annoying as hell. Not getting that sometimes he just needed quiet during the day. The day she'd clicked that he was physically hurting, was the day her nagging tripled to at least a zillion and one nags a varga. She wanted to bring Coran down to look at him, or have Shiro bring him up to the castle, both options were equally unappealing, and in his opinion, unnecessary. Back pain and weird cramps and stuff came with pregnancy. That was until he had a small bleed. After that. All bets were off.

It wasn't even a major bleed. Just a little bit of blood on his sheets when he'd gotten up to take a shower, why Toral even looked at his sheets was mystery. Still, the moment she saw, he was literally pushed back into bed, before the girl took off running as she yelled about getting him help, leaving Lance regretting that he'd ever met her, and the boys unsupervised. In less than half a dobosh, she returned with everyone. Pidge. Hunk. Shiro. Coran and Allura. None of which had any right or business knowing that he'd had a bleed, or that he wasn't as chipper as he'd tried to make out. They all knew he had depression, and separation anxiety over being parted with Keith, but he'd been really trying hard. With them all staring down at him, he had explain that he'd been in pain, but he was sure it was normal as the pup was super active, and it was his first bleed and there wasn't that much blood and he didn't need to be examined and he was ok and that they didn't need to worry and then he'd be stuck repeating the whole thing because of his friends would ask if he was "really ok" and they'd all give them that concerned look, leading to the exact same questions being asked again. While in the background, the whole time Hunk was blaming himself... despite the fact there was no way his best friend could have known. Taking it upon himself, Shiro evicted Pidge, Toral and Allura, asking Coran to examine him... God. If he could have died, it would have been a mercy. Coran was his gorgeous tactful self, rambling on as he helped him off the bed, while Hunk insisted on changing the sheets, and Shiro... well, Shiro stood at the window watching the world, without doing anything else at all, honestly Lance didn't even know why he had to be in the room, but grit his teeth as he was forced to let Coran examine him. He didn't like to mention that there was more blood on the bed than when Toral had left to get help, because he wasn't sure it was all blood. He was an omega, overwhelmed with the scent of three prime alpha's and his body had needs. Not that he wanted to "sleep" with his friends, his stupid dynamic just decided on its own that he needed to slick even harder because they were here, and Keith wasn't. When his bed was remade, Coran finally let him go... on the strict condition that he remained in bed, just in case something was actually wrong. It wasn't the same, having permission to stay in bed. He was already long over enjoying it, he was itching to shoot something. Or even to blow something up. Anything. He was just so bored with bed, and knew the others had gone on small missions in his absence. Toral had accidentally let it slip, though she wouldn't tell him what they were up to, unfortunately realising her mistake the moment it slipped out her mouth. With any self respect he had left for himself, Lance climbed back into bed. Showering alone was now a no-go, as was walking to the kitchen, or napping on the sofa while the boys played. The toilet and bed. That was all he was allowed. Stupid Toral and her big stupid mouth. 

Declaring it was safe for them to come back in, Coran left to wash his hands, as Hunk happily dobbed him into the others. Complete and total bedrest. Pidge grumbled about how it wasn't fair, while Allura asked if he needed anything. Sick of the attention, he made his feelings clear by rolling away from them all. Allura was the only one who didn't eventually take the hint. Walking around the bed, she slid in on the other side before smiling at him... and that was how he ended up with Allura sleeping in his bed for the rest of the quintant, while he slept curled up against her. She wasn't Keith, but she wasn't Toral either. She knew what buttons to push, and what not to say, and more importantly, she knew he just really needed a nonjudgmental hug.

Allura stayed to look after him for the next two quintants... though most her time was spent babysitting Toral and the boys. Probably because of the stress of the bleed, and not being able to get up and do anything for himself, Lance was planning an escape. He wasn't exactly sure where he wanted to go, but it involved creeping out the house once Allura and Toral were asleep, and not then being in the house... That was as far as he'd gotten... and the two Altean women weren't making it easy. He'd fallen asleep waiting for them to sleep last night, and now he was verging on falling asleep again... while Toral and Allura were giggling away in the lounge room. What could they possibly have left to talk about?! If only the windows actually opened... he could awkwardly wriggle his way to freedom. To fresh air, the damp grass and a sky of real stars, not just glowing flowerings in the roof. Ugh. That's it. He was doing this. Hauling himself out of bed, Lance pulled his blanket up over his shoulders, his stomach really not loving standing... his skin tender and itchy... oh god. This was not going to work. It hurt way too much. With a long whimper, he sank back down the bed. The door to his bedroom flying open before he'd even shifted his weight  
"Lance?"  
"Hey girls. What can I do for you?"  
"We heard you whimpering. Do you need some help? Is something wrong?"  
"Just... you know... planning on running away"  
Allura laughed lightly  
"Does that mean you need to go to the bathroom?"  
"I wouldn't say no to a nice hot bath"  
"Lance, we can't risk you taking a bath"  
"Alluraaaa"  
"No. You're in pain. Are you bleeding again?"  
"What? No. I don't think so... I just don't want to keep sitting here. I'm itchy and sore... sitting in a bath isn't going to make it any worse... in fact, the warm water would probably help"  
Toral and Allura had both walked in on him showering, neither woman respecting his right to privacy, so what did a bath matter now? And the bath had an amazing view of the stars...   
"Lance, if you have a bath, do you promise to let us help you out?"  
"Scouts honour! I'm soooo sick of being in bed. I'm sick of all of this"  
"We know... maybe we can talk to Ryner? We could borrow a wheelchair from the hospital?"  
"I can still walk. Guys, I'm like 29 movements or something. I have ages to goooo"  
"You had a bleed"  
"I bled when I was carrying the boys too..."  
"We're just worried about you"  
"Then worry less and let me bath more... and let me escape?"  
"Nice try"  
"Allllluraaaaa!"  
"Lance, I don't want to scold you, but you're emotional and pregnant. Keith still isn't back, and Coran has ordered you to rest. Please, I know you're sick of this, but it's for the health and safety of you and your baby"  
"I hate you sometimes"  
"I know you don't"  
"Nooo. But seriously, I was planning on escaping. Do you really think you can borrow a wheelchair?"  
"For you, I'll make it happen"  
"And for now I can take a bath?"  
"Sure. Let me help you?"  
"You just like seeing me naked, I'm going to tell Keith all about this"  
"Please don't. Being with Shiro, I finally understand alphas in a new way"  
"Yeaaah. I get that. Ok. No telling Keith. He gets cranky"  
"Not as cranky as he used to be"  
"That's true. Let's get you in the bath"

Baths were heavenly, totally and completely heavenly. The warm water stung at his tender skin, but the muscles in his lower back were loving it. The bubbles were ridiculously thick, combined with vanilla-ish scented bath oil that Keith had stolen from that rich persons bathroom, God. Heaven. He was in heaven. Picking a piece of space fruit from the platter Toral had made for him, Lance moaned as he slid lower, stretching his leg out as his daughter kicked. Thank god for bubbles and privacy. He'd already jerked off, leaving him sleepy, yet still aroused. His other hand sliding suggestively across the sensitive swell, back down towards his penis. He probably should care about the fact Toral and Allura were right outside, but being in the bath... and thinking of the last time he and Keith had a bath... he couldn't help himself. Food. Masturbation. Bubbles. Warm water. Memories of Keith. He might just never go back to bed again. Sucking the fruit juice from the tips of his fingers, his other hand slid further down, his fingers barely able to brush against his twitching opening. Fuck. He needed Keith. Growling in frustration, and trying his best to get some kind of penetrative stimulation, he slipped under the water, crying out in surprise as he did, sending water and bubbles everywhere. Emerging from the water coughing, Toral and Allura burst through the door  
"Lance!"  
"I'm ok!"  
As ok as an omega with a hand on his dick, bubbles up his nose and two women staring at him could be  
"I just slipped under the water a little"  
"I think it's about time you get out, you've been in there a while"  
"I'm good!"  
Holy fuck, his voice was way too high!  
"Lance?"  
"Toral, I think Lance would like us to leave"  
"Why? He's been in the bath for like vargas"  
Holy shit. Allura knew. Allura knew exactly what he'd been doing. Closing his eyes, he sank back under the water, trying half to drown himself. He'd barely been under for half a tick before Toral was pulling him out   
"Dammit Toral!"  
"Stop joking around and get out of the bath already!"  
"Allura, help"  
"Toral, let's give Lance a dobosh to himself"  
"Nonsense"  
Toral was stupidly strong, dragging him up by the arm as Allura rushed over with his robe, at least neither of them saw anything... thanks to bubbles. Stepping out of the bath with an exaggerated sigh, Allura gave him an understanding nod. Toral was just a little too enthused over his care  
"Here, Lance, let's get your robe on"  
"I need to sit for a tick. Toral, you're stupidly strong"  
"Oops! I didn't hurt you did I?"  
"No, but being pulled up like that, it's not ok when I'm pregnant"  
"I'm sorry. I just wanted to help"  
"I know you do, but someone's you get a bit... over enthusiastic. Anyway, I need to sit"  
Taking him by the arm, Toral dragged him towards the toilet, only for Lance to half slip on the water spilt across the floor, he would have fallen if not for Allura lunging to catch him before his knees gave out. It still scared the quiznak out of him, gasping and clutching his stomach, Allura glared at Toral. Starting to cry, the girl released his arm, taking off running, and leaving him slipping again  
"Lance, you're ok. Just take a few breaths"  
"You should go after her"  
"Once you're sitting. I'm sorry we disturbed your bath"  
"It's too late now... I just really need to sit

Left on the toilet so Allura could find Toral, Lance had his face buried in his hands. He should have just escaped. If he'd just escaped, he could have masturbated his heart out in the forest... or at least done something to bring his libido back under control... without Allura and Toral walking in. At least between his stomach and his robe, the women couldn't see that he was still slicking or semi-hard. Praying to whatever god was listening to ease up on the horniness, he gave up on Allura returning, carefully rising from the toilet, and retreating to his bedroom on very shaky legs. How could Keith just leave him like this?! He had half a mind to call him and yell him for it. It was his alpha's fault he was so fucking horny. He'd knocked him up... and just left. 

Lance fell into a fitful sleep before Allura and Toral returned. His dreams were hardly great, and the sheer amount of pain he was in when he woke had him in tears. His lower back felt like it was broken, or more like someone hard ground glass into his muscles, and each spasm was driving it deeper. He must have aggravated it when he'd slipped. Unable to stop his scream escaping his lips as he rolled first on to his back, and then so he was facing the door, he broke down into weak sobs, while trying to hide his face against Keith's pillow  
"Lance, bud?"  
Hunk. God. He didn't need Hunk seeing him like this, but fuck, he needed his friend  
"H-Hunk... it hurts"  
Striding to his side, his friend took his hand, squatting down to so Lance could look at his face rather than his crotch  
"Lance, what hurts?"  
"My back... fuck... Hunk, it hurts so bad"  
Placing his free hand on Lance's forehead, Hunk gave him the same fake smile he used whenever trying to assure anyone something was ok... when he had absolutely no idea at all  
"Do you think you can stand?"  
"No... Hunk... it hurts..."  
"Lance, I think I should get Coran"  
"No! Don't... don't leave me. Please Hunk. Please don't leave me"  
"Buddy, you're in pain"  
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, but please. I need you"  
"What do I do? How do I help?"  
"I don't know... I don't know"  
"Lance, I'm going to call Pidge. How about that? I've got my communicator right here, and I'm going anywhere. I've got you bud"  
Sniffling, Lance nodded, he needed to bring his breathing back under control. His daughter was going crazy, and he really didn't need to go until labour   
"O-ok... ok... but... you won't leave?"  
"Nope. I've got you bud"  
Hunk called Pidge, Pidge yelling through the coms line, while Hunk tried to get a word in. Gripping Hunk's arm, he tried to push himself up a little, but that wasn't happening either. If he'd felt beached before, he was feeling doubly so now  
"Lance, Pidge is going to get Coran to set up the medical room. Coran wants to do a scan, especially after the bleed. I'm going to carry you, but it's..."  
"It's going to fucking hurt?"  
"Yeah buddy. But we can't be too careful"  
"She's not happy..."  
"Pidge is just worried. Toral's worked herself up last night, she locked Allura out of her own quarters, which I'm not even sure how she managed to do, and Allura's been trying to get her out. Shiro's currently crawling through the castle vents"  
"She thought she hurt me"  
"Well, Allura and Shiro will help her. So it's going to be me, you and Coran. Is that ok?"  
"Yeah... fuck... Hunk... I feel like I slept in glass"   
"Would I uh, help to tell you, you didn't?"  
"Not really"  
"Well you didn't"  
"Thanks bud... I don't want to move"  
"I know. I can't smell anything but your pain right now"  
"Fuck... I forgot how much I smell... if you don't want to help me, I get it"  
"Lance, you're my best friend. Of course I'm going to help you, bud"  
"I'm sorry if I scream at you"  
"We'll just file that in things we'll never talk about again"  
"Awww you have a whole file about me?"  
"Someone needs to keep an eye on you. You ready?"  
"No. But do it. Just... ignore whatever I say"  
"You got it"

Thankfully his mind defaulted to the standard "Fuck" on repeat, not insulting Hunk in the slightest, despite the amount of pain he was in. Carrying him close, Lance let his head loll against Hunk's shoulder, though he was half tempted to bite his friend in an attempt to stop swearing... and so he was the only one hurting, but he didn't want Hunk to end up dropping him in shock.

Coran was waiting for them at the medical rooms doorway, opening the door so Hunk could carry him straight over to the examination bed  
"Lance, my boy, I hear your back's a bit sore"  
"It feels like it's full of glass"  
"Alright. Do you think you'll be able to lay on your back for the scan?"  
"M-maybe... but Hunk's going to have to help"  
"I've got you bud"  
Laying down took his breath away, his muscles twitching and spasming as his back tried to arch away from the bed  
"I think this is the best we are going to get"  
"I'm sorry..."  
"It's not your fault"  
"It is. I shouldn't have had that stupid bath"  
"You had a bath?"  
"I had supervision... I just slipped a little when Toral tried to help. That's why she's upset"  
"Alright. These things do happen. Let's just take a little look at what's going on"  
Hunk held his hand, but moved away slightly, his attempt at whispering was as stealthy as Red in a white room  
"Coran, I don't know if he knows, but he's had another bleed"  
"Alright. We won't tell until we know what's happening until I've got him scanned"  
He was bleeding again? He didn't feel like he was... but everything was hurting. Whining at a particularly nasty spasm, his omega called for Keith. For Keith to magically make things better  
"Lance?"  
"K-Keith..."  
"Keith isn't back yet"  
"I... I need Keith..."  
"I know you do. Coran's about to start the scan, then we'll know what's going on"  
"Something's wrong..."  
"Hey, no. We don't know that"  
"It... everything's been going too well"  
Closing his eyes, his tears wouldn't stop. He didn't even have his fake one in... Hunk must have been so disgusted   
"And it's going to be ok. Look, Coran is doing the scan right now"  
He could kind of feel the warm glow spreading through his stomach  
"Ok my boy. You've herniated two discs in your lower back..."  
"Hunk?"  
"Your spines a bit sore, but a pod will help"  
"And the pup?"  
"She's a bit distressed, but she's ok. You on the other hand have a fever"  
"But she's ok?"  
Hunk's voice was soothing, but confusing because he was explaining the scan and not Coran   
"The bleed?"  
"Will also be taken care of by the pod"  
So... he was right. Something was wrong. His tears turned back into sobs, Hunk trying to soothe him with his scent as he hushed him  
"Keith... please... Keith..."  
Falling into a loop, Keith's name fell between whimpers. Hunk squeezing his hand tighter   
"Coran, have we heard anything from them yet?"  
"No. Not yet. I didn't expect them to be gone for quite so long"  
"Ok. Maybe we shouldn't be talking about this right now. Lance, I know you don't like it, but I need to lift you again. Coran, can we give him a shot?"  
"What are you thinking?"  
"Something that will knock him out. He's in a lot of pain"  
"I wouldn't recommend it. I'm sorry Lance, I wouldn't wish this on you my boy"  
"I don't think he's listening. He misses Keith, and his omega's not going to calm back down for anyone else"  
"We'll worry about that after we get him into a pod. Where are the boys?"  
"They were still sleeping. I'll head back down to them once he's in the pod"  
Hunk left the boys alone?! He wanted to scream at him... you do not leave two part Galra pups unsupervised. Ever. They were too smart and too inquisitive for that to be safe. Why could he never pass out when he really needed too?

 

*  
Waking up from being in the pod and making his way back down to the house was a bit of a blur. His lower back muscles were still tender, but he wasn't in the same degree of pain he'd been in, so that was a win, and the twins had made "get well soon" cards with the help of Hunk and Pidge. Both alphas weren't exactly the best artists, but the sentiment was definitely there, and his room was much brighter than when he'd left, thanks two large vases of flowers. Still lethargic from being in the pod, the first thing he done was cuddle into his waiting sons, before falling asleep with them in his arms.

If the relief of waking up to not be in as much pain was an 8 out of 10, then wake up the following morning was about a million out of ten. Waking to find someone holding his hand, he nearly screamed. Keith. Keith was back. His husband having fallen asleep while kneeling against the bed. His heart was racing, his scent spiking with happiness as his smile threatened to break his face. Keith. His alpha had come back to him. Leaning in, Lance kissed the top of Keith's head, his hair smelt like explosives and smoke, but that was completely ok, because Keith was home safe  
"Lance?"  
"Keith"  
Jerking awake, Lance's nose narrowly escaped being head butted   
"You're awake!"  
"Well dah. It's kind of what we do. You know. Sleep, wake up, sleep, wake up..."  
"No... just... fuck. I'm so happy to see you"  
"You too. You scared the quiznak out me"  
"I scared you? You were in a pod. I thought I was going to have a heart attack on the spot when Coran called"  
"Coran called?"  
"Here, let me get under the covers with you"  
Lance scooted back, relieved to find someone had moved the boys off the bed while he'd slept. Sliding into the space bed just vacated, Keith pulled him up close, his hand tugging Lance's leg up so it was wrapped around his waist, while his lips found Lance's, the kiss being soft and tender, expressing how much he'd been missed. Breaking the kiss, Lance settled down with head over Keith's heart. God. He was just too happy   
"You feel so good. I'm so sorry I was gone for so long"  
"It doesn't matter now. You're home with me and you're safe... and you said Coran rang? I thought we weren't supposed to contact you"  
"He was worried. He said you were hurting, but it wasn't until Hunk butted in on the conversation that I found out that meant physically"  
"I... busted my back"  
"I know. I'm so sorry I wasn't here. How does it feel?"  
"My muscles are still tender, but right now, I feel like I'm dreaming. I missed you so much. Every day... it just sucked"  
"You have no idea how much I missed you too, and not being able to call. It was driving me crazy. I even took a swing at mum over it all"  
"How did that work out for you?"  
"She dropped me like a sack of potatoes"  
"That's mum for you. So... did you finish your mission?"  
"Yep. We're both now on standby until the pup comes. Everyone else can handle the rest"  
"The rest?"  
"Baby, you're the one who didn't want us fighting here and risking the Olkari. After the pup is born, we're going to head back into space"  
"No one tells me anything"  
"Well I'm home now. I'm all yours. The boys are with Krolia for some grandma time, so we have the whole house to ourselves"  
"Really?"  
"Yep. I've already spent some time with the boys, we got back about 4 vargas ago"  
"4 vargas! Why didn't you tell me?!"  
"Because you were in a pod for 5 quintants, and needed your sleep"  
"4 vargas..."  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, I just didn't want to wake you. You looked so peaceful"  
"I reserve the right to be mad at you"  
"But?"  
"But right now, all I can think about is the fact we have the whole house to ourselves... and my sexy husband's just come from war"  
"Oh really?"  
"You have no idea how horny I've been"  
"Maybe you should show me?"  
"Or maybe you mount me... I tried to jerk off in the bath, but Allura and Toral walked in..."  
Keith laughed as rolled Lance onto his back, the omega wrapping his arms around him, as Keith brushed his lips against his  
"You're not the only one who's been horny. It was like I was in a rut. You're all I could think about. Your lips, your tongue, the way you moan and pant my name..."  
This kiss was much deeper, much fiercer, much more dominating. Lance's omega silently squealing over how good it felt to be holding Keith. Between his legs was growing slicker, the robe he'd still been wearing when he went into the pod offered no resistance as Keith's hand gripped his thigh, filling the spot with a radiating warmth. Keith's touch felt so good. So right. So completely perfect. Fighting to keep their lips against each other's, Keith climbed between his legs as Lance leaned up, not wanting the kiss to end. When his stomach finally got in the way, the kiss broke, Lance's face flushed as he panted   
"Oh yeah. You definitely missed me"  
"Shut up and fuck me"  
"Patience. I think I promised you something else, that we didn't quite get to before"

With his legs spread over Keith's shoulders, Lance's hands clutched the sheets as Keith's tongued at his opening. His whole body was burning was burning with a heat only Keith could fan to life, his chest heaving as his mouth hung open, moan after moan spilling free lewdly. Whimpering as Keith replaced his tongue with his fingers, Lance tried to turn. He needed Keith as deeply as possible, and that wasn't going to happen like this  
"Are you trying to present for me my love"  
"Yes... need you as deep as possible. Need to cum with you in me. Need to feel you"  
Keith smirked, but kept his fingers inside of him as he rolled onto his hands and knees, presenting his arse for Keith, while feeling desperately pleased with himself. He was with his mate. His alpha. The sire of his babies  
"You look so good like that"  
"It's a blessing and a curse. I'm glad I make you horny, but you're not doing anything about it"

Sex was great. Keith playing his body like a harp, his fingers strumming over Lance's skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake, as pleasure shorted out Lance's brain. Collapsing together after being brought to orgasm more times than he could actually remember, Keith curled protectively around him, nuzzling and kissing his bonding mark as his other hand dragged the blankets up over them. Now his mate was back, there was no way he was letting him leave again.

The next few quintants were quite and intimate. Keith waiting on him hand and foot, he didn't even have to ask for what he needed. Keith just knew. He had to get up to pee, Keith would help him out of bed, before moving into spot so as to keep it warm while he busy. If he wanted to go for a walk, Keith was there with his boots before he'd even known he actually really wanted to. Wanted to watch a movie? The data slate would magically appear in the bed next to him. If the twins were getting too noisy, Keith would settle them back down, or take them to play so he could rest. His husband was the perfect alpha during the day, and a sex crazed maniac the moment the boys were asleep. There wasn't a surface they didn't fuck on, and Keith always made sure to clean up completely once they were done, settling down him down in the bath or in their bed, depending on how sore he was feeling. With Keith home, everyone else stayed away, leaving them in their own little world of perfection.


	109. Chapter 109

Walking around the house, Lance was trying to stretch. He'd been up all night, now he couldn't get comfortable. Intermittent false contractions had been happening for the last movement, and now at 32 weeks, they just wouldn't leave him alone. Sex helped, but Keith was up at the castle, as Hunk and Allura had just come back from a mission, and as Voltron's leader, Lance had kicked him out to go deal with the debriefing. The boys were with Krolia, so Lance had started cleaning, but that had turned into him making a huge nest on their bed, cleaning up the toys the boys had been playing with morning, and doing the dishes before Keith came back. When the cramping had started getting bad again, that was when he decided the needed to stretch. Eyeing Kaltenecker throw the window, the cow seemed so much happier outside, in the fresh air and munching on real grass. Some cows had it too easy.

When the cramping didn't ease, Lance migrated to the shower... then got distracted cleaning the bathroom, finding a particularly nasty looking sock wedged between the bathtub and the wall. It had to be one of Keith's. It was missing the fabric around the big toe... so it went into the trash. When his next contraction hit with enough force to make him gasp, two plus two finally clicked for the poor omega. It wasn't like the other ones. This one was real. This was real and this was happening... he... was actually in labour. He was in labour, while Keith was away. He needed... he needed to call Keith... and prepare things... they needed towels... there would be blood... and something to tie the cord with. Keith would cut the cord... Keith would be there... here. Keith... holy fuck... he needed Keith. He needed him and not the others. They couldn't be here. Not if something went wrong. They'd all be disappointed in him... and he couldn't do that to them... shit... breathing. His mother had coached him on breathing... but that was in the trials and that was all on head... and shit.. something other slick was now running down his thighs... fuck... he needed to get out the shower. Towels. Towels first. He needed towels...

Wrapped in a towelling robe, Lance had found towels. Lining the nest with them, so the blankets would hopefully survive... but that was all he could manage. Shit. Fuck. It... fuck... where the fuck was his communicator? It wasn't on the bedside table where it should be... ugh... he was freaking the fuck out. Sinking on to the edge of the bed, he supported himself with one hand, while he rubbed his stomach with his other hand. Keith would be back as soon as he was done. He just had to hold on until then... it... labour took vargas...

Ok. This was getting ridiculous. It felt like he'd been waiting for vargas. By the time Keith came back, it was going to be too late. Ripping open the bedside drawer, he found he'd put his communicator away while he'd been cleaning. Of course he had. What a quiznakking idiot! Holding the device, his hands were shaking as he tried to pull up Keith's name, finally getting it on his forth attempt. Now he just needed to remember his words  
"Baby? Everything ok?"  
No. Nope. Nooooooooo. It was soooo not ok  
"Uh... yeah... when are you coming home?"  
"Sorry baby. Probably not for a few more vargas"  
That wasn't going to work  
"Keith. I kind of need you to come home right now"  
"Is everything ok?"  
"Err... nothing is wrong, but..."  
"Keith, I think he wants you to go home and take care of him!"  
"Pidge, shut up!"  
"Keith... can you just come home"  
"Ooooh! Someone's getting some!"  
"Sorry baby. Ignore them"  
"For fucks sake. Keith, come home or I swear I will castrate you!"  
"Shit dude. You better go. Can't keep your mate waiting"  
"Pidge, shut up or I'm coming for you!"  
"Baby?"  
"Just... can you please come home. I'm waiting in bed"  
That line should hopefully keep the others from coming down with Keith. There was a long moment of silence before Keith finally replied  
"Ok baby, I'll be home soon"  
Pidge was laughing her head off in the background, which was not appreciated. Ending the call, Lance threw his communicator across the room, screaming as he did. Particularly because his contractions fucking hurt, but mostly because he was pissed at Pidge.

Still sitting on the edge of the bed, Keith wrinkled his nose as he finally showed. His husband could probably smell that he was in labour, yet had no idea what the smell meant  
"Baby, I know you asked me to go, but I was in the middle of something"  
"And I'm not?"  
"Well..."  
"Oh my god. Do not say whatever it was"  
"I was just going to ask what was happening?"  
"Your fucking kid..."  
Lance stopped and shook his head "I'm in labour"  
"Are you sure?"  
Did Keith have a death wish?! Did his husband seriously just ask if he was sure?  
"Keith. I swear I'm going to stab you if you don't stop saying stupid things! Of course I'm fucking sure! Your daughter is coming"  
Keith swayed, his hand flying out to stop him from falling   
"She's coming?"  
"That's it. Give me your blade. I'm stabbing you"  
"It's just... it's too soon"  
"I fucking know... shit... fuck... Keith, stop freaking out!"  
"What do I do?"  
"We need to prepare... labour takes a while"  
"Do I call the others?"  
"You seriously want to die today, don't you? Keith, killed by Lance for asking stupid questions while his mate was in labour and needed his fucking help. Of course you don't call the others. I don't want them here. I don't... shit... help me up, I need to walk or something"  
"You're in labour"  
Grabbing the closest pillow, Lance threw it at Keith with all his might, hitting his husband in the face instead of his stomach where he'd been aiming. Jerking back, Keith finally moved. Walking over to him, and kneeling at his feet. Taking his hand, his husband squeezed  
"Right. We... she's coming. What do I need to do?"  
"I need to walk"  
"Walk..."  
"Walk"  
Keith didn't move. How could his husband be freezing?! Keith was an alpha of action!  
"Keith!"  
"Walking..."  
Rising, Keith finally rose too  
"What do I do?"  
"I need water. It's going to be messy. And we need something to tie the cord off with, until we get her in a pod... and... fuck. Do we have painkillers?"  
"Water... I'll get the water"  
Keith released his hand, walking stiffly from the room... while Lance stared at his arse. He was in fucking labour. He shouldn't be horny, but fuck... Keith's arse was criminal.

When the contractions didn't worsen, Lance was stuck in pain, while Keith had finally joined him back in reality. Laying in bed, Lance wasn't ashamed to admit that the drilling his husband had just given him, had left him wanting more. The pressure of their pup had shifted, the feeling of weight against his prostate had him sobbing incoherently while Keith had just about chewed his shoulder to bits, his mates knot hadn't popped, but fuck... it'd still felt good. Nuzzling his cheek, Keith's fingertips were rubbing small circles against his inner thigh, while his hips were moving on their own  
"Keith. I need you..."  
"Again?"  
"Yeah... it helps..."  
"Fucking you while you're in labour helps?"  
"Sex is supposed to speed labour up"  
"What else works?"  
"Nipple stimulation. Bump drives. Hot food... sex..."  
"You're hung up on the sex thing, aren't you?"  
"Yeah... fuck... I'm sick of these contractions"  
"Maybe your right... your scents doing all kinds of things to my alpha. I want you. I want to protect you. I want to kill anything that gets close to you. I want to hold you. I want to meet our girl already... I want to run my tongue down your beautiful body. I want to mark you again. I just..."  
"Keith, you're thinking too much"  
"How can you be so calm?"  
"I'm not calm. I'm fucking terrified, but you're here this time"  
"I love you"  
"If you loved me, you'd fuck me. She's pushing against my sweet spot..."  
"She's what?"  
"Don't you know birthing can be erotic for omegas? Well male ones... I came when I was birthing the boys"  
"Fuck... I probably shouldn't find that as hot as I do"  
Rolling to his side, Lance smirked as Keith rutted up against him, his husband having no trouble pushing back into his heat.

Another 14 quiznakking hours passed. They'd had sex. They'd showered. They'd rearranged his nest to appease his instincts, and Keith had even lied to Krolia, saying they were doing certain things that she probably didn't need to see... Keith had massaged his shoulders, and now... and now it actually time to push... and Lance was panicking something fierce. With a crushing grip on Keith's hands, his mate was between his legs, looking like he was about to faint at any tick  
"Baby...?"  
"My body says it's time to push"  
"What..."  
"Keith... it ok. It's ok, we're ok"  
"Are you sure I shouldn't call anyone?"  
"Touch that communicator and I'll break it"  
"I don't know..."  
Keith's eyes widened, before rolling back as Lance pushed, screaming at the tearing burn. His penis throbbing, warning him an orgasm imminent. Too distracted too try and wake Keith. He was going to give him hell for the rest of his life. Gathering up his strength, he waited again, pushing through another contraction, screaming as Keith jerked up... in time for Lance to cum across his thigh, the orgasm not improving his mood, but it did relax some of the tenseness in his stomach  
"Lance?"  
"Don't fucking Lance me! And don't you dare pass out again!"  
"I... what... baby..."  
Groaning in misery, he fell back again. The pain was so fucking intense... but feeling her head slowly moving, he drew another breath, releasing Keith's hand so he could grab a fistful of blanket, screaming through another push as cum started to leak freely down his penis. His biology was soooo messed up, but Keith wasn't mentioning it, so at least that was something   
"Baby... I can see her"  
"That's what happens when you push a baby out. Support her head"  
"She..."  
Throwing his head back, this time it was a silent scream, her head now free. Oh fuck...  
"Holy shit... baby... she's... come on Lance, you can do this!"  
"Just... need... to catch my breath..."  
"Ok. Ok, you've got this... just another few pushes for me..."  
"Quizzzzznaaaaaaaaak!"  
The pressure against his opening felt like his guts would just burst out at any moment, but instead nothing happened  
"Ok baby, just take a deep breath. You're ok"  
Pushing twice more, nothing happened, he fell back with a whimper, panic beginning to rear its ugly head. If she was stuck, Keith would probably have to tear him open... no... no... no... he just needed to wait. Needed to focus on breathing and rallying up his energy... but fuck... her head had torn him enough as it was... shoulders...  
"Keeeeeeeith!"  
Shoulders hurt. Shoulders hurt. Shoulders hurt, but the relief, oh god, the relief. Slumping back, with one more push, her shoulders finally slid free, Keith able to guide her from his body as the contractions continued to rip through him. Screaming within ticks of being free as Keith gathered her up, his husband was sobbing as he stroked her birth covered cheek  
"She's perfect"  
"I... I want to see her"

Lance barely felt his body expelling the rest of the birth and placenta, because Keith passed him is daughter and that had him sobbing for an entirely different reason. She was amazing. So tiny and perfect. Their little girl was here, and she was everything he could have hoped for  
"Baby... the cord?"  
"Tie it off, then cut off the placenta"  
Keith smile was heartbreakingly perfect as he tied the cord, before cutting it about an inch above what would form her belly button. Taking a towel, his alpha cleaned up between his legs gently, Lance trying not whimper when Keith accidentally brushed against his tears and wrecked opening. Folding a towel, his alpha settled it just below his arse, before kissing his knee. Climbing up to join him, his mate placed a towel over their girl, wrapping her gently around his hold, while Lance just... he was so proud. So happy and so very much in love  
"She's so perfect... baby, she's perfect..."  
Hiding his face against Lance's neck, Keith sobbed   
"I love you. I love you baby. I love you... I love her"  
"I love you too... here, look at her, she's got your mums hair"  
Keith turned slightly, his forehead against Lance's cheek  
"The pink..."  
"Mmm, pink and black. People back home pay for that look"  
"She's got Galra marks too"  
"How can you tell?"  
"They're on her cheeks... God... I'm so happy. I don't think I've ever said the word "God" so much. I don't know what to say. I don't... I'm so proud"  
"Just kiss me"  
Keith did as he said, before settling back against him  
"Wow..."  
"Yeah... she needs a name"  
"I don't know... I mean, nothing seems like it will ever be good enough to describe her in one word"  
"Perfect"  
"We can't call her Perfect"  
"Well, she is"  
"Yeah... look how small her hands are"  
"Mmm... we need to clean her, I'm sorry, I don't have the strength"  
"No baby. You did amazing. How do you feel?"  
Light headed. Nauseous. Slightly horny from the pain and throbbing through his stomach... and the fact he was sure he'd cum more than twice during it, his penis was suuuuper tender, not to mention the pain in his balls... oh, and like a Galra battle ship had crashed into his stomach. But... fuck. Their pup... just looking at her...   
"Torn. Tired... really, really tired... and sore. But she's worth it. Look at her... Keith, I'm so happy right now. She's so perfect. Thank you for being here. Thank you for her"  
"That was the most incredible and scariest thing I've ever done... you were in so much pain, and... it kept going on..."  
"Are you ok?"  
"I'm so beyond ok. She's... She's just so perfect. Thank you, baby. Thank you"  
"My silly alpha"  
"I don't know how to clean her. What do I do?"  
"Just be really gentle. Like when we first bathed the boys, I'll talk you through it, then I want to see if she'll take my nipple"  
"Is your milk in?"  
"I think maybe, but I think it might comfort her..."  
"Ok. What do you need?"  
"A new towel between my legs?"  
"Are you still bleeding?"  
"My body is made for this..."

Keith was a mess as he cleaned their little girl up. He was crying, and smiling and shaking, and it was just so sweet. Once she was clean, Keith rejoined him in bed, laying her back in his hold, then wrapping his arm around him to stare down at their girl  
"She's beautiful"  
"I know. Her hair is amazing. She definitely takes after Krolia"  
"Mum's going to lose it"  
"I don't want them meeting her yet. She's still premature. It'll be best if she goes through a pod cycle, after that... if she's ok"  
"What about you?"  
"I'm ok. Aren't I princess?"  
Like the boys, her skin was light like Keith's. Her hair and purple marks were kind of like Krolia's, while her eyes were all him. An amazing blue, with gentle pink lips like his. She was going to be a total heartbreaker. Her small lips widened in a yawn, before her eyes closed, one hand trying to escape the blanket she was swaddled in  
"I think she's sleepy"  
"Yeah. I could watch her for vargas"  
"You might have to, I'm really, really sleepy"  
"Get some rest, I'll be here. I love you"  
"Mmm, I love you too"

 

*  
Keith was cloud nine. Their pup was perfect, he'd gotten Lance up to the castle without the fear of dropping him, as he'd hobbled... and their daughter was perfect. He... he just couldn't get over it. Birth was way scarier than expected, and watching his daughter come into the world was something he would never ever forget. Lance had done so well. His omega so perfect as he held their pup. He just... everything was so perfect. Now he was just waiting on their pup and Lance to come out the healing pods, and everything would be even more... perfect. His alpha didn't even care he over how much he mentally sounded like Lance, it was every bit as proud and in love with their mate and their daughter. The plan was once they got out the pod, they were going to head up to the bridge, and just walk in... to break the news to the others... he was still super protecting, and would probably end up growling at anyone who came too close... but, Lance was feeling up to it after resting. The love and pride on his face. Keith couldn't ever seeing such devotion. He'd never felt such devotion... not until he'd first met the twins, but actually watching their girl come into the world... that was just something on a whole other level.

Their little girl's healing pod opened first, Keith flying to his feet to scoop up the pup. Holding her tight to his chest as she started to cry. His own eyes welled with tears again. Tears of pure happiness. There was absolutely nothing wrong with her, not now she'd been through a cycle. Not that there was anything wrong with her to begin with, at least nothing Keith could see. Breathing her scent in, he smiled to himself. He'd have to ask his mother, but she smelt like an alpha too him. 

It was only another 10 more doboshes before Lance's healing pod opened, his husband swaying, but able to step out under his own steam, turning to look to them, Lance smiled softly  
"Hey baby, I think she missed you"  
"I missed her... you look so sweet together"  
"She's only been out about 10 doboshes or so, but honestly, if someone told me it was 10 vargas, I'd believe them. I just can't take my eyes off of her"  
Coming to Lance's side, he supported their baby girl as Lance took her into his hold  
"I still can't believe she's here. It was a long wait, but so worth it"  
"How are you feeling?"  
"A little woozy, but that's probably from the bleeding. I've healed up ok, but it does kind of throb still. I'll probably be feeling it for a little while"  
"Probably because you just pushed a baby into the world"  
"And you fainted"  
"I..."  
"Keith, it's ok. I'm just relieved you woke up again"  
"I was so shocked... I'm still in shock..."  
"We don't have to tell the others, not yet, not if you're not ok with it"  
"Baby, I'm proud. I want to scream how proud I am. I want to show her off, tell everyone she's ours"  
"We don't need to go that far"  
"I just... I really am proud. Of both of you"  
"And you changed her nappy"  
"I forgot how black newborns poop is"  
"Yeah. They don't warn you about that... sooo, who do you thinks going to start yelling first?"  
"Pidge has a big mouth, but Allura or Toral will give her a run for her GAC"  
"You're forgetting Coran"  
"Oh... baby, you know, even if they say something about us not telling them, I still respect your decision"  
"I know. You always do. Ever since the very start"  
"Maybe not the very start"  
"Oh, we're going there?"  
"Only if you are"  
"I'm going to the bridge"  
"Then I guess we're going there"  
"Keith, thank you. She's so perfect"  
"You're the one who did the hard work"  
"But having you there... it means so much to me"  
Wrapping his arm around Lance, he pulled his husband close as he cried, his tears falling on their daughters blanket as Lance sniffled   
"Sorry. Hormones. They take a while to go back to normal"  
"You get a free pass on all your emotions, because if you haven't noticed, I'm crying too"  
"We're a mess"  
"Yeah, but a happy one"  
Lance nodded, smiling widely as he did  
"Very happy messes"

Walking into the bridge, no one noticed anything unusual at first, until Coran started spluttering, while Pidge screamed. With the glance they shared, they both silently agreed it was a draw. Flying out of her chair, Pidge was narrowly beaten by Krolia and the twins, his mother beaming down at her granddaughter   
"Oh Lance, she's beautiful. When was she born?"  
"About 16 vargas ago. We've both been through a pod cycle, and Keith helped deliver her"  
"Why didn't you tell us you were in labour?! Does she have a name yet? And Keith delivered her? He didn't put a blade in her hand the moment she was born, did he?"  
Lance's scent shifted to fear, his omega instincts telling him a foreign alpha was too close to his new born. Stepping between Lance and Pidge, Keith growled in warning. Even Krolia was little too close for his alpha's liking  
"Pidge, you should know better than to approach an omega with their new born. You're intimidating him"  
"I didn't mean to! But Shiro, he had the baby and didn't tell us!"  
"You can see her, just don't get too close right now. Keith's very protective, and my own omega feels the same way... my senses are a little muddled, and my body is telling me you're all foreign alphas that aren't my mate"  
Gathering in a semi-circle, Keith moved to the side so Lance should show their daughter off, while staying close enough that he could easily tear the throat out of anyone who didn't agree their daughter was absolutely perfect  
"She's got marks like Krolia's, and pink in her fringe, but the rest of her hair's black. Her eyes are blue, but we won't know her true eye colour until 6 phoebs. She's happy, healthy and loud... no, we haven't chosen her name yet, but we wanted you to all meet her. Keith and I are going to take a few quintants for ourselves with her, so maybe we'll find the perfect name soon? I don't know. I'm still really exhausted, but a good exhausted"  
"And she's ok?"  
"She went through a healing cycle, so her belly button would have healed by now, and there wasn't any real issues with the birth"  
"She's just so..."  
"Perfect. The word you're looking for is perfect. Mum, is it ok if you bring the boys down later? In say, 3 vargas? It'll give us time to get her settled, and me time to finish cleaning up down there"  
Keith wanted to bring their boys down right away, but Lance was too exhausted to chase after 3 pups on the back of coming out of a pod  
"Of course. Lance, Keith, she's stunning"  
"Krolia's right. She truly is beautiful"  
"Well done, bud. She's p-perfect"  
Hunk broke down, crying as he wiped at his tears with his headband  
"I'm going to teach her all about tech"  
"Pidge, you need to wait until she's older than 16 vargas. Keith, I'm so proud of you. She's truly beautiful. Lance, congratulations. You deserve every bit of the happiness you're feeling right now. You both do"  
"Thanks, Shiro"  
He hadn't even thought of how this would affect Shiro, but the man looked genuinely happy for them both  
"She's so much like Allura... Allura was such a cute baby... Oh, by Altea..."  
Coran started crying, he and Hunk wrapping their arms around each other as they wept. Beside him, Lance stood a little straighter at the name Altea... Did he like that as a name? Or was it something else completely? Altea would be a nice name, and she was the daughter of two Paladins, who were supposed to be a symbol of hope... he'd have to ask Lance about this once his mate had rested further. At the end of the half circle stood Toral, the girl transfixed by their daughter   
"Everything ok over there?"  
"I didn't realise how tiny babies are"  
Lance laughed softly  
"Yeah. She's definitely smaller than the boys were, but she's strong and fierce. Maybe she'll grow up to be just as brave as you?"  
That was it. Toral started crying. Allura smiled at the girl, probably feeling extremely maternal given the moment they were all sharing  
"You both should get some rest, and we're all looking forward to meeting our newest member properly, once you have"  
"Thanks Allura. We'll let you know when our dynamics have calmed enough for visitors"

The walk back down to the house was comfortably quite. Lance heading straight back to bed, while Keith grabbed some water and food for his mate, so he wouldn't have to go far after his nap. Joining Lance in their room, he smiled at the sight of Lance laying in bed, with his finger captured by their daughter's tiny hand   
"She's perfect"  
"Yeah... I'm so tired, but I just can't close my eye"  
"Baby, if you're tired, you should rest"  
Placing the items down on the bedside drawers, Keith carefully sat on the edge of the bed  
"I just don't want to miss a single tick of being with her"  
"I promise you won't, and I'll be here to protect you"  
"I know you will... which reminds me, we need to clean up"  
"I'll take care of it all"  
"You don't have to do it alone"  
"I want to. I was kind of useless during her birth"  
"No you weren't. You were right there, encouraging me, and there to hold her as she came into this world. Don't ever think that you were useless, because you weren't"  
Wow... ok...  
"Sorry..."  
"Good. Now, I'm going to "try" and take a nap. I don't want you to worry about cleaning until later. The boys are only going to make a mess when they get home"  
"At least let me get rid of the towels... they're still kind of gross"  
"Oh... I didn't think of the blood. I want to bury the placenta... under a tree or something. You know, giving back to the circle of life all that..."  
"I can take care of that"  
"Just leave the towels and that outside for now. I'm sooo not up for you leaving the house. I honestly just feel like clinging to you, and never letting you go"  
"Sounds like a good plan. Do you want me to wake you mum gets here?"  
"Yeah. I really want to cuddle the boys. They're going to have to adjust to a new sibling, and it's important to make them feel just as loved as they are. She's going to need a lot of attention, but they do too"  
"Yeah baby. I'm on it. You just get some sleep"  
Leaning over their daughter, Keith kissed Lance softly  
"So proud"  
"I know right"  
"We make beautiful pups"  
"We do. Now let me sleep"  
"I love you, Lance"  
"I love you too"


	110. Chapter 110

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote this and then realised what I'd done. Unedited or betad.
> 
>  
> 
> All my love and thanks to Wendell & Carpe. With love to Restless, Juri & Navi

"Mmmm, good morning baby, how's our princess?"  
Stretching as he reached out for Lance, Lance smiled. His omega was so in love with their girl, and the look on his face said everything. Given Lance was up, it meant his mate had totally disregarded the fact he was supposed to be resting, given how fatigued and weak he still was  
"She's good. She just got some milk spit up down her, so we had to wipe that up, and then mummy got distracted looking at your face, didn't I darling girl?"  
Sliding back into bed, Keith wrapped his arms around Lance, peppering his shoulder with kisses. He was still just as proud of her as he was when she'd been birthed  
"Did you get much sleep?"  
"Not really. I know the pod heals us, but... I still feel like I've been run over"  
"Maybe we should take you back up to the castle?"  
"Keith, I'm ok. Just really tender. You know, things moving back into place and stuff"  
Keith wrinkled his nose, Lance nodding in agreement   
"It's nice. This. Having you here with me"  
"And having her"  
"Speaking of having her, can I hold her?"  
"Of course you can, you are her daddy"  
With shaking arms, Keith took their little girl, Lance sliding down the bed to lay his head in his lap, his fingers gripping Keith's sweats as he yawned  
"Baby, you should sleep. I'll watch over her, and I'll take care of the boys when they get up"  
"You're the best husband ever. You know that, right?"  
"You're the only one who would know"  
"Yep. I'm an expert. Also, I think mum was still standing guard outside the house. You should probably tell her she can come in"  
"Not until your omega settles"  
"Ok... but at least take her out to meet her then? She looks so much like her, but she's not getting a say in her name"  
"Have you thought of a name?"  
"I've tried, but nothing seems just right"  
"The boys were so much easier"  
"Yeah... though, I did see the way you perked up at Altea"  
"It wasn't so much Altea... I was thinking maybe Coran would have an idea about an Altean name that might suit him, but I'm surprised he didn't suggest Cora"  
"She doesn't look like a Cora"  
"I knooow. This is so hard, it hurts my brain"  
"We can't have that"  
"Don't mock me. I'm too tired"  
"Then get some sleep love, I'll go talk to mum once I know you're actually sleeping"  
"You won't have to wait long. I love you Keith, and I love our boys, and princess. I'm so happy"  
"I know baby. I feel the same"

Lance didn't take long at all to fall asleep, his hand still clutching Keith's sweats as he did. Last night their princess had serenaded them for most of the night, the boys both upset and confused by their sister. Kelance looked completely terrified when Keith had placed her in his lap... while Laneith had blown a raspberry at her, Lance failing to hide his laughter over it all as he scolded his sons. Was it wrong to be this happy? They were supposed to be fighting a war, but he couldn't even find the effort to care. His alpha didn't even care. Everything was just so right.

When Lance rolled off of him, Keith finally left him to sleep. Their little girl was just as out to the world, but that didn't mean it was going to last long. Her angelic face hiding her true screaming nature. Taking all the care in the world not to wake her, Keith succeeded his first mission, making it off the bed without her crying. Keeping his steps light, he carried her from the bedroom, and over to the front door. Opening it with a raised eyebrow. His mother was facing the door, her hands on her hips and the look on her face said she was ready to kill anything that wasn't them  
"Mum, really?"  
"What? I'm watching over you"  
"I know. Lance saw you"  
"Does he want me to leave?"  
"No, he wants you to meet your granddaughter. Don't tell me you've been out here since you dropped the boys off?"  
"I won't then. Are you sure you're ok with it?"  
"If Lance is, I am. It's his omega that triggers my alpha... which triggers his omega. It's a circle kind of thing. Anyway. This is our little princess. No. We haven't settled on a name for her"  
Stepping outside the doorway, he made sure not to close it behind him. If something happened, he wanted clear access back to his family. Moving so she could see the pups face, Krolia let out a kind of squeal, the same kind that Pidge gave over tech  
"Hello precious. I'm Krolia, and you're adorable. Look at you, oh Keith, she's stunning"  
"Yeah. I suppose you heard her last night?"  
"She's got an impressive set of lungs"  
"She does. The boys weren't happy with a new sister"  
"I can't imagine they were. She smells like an alpha"  
"That's what I thought. She also looks so much more Galra than the boys"  
"Are you saying that's a bad thing? Keith, you have a hot mum"  
"Mum! I don't need to hear you talking about how hot you are"  
"I'm just saying, she's got some very good genetics"  
"You should see her eyes. They're so Lance"  
"Maybe we should let her sleep. How is Lance?"  
"Sore. Tired. Last night he said felt like everything below his waist was a bruise"  
"I imagine he'll be quite weak for a little while. How was the birth?"  
"Terrifying..."  
"You could have called"  
"He didn't want anyone around, and it was probably best they weren't. He was in a lot of pain... but he's healed"  
"Ooooh, you two work fast"  
"Mum, no. I had to help him shower"  
"Stop glaring, I was joking..."  
"Well don't. If you talk too much about him, I might snap, and I don't want her second meeting with you to end with us fighting"  
"You won't hurt me. That would mean having to let her go, or change your hold on her, and with the way you're looking at her, I don't think you're ever going to put her down"  
"I hate it when you're right. Anyway, I'm going back inside. Go back up to the castle, Lance should be up for visitors tomorrow"  
"I don't mind staying"  
"Mum, it's ok. If anything happens, or if we need anything, we'll call. It's stupid, but I need to get back to him already"  
"It's not stupid. It's very sweet. Give Lance my love, and my boys"  
"Because the boys are going to totally understand"  
"Don't you start with me. They love me"  
"All it takes is a little sugar and they'll love anyone"  
Leaning in, his mother kissed his forehead, ignoring his growl  
"Mum"  
"I'm going!"  
Watching Krolia as she casually walked around the corner, Keith shook his head. He loved his mum, but genuinely feared raising a daughter just like her. He feared raising a daughter as it was. He didn't know anything about girls, but he'd do everything he could.

 

*  
Walking back into the house, Keith skipped checking on Lance in favour of checking in with the boys. There were was still a varga or so before their usually wake up time, but after such a restless night, he wanted to make sure they hadn't woken early. Lance really needed his sleep, and having the twins running around screaming, wasn't exactly going to lead to that. Pushing the nursery door open, the alpha smiled at the sight of his boys. The pair had both escaped their beds, both boys now curled up together on their play rug, Kelance's arms around the Red lion, while Laneith had his arms around his brother's waist, both sleeping to peacefully and happily that Keith felt himself getting emotional over the sight. All three of their children were just so perfect. With light steps, he moved his daughter to his shoulder, before snagging Laneith's blanket off his bed, and using it to cover the two boys. Neither stirring as he did. Smiling at the pair, he crept back out the room, moving to the kitchen to start making breakfast for his family. He'd never thought he could ever have this, yet now he found more satisfaction in being with his family, than he did from shooting down fighter jet after fighter jet. Lance would probably tease him if he told him, but he already knew his mate felt the same. Why else had Lance spent movements without visiting Red? Or Black for that matter. Now with three pups, and with the soon to be demise of Lotor, it was probably time to start looking for a new Paladin... perhaps even two... though he was sure that if Shiro tried, he could reestablish his bond with Black. There were other ways he and Lance could support Voltron, ways that wouldn't put them in danger, or risk their kids becoming orphans. Maybe he was being arrogant to imagine such a future, but all he wanted was his family safe and sound. Regular hours, and to not have to worry that one of Lance's schemes had gotten him into trouble. Shaking his head, he let out a long breath. Lance loved being a Paladin. He truly loved it in a way Keith hadn't understood until much later down the road. He loved helping people, he loved giving them hope, he loved all the strange races and cultures, and it would be way too cruel to ask him to give it all up. This was something Lance had to decide for himself, and not something he should be forcing on his husband.

When breakfast was ready, Keith set it aside. It wasn't anything extravagant, more like a reheating of the pastries Hunk had brought down before the birth of their pup. With nothing else to do, he looked to his girl, knowing that the moment he sat down next to Lance on their bed, would probably be the time the twins woke... but he couldn't help himself. It was his duty to guard his recovering mate. Coming out from behind the kitchen bench, he padded across to the bedroom floor, pushing the door open carefully so as not to let it creak. Only... their bed was empty. Confused over the lack of Lance, he backtracked his steps, checking the bathroom for his husband and finding it empty. It wasn't like Lance could have just left. If he'd left the bedroom, Keith would have seen him, unless he'd done it while he was talking to Krolia, but his omega had been deeply asleep when he'd gone to talk with her. Checking the nursery, the spare room, the bathroom and their bedroom again, he didn't find his mate, and a quick check around the door showed that the only disturbance out there was his mother's boot prints against the dewey morning grass. From the window, he could see he wasn't with the chickens or with Kaltenecker. His husband had seemingly vanished into thin air, as Keith felt his panic rising. Lance wouldn't leave. He couldn't leave. Even shuffling to the bathroom left him tired. He didn't have the strength to run, or to be "stealthy". Returning to their room, Keith grabbed his communicator off their bedside table, Lance's side of the bed still held trace amounts of warmth, meaning he couldn't have left long ago. Holding his daughter tighter against his shoulder, he balanced his communicator in his lap, finding his mother's name before calling. He's barely seen her half a varga ago, but didn't have time to feel bad as her sleepy voice came through   
"Keith?"  
"Mum. Have you seen Lance?"  
"Have I what?"  
"Lance. He's missing. I came in from talking to you, and I checked on the boys before getting breakfast ready and now he's gone"  
"Did you check the bathroom?"  
"I checked the whole house. He's not here. He's not outside. He's just... mum, I can't find him"  
"Ok... I'll be right down, he probably went for a walk or something"  
She sounded like she didn't believe him, his anger flaring   
"He's missing! He didn't go for a walk, because he couldn't go for a walk. He's too weak and exhausted!"  
His yelling woke their little girl, the pup screaming her unhappiness  
"Keith, I'm coming. Just take care of your daughter"  
"He's gone..."  
"No. Don't say that. Look, I'm already leaving my room. I'll be there in doboshes. Stay in your room, that way I can check for his smell and prints"  
Ending the call, Keith moved his daughter down to his chest, hushing her gently as he patted her bum  
"Shhh. Daddy's sorry. Daddy didn't mean it. Mummy probably just took a walk..."  
Right out of a closed room... he hadn't even taken his jacket, or his Bayard, or his communicator... and his boots were still in the corner of their room where Keith had thrown them. People didn't just go missing, and if they did it wasn't ever for a good reason.

It was an agonising wait that felt like an eternity and a half before his mother walked into their room, the frown on her face causing his heart to drop to the bottom of his feet as his stomach filled with anxiety  
"Tell me you found him"  
"I... there's no trace of him outside"  
"I told you that!"  
"I thought I smelt something, but the smell of Lance is too strong in here to smell anything properly"  
"You smelt something? Like what?"  
"Like Galra, but it may be from the birth, or it may just be my imagination"  
"Mum, he's gone and you can't even give me a clear answer"  
"Well how long ago did he disappear"  
"I told you. I went and talked to you, then I checked the boys. The only time he could have changed room was while I was talking to you, and I've been in the kitchen, so if he had left, I would have seen him!"  
"Keith..."  
"Don't. Don't even say it"  
"We will find him"  
"How! He vanished! He vanished into thin air!"  
"I'll call the others, maybe he somehow made it up to the castle..."  
He already knew in his gut that Lance wasn't going to be up in the castle. His mate hadn't willingly left their house, or their bed. Someone had to have taken him, and the only person that would was the one person who'd targeted him in the past  
"It was Lotor"  
"What do you mean it was Lotor?"  
His mother was already calling the castle on her communicator   
"It has to be"  
"Keith, we haven't heard..."  
"We haven't heard from him in movements! That in its self if strange! He knew Lance was pregnant. He knew, and he needed him for something!"  
"Then why not take the pup?"  
"Because with one look you can tell she's not his... she looks nothing like him!"  
"Coran, its Krolia. Something's happened and Lance is missing. Can you check the castle, and let everyone else know?"  
He could hear Coran stuttering and confirming he would, his mother ending the call, before nodding at him  
"I'll get the boys. You get what you need. We'll head to the castle"  
"What if he..."  
"If he comes back, he'll call. Or we can leave your communicator connected to his through a video call, we'll position it to watch the doorway"  
"Mum, he couldn't have left... he wouldn't..."  
"It makes more sense that he did, than that Lotor took him. The Olkari and the castle have scanners in place. He couldn't have landed a ship without us knowing"  
"He doesn't need a ship. He has Toral's tech..."  
"This is getting us nowhere. Get dressed"  
Keith honestly wanted to punch her for being so calm. Lance was already at fucking disadvantage, and now she thought he was jumping to conclusions! It was fucking ridiculous. His mate was out there, and he was going to get him back, even if it meant toppling the Galra empire ahead of time.

The whole team was hesitant to agree to his reasoning that it was Lotor who had taken Lance. The scans showed his wasn't in the castle. He wasn't at the house. He wasn't wandering around the forest lost, because he hadn't been outside! They all just seemed... they weren't getting it and they'd been wasting vargas looking for Lance instead of actually listening to him, while continually shooting him looks of pity, like he'd lost his mind for even thinking this could be Lotor. They'd stayed with Lance for that very reason. His omega had barely been out of their sights since he was brought home, because Lotor had said he needed Lance. They'd been in the house because Lotor knew the castle far too well. And now that Lotor had taken Lance, they just didn't seem to want to believe it, leaving Keith feeling particularly murderous. Disgusted in all of them, Keith gathered up his boys, grateful they could walk, as he held his daughter to his shoulder. If no one was going to listen to him, he was going to take his kids to Black. She was probably the safest place in the whole universe, as he doubted Lotor would be able to manipulate her quintessence barrier. Ignoring the way they called his name, his journey was slow, but no one came after him. He probably would have shot them if they had. How could they just... just dismiss Lotor like that? Sure Pidge was amazing at tech, and with Hunk, there was no one else he'd rather have working on their problem, but Lotor could manipulate quintessence to move wherever he wanted! They knew this! He wasn't overacting.

Black lowered her mouth as they approached, her mental tendrils already prying at why he was in such a foul mood, and why their was such a small life in his hold. This wasn't how he'd planned on introducing their pup to Black, but Black was still thrilled over the birth, and because the boys would never have been able to walk up her ramp, she even raised her mouth for them, making the whole process a lot less dangerous, and saving him from having to leave the boys at the base of the ramp, so he could take his daughter up, and then head back down for them. Settling himself down in his pilot's chair, he cut the call to Lance's communicator, there wasn't any point keeping it connected. Lotor wouldn't just return Lance. With his daughter in his lap, he closed his eyes. He didn't know what to do. Or where to even start. Lotor could literally be anywhere. He could be back on Earth for all Keith knew. Right now. Black was his only ally, and all she could do was read his thoughts and emotions... meaning his lion's happiness slowly turned to distress. The knowledge of Lance being taken yet again, being passed and processed through the five of them, before Black's emotions surged, reassuring him that they would do whatever it took to stop Lotor, and to bring Lance home. At least they had his back, even if it felt like the people they called family didn't.

When Keith's communicator chimed, he'd answered on impulse. He hadn't wanted to talk to the team, yet his fingers had betrayed, him and the call filled Black's screen   
"Greeting Paladins of Voltron. By now you would have realised that one of you is in fact missing..."  
"Lotor! Give me back my husband!"  
Lotor didn't even react, his face remaining just as expressionless  
"Lance has very kindly agreed to be the sacrifice that brings peace to the universe. Despite conspiring against me, I offer you this chance. Join me. Join me in creating peace throughout this universe..."  
"You fuck right off. We don't want anything to do with. Now give me back my fucking husband before I gut you alive". That's what Keith wanted to say, but Allura spoke to instead   
"Lotor. You have no right to abduct one of our Paladins. You will return Lance to us"  
"Lance is in agreement. Sacrifices must be made in the name of peace for all"  
Frenzied whispers erupted back in the bridge   
"He is a Paladin of Voltron!"  
"Allura, is his one life truly worth the life of millions? And millions more to come? Surely the life of one to prevent a life of pain is worth it"  
"Lance is more than that!"  
"You disappoint me. Nonetheless, the offer still stands. I have taken the liberty of entering the coordinates to the facility Lance and I are currently in. The programming should have been activated by this transmission. I suggest you take the journey to consider all your options, and I trust you will make the right, and only decision"  
The call dropped, Keith feeling like screaming, the only thing stopping him was his sons and daughter. He'd fucking told them all. He'd told them and now Lotor had Lance. He'd been on the castle. He'd been in their house. Invaded their territory, taking Lance and they all knew he wasn't above torturing him. 

Keith's communicator chimed again, this time he paused. He didn't want to face everyone. He didn't want to see their concern or pity or hear their excuses. He didn't want to hear their voices as they tried to reason with him, tried to make him see things the way they did. He was right and they'd thought him crazy. If he had to face them... he didn't know what he'd say. The only member of the team he'd ever truly tried to hurt... tried to kill, was Shiro, yet his bloodlust was rising. He wanted to tear each of his teammates apart. They'd all failed Lance, again. They'd belittled his judgment. They'd doubted him. He and Lance had worked so hard to find a way to move on. To overcome their past with Shiro... to overcome his feelings of jealousy, and the knowledge that Shiro and Lance had a relationship he'd never be part of. Even as time past, and the mental and physical trauma had begun to heal, Shiro would always hold a fraction of Lance's heart in the form of the two pups he'd passed. It was a wound both of them would carry to the grave, and something that would always be a bitter pill to swallow. Even if he'd loved the pups, he wasn't their biological father. In a fair world, Keith would have been. He would have been the first to tell Lance he loved him. That he needed him. He would have been there through Lance's heat. Fuck. Why did Lotor always have to dredge up the memories and turn them into fresh wounds so easily? The call ended, but his communicator rang again  
"Dadda?"  
Brought back from his anger, Keith looked to where Kelance's was holding the side of his chair, his sons eyes wide, and cheeky smile was on his lips   
"Sorry baby. Daddy was thinking. You know what, I think Black has some of our things in her cargo hold. Why don't we get you a blanket, and something to eat..."  
He couldn't even remember if the boys had breakfast. Hunk had been around, and Hunk wasn't one to let anyone go hungry, but his mind was just so focused on Lance. Answering the call, he said nothing, gathering up his daughter as his sons giggled, following daddy through Black's cargo bay doors  
"Keith... I... I'm..."  
Hunk's voice was replaced with Shiro's  
"The coordinates Lotor input will take approximately 3 vargas to reach, Allura is opening a wormhole now, but even with that, it will take time"  
Was that all he wanted to say? Whatever. He didn't want to talk  
"We are going to get him back, and we are going to stop Lotor... so... just... Come to the bridge when you are ready. We're all here for you. For the kids and for Lance"  
The call ended, Keith shaking with emotion. He couldn't do this and he couldn't lose Lance again... but he couldn't fall apart in front of the kids. He had to keep it together.

His daughter was hungry. The pup crying for the last half varga while the boys were playing with some of their old toys. Keith was still in Black, relying on his lion to inform him when they reached their destination. For all he knew, they could still be in the wormhole... he may be focusing very much on the boys instead of looking out at Black's hangar. 

Keith's communicator made that awful chiming just as Black raised herself, his lion roaring and scaring the boys. Answering the call, Pidge came up on the screen  
"Keith!"  
"What's happening?"  
"We're close to the coordinates. We're going in by lion. There's no place available to land the castle, so Coran is coming with us"  
"He should stay here and provide support"  
"Keith, you can't ask him to stay behind. He cares for Lance. We all care for him. Krolia and Toral will also be joining us... but..."  
"The kids are staying in Black"  
"Keith, is that wise"  
"What the fuck do you expect me to do? Take them into a potential blood bath? Or make them watch their mother die?"  
"I'm not saying that!"  
"The kids stay on Black. She agrees. If things get too bad, she will take them back to Olkarion"  
"You've given up, haven't you?"  
"I never said that"  
"Then why are you talking like this already decided?!"  
"Because this is Lotor. He waited for phoebs to make his play. He watched and waited. He knew our every move. He was on the castle. He was at the house. He was watching. We have no element of surprise, and it's more than likely our allies have already fallen to his army. We can't just run in and hope everything is ok, because we know it's not going to be. Whatever Lotor has planned for us, it may very well be the destruction of Voltron"  
"Then sit in your lion and sulk! We'll defeat Lotor and we'll save Lance!"  
Pidge cut the transmission. Keith knew his emotions had gotten the better of him. He hadn't given up, but he wanted them to be prepared. Lotor would hurt them, or even kill them once they declined his offer. There were things that needed to be done and needed to be said...  
"Black, can you feel Lance? We need to go. I'm trusting you with the most important mission of my life. Please make sure they're ok. I know you. I know your pain and I know you're exhausted from this war. We are going to do everything we can to stop him, but if it's not enough... please promise me you'll understand. I was never a great leader, and it was having Lance beside me that gave me the confidence to even try. So thank you. Thank you for putting up with me, and if we part, I hope one day you'll let me pilot you again. You're a good friend Black"  
Black didn't like his words... no, it was more like if she'd been human, she would have been crying. She understood exactly what he meant and what he needed. She understood he was going to fight, and that things might not go right, but she was going to stay by her Paladins side, until the very end  
"I love you girl. I'm proud to have been your Paladin"  
Taking off from her hangar under her own steam, Keith settled his daughter down with her brothers. It was a long trip back to Olkarion, but she'd find a way.

Landing near the only structure on the otherwise barren planet, Keith allowed himself a moment. Kneeling down by his boys, he nuzzled and kissed their soft hair, telling them both how proud he was to be their daddy, and how much he loved them. His heart was aching to promise them he'd bring Lance back, but he didn't want potentially the last thing he'd tell them to be a lie  
"Isn't this sweet?"  
Black panicked, her mental tendrils drilling down to far, causing Keith to gasp as the world swam for a fraction of tick. While temporarily incapacitated by Black, Lotor gathered up Laneith, and their baby girl, reappearing by Black's mouth. Black was screaming. If he'd just left when he'd arrived, her shields would have gone up, the kids would have been safe... now... now she was struggling not to throw him out as she didn't want to risk hurting the kids. Picking up Kelance, Keith held him against him, one hand under his bum while the other was on top of his head, keeping him from looking at Lotor  
"Their mother is about to bring peace to the universe. They deserve to see his final act"  
"And there's no way you're going to let him go, is there?"  
"No Keith. But you can join him. You can be with him for his final sacrifice"  
If he could just get close to Lance... just... could he do something. Form a plan? Maybe if he got close, he could find a way to save Lance  
"I want to be with him. I don't want him to be alone"  
"Excellent choice"  
Lotor shimmered, disappearing, before Keith was taken from Black.

As he'd said, Keith was allowed to "see" Lance. He couldn't touch him, he couldn't reach out and pull any of the tubes connected to his mate. He couldn't hold his hand. He couldn't tell him he loved him and that it would be all ok. He couldn't do anything. He'd disappeared from Black, reemerging inside the chamber, in front of Lance and a wall full of tech. A small version of a teladuv sat just in front of Lance, barely inches away from his husband and framing him with its circular form. Pure quintessence was already running into his husband's form. And he couldn't do anything. Lotor had taken him to see Lance, that was true, but he and his children were now being held inside a prison pod... cage. It was basically a cage. With the clearest view of Lance in the whole space. He couldn't help Lance, but he could hold his children tight, and wait.

 

*  
Allura, Coran, Pidge, Hunk, Krolia and Toral all walked into the chamber, a fire in their eyes as they stood squarely before Lotor. Lotor smirking at the sight   
"Have you made your decision?"  
"Give us back our friends. The way to peace is not this"  
"I disagree. You betrayed our alliance. You've plotted against me, against our plan for peace"  
"Because you're wrong! You took Lance and Toral from Sendak! You tortured them! You took Lance's eye!"  
"Toral was never harmed, and Lance was instrumental in this plan! Through his sacrifices, this plan was born to fruition, and now he will be the one to bring peace"  
"How?! How can this bring peace?! You've taken Lance against his will! You have hooked him up to whatever this is and you have no right!"  
"Really Allura, you disappoint me. I thought you of all people would understand"  
Shiro placed his hand on Allura's shoulder, holding his girlfriend still  
"Allura, perhaps we should ask Lotor exactly how Lance will be bringing peace to the universe and what all this is..."  
"It is Honerva's vision"  
Honerva's vision was to go back and be the mother she never got to be. That's what Lance had said...  
"After 10,000 years, she was able to figure out what I couldn't all this time. It's true I want peace, but I want more than that. I want a world where the Galra never infected this whole universe. Where Altea never fell, and Allura we can make this happen. You and I, we can build the universe we talked about. You and I, we can rule together, we can kill those who oppose us. Those would mock us. Me as a half breed, you as an orphan, living in your father's shadow, wallowing in your own self pity..."  
Keith might be no ladies man, but even he knew that was not the way to win over a woman  
"What would happen if Zarkon never enslaved the universe? Surely you know that not all of the Altean's were on Altea at the time of Zarkon's attack. What do you think happened to them? Zarkon hunted down every single one of them. We could change all of this, and I'm asking you to come with me"  
"You're insane!"  
"So that is your answer. You won't come with me. It's a shame, but this will be the place you all die, for there shall be no need for Voltron in this new universe. Lance will be the one who to bring peace, and all of this, including him will be forgotten"  
"Lance won't be forgotten, because we won't let you have your way!"  
It was rather impressive, watching Hunk, Allura and Pidge's Bayards activate, Coran's bracelet formed a thick silver Altean broadsword. Toral strung her bow. Krolia activated her blade... and Shiro... Shiro was a little less impressive as he dropped down into a fighting sense  
"This is your last chance! Give him back!"  
"It's too late now. The quintessence requires a live conduit. It's a shame the last thing Lance shall see is your death"

 

*  
Strapped in place, pure quintessence running through his veins filling his body with an unbearable warmth, Lance had been awake when Keith and their boys were brought in. He wanted to fight, but he was just so thoroughly exhausted. He couldn't move. He couldn't blink. His eye wide open, as he felt the quintessence building. It didn't want to be here. It wasn't supposed to be here. That's what his brain was telling him... it honestly felt like the quintessence was probing his brain, like with Red, yet completely different. Nestling its molten existence in the base of his stomach. This felt wrong and he couldn't even do anything about it. He was just so tired. He wanted to go to his boys. To his husband. He wanted to say something. To tell them he loved them. To beg Keith to take them and run... but nothing was coming out his mouth.

By the time the others arrived, Lance was barely conscious. It felt like there was a block between him and the world. Like his sense of self was being pulled backwards. Like he was disconnecting despite how he struggled. The feeling was warm. Like a hug from someone you love. Something telling his brain that it was ok to let go. But it wasn't ok. He wanted to go home with his friends. He didn't want to be part of all of this. He didn't want to be the main part of all of this. But maybe if he gave in... maybe if he gave in, everything would be better. He could feel the quintessence... if he just gave into its embrace...

 

*  
Lunging at the group, Lotor's blade was intercepted by Krolia's, his mother crying out at the impact. Shooting at Lotor's head, Hunk was thrown back as Lotor disappeared and reappeared, kicking Hunk away like he wasn't the solid alpha he was. Running past the battle, Pidge slid across the floor, stopping in front of the cage he was in  
"Keith. I'm going to get you out"  
"Pidge, you can't. The others need you"  
"Shut up. We need you. What were you thinking... honestly... the kids?!"  
"That was Lotor. Black didn't have time to raise her shield before he teleported in. Pidge, we won't be able to defeat him if we can't get Toral's tech back to her. Lotor's using it to enter the quintessence field every time he disappears. If you can't get that tech away..."  
"Tech. Ok. I'm still going to get you out"  
"Pidge, you need to help the others. I can protect the kids. I've got my Bayard and I've got Lance's. You know what you need to do"  
Allura screamed, Pidge's head whipping in that direction   
"Go!"  
"Keith..."  
"Go! You can do this Pidge. You're strong. I know you can"

Running across the room, Pidge let out a feral cry as she leapt on Lotor's back, her Bayard wrapping around his throat as Krolia surged forward, throwing Pidge across the room, she hit the wall with a crack, not moving as her Bayard deactivated   
"Pidge!"  
"I'll get Lance! You get Pidge!"  
Splitting off, Shiro and Hunk ran in opposite directions. Lotor vanishing, before reappearing behind Krolia, his mother enable to react as Lotor's hand plunged through her chest  
"Mum!"  
Screaming her name, his mother staggered, blood gushing from her mouth. Racing to her side, Coran caught her, Lotor laughing as he did  
"K-Keith..."  
"Mum!"  
Screaming for her, he grabbed the light bars, his hands burning as he did  
"Two down"

Keith wasn't sure if Lotor disappeared, or he just moved to fast for his eyes to track. Grabbing Shiro by his bionic arm, the prosthetic crumbled under his touch, Shiro howling and snarling as he still tried to swing, hitting Lotor in the face. Lotor blinked, as if momentarily surprised, but as he grabbed Shiro by the throat and lifted him, Shiro struggled back, throwing them off balance and sending himself stumbling into Lance. Blue sparks flew from Lance, Shiro howling as the quintessence flooded his system. Not wanting to touch him, Lotor backed away, his hand slamming down on something against the wall, the teladuv humming to life. Lance screamed. His scream stopping everything around them. Convulsing in his holds, Lance eye glowed a brilliant blue, the tubes around him sliding free, as the smile on Lotor's face slipped. There was still more than enough quintessence flowing through Lance for the teladuv to form a wormhole, but Lotor... he looked confused.

The blue exploded from Lance, his husband's body engulfed completely in the light as he stepped from hold, the metal and tubes falling away, spilling quintessence across the floor, leaving Shiro howling   
"Lance!"  
Extending his right hand, Lance's Bayard formed, his husband moving like Lotor had, reappearing first by his mother and Coran, then over beside Toral and Allura. Allura was bleeding badly from a gash across her eyebrow  
"Toral. Take the pendant. The time has come. Do not be afraid"  
That wasn't Lance's voice. It was shaky. The words spaced like having to chose each one carefully... and the tone. The was low. Too low for Lance. That wasn't him at all. Passing the pendant to her, Toral shook her head  
"No! Not until he's dead"  
"This is not your choice to make"  
Pressing his left hand against Toral's chest, Toral glowed, a cream light tinged with blue around the edges, before disappearing  
"Toral!"  
"She is well. We will guide her"  
"Who are we? Where is Lance?"  
"Lance is here. He has suffered a lot but for his sake, this is necessary"

Screaming like the insane freak he was, Lotor ran at Lance. Moving from the group, Lance raised his Bayard, morphing it into his blaster  
"This ends now"  
"I couldn't agree more"  
Lance and Lotor moved in a blur. Striking and slashing, shooting and growling. The pair in their own battle, as everything around them was destroyed. When the lights fell from the cell he was kept him, Keith couldn't move. His arms wrapping around his children as he hunched over to protect them. Sparks and explosions erupted from the wall of tech, the sound of crumbling rumble filling the space  
"Keith!"  
Shiro... he'd thought him unconscious, but cradling his arm, the alpha crouched down in front of him  
"Shiro. Protect the others. Get them out of here"  
"Not without you"  
"I can't move. I can't risk the kids!"  
"Let me help"  
"No! You need to help the others!"  
"Lance can't take him alone"  
"That's not Lance. Not all of him at any rate"  
"What..."  
"The quintessence. He's being shielded by the quintessence..."  
"Keith..."  
"You need to help the others. You need to help mum..."  
"Keith..."  
He already knew. He heard her heart stop. He felt the change in the room. His mother had thrown herself at Lotor to take his tech  
"Go. I have my Bayard"  
"Right. I trust you..."  
"Thank you Shiro"  
"Don't talk like that. We'll wait for you"  
"Thanks"

Shiro stumbled over to their friends. Hunk was bleeding from a shoulder wound that seemed to swallow half his chest, Pidge's unconscious form cradled against him, his left knee was holding her up, while his right hand stroked her face. Krolia was still in Coran's hold, tears rolling down his face. They'd never crossed that line, but maybe they should have. Coran has deserved happiness. His mother had deserved happiness. Allura caught Shiro as he sank to his knees, her eyes still wide in anger. And he'd done nothing at all. Watching the air around the teladuv ripple, the wormhole was beginning to destabilise. Turning the battle son Lance was forcing him back towards the wormhole, Lotor thought he was going to win. Frustrated. Frustrated and filled with anger, Keith activated his Bayard. Feeling the difference immediately as black armour formed around him. Rising, he sliced through the chunk of falling ceiling, before howling. Running at Lotor, the roof between him and the others collapsed, Allura screaming for both of them, before another explosion hit. Positioning himself behind Lotor, Keith swung, Lotor catching the swing with his own blade, twirling their blades around each other, before leaping back and striking at each other again. Behind him, the blue emanating from his mate stabilised. The quintessence concentrating in Lance's eyes  
"I am going to fucking kill you"  
"You won't stop me"  
Lance leapt back from their battle, his Bayard forming yet another gun, as his something formed around his eye. Firing his first shot, he hit Lotor's shoulder, Lotor's head whipping towards Lance, surging at him, while zigzagging. Despite the apparent "randomness" of his movements, Lance's shots always hit. Lotor coming to a stop just before him  
"How..."  
"Keith, get the children!"  
With his gun against the centre of Lotor's forehead, Keith ran back to the kids, awkwardly taking the three of them into his hold against his armour. The place was coming down. Thick smoke filling the air, making the pups cough and cry   
"Black! Red?! Can you hear me?!"  
Getting no response from his lion, he lifted his head to look at Lance. He and Lotor were still face to face, Lance was saying something... Lotor coming back to reality, driving his blade into Lance's side as Lance fired. The half Galra fell, dead before he even hit the floor. Tearing the blade from his side, Lance staggered, blood and quintessence rushing down his armour as it faded. Running across the room, Keith was there as Lance stumbled, his husband half collapsing onto him, tears rolling down his face  
"Lance!"  
Lance smiled at him. Covered in blood and dirt, he smiled him at softly   
"Don't cry. It's going to be ok"  
"Baby... I..."  
"Keith. It's ok. The quintessence... I can feel it... I can hear it"  
Keith was certain one couldn't hear "quintessence" but this was Lance... his relationship with it, was something else entirely from normal   
"Baby, but hold on. We can get you home..."  
"No... there's no time..."  
"Baby... please..."  
"Keith, I love you. I've always loved you. But... I don't know if you can forgive me"  
Around them, the structure continued to fall. Why hadn't their lions moved to help?  
"Baby... no matter what, I'll always forgive you"  
Lance nodded, his right arm wrapping around Keith's waist, pushing him forward with unexpected strength  
"Wormhole... we have to go through... it's the only way"  
"We don't know where it goes"  
"You said you trust me"  
"I do..."  
"Then trust this... it won't stabilise. Lotor drained too much quintessence"  
With Lance hanging onto him, Keith holding the pups, they half jogged, but mostly wobbled towards the unstable and expanding wormhole, the energy crackling and shooting like lightening bolts in a jar. Keith's alpha yelling at him to stop, but Lance's momentum sent them stumbling in, despite his own feet stopping. He didn't even have time to say or think anything profound... just "quiznaaaaaak".

 

*  
Keith's knees crumbled, Lance's weight firmly against his back as the alpha sucked down a desperate breath  
"What the quiznak was that?!"  
"Ugh... never again..."  
Opening his eyes, Keith frowned at the familiar yet unplacable wall space in front of him that left him feeling uncomfortable safe, placing down their pups, before looking up. He drew his brow in confusion. Was this Blue? Why the fuck were they in Blue?! What was this?  
"Uh, Lance?"  
Rising slowly from his crouched position, Keith's hands slid up Lance's sides, his legs feeling way too shaky  
"I've got you"  
"What the quiznak was that?"  
"It's what the quintessence... it... don't freak out"

"Sorry to interrupt, but who are you? And where did you come from?"

Both of them jumped at the unfamiliar voice. Keith growing while Lance gasped   
"I know you! You're Blaytz!"  
That name was kind of familiar. Keith felt he should know it  
"Lance, explanation. Now"  
"Keith this is Blaytz! The original Blue Paladin!"  
Lance was practically hyperventilating, which didn't exactly suit the grime they were covered in  
"You're the original Blue Paladin! Blue has told me all about you! Oh my god Keith, I can feel her!"  
"Lance, I know you're excited, but what the quiznak is happening?"  
Looking back to him, it was Keith's turn to gasp, his husband's lost eye now replaced, like he'd never lost it. His marks has shifted colour, now matching the blue in his eyes. There wasn't a trace of fear at all. Which was crazy as they just somehow magically wormholed into Blue?!  
"Keith, meet Blaytz. The original  
Paladin of Blue. Blaytz, my name is Lance, and this is my husband Keith. This is probably going to sound completely insane, but I'm the future Blue Paladin, and Keith... he ends up piloting Black"  
Blaytz seemed way not skeptical enough, but if Lance could feel Blue, then Blue could feel Lance, then Blaytz could feel Lance too. His head hurt trying to even figure that out. And more to the point... how... how was this Blaytz?  
"So you come from the future?"  
Blaytz was supposed to be laid back and fun loving, but was it really ok to just accept things that easily?! He was a Paladin!  
"From the future?"  
"Yep. I can totally like prove it..."  
"Baby..."  
"It's ok. Blaytz. I don't know if you're going to understand this, but right now, we know you're on your way to Earth, to Atlantis. Alfor sent the lions away, so that Zarkon couldn't take them... he betrayed you. He and Honerva..."  
"Lance..."  
"Keith. It's ok. This... this was a gift. This was all the quintessence could do for us. The wormhole was already open"  
"Wormhole... I think I need to sit"  
Lance snorted Blaytz was sitting...  
"This was a gift?"  
"Lotor continued Haggar's... Honerva's research. He'd originally planned to manipulate us into destroying his enemies, and destroying all those who opposed us. But when he saw what Honerva's alchemy... he realised if he could go back to before Zarkon and Honerva enslaved the whole galaxy, he could kill them and crown himself emperor. It never would have worked without pure quintessence, but he didn't have a stabiliser. He needed a living will to shape the quintessence. That's why he wanted a child with that ability, but I was already pregnant. My children can't process it the same way I can. He let me have the child as a last fuck you. All of this... he let me be found and taken by you, just so he could take it all away again. He watched and he waited, waiting until Krolia was born. He knew I couldn't fight, and with our pup, how happy we would be. He waited and he took me just to take that away. He never intended on making peace. He just wanted to kill everyone who'd shunned him, and make everyone else love him through fear"  
Wait... until Krolia was born?! Did that mean... they were naming their girl after his mother? Lance knew about that? So Lance was more conscious and aware than he'd realised...  
"Just how far into the future are you from?"  
"10,000 years... give or take"  
Blaytz blinked, before letting out a bellowing laugh  
"10,000 years?"  
"Lance... is that true?"  
"That's when all this started. Remember. Coran said it himself when we woke him and Allura"  
"You know Coran and Allura?"  
"Of course we know Coran and Allura. When I take over piloting Red, Allura takes over Blue. Don't worry... Zarkon doesn't find them... wait. Keith. Important question... anything we tell him, is that going to effect the future? Because if we move against Zarkon now... we're never going to meet... we'll never find Blue and we'll never get Shiro... and I think I'm freaking out"  
Releasing him, his omega slid down the wall next to the Blue's cargo bay doors   
"Is he ok?"  
"No... no, I don't think either of us are"  
"I've got supplies in the back... and we'll be approaching Atlantis soon, I expect we'll be there within the next few quintants... though Atlantis is not my final destination"  
"No. You're going to hide Blue in a system of caves in the desert..."  
The look on Blaytz's face was confusion, before he just seemed to shrug and give up, having a much easier time accepting they were from the future than Keith was having over accepting they were now 10,000 years into the past  
"From there I will transported to Atlantis, and we'll watch over her to ensure Zarkon doesn't find her"  
Lance nodded, how was he ok with this?! And hold up. Hadn't he been stabbed?  
"Right... ok... ok... Keith... can you check for supplies"  
"Sorry Blaytz. I need to borrow my husband for a tick"

Dragging Lance into the cargo hold, his omega frowned at him  
"Keith?"  
"I don't think I'm understanding this. You're saying we've gone back in time"  
"Kind of..."  
"But you were stabbed. You were bleeding out"  
"And now I'm ok..."  
"Lance, quintessence doesn't heal wounds"  
"No, but quintessence is life. It never wanted to be used and manipulated the way Lotor tried. Maybe because he spent phoebes pumping it into me, but I could feel it, Keith. I could hear it. The wormhole had already opened, the teladuv was damaged and there was no other way. It told me to go"  
"What about the others? What happened to them?"  
"I don't know... but Keith... we can't go back. This was a one way trip. It took Honerva and Lotor 10,000 years to get where they did..."  
"So we're stuck here"  
"I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!"  
"I just..."  
This was too much... way too much has happened for him to rationally process it, and his alpha... his alpha was smacking its head against a mental wall, acting like a scared and dumb beast  
"Do you even know mum died!? Lance, did you see her die! She died in Coran's arms. Everyone was hurt. Everyone was hurt trying to get you back... and what, you're telling me they just..."  
"Allura and Coran don't know us... won't know us. They're the only ones still around..."  
"So we're..."  
"Trapped. We've returned to before Lotor drained the quintessence field to an unstable level..."  
"We've returned to Blue! On her way to Earth! How... why?! Couldn't you have picked a better place?!"  
"I was thinking about Earth... look, I asked you if you trusted me, and we had to do something"  
"You didn't ask if I wanted to go back in time!"  
"The wormhole was destabilising. The quintessence in my body just wanted to return to where it came from. That's why our wounds are healed. That's why I have my eye again, and that stab wound has healed. Putting us in Blue was its gift so we could return to Earth"  
"So we really can't go home?"  
"No... we can't even risk going back into space. If we change the timeline, we could make things even worse"  
"So we have to sit back and wait. Knowing what is going to happen"  
"But it's not..."  
"You just said you can't change the timeline..."  
Lance lit up, smacking himself in forehead  
"I'm not going to. Blue is!"  
"How? What can she do?"  
"She's listening. She can hear our every word and she isn't going to forget"  
"So we're going to leave the fate of the universe to Blue?"  
"Don't say it like that. Blue is perfect, aren't you my gorgeous girl. No wonder she didn't like you when you first met"  
"Are you trying to say we've done this before?"  
"What?! No. Wait. I don't know. Don't do that to me. Blue, my gorgeous girl, I know you don't know me and I know you don't trust me, but I can feel you, like you can feel me. In 10,000 years, Keith, Me, our friends... we're going to find you. We're going to find you and you'll be reunite with your sisters. And we're going to have a whole lot of fun. You're going to be my closest friend. Then, there's going to come a time when Princess Allura becomes your pilot, and no matter what, I need you to keep this secret until then. Lotor cannot be trusted. I know you can affect our moods and emotions. We all feel close to our lions, but no matter what, Lotor can never be trusted. Not with Allura. Not with me or Keith or Hunk or Pidge or Coran or Krolia. Not with Voltron. I know this isn't fair. I know you're always up for an adventure, and we will. We'll even meet mermaids, but for now. I have to ask you to do this for me, because we will meet again"  
So Lance had a plan... but what the quiznak came next?  
"And us? What do we do?"  
Lance bit his lip, looking down and clenching his hands before looking back up at him  
"Baby?"  
"I know you didn't ask for this, but we're together. We have the boys and we have Krolia, we could try to live a normal life? Things aren't going to be the same, but you spent a year living in the desert alone..."  
"Because I could fly and I could get supplies whenever I needed. We're back before medicine. Before cars. Before movies and before Earth dabbled in space travel..."  
"But we have Blaytz and we have Atlantis. We can't leave our tech to be found. We should go with him..."  
"I don't think the Altean's are going to be too happy to see a half-Galra"  
"Keith. I don't see a your Galra when I look at you, I see my husband. My alpha and my other half. You fought so hard against the Galra. You're a good person and if they're anything like the Altean's, Coran and Allura told us about, then, they're not going to see you any other way. And if they do, we can just steal Blue, and screw the timeline..."  
Lance gave a nervous laugh, while Keith felt like his whole world was finally coming into line. His racing heart and scattered thoughts slowed. Taking a deep breath, he let it go with a laugh. They were doing this...  
"You're serious, you want to do this?"  
"Only because I'm with you. I'm not telling you to give up getting home, but if I was going to be stuck back in time with anyone, I can't think of four people it'd rather be"

This was... wow... Keith had no words. His mother was dead. Voltron technically didn't exist in the form they knew. But he already had everything he wanted. He had his husband. He had his pups. His boys. His girl... and Lance, Lance would be able to live a safe and boring life. They wouldn't have to worry about waking up to the castle being under threat... they wouldn't have to worry about the Galra attacking while they slept. About the people they couldn't save or had failed to save. They couldn't recall the lions. Alfor has seen to that, and right now, Zarkon was bonded to the Black lion. If they tried anything, it would only cause more harm than good...  
"Lance, are you sure?"  
"If you'll have me, I want to try. I know it's going to be hard. I know it's going to suck... and I know we're going to miss everyone like crazy until we meet them all over again. So. If you'll have me, Keith, do you want to try living a normal life until we die at some ridiculous age, asleep in each others arms like in all the good movies, then wait to be reborn 10,000 years into the future where we're going to meet and fall in love all over again?"  
"That sounds like one hell of a proposal"  
"You did say we'd make it offical back on Earth"  
"I did... before I accept, I have a question, are we calling our princess Krolia?"  
"I... I saw what she did... I think, I think it suits her. Krolia... or maybe Cora"  
"I thought we didn't like Cora"  
Lance sniffled, wrapping his arms around him  
"I just don't want to forget them... Coran and his stories. Allura and her fierce softness. Pidge and her tech. Hunk and his cooking. Mum and her badarseness. Shiro and his... patience yields focus... The mice. Six. Kaltenecker... the chickens... I don't want to forget them"  
"We're not going to forget them. And we'll meet them again. And mum would be honoured. Kelance, Laneith and Krolia"  
Lance let out a shaking breath, nuzzling his neck. His scent pained, but ok at the same time... maybe even hopeful?  
"Fuck..."  
"Yeah baby..."  
"So, forever? And then all over again?"  
"I'll be with you for as long as you will have me"  
Lance pulled back, his lips softly ghosting over Keith's   
"Forever it is"  
"Forever it is"


End file.
